Method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device

• US 8,335,506 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Krause, Kevin R., Mazzara, William E. Jr., Lilac-McIntyre, Tosha S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUONG, DAI
• Application Number:
  US12/698,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device is disclosed herein. The method involves detecting an occurrence of an event via a processor at a back-end system, generating a trigger in response to the detecting of the occurrence of the event, and recognizing, by the processor, the trigger as a roaming list update trigger. The method further includes identifying the mobile device, via the processor, as requiring a roaming list update based on the recognizing of the roaming list update trigger, and transmitting, via a wireless connection, the updated roaming list from the back-end system to the identified mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device, comprising:

targeting the mobile device as one requiring a roaming list update, the targeting being accomplished by;

detecting an occurrence of an event, the detecting being accomplished via a processor at a back-end system in selective and operative communication with the mobile device;

generating, by the processor, a trigger in response to the detecting of the occurrence of the event;

recognizing, by the processor, the trigger as a roaming list update trigger, the recognizing being accomplished upon determining that the event from which the trigger is generated renders the roaming list then-currently stored in the mobile device as being out of date; and

identifying, via the processor, the mobile device as requiring the roaming list update based on the recognizing of the event as the roaming list update trigger;

by the processor at the back-end system running a roaming list update application, selecting the roaming list update for the identified mobile device, the roaming list update application including computer readable code, embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, for performing the selecting; and

transmitting, via a wireless connection, the roaming list update from the back-end system to the identified mobile device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the recognizing of the trigger as the roaming list update trigger includes:

requesting a service from the back-end system;

attempting, by the back-end system, to fulfill the request; and

failing to fulfill the request due to a failed connection with the mobile device.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the recognizing of the trigger as the roaming list update trigger includes changing at least one of a garage address or a billing address associated with a subscriber'"'"'s account profile.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the recognizing of the trigger as the roaming list update trigger includes:

i) opening a subscriber account;

or ii) moving an old subscriber account to a new subscriber account.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the recognizing of the trigger as the roaming list update trigger includes identifying the mobile device as being a persistent roaming device based on a history of the mobile device, the history being stored in a history profile at the back-end system.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to the recognizing, the method further comprises determining that the trigger qualifies as the roaming list update trigger.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the identifying of the mobile device as requiring the roaming list update is accomplished in real time.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing the event in a database, and wherein the identifying of the mobile device as requiring the roaming list update is accomplished via a batch query on the database.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a telematics unit operatively disposed in a mobile vehicle, and wherein the back-end system is a call center.

10. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the transmitting is accomplished automatically upon identifying the mobile device.

11. A method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device, comprising:

targeting the mobile device as one requiring a roaming list update, the targeting being accomplished by;

engaging in an event by the mobile device, the event being initiated by at least one of i) a subscriber-related action, or ii) a back-end system in response to the subscriber-related action;

detecting the event by a processor operatively associated with the back-end system, wherein the back-end system is in operative and selective communication with the mobile device;

triggering a roaming list update application operated by the processor at the back-end system upon the detecting of the occurrence of the event;

generating, by the processor at the back-end system, a trigger in response to the event;

recognizing, by the processor at the back-end system, that the trigger qualifies as a roaming list update trigger, the recognizing being accomplished upon determining that the event from which the trigger is generated renders the roaming list then-currently stored in the mobile device as being out of date; and

identifying, by the roaming list update application, the mobile device as requiring the roaming list update;

by the processor at the back-end system running a roaming list update application, selecting the roaming list update for the identified mobile device, the roaming list update application including computer readable code, embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, for performing the selecting; and

transmitting, via a wireless connection, the roaming list update from the back-end system to the identified mobile device.

12. A roaming list updating system, comprising:

a mobile device having stored therein a preferred roaming list; and

a back-end system in selective and operative communication with the mobile device, the back-end system comprising;

a processor including a roaming list update application for targeting the mobile device as one requiring a roaming list update, the application including computer readable code, embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, for;

generating a trigger in response to detecting an event associated with the mobile device;

recognizing the trigger as a roaming list update trigger upon determining that the event from which the trigger renders the preferred roaming list stored in the mobile device as being out of date;

identifying the mobile device as requiring the roaming list update based on the recognizing of the trigger as the roaming list update trigger; and

selecting the roaming list update for the identified mobile device; and

wireless communication means for transmitting the roaming list update from the back-end system to the identified mobile device.

13. The roaming list updating system as defined in claim 12 wherein the roaming list update application further includes computer-readable code for determining that the trigger qualifies as the roaming list update trigger.

14. The roaming list updating system as defined in claim 12 wherein the roaming list update trigger is selected from i) a connectivity issue between the back-end system and the mobile device, ii) an identification of the mobile device as being a persistent roaming device, iii) a change in a subscriber'"'"'s account profile, iv) a change in a subscriber'"'"'s account, or v) combinations thereof.

15. The roaming list updating system as defined in claim 12 wherein the mobile device is a telematics unit operatively disposed in a mobile vehicle, and wherein the back-end system is a call center.