Operating a server to determine model of mobile terminal

• US 8,655,337 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Sherlock, Gerard, Pilkington, John D R
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Suhail
• Application Number:
  US13/254,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A determines the model of a mobile device and delivers configuration parameters to the mobile device consistent with the model determined. The application server captures the mobile device'"'"'s phone number and associates it with a generated unique identifier. The unique identifier is sent to the mobile device as part of a URL. When the mobile device accesses the URL, the request sent to the application server includes the unique identifier as well as a user agent header. The model number of the mobile device can be extracted from the user agent header, and thus the model number can be tied to the mobile device'"'"'s phone number by way of the unique identifier. The model number and phone number association can be used to correctly configure applications for use on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a server for determining a model of a mobile terminal in a wireless network, said method comprising:

i) generating a unique identifier associated with a mobile subscriber identity of the mobile terminal, and storing the unique identifier with the mobile subscriber identity;

ii) sending a message to the mobile terminal using the mobile subscriber identity, wherein the message comprises a resource locator identifying a process on the server, said resource locator having the unique identifier as a parameter;

iii) receiving a resource request from the mobile terminal in response to the sent message, said resource request comprising a user agent header comprising the unique identifier;

iv) determining the mobile terminal model from said user agent header and associating the mobile terminal model with the mobile subscriber identity of the mobile terminal using the unique identifier; and

v) providing a service to the mobile terminal in dependence on the determined mobile terminal model.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said process adapted to initiate the method of step iv).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal model comprises a manufacturer identifier and a model number.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of determining the mobile terminal model comprises parsing the user agent header to extract the manufacturer identifier and the model number, and verifying the extracted manufacturer identifier and model number with a predetermined list of stored manufacturer identifiers and model numbers.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein message sent in step ii) is a short message service message.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service provided is a mobile client configuration service adapted to a determined mobile terminal model number.

7. A server for determining a model of a mobile terminal in a wireless network, said server adapted to:

generate a unique identifier associated with a mobile subscriber identity of the mobile terminal, and storing the unique identifier with the mobile subscriber identity;

send a message to the mobile terminal using the mobile subscriber identity, wherein the message comprises a resource locator identifying a process on the server, said resource locator having the unique identifier as a parameter;

receive a resource request from the mobile terminal in response to the sent message, said resource request comprising a user agent header comprising the unique identifier;

determine the mobile terminal model from said user agent header and associating the mobile terminal model with the mobile subscriber identity of the mobile terminal using the unique identifier; and

provide a service to the mobile terminal in dependence on the determined mobile terminal model.