Method and apparatus for after-market vending of feature-provisioning software to third party mobile wireless communication devices

• US 7,917,133 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kerry W., Oerton, Kevin J., Payne, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US11/019,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/418, 455/466, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455405-411, 709217-219, 709/201, 713168-178, 705/14, 705/15, 705/18, 705/26, 705/14.64, 705/64
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

After market vending of feature-provisioning software to qualified third party mobile wireless communication devices is facilitated by providing a joint software vending machine website capable of authenticating the device and wireless service provider and downloading and activating only software appropriate to that particular user device and wireless network service provider. The exemplary system provides device/user qualification and/or authentication as well as device provisioning for mobile wireless communication devices that may be manufactured by different vendors for different purposes and serviced by different wireless network service providers via a wireless infrastructure which includes a communication data relay service provider.

Claims

1. A method for selectively vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to a menu comprising a plurality of down-loadable feature provisioning software and respective prices;

providing download access control software to access and use said website;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified hardware device suitable and authorized for receiving said menu, said authenticating step including use of a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on said mobile wireless communication device by a particular wireless carrier service provider;

providing qualified suitable feature-provisioning software at stated prices from said menu for selection;

effecting monetary payment for the selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges with said website; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the qualified selected feature-provisioning software via the internet;

wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party selected from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein respective subsets of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

6. A method for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

providing download access control software for use by a PC base unit to access said website via a base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said PC base unit as a qualified hardware device, said authenticating step including use of a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on said mobile wireless communication device by a particular wireless carrier service provider;

effecting monetary payment for user-selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges between said website and said PC base unit; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified PC base unit via the internet; and

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said PC base unit.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.

8. A system for selectively vending feature-provisioning software qualified to mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said system comprising:

an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software;

download access control software disposed for use by a device user to access and use said website;

means for authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified hardware device suitable and authorized for receiving said feature-provisioning software, said means for authenticating adapted to use a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on the device by a particular wireless carrier service provider;

qualified suitable feature-provisioning software accessible at stated prices on said website for selection via a device user interface;

means for effecting monetary payment by data exchanges with said website for user-selected feature-provisioning software; and

means for downloading qualified user-selected feature-provisioning software via the internet if the requesting hardware device has been authenticated and monetary payment has been received;

wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

9. A system as in claim 8 further comprising:

download provisioning software disposed in said mobile wireless communication device to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from a user base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

10. A system as in claim 8 wherein respective subsets of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

13. A system for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said system comprising:

an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

download access control software disposed for use by a device user PC base unit to access said website via a user PC base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

means for authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit as a qualified hardware device, said means for authenticating adapted to use a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and use of a user ID assigned to a user of the device by a particular wireless carrier service provider;

means for effecting monetary payment by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit for user-selected feature-provisioning software; and

means for downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified user PC base unit via the internet if the requesting hardware device has been authenticated and monetary payment has been received; and

download provisioning software disposed in said mobile wireless communication device to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said user PC base unit.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice for a device user as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.

15. A “

non-transitory”

machine readable medium on which is disposed at least one computer program which, when executed by at least one suitable computer, will effect a method for selectively vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said method comprising;

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-Loadable feature provisioning software;

providing download access control software for use via a device user interface to access and use said website;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified hardware device suitable and authorized for receiving said feature-provisioning software, said authenticating step including use of a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on said mobile wireless communication device by a particular wireless carrier service provider;

providing qualified suitable feature-provisioning software at stated prices for selection;

effecting monetary payment for the selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges with said website; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the qualified selected feature-provisioning software via the internet;

wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

16. A non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 15 further comprising computer program software:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from a user base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

17. A non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 15 wherein respective subsets of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

18. A non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 17 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

19. A non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 18 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

20. A “

non-transitory”

machine readable medium on which is stored at least one computer program which, when executed by at least one suitable computer, will effect a method for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said method comprising;

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-Loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

providing download access control software for use by a device user PC base unit to access and use said website via a user PC base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit as a qualified hardware device, said authenticating step including use of a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on said mobile wireless communication device by a particular wireless carrier service provider; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified user PC base unit via the internet; and

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said user PC base unit.

21. A non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 20 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.