System and method for service activation in mobile network billing

• US 8,422,991 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/350,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-410
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/78 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 : for initial activation of new user

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide a user with the ability to select from a list of available services that can be used on a mobile device. The services include device-based services and device-network based services. The activation, usage tracking and deactivation of a selected service can be conducted at a central location. Some of the services can be provided by different carrier network providers and in different geographical areas. The service selection can be performed from the mobile device, thus providing the user with maximum flexibility as to when and where the user requests the service.

Claims

1. A mobile network service activation system for wireless activation of a selected service on a mobile device, the system comprising:

a central network node configured to;

connect to a plurality of wireless networks in different geographic regions to communicate with the mobile device and access at least one of a server and a gateway providing the selected service, and

provide the selected service to the mobile device irrespective of a geographic region in which the mobile device is located; and

a registration server configured to provide registration services including;

when the mobile device registers successfully, provide the location of the central network node, so that data can be sent between the mobile device and the central network node.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a billing server connected to the central network node, the billing server activating the selected service for use by the mobile device in response to a service activation message sent by the mobile device to request access to the selected service.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the billing server is configured to provide a list of network services to the mobile device, the list of network services for generating a list of available services for display on a display of the mobile device from which the service is selected, the available services comprising network services and device services.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein once the selected service is chosen from the list of available services displayed on the display of the mobile device, a service usage is specified, and confirmation is provided, the mobile device generates the service activation message comprising an indication of the selected service, the specified service usage, and device information for the mobile device;

and wherein the service usage specifies a time duration during which the selected service is usable for a plurality of instances.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein after the selected service is chosen and the service usage is specified, the billing server provides a cost estimate and the mobile device provides options for confirming the selected service, declining the selected service and changing the specified service usage.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the billing server checks and updates billing information prior to activating the selected service.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the system tracks actual service usage by monitoring data transmissions associated with the mobile device and the selected service and records the actual service usage in the device database, and the system deactivates the selected service when the specified service usage expires.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the list of available services comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of:

voice mail service, call forwarding service, call display service and call barring service.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the list of available services comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of:

short messaging service, multimedia message service, instant messaging service and IP modem service.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central network node comprises a relay node configured to support message flow between the selected service and the mobile device, wherein the relay node is coupled to at least one other relay node, connected by at least one relay bridge configured to support inter-relay connectivity and form tunnels between different relay nodes.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the central network node comprises a relay node configured to support message flow between the selected service and the mobile device, wherein the relay node further comprises a wireless transport interface configured to connect the mobile device with a wireless network;

wherein the wireless transport interface is configured to communicate with a packet router that routes data packets to and from wireless packet data service networks; and

wherein the packet router uses a current IP address of the mobile device for addressing a data packet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the central network node comprises a relay node configured to support message flow between the selected service and the mobile device, wherein the system further comprises a provisioning system that is associated with the relay node, wherein the provisioning system is configured to manage at least one of carriers of the wireless networks, subscribers, mobile device manufacturers, and resellers.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning system is further configured to assign and manage indicia associated with the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning system further comprises subscriber validation logic.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a main processor for controlling the operation of the mobile device;

a communication subsystem connected to the main processor, the communication subsystem being adapted for wirelessly sending and receiving data;

an input unit for allowing user selection and confirmation of a selected service;

wherein a central network node is configured to connect to a plurality of wireless networks in different geographic regions to communicate with the mobile device and access at least one of a server and a gateway providing the selected service, and provide the selected service to the mobile device irrespective of a geographic region in which the mobile device is located; and

wherein a registration server is configured to provide registration services including;

when the mobile device registers successfully, provide the location of the central network node, so that data can be sent between the mobile device and the central network node.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising a service request module for providing a list of available services on a display of the mobile device, the list of available services comprising a list of network services and device services, and upon receiving a user selection of the selected service and confirmation of the selected service.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the service request module is configured to generate a service activation message comprising an indication of the selected service and send the service activation message to a wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks for enabling the selected service.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive a list of network services from a billing server, the list of network services for use in generating the list of available services for display on a display of the mobile device from which the selected service is selected.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the service activation message further includes a specified service usage for the selected service, and wherein a specification of service usage comprises a time duration during which the selected service is usable for a plurality of instances.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the service activation message further includes device information for the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the input device includes at least one of a keyboard, a thumbwheel, a mouse, a joystick, and a touch screen.

22. A service activation method for receiving a selected service from a wireless network for use on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving the selected service from a central network node irrespective of a geographic region in which the mobile device is located, the central network node is configured to connect to a plurality of wireless networks in different geographic regions to communicate with the mobile device and access at least one of a server and a gateway providing the selected service, and

providing registration services including;

when the mobile device registers successfully, providing the location of the central network node, so that data can be sent between the mobile device and the central network node.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a list of network services from a billing server, the list of network services for use in generating a list of available services for display on a display of the mobile device, the available services comprising network services and device services, wherein the billing server is connected to the central network node;

generating the list of available services;

providing a list of available services on the display of the mobile device from which the selected service is selected;

generating a service activation message comprising an indication of the selected service and a specified service usage after user confirmation of the selected service is received; and

sending the service activation message to the billing server associated with the wireless network.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the service usage to be user-specified, and then providing a cost estimate based on the selected service and the user-specified service usage;

wherein the service usage specifies a time duration during which the selected service is usable for a plurality of instances.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing options for confirming the selected service, declining the selected service and changing the user-specified service usage.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

checking and updating billing information based on the selected service and the user-specified service usage; and

sending a message to an appropriate network component to activate the selected service for use by the mobile device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

tracking actual service usage of the selected service; and

disabling the selected service when the user-specified service usage expires.

28. A non-transitory computer program product for allowing selection, at a mobile device, of a service from a wireless network for activation and use on the mobile device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium embodying program code executable by a processor of the mobile device for implementing a service activation method of a selected service comprising:

receiving the selected service from a central network node irrespective of a geographic region in which the mobile device is located, the central network node is configured to connect to a plurality of wireless networks in different geographic regions to communicate with the mobile device and access at least one of a server and a gateway providing the selected service; and

providing registration services including;

when the mobile device registers successfully, providing the location of the central network node, so that data can be sent between the mobile device and the central network node.