System and method for triggering a provisioning event

• US 8,060,530 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARNO, PATRICK A
• Application Number:
  US10/643,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,011 Days
• Field of Search: 709/215, 709/202, 709/203, 455/412.2, 455/67.13, 455/461, 707/791, 707/999.001, 707/999.01
• US Class Current: 707/791
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for triggering a provisioning event in a service provider using a provisioning request message generated by an external system. A provisioning system may be used to receive the provisioning request message from the external system and transmit information in the provisioning request message to the service provider to trigger the provisioning event. The provisioning request message may have a data structure that includes a header section and a body section. The body section may contain a provisioning entity section that includes information identifying an entity to which the provisioning event pertains, wherein the provisioning entity section includes one or more attributes defined by the external system.

Claims

1. A system for triggering a plurality of provisioning events using a single, hierarchical provisioning request message stored in a computer-readable medium generated by an external system, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events from a plurality of service providers to request for an entity, comprising:

a provisioning system operable to electronically receive the single, hierarchical provisioning request message from the external system and transmit information in the hierarchical provisioning request message to each of the plurality of service providers identified in the hierarchical provisioning request to trigger the provisioning events, wherein the provisioning system is separate from the external system and the plurality of service providers, and wherein the plurality of provisioning events include one or more of activation of a service, deactivation of a service, suspension of a service, resumption of a service, modification of a service profile or service parameters, and obtaining status information regarding a service;

the hierarchical provisioning request message being a format-independent electronic message capable of being constructed by and interpreted by a plurality of different external systems, the hierarchical provisioning request message having a data structure that includes information identifying the entity to which the plurality of provisioning events pertain, wherein the identifying information includes one or more attributes defined by the external system, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message further includes a provisioning event data structure associated with each of the plurality of provisioning events requested for the entity, wherein the provisioning event data structure identifies a service provider associated with a provisioning event requested for the entity;

wherein the provisioning system uses a provisioning reply to return status or error information relating to the hierarchical provisioning request message to the external system;

the provisioning system in communication with the external system and the plurality of service providers, wherein a service provider is operable to communicate with the entity to cause one of the provisioning events to occur in response to receiving the information from the hierarchical provisioning request message received from the provisioning system; and

the service provider operable to provide mobile communication service to the entity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes include a name attribute that identifies the entity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes include a type attribute that identifies an entity type of the entity.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the type attribute identifies a model number of the entity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the service provider is a mobile data service provider.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message further includes provisioning data that identifies a particular entity to which the plurality of provisioning events pertain.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the particular entity is a mobile communication device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the provisioning data includes one or more attributes defined by the external system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more attributes include a name attribute that identifies a type of information included within the provisioning data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a personal identification number (PIN) for the entity.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a product identifier for the entity.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a billing identifier for the entity.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes an international mobile subscriber identity identifier (IMSI) for the entity.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) for the entity.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) for the entity.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message includes additional information identifying one or more additional entities to which the provisioning event pertains, and wherein the additional information includes one or more attributes defined by the external system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a data structure relationship between the provisioning entity section and the one or more additional provisioning entity sections is defined by the external system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an extensible markup language (XML) message.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the status information describes the status of the entity after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the status information describing the status of the entity includes:

service deactivated, service deactivated after modification, service suspended, service activated, service activated via handheld, and service activated via request.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the error information describes an error that occurred while the provisioning system performed an action in the hierarchical provisioning request message.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the error information describing the error that occurred includes:

success, service already active, service not suspended, service deactivated, service suspended, no line items found, insufficient permission to request activation, insufficient permission to request activation/modification, insufficient permission to request suspend, insufficient permission to request resume, invalid data;

missing billing identifier, invalid data;

insufficient input, invalid request;

service inactive/service not found in database, invalid data;

missing IMSI, invalid data;

missing input information, length must satisfy range, must belong to set, must satisfy both length range and content format, internal error;

please contact product support, invalid data;

requestor resolved to other, invalid data;

requestor not found, and system error;

please try again later.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein a particular level of the hierarchical provisioning request message includes information associated with the entity, and wherein a second level that is subordinate to the particular level includes information associated with a service provider.

24. A system for triggering a plurality of provisioning events event in a mobile communication device using a single, hierarchical provisioning request message, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events to request for an entity, comprising:

a plurality of service providers in communication with the mobile device, one or more of the plurality of service providers providing mobile communication services to the mobile device;

a system external to the service provider, the system operable to generate the single, hierarchical provisioning request message to trigger the plurality of provisioning events;

a provisioning system in communication with the service provider and the system, the provisioning system operable to electronically receive the single, hierarchical provisioning request message from the external system and to transmit information in the hierarchical provisioning request message to each of the plurality of service providers identified in the hierarchical provisioning request over a computer network to trigger the provisioning events in the mobile device, wherein the provisioning system is separate from the external system and the plurality of service providers, and wherein the plurality of provisioning events include one or more of activation of a service, deactivation of a service, suspension of a service, resumption of a service, modification of a service profile or service parameters, and obtaining status information regarding a service; and

the hierarchical provisioning request message being a format-independent electronic message capable of being instructed and interpreted by a plurality of different external systems, the hierarchical provisioning request message having a data structure that includes information identifying the mobile device to which the plurality of provisioning events pertain, the identifying information including one or more attributes defined by the external system, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message further includes a provisioning event data structure associated with each of the plurality of provisioning events requested for the entity, wherein a provisioning event data structure identifies a service provider associated with a provisioning event requested for the entity;

wherein the provisioning system uses a provisioning reply to return status information or error information relating to the hierarchical provisioning request message to the external system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the electronic message is an extensible markup language (XML) message.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the status information describes the status of the mobile device after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the status information describing the status of the entity includes:

service deactivated, service deactivated after modification, service suspended, service activated, service activated via handheld, and service activated via request.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the error information describes an error that occurred while the provisioning system performed an action in the hierarchical provisioning request message.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the error information describing the error that occurred includes:

success, service already active, service not suspended, service deactivated, service suspended, no line items found, insufficient permission to request activation, insufficient permission to request activation/modification, insufficient permission to request suspend, insufficient permission to request resume, invalid data;

missing billing identifier, invalid data;

insufficient input, invalid request;

service inactive/service not found in database, invalid data;

missing IMSI, invalid data;

missing input information, length must satisfy range, must belong to set, must satisfy both length range and content format, internal error;

please contact product support, invalid data;

requestor resolved to other, invalid data;

requestor not found, and system error;

please try again later.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message is capable of specifying a request to provision entities on multiple systems using multiple schemes for identifying an entity, and wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message identifies an entity and one or more performable actions.

31. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations including;

receiving at a provisioning system, a single, hierarchical provisioning request message generated by an external system, wherein the provisioning request message is a format-independent electronic message capable of being constructed and interpreted by a plurality of different external systems, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events to request for an entity, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message includes a provisioning event data structure associated with each of the plurality of provisioning events requested for the entity, wherein the provisioning event data structure identifies a service provider associated with a provisioning event requested for the entity;

transmitting the received hierarchical provisioning request message from the provisioning system to a plurality of service providers, one or more of the plurality of service providers being operable to process the hierarchical provisioning request message and to provide mobile communication service to the entity, wherein providing mobile communication service includes one or more of activation of a service, deactivation of a service, suspension of a service, resumption of a service, modification of a service profile or service parameters, and obtaining status information regarding a service; and

transmitting the received provisioning reply from the provisioning system to the external system, the provisioning reply including status information or error information relating to the hierarchical provisioning request message, wherein the status information describes the status of the entity after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed, and wherein the error information describes an error that occurred while performing an action in the hierarchical provisioning request message.

32. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations including;

receiving at a provisioning system, a single, hierarchical provisioning request message generated by an external system, wherein the provisioning request message is a format-independent electronic message capable of being constructed and interpreted by a plurality of different external systems, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events to request for an entity, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message includes a provisioning event data structure associated with each of the plurality of provisioning events requested for the entity, wherein the provisioning event data structure identifies a service provider associated with a provisioning event requested for the entity;

wherein, after receiving the hierarchical provisioning request message, the provisioning system uses the hierarchical provisioning request message to verify an identity of the external system, and the provisioning system sends an acknowledgement to the external system indicating successful receipt of the hierarchical provisioning request message;

wherein, after verifying the identity of the external system, the provisioning system transmits the received hierarchical provisioning request message to a plurality of service providers, one or more of the plurality of service providers being operable to process the hierarchical provisioning request message and to provide mobile communication service to the entity;

wherein, after the provisioning system transmits the received hierarchical provisioning request message to a particular service provider, the particular service provider processes the hierarchical provisioning request message;

wherein, after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed by the particular service provider, the provisioning system transmits the provisioning reply, including status information or error information, to the external system;

wherein, after the external system has received the provisioning reply, the external system verifies an identity of the provisioning system; and

wherein, after verifying the identity of the provisioning system, the external system takes action based upon the contents of the provisioning reply.

33. A method for triggering a plurality of provisioning events using a single, hierarchical provisioning request message generated by an external system, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events to request for an entity, the method comprising:

receiving at a provisioning system, the single, hierarchical provisioning request message generated by the external system, the hierarchical provisioning request message identifying a plurality of provisioning events to request for an entity, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message includes a provisioning event data structure associated with each of the plurality of provisioning events requested for the entity, wherein the provisioning event data structure identifies a service provider associated with a provisioning event requested for the entity;

transmitting the received hierarchical provisioning request message from the provisioning system to a plurality of service providers, one or more of the plurality of service providers being operable to process the hierarchical provisioning request message and to provide mobile communication service to the entity, wherein providing mobile communication service includes one or more of activation of a service, deactivation of a service, suspension of a service, resumption of a service, modification of a service profile or service parameters, and obtaining status information regarding a service; and

transmitting the received provisioning reply from the provisioning system to the external system, the provisioning reply including status information or error information relating to the hierarchical provisioning request message, wherein the status information describes the status of the entity after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed, and wherein the error information describes an error that occurred while performing an action in the hierarchical provisioning request message.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the service provider is a mobile data service provider.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message further includes provisioning data that identifies a particular entity to which the provisioning event pertains.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the particular entity is a mobile communication device.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the provisioning data includes one or more attributes defined by the external system.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the one or more attributes include a name attribute that identifies a type of information included within the provisioning data.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a personal identification number (PIN) for the entity.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a product identifier for the entity.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a billing identifier for the entity.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes an international mobile subscriber identity identifier (IMSI) for the entity.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) for the entity.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the type of information included within the provisioning data includes an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) for the entity.

45. The method of claim 33, wherein the hierarchical provisioning request message includes additional information identifying one or more additional entities to which the provisioning event pertains, and wherein the additional information includes one or more attributes defined by the external system.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein a data structure relationship between the provisioning entity section and the one or more additional provisioning entity sections is defined by the external system.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein the electronic message is an extensible markup language (XML) message.

48. The method of claim 33, wherein the status information describes the status of the provisioning system entity after the hierarchical provisioning request message has been processed.

49. The method of claim 33, wherein the error information describes an error that occurred while the provisioning system performed an action in the hierarchical provisioning request message.