Method and system for performing multi-stage virtual SIM provisioning and setup on mobile devices

• US 8,606,232 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Siu, Ta-yan, Shi, Guangming, Tangirala, Venkat
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jean
• Application Number:
  US12/480,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/418, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/558, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning a mobile device with user preferences and settings. The user preferences and settings may be default preferences and settings selected by the various applications loaded onto the mobile device or previously user preferences and settings selected by a user. User selected preferences and settings may be stored in a remote server memory. The preferences and settings may be retrieved by new mobile device. The preferences and settings stored in the remote server memory may contain triggers which initiate a connection with various third party servers. In response to the trigger, various third party servers may transmit further instructions to the mobile device which allows the mobile device to complete the restoration of the user'"'"'s preferences and settings.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a mobile device having a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the mobile device and a VSIM server;

authenticating a third party server that is external to an operator network of the mobile device and which is indicated by a VSIM account identified by the mobile device and establishing a secured communications link between the VSIM server and the authenticated third party server;

downloading provisioning data from the VSIM server to the mobile device;

transmitting a VSIM activation message to the authenticated third party server from the VSIM server;

transmitting provisioning instructions from the authenticated third party server to the VSIM server; and

forwarding the provisioning instructions to the mobile device from the VSIM server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an end-to-end connection between the mobile device and the authenticated third party server;

downloading a third party data file from the authenticated third party server to the mobile device; and

terminating the end-to-end connection and communication link.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

launching a content management agent by the mobile device in response to receipt of the third party data file and the provisioning instructions; and

completing provisioning of a third party application by the content management agent executing received instructions and using the received third party data file.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an address to be used to establish the end-to-end connection between the mobile device and the authenticated third party server.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting an indication that the downloading of the third party data file is complete from the authenticated third party server to the VSIM server.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising forwarding an indication that the downloading of the third party data file is complete from the VSIM server to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

creating a trigger request in the mobile device when data is downloaded from the authenticated third party server to the mobile device; and

transmitting the trigger request from the mobile device to the VSIM server, wherein said trigger request contains all necessary data to enable the VSIM server to generate a trigger in a user'"'"'s VSIM account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an executable script.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an authentication token.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise a user authentication credential for accessing a third party webpage.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise a private electronic authentication certificate.

12. A system for provisioning a mobile device having a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit, comprising:

means for establishing a communication link between the mobile device and a VSIM server;

means for authenticating a third party server that is external to an operator network of the mobile device and which is indicated by a VSIM account identified by the mobile device and establishing a secured communications link between the VSIM server and the authenticated third party server;

means for downloading provisioning data from the VSIM server to the mobile device;

means for transmitting a VSIM activation message to the authenticated third party server from the VSIM server;

means for transmitting provisioning instructions from the authenticated third party server to the VSIM server; and

means for forwarding the provisioning instructions to the mobile device from the VSIM server.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for establishing an end-to-end connection between the mobile device and the authenticated third party server;

means for downloading a third party data file from the authenticated third party server to the mobile device; and

means for terminating the end-to-end connection and communication link.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for launching a content management agent by the mobile device in response to receipt of the third party data file and the provisioning instructions; and

means for completing provisioning of a third party application by the content management agent executing received instructions and using the received third party data file.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for transmitting an indication that the means for downloading of the third party data file has completed its download from the authenticated third party server to the VSIM server.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for forwarding an indication that the means for downloading of the third party data file has completed its download from the VSIM server to the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for creating a trigger request in the mobile device when data is downloaded from the authenticated third party server to the mobile device; and

means for transmitting the trigger request from the mobile device to the VSIM server, wherein said trigger request contains all necessary data to enable the VSIM server to generate a trigger in a user'"'"'s VSIM account.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an executable script.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an authentication token.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise a user authentication credential for accessing a third party webpage.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise a private electronic authentication certificate.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise an address to be used to establish the end-to-end connection between the mobile device and the authenticated third party server.