Method and apparatus for activating and managing VoIP phone with RFID

• US 7,702,087 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shim, Choon B., Byun, Joonbum
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/217,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.05, 379/90.01, 379/91.02, 379/93.06, 379/93.17, 379/3.28, 379/93.29, 370352-355, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 379/93.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision

Abstract

An apparatus equipped with Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) reader and LAN/WAN access reads an RFID tag attached to a Video and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone. The apparatus retrieves phone information, including such information as an Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) address from the RFID tag and requests that a VoIP call server register the phone automatically. A VoIP service operator can register multiple phones without opening phone packaging. Additional information such as a directory number (DN) or a phone user name can be associated with the phone during the registration process using the apparatus.

Claims

1. A process for providing registration information about a telecommunications device to a communications services provider, comprising:

detecting a presence of radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) associated with a telecommunications device;

obtaining profile information about the associated telecommunications device from the RFID tag;

said profile information including a Media Access Control (MAC) address;

automatically selecting at least the MAC address from the obtained profile information as registration information about the telecommunications device; and

creating a registration message including said registration information, said registration message having a format appropriate for transmission to a communications services provider for first time registration of the telecommunications device with the communications service provider.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications device comprises a video voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said registration information for a VoIP phone includes a MAC address.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein said registration message further includes at least one other identification code to be associated with the phone.

5. The process of claim 1 further including, detecting a presence of radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) associated with a second telecommunications device;

obtaining profile information about the associated second telecommunications device from the RFID tag;

automatically selecting at least a portion of the obtained profile information as registration information about a second telecommunications device; and

creating a registration message including said second registration information, said second registration message having a format appropriate for transmission to a communications services provider for the first time registration of the second telecommunications device with the communications service provider.

6. The process of claim 5 further including transmitting the created registration message and the created second registration message toward the service provider so as to nearly-concurrently register multiple devices with the service provider.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the registration message is created prior to an assignment of a Directory Number (DN).

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications device is contained in a packaging, the profile information being obtained from the RFID tag before the telecommunications device is unpacked from the packaging.

9. The process of claim 1, including:

obtaining profile information about two or more telecommunications devices from RFID tags associated with the respective telecommunications devices, said profile information including respective MAC addresses;

storing the profile information of the two or more telecommunications devices; and

at a later time, transmitting the profile information of the two or more telecommunications devices to the service provider nearly-concurrently, to provide bulk registration of the two or more devices.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a main controller;

a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) reader coupled to said main controller;

a display coupled to said main controller; and

a communication network interface coupled to said main controller;

wherein said main controller has associated therewith software for executing a process by which,

profile information concerning a video voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone within range of said RFID tag is gathered, said profile information to include a Media Access Control (MAC) address of said phone; and

the gathered profile information is processed to create a registration message that can be used for first time registration of the phone with a service provider.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said software can further cause the main controller to cause said display to provide a visual prompt for input of supplemental information to be associated with said profile information.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the registration message is created prior to an assignment of a Directory Number (DN).