System and method for over the air provisioning of a mobile communications device

• US 7,835,722 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Christopher, Munje, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan; Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US10/981,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/13.2, 455/517, 455/524, 455/502, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412, 455/415, 380/258, 380/261
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A mobile communications device includes logic means operable to generate a request that is transmitted to a first network node. The request includes a personal information number and at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device also includes logic means operable to receive a response from the first network node. The response includes a URL and a session ID based upon the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device further includes logic means operable to establish a communication session with a second network node to provision at least one aspect of the mobile communications device by transmitting the URL and the session ID to the second network node.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a mobile communications device comprising:

transmitting a request by the mobile communications device to a first network node, the request including a personal information number and at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device;

receiving a response from the first network node by the mobile communications device, the response including a URL associated with a second network node and a session ID generated by the second network node, the session ID associated with the URL and based upon the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device; and

transmitting the URL and the session ID by the mobile communications device to the second network node to establish a communication session therewith to provision at least one aspect of the mobile communications device.

2. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first network node is operable as part of a relay network.

3. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the second network node is operable as part of a provisioning system.

4. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one device identifier further comprises an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

5. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

6. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

7. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

8. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

9. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the session ID is generated based on hashing the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device.

10. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitting and receiving steps are performed over a wireless packet data service network comprising one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

11. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitting the URL and the session ID by the mobile communications device to a second network node must take places within a predetermined time window.

12. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first network node and the second network node are colocated.

13. The method for provisioning a mobile communications device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first network node and the second network node are integrated.

14. A mobile communications device comprising:

logic means operable to generate a request that is transmitted to a first network node, the request including a personal information number and at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device;

logic means operable to receive a response from the first network node, the response including a URL associated with a second network node and a session ID generated by the second network node, the session ID associated with the URL and based upon the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device; and

logic means operable to establish a communication session with a second network node to provision at least one aspect of the mobile communications device by transmitting the URL and the session ID to the second network node.

15. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier further comprises an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

16. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

17. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

18. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

19. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address corresponding to the mobile communications device.

20. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

21. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the session ID is generated based on hashing the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device.

22. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the logic means operable to establish the communication session with a second network node to provision at least one aspect of the mobile communications device transmits the URL and the session ID to the second network node within a predetermined time window.

23. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the first network node and the second network node are colocated.

24. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 14 wherein the first network node and the second network node are integrated.

25. A network system for provisioning a mobile communications device comprising:

a first network node operable to receive a request transmitted by the mobile communications device, the request including a personal information number and at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device and provide a response to the mobile communications device, the response including a URL and a session ID based upon the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device; and

a second network node operable to receive a query by the first network node that includes the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device, generate the session ID, associate the session ID with the URL and transmit a reply to the first network node that includes the URL and the session ID and establish a communication session with the mobile communications device to provision at least one aspect of the mobile communications device upon receiving the URL and the session ID transmitted by the mobile communications device.

26. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the first network node is operable as part of a relay network.

27. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the second network node is operable as part of a provisioning system.

28. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the at least one device identifier further comprises an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

29. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

30. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

31. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

32. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the at least one device identifier comprises an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID) parameter corresponding to the mobile communications device.

33. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the session ID is generated based on hashing the personal information number and the at least one device identifier associated with the mobile communications device.

34. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the first and second network nodes interface with a wireless packet data service network comprising one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

35. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the second network node must receive the URL and the session ID within a predetermined time window in order to establish the communication session.

36. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the first network node and the second network node are colocated.

37. The network system as recited in claim 25 wherein the first network node and the second network node are integrated.