Method and apparatus for communicating using a plurality of identities

• US 7,945,244 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McCloskey, John, Chapman, Shane David, Agnvall, Peter, Delaet, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/837,808
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/433, 455419-420, 455/414.1, 455/558, 455/414.3, 455/456.3, 705/14.1, 705/14.38
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating using a plurality of identities is disclosed. The method includes communicating on a mobile communications device using a first identity having an associated first content and communicating using a second identity having an associated second content. The apparatus includes a processor for communicating with a communications network using the first identity having the associated first content and using the second identity having the associated second content.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

establishing, by a mobile communication device, a communication session with a mobile communication system;

selecting, by the mobile communication device, a first identity, wherein a first content associated with the first identity is stored at a first database accessible through the mobile communication system and the first content is independent of the mobile communication device;

requesting, by the mobile communication device to the mobile communication system, activation of the first identity, wherein the request comprises first authentication credentials associated with the first identity and the first authentication credentials are independent of an authentication of the communication session;

receiving, at the mobile communication device, the first content, and configuring the mobile communication device according to the first identity, if the first identity is authenticated;

selecting, by the mobile communication device, a second identity, wherein a second content associated with the second identity is stored at a second database accessible through the mobile communication system and the second content is independent of the mobile communication device;

requesting, by the mobile communication device to the mobile communication system, activation of the second identity, wherein the request comprises second authentication credentials associated with the second identity and the second authentication credentials are independent of the authentication of the communication session; and

receiving, at the mobile communication device, the second content, and configuring the mobile communication device according to the second identity, if the second identity is authenticated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first content includes contact information associated with the first identity and the second content includes contact information associated with the second identity.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first content includes a first gaming application and the second content includes a second gaming application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first content includes a first custom preference associated with the first identity and the second content includes a second custom preference associated with the second identity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication credentials associated with the first identity comprise a first username and a first password and the authentication credentials associated with the second identity comprise a second username and a second password.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the authentication credentials associated with the first and second identities are contained on a hardware-based identity key inserted into the mobile communications device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, first and second phone numbers and first and second network identifiers from a communications network via an Internet Over-the-Air (IOTA) interface, wherein the first and second phone numbers and the first and second network identifiers are associated with the first and second identities, respectively.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of caching at least one of the first content and the second content on the mobile communications device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising synchronizing at least one of the first content and the second content between the mobile communications device and at least one of the first database and the second database through the mobile communication system.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein synchronizing includes the step of updating the at least one of the first content and the second content based on modifications made to at least one of the first content and the second content at the mobile communications device.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving, at the mobile communication device, a copy of the updated at least one of the first content and the second content from the communications network.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising

synchronizing at least one of the first content and the second content between the mobile communications device and at least one of the first database and the second database through the mobile communication system;

disestablishing, by the mobile communication device, the communication session with the mobile communication system;

establishing, by a second mobile communication device, a second communication session with the mobile communication system;

selecting, by the second mobile communication device, the first identity;

requesting, by the second mobile communication device to the mobile communication system, activation of the first identity, wherein the request comprises the first authentication credentials;

receiving, at the second mobile communication device, the first content, and configuring the mobile communication device according to the first identity, if the first identity is authenticated.

12. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a processor configured to request a mobile communications system activation and authentication of at least one of a first identity and a second identity out of a plurality of identities, to receive content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity from a database accessible through the mobile communication system, and to control the mobile communications device to communicate with the mobile communications system using the at least one of the first identity and the second identity if the mobile communication system authenticates the at least one of a first identity and a second identity;

a transceiver, coupled to the processor, configured to establish and maintain a communication session with the mobile communications system; and

a user interface for selecting the at least one of the first identity and the second identity,

wherein the request comprises authentication credentials associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity.

13. The mobile communications device according to claim 12, wherein the mobile communications device is an IP-enabled device.

14. The mobile communications device according to claim 12, further comprising a storage unit coupled to the processor, wherein a copy of the content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity is cached on the storage unit.

15. The mobile communications device according to claim 12, wherein the mobile communications device provides wireless services associated with the content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity.

16. The mobile communications device according to claim 12, wherein the mobile communications device transmits an update to the content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity to the communications network, and wherein a network copy of the content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity is updated based on the update.

17. The mobile communications device according to claim 16, wherein the mobile communications device receives a copy of the updated network copy of the updated network copy of the content associated with the at least one of the first identity and the second identity from the communications network.