Systems and methods for automatic user-enabled account identifier association

• US 8,768,299 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Perry, Chris, Tafarrodi, Dar T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/467,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455406-408, 455/435.1, 455/414.1, 455/411, 455/432.3, 37911415-1142, 379/114.28, 379/114.29
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/715 Activating new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

Systems, methods, and an article of manufacturing for automatically associating an identifier of a particular mobile station with a mobile communications network account are shown and described. In some circumstances, an identifier is automatically captured from a mobile station, e.g., via over-the-air signaling to the network. Upon verification of other account details, the captured identifier is assigned to the account, e.g., with a particular directory number of the account, and the change is propagated to other systems of the mobile communications network.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

receiving an initiation request from a mobile station to be activated over the air in a mobile communication network;

assigning a temporary routing number to the mobile station responsive to receiving the initiation request, wherein the temporary routing number is used for communicating with the mobile station through the mobile communication network prior to completion of activation of the mobile station on the mobile communication network;

automatically capturing from the mobile station, by a first mobile communications network element, a mobile station identifier, responsive to the received initiation request, wherein the step of automatically capturing comprises receiving the mobile station identifier from the mobile station without end-user input of the mobile station identifier;

validating, by a second mobile communications network element, one or more account parameters, the validating step including validating a mobile directory number by verifying that a method for payment of future services of the mobile station exists, wherein the mobile directory number is a telephone number to be associated with the mobile station;

after validating the mobile directory number by verifying that a method for payment of future services of the mobile station exists, validating an account security code to determine access to an existing mobile communications network account; and

upon successful validation of the mobile directory number and determining access to the existing mobile communications network account, associating the captured mobile station identifier with the existing mobile communications network account to activate the mobile station for mobile communication network service on the existing mobile communications network account.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically capturing comprises automatically capturing from the mobile station an electronic serial number associated with the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating a third mobile communications network element with the captured mobile station identifier associated with the mobile communications network account.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the third mobile communications network element is a home location register (HLR) which is updated with the captured mobile station identifier upon activating the mobile station for mobile communication network service.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein capturing and validating are performed by the same mobile communications network element.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the network element comprises a customer care enterprise services platform.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein capturing and validating are performed by different mobile communications network elements.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising provisioning the mobile station with account specific information upon successful validation, wherein the provisioning uses the temporary routing number assigned to the mobile station to communicate with the mobile station through the mobile communication network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the provisioning comprises associating the mobile directory number with the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the provisioning further comprises associating a mobile identification number (“

MIN”

) with the mobile station.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the captured mobile station identifier comprises replacing an electronic serial number of the existing mobile station associated with the mobile communications network account with an electronic serial number captured from the mobile station becoming associated with the existing account.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station identifier is one of:

electronic serial number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment ID (MEID), an International Mobile Equipment Identity number (IMEI), or a UIMID (User Identity Module Identifier).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporary routing number serves as a temporary mobile identification number (“

MIN”

) while the mobile station does not have a MIN registered with the mobile communication network.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the captured mobile station identifier corresponds to the mobile station identifier that is already active on the mobile communication network.

15. A mobile communication network, comprising:

a traffic network configured to support communications; and

one or more mobile communications network elements in communication with the traffic network, the one or more mobile communications network elements configured to;

receive an initiation request from a mobile station to be activated over the air in the mobile communications network;

assign a temporary routing number to the mobile station responsive to receiving the initiation request, wherein the temporary routing number is used for communicating with the mobile station through the mobile communication network prior to completion of activation of the mobile station on the mobile communication network;

automatically capture a mobile station identifier, responsive to the received initiation request, wherein to automatically capture the mobile station identifier comprises receiving the mobile station identifier from the mobile station without end-user input of the mobile station identifier;

validate one or more account parameters, including to;

validate a mobile directory number by verify that a method for payment of future services of the mobile station, wherein the mobile directory number is a telephone number to be associated with the mobile station; and

after validating the mobile directory number by verifying that a method for payment of future services of the mobile station exists, validate an account security code to determine access to an existing mobile communications network account; and

upon successful validation of the mobile directly number and determining access to the existing mobile communications network account, associate the captured mobile station identifier with the existing mobile communications network account to activate the mobile station for mobile communication network service on the existing mobile communications network account and replace the existing mobile station associated with mobile communications network account.

16. The mobile communications network of claim 15 wherein the mobile station identifier comprises an electronic serial number associated with the mobile station.

17. The mobile communications network of claim 15 wherein the one or more mobile communications network elements is further configured to update another communications network element with the captured mobile station identifier associated with the mobile communications network account.

18. The mobile communications network of claim 17, wherein the other communications network element is a home location register (HLR) which is updated with the captured mobile station identifier upon activating the mobile station for mobile communication network service.

19. The mobile communications network of claim 15 wherein capturing and validating are performed by the same mobile communications network element.

20. The mobile communications network of claim 19 wherein the network element comprises a customer care enterprise services platform.

21. The mobile communications network of claim 15 wherein capturing and validating are performed by different mobile communications network elements.

22. The mobile communications network of claim 15 wherein the one or more mobile communications network elements is further configured to provision the mobile station with account specific information upon successful validation, wherein the provisioning uses the temporary routing number assigned to the mobile station to communicate with the mobile station through the mobile communication network.

23. The mobile communications network of claim 22 wherein the provisioning comprises associating the mobile directory number with the mobile station.

24. The mobile communications network of claim 23 wherein the provisioning further comprises associating a mobile identification number (“

MIN”

) with the mobile station.

25. The mobile communications network of claim 15, wherein the temporary routing number serves as a temporary mobile identification number (“

MIN”

) while the mobile station does not have a MIN registered with the mobile communication network.

26. The mobile communications network of claim 15, wherein the one or more mobile communications network elements is further configured to determine whether the captured mobile station identifier corresponds to a mobile station identifier that is already active on the mobile communication network.