Customer activation system for cellular network

• US 7,076,240 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1995
• 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: Holmes, David William James
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US10/814,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 455/418, 455/419, 455/551
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal device such as a cellular telephone is provided with a preliminary identifier stored in memory. The identifier allows access to a cellular network for verification and provides essentially unique identification by the network, but is insufficient to allow further use of the network. During verification, the identifier is analyzed by a cellular network processor and a determination is made whether the cellular telephone should have restricted access to the network. Upon favorable completion of the identifier analysis, a signal may be transmitted to the cellular telephone that allows the cellular telephone to have less restricted access to the network.

Claims

1. A method of installing data within a mobile communication device, wherein the installed data provides the mobile communication device with less-restricted access to a wireless network configured for providing wireless services, the method comprising:

receiving, via the wireless link, a first code that is permanently associated with the mobile communication device and a second code that includes a preliminary identifier for providing the mobile communication device with restricted access to the wireless network;

analyzing at least the received first and second codes to determine whether the mobile communication device should have less restricted access to the wireless network; and

upon favorable completion of the analyzing, transmitting to the mobile communication device a signal including a replacement identifier,

wherein the signal is transmitted over the wireless network,

wherein the replacement identifier is configured to provide the mobile communication device with less restricted access to the wireless network than the preliminary identifier, and

wherein the replacement identifier, once received at the mobile communication device, is stored in memory at the mobile communication device, so that the mobile communication device transmits the replacement identifier in place of the second code during subsequent communication sessions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal further includes authorization codes.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining customer data for storage in a customer data record associated with the second code, wherein the customer data is received without using the wireless network; and

sending a query to the mobile communication device after receiving the first and second codes, wherein the query requests information included in the customer data record.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining customer data from a customer associated with the mobile communication device, wherein the customer data is obtained without receiving data via the wireless network, and wherein the customer data is obtained and stored before receiving the first and second codes.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining customer data from a customer associated with the mobile communication device, wherein the customer data is obtained at least in part via the wireless network, wherein the wireless network is accessed at least in part using the second code, and wherein the customer data is stored in a customer data record.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is a cellular terminal, and wherein the second code is in mobile identification number (MIN) format.

7. A system for installing data within a mobile communication device, wherein the installed data provides the mobile communication device with less-restricted access to a wireless network through which wireless services are provided, the system comprising:

a receiver component configured for receiving, from the mobile communication device via the wireless network, a first code that is permanently associated with the mobile communication device and a second code that includes a preliminary identifier for providing the mobile communication device with restricted access to the wireless network;

a processor component coupled to the receiver component, wherein the processor component is configured for analyzing the received first and second codes to determine whether the mobile communication device should have less restricted access to the wireless network; and

a transmitter component coupled to the processor component, wherein the transmitter component is configured for, upon favorable completion of the analyzing, transmitting to the mobile communication device a signal including a replacement identifier,

wherein the signal is transmitted over a wireless link associated with the wireless network,

wherein the replacement identifier is configured to provide the mobile communication device with less restricted access to the wireless network and service than the preliminary identifier, and

wherein the replacement identifier is stored within a memory of the mobile communication device, so that the mobile communication device transmits the replacement identifier in place of the second code during subsequent communication sessions.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor component is further configured for comparing data received from the mobile communication device with data in a customer data record associated with the first and second codes.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor component is further configured for:

comparing data received from the mobile communication device with data in a customer data record associated with the first and second codes;

generating a query requesting data from the mobile communication device; and

comparing the requested data, once received, to the data in customer data record.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the transmitter component is further configured to transmit instructions to the mobile communication device, and wherein the instructions instruct the mobile communication device to overwrite the second code with the replacement identifier.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a data storage component, wherein the data storage component is configured for storing the replacement identifier so that it can be accessed when the mobile communication device transmits the replacement identifier thereafter.

12. An apparatus for use in a wireless communications network, the apparatus configured for activation by a purchaser, the apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a first code and a second code to a receiving component associated with a wireless service provider, wherein the first code is permanently associated with the apparatus, wherein the transmitting is via a wireless link to which the apparatus has been given restricted access based on a preliminary identifier associated with the second code, and wherein the second code is used in a determination of whether the apparatus should have less restricted access to the wireless link;

means for receiving a signal including a replacement identifier via a wireless link associated with the wireless service provider,

wherein the signal is transmitted over the wireless link after favorable completion of an analyzing process performed at a processor component of the wireless service provider, wherein the analyzing process includes analyzing the first and second codes to determine whether the apparatus should have less restricted access to the wireless network, and

wherein the replacement identifier is configured to provide the apparatus with less restricted access to the wireless link than the preliminary identifier; and

means for storing the replacement identifier, so that the apparatus transmits the replacement identifier in place of the original second code thereafter.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first code and the second code are initially installed during factory programming.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the signal is a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for converting the DTMF signal into the replacement identifier for storage in the memory.