Method and apparatus to manage a resource

• US 7,039,403 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US10/039,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/427, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/433, 455/426.1, 370/338, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A method includes selecting a registration resource at a first location and assigning the registration resource to a customer at a second location. The registration resource is released at the second location independently of the first location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a first location, selecting a first registration MSISDN number from a set, wherein the first registration MSISDN number is potentially usable to register for a service and obtain a service MSISDN number to replace the first registration MSISDN number, and wherein the service MSISDN number but not the first registration MSISDN number is usable for the service;

communicating the first registration MSISDN number to a second location;

communicating a first request to the second location to assign the first registration MSISDN to a customer;

receiving an error from the second location indicating that the assignment failed;

at the first location, selecting a second registration MSISDN number from the set, wherein the second registration MSISDN number is potentially usable to register for the service and obtain the service MSISDN number to replace the second registration MSISDN number, and wherein the service MSISDN number but not the second registration MSISDN number is usable for the service;

communicating the second registration MSISDN number to the second location; and

communicating a second request to the second location to assign the second registration MSISDN to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first and second registration MSISDN numbers further comprises:

selecting the first and second registration MSISDN numbers using one of a random and pseudo-random selection process.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the second location assigning the second registration MSISDN number to the customer; and

the second location releasing the assignment of the second registration MSISDN number independently of the first location.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

communicating service options to the customer;

the second location releasing the assignment of the second registration MSISDN number upon a selection of a service plan by the customer; and

the second location assigning the service MSISDN number to the customer.

5. A method comprising:

receiving at a second location a first registration resource selected at a first locations, wherein the first registration resource is potentially usable to register for a service and obtain a service resource to replace the first registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the first registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the first registration resource to a customer;

determining at the second location that the first registration resource is already assigned to another customer;

returning to the first location an error;

receiving at the second location a second registration resource selected at the first location, wherein the second registration resource is potentially usable to register for the service and obtain the service resource to replace the second registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the second registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the second registration resource to the customer;

determining at the second location that the second registration resource is not already assigned to another customer; and

assigning the second registration resource to the customer.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving at the second location an indication that the customer has selected a service plan;

assigning the service resource to the customer; and

releasing the assignment of the second registration resource independently of the first location.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first registration resource is a first MSISDN number, the second registration resource is a second MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number, and the service resource is a third MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number and the second MSISDN number.

8. A system comprising:

a provisioning system comprising a set of registration resources;

a registry system comprising a customer registry and a list of assigned and otherwise unavailable registration resources;

wherein;

the provisioning system selects a registration resource independently of the registry system, wherein the registration resource is potentially usable to register for a service and obtain a service resource to replace the registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the registration resource is usable for the service;

the registry system assigns the registration resource to a customer in response to a request from the provisioning system, provided that the registration resource is not identified in the list of assigned and otherwise unavailable registration resources; and

the registry system releases the registration resource independently of the provisioning system upon receiving an indication that the customer selected a service plan.

9. The system of claim 8, the registry further comprising:

an association of a customer number and the registration resource.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the registration resource and the service resource are first and second MSISDN numbers, respectively.

11. An article comprising a machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a data processing device, result in:

receiving at a second location a first registration resource selected at a first location, wherein the first registration resource is potentially usable to register for a service and obtain a service resource to replace the first registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the first registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the first registration resource to a customer;

determining at the second location that the first registration resource is already assigned to another customer;

returning to the first location an error;

receiving at the second location a second registration resource selected at the first location, wherein the second registration resource is potentially usable to register for the service and obtain the service resource to replace the second registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the second registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the second registration resource to the customer;

determining at the second location that the second registration resource is not already assigned to another customer; and

assigning the second registration resource to the customer.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the instructions, when executed by the data processing device, further result in:

receiving at the second location an indication that the customer has selected a service plan;

assigning the service resource to the customer; and

releasing the assignment of the second registration resource independently of the first location.

13. The article of claim 11 wherein the first registration resource is a first MSISDN number, the second registration resource is a second MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number, and the service resource is a third MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number and the second MSISDN number.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, result in;

receiving at a second location a first registration resource selected at a first location, wherein the first registration resource is potentially usable to register for a service and obtain a service resource to replace the first registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the first registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the first registration resource to a customer;

determining at the second location that the first registration resource is already assigned to another customer;

returning to the first location an error;

receiving at the second location a second registration resource selected at the first location, wherein the second registration resource is potentially usable to register for the service and obtain the service resource to replace the second registration resource, and wherein the service resource but not the second registration resource is usable for the service;

receiving at the second location a request to assign the second registration resource to the customer;

determining at the second location that the second registration resource is not already assigned to another customer; and

assigning the second registration resource to the customer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further result in:

receiving at the second location an indication that to customer has selected a service plan;

assigning the service resource to the customer; and

releasing the assignment of the second registration resource independently of the first location.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first registration resource is a first MSISDN number, the second registration resource is a second MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number, and the service resource is a third MSISDN number different than the first MSISDN number and the second MSISDN number.