Systems and methods for streamlining the provisioning of wireless applications in an organization

• US 8,433,618 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tangoe US, Inc. (Asentinel Holdings LP), Nexether, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tangoe Incorporated
• Inventors: Marsh, William, Gamble, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleischer, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US11/831,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.5, 705/26.82
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

Systems and methods for streamlining the procurement and provisioning of devices, services, and applications are described. At least one embodiment includes a method comprising receiving a request from a member associated with an organization, the request operable to select at least one application to be executed on at least one device, the at least one device configured to operate at least one service; receiving a device selection based on the at least one requested application; receiving a service selection based on the device selection; generating orders to one or more entities, the one or more entities operable to fulfill the device request, service selection, and the application selection; and procuring the at least one device, the at least one device being provisioned with the selected service and the selected application.

Claims

1. A method for allowing an individual to provision their wireless device with a computer connected to a network comprising the steps of:

generating a request for a service and/or application to provision a wireless device associated with a member of an organization;

receiving the request with a provisioning computer;

identifying the member, the member having a member profile associated with the member;

receiving a device indication sent to the provisioning computer;

receiving a service indication sent to the provisioning computer;

wherein the provisioning computer determines whether the member has authorization to obtain the requested service and/or application;

wherein if the member has authorization to receive the requested service and/or application, the provisioning computer generates an order including the member profile, the device and service indications, and the requested service and/or application;

transmitting the order from the provisioning computer to an entity computer configured to fulfill the order; and

wherein the entity computer provisions the wireless device with the requested service and/or application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a member, the member having a member profile saved on the computer and associated with the member; and

generating a list of services and applications with the computer, the list of services and applications based on the member profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the service selection and the application selection from the member is performed by selecting from the list of devices, services and applications.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to procure at least one device,

generating a list of compatible devices based on the application selection;

receiving a device selection from the member based on the list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an order comprises the steps of:

sending an order for the service and/or application to the provisioning computer;

approving the order based on the member profile; and

sending the order from the computer to the entity computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving approval is based on a set of rules on the provisioning computer defined by the organization, wherein the member is notified if the order is rejected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

generating an invoice corresponding to the order; and

forwarding the invoice to the organization.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a service selection further comprises determining whether the selected service is an existing service associated with the member,

wherein if the selected service is an existing service, the existing service is transferred to the selected device;

wherein if the selected service is a new service, the new service is provisioned for the selected device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving confirmation from the one or more entities upon fulfilling the orders.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is one of:

a device adapted for wireless local area service,

a device adapted for wireless wide area service, and

a Fixed-Mobile Converged (FMC) device adapted for wireless local area network (WiLAN) service and wireless wide area network (WiWAN) service.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service comprises one of a local area service and a wide area service.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a database with the provisioning computer to determine compatibility between the device, the requested service and/or the requested application.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

examining the member profile to determine device use, application use, and service use;

determining, based on the device use, application use, and service use, whether training information is to be sent to the member;

extracting the training information from a training manual database; and

delivering the training information to the member.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

examining the member profile to generate server-side configuration information for the device selection, the service selection, and the requested service and/or application;

delivering the server-side configuration information to a server-side application administrator computer; and

updating the member profile with information generated by the server-side application administrator computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the server-side configuration information is delivered to the server-side application administrator computer by one of:

a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file;

an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file; and

an application programming interface (API).

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

examining the member profile to determine organization information required by the fulfilling entities and other members in the organization;

compiling the organization information;

delivering the organization information to the other members and to the fulfilling entities; and

updating the member profile information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the organization information comprises accounting information related to procuring and provisioning the device with the service and/or the application.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the organization information is delivered by one of Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) and physical mail delivery.

19. A method for allowing an individual to provision their wireless device with a computer connected to a network comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for a service and/or application to a provisioning computer;

identifying the member associated with an organization;

transmitting an indication identifying the wireless device and service associated with the wireless device to the provisioning computer;

accessing a member profile associated with the identified member;

said provisioning computer determining if the member is entitled to the requested service and/or application based on a set of rules;

wherein if the provisioning computer determines that the member is entitled to the requested service and/or application, the provisioning computer generates an order for the requested service and/or application;

wherein the wireless device is provisioned with the requested service and/or application based on the generated order.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein when a service is requested, the service request comprises a request for a service plan including:

voice or data or combinations thereof.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the service request comprises a request for a service plan that is different from the transmitted service selection.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein the requested application comprises software designed for operation on a wireless device.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein the step of identifying the wireless device comprises identifying a type wireless device and the step of identifying the service comprises identifying a current service plan for the identified wireless device.

24. The method according to claim 19 wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

generating an invoice corresponding to the order; and

forwarding the invoice to the organization.

25. The method according to claim 19 wherein the provisioning computer performs the steps of:

examining the member profile to determine server-side configuration information for the identified the wireless device and service associated with the wireless device, and the requested service and/or application;

delivering the server-side configuration information to a server-side application administrator computer; and

updating the member profile information with information corresponding to the server-side configuration information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the server-side configuration information is delivered to the server-side application administrator computer by one of:

a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file;

an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file; and

an application programming interface (API).