Devices and systems that obtain and manage subscriptions for accessing wireless networks on an ad hoc basis and methods of use

• US 8,849,249 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GigSky, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GigSky, Inc.
• Inventors: Rishy-Maharaj, Ravi, Wyant, Ira Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajayi, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/479,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Herein disclosed is an embodiment of a system for connecting a wireless device to a local network of local mobile server systems on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer. The system may have instructions, which when invoked cause the implement a process including at least receiving, at the wireless device, credential data from the local network of local mobile server systems. The system may also write the credential data to a device memory system, wherein the credentials are received on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer.

Claims

1. A system for connecting a wireless device to a local network of local mobile server system on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer, comprising:

the wireless device having at least one processor and memory system including at least one non-transient machine readable medium storing one or more machine instructions, which when invoked cause the at least one processor to implement a process including at least

sending, from the wireless device, a request to newly establish service with the local mobile server system, the wireless device not having an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) that is valid for the local service prior to sending the request;

in response, receiving, at the wireless device, credential data from the local network of the local mobile server systems, the credential data including at least an IMSI that is valid for the local service; and

the processor system writing the credential data to the memory system;

wherein the credential data is received on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the local mobile server systems are controlled by a mobile network operator which owns or controls access to a radio spectrum license from a regulatory or government entity.

3. The system of claim 1, the process invoked on the wireless device further including at least:

receiving, at the wireless device, a first signed response from the local network of the local mobile server systems;

generating at the wireless device, a second signed response by signing a random number generated by the local network with an authentication key; and

transmitting the second signed response to the local network of the local mobile server systems with an encryption key.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device transmits data in order to operate as a mobile hot spot which allows other remote devices to connect to the local network of the local mobile server systems via communication with the wireless device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device comprises a display output and a user input, the display output configured to display available wireless subscription plans, the user input configured to receive a user subscription selection.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the credential data includes an authentication key.

7. The system of claim 1, the wireless device further comprising a SIM device capable of storing the credential data, the wireless device further configured to transmit a personal identification number to the local system in order to authenticate the wireless device and allow the SIM device to release the credential data stored on the SIM device to the wireless device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device transmits data in order to operate as a mobile hot spot which allows other remote devices to connect to the local network of the local mobile server systems via communication with the wireless device, the mobile hot spot being a wireless device that sets up its own local network that other remote device can access, and through the mobile hot spot'"'"'s local network data is transmitted to the mobile hot spot, and through the mobile hot spot to the local network of the local mobile server system the mobile hot spot is accessing.

8. A method for obtaining and managing subscriptions for a local network of local mobile server systems to enable a wireless device to access the local network on an ad hoc basis, comprising:

receiving, from the wireless device, a request to newly establish service with the local network, the wireless device not having an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) that is valid for the local service prior to sending the request;

in response, transmitting, from the local mobile server systems, an authentication key and an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) to a wireless device in response to the request,

wherein the data is transmitted on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer; and

establishing an account with the local mobile server system that requires the IMSI, based on the request.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

searching the local mobile subscriber identity to determine if the wireless device or a user of the wireless device has a subscription to the local mobile server systems;

computing, at the local mobile server systems, a first signed response number by generating a random number and signing the random number with the authentication key and the international mobile subscriber identity;

receiving, at the local mobile server systems a second signed response signed by the authentication key from a wireless device; and

determining whether the wireless device or the user of the wireless device is authenticated based on the first signed response and the second signed response.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second signed response is encrypted by an encryption key.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring, by the local mobile server systems, identification information of the wireless device from a visitor location register to a home location register.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the data representing the authentication key transmitted from the local mobile server systems is secured by an encryption algorithm.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the local mobile server systems are controlled by a mobile network operator which owns or controls access to a radio spectrum license from a regulatory or government entity.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting from the local mobile server systems an authentication key and an international mobile subscriber identity to the wireless device occurs by transmitting the authentication key and the international mobile subscriber identity to a service fulfillment server system and allowing the service fulfillment server system to relay the authentication key and the international mobile subscriber identity to the wireless device, the service fulfillment server system being a server that coordinates data subscriptions and allows the user located outside the coverage area of the user'"'"'s current subscriptions to subscribe to a local network with local network coverage.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the service fulfillment server systems, credential data including an authentication key from the local mobile server systems; and

transmitting the credential data from the service fulfillment server systems to the wireless device.

15. A method for obtaining and managing subscriptions for a local network of a service fulfillment server system to enable a wireless device to access a local network on an ad hoc basis, comprising;

receiving at the service fulfillment server system, a request from the wireless device for data representing available subscriptions provided by mobile network operators with at least one subscription with non-roaming, local service at a position of the wireless device, the service fulfillment server system having at least a processor system including at least one processor and a memory system having at least one machine readable non-transitory readable medium;

and

transmitting, by the service fulfillment server system, the data representing available subscriptions to the wireless device;

wherein the transmitting is done on an ad hoc basis after the wireless device has left the manufacturer;

the wireless device not having an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) that is acceptable for obtaining local service via a local mobile server system that provides the available subscriptions;

receiving a selection of a subscription service;

with the local mobile server system;

implementing instructions as the service fulfillment server that causes an IMSI to be sent to the wireless device and that newly establishes an account at the local mobile server for the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the service fulfillment server system, a request, from the wireless device, to accept the terms of an available subscription to a selected mobile network operator; and

transmitting, from the service fulfillment server system, the request to accept the terms of an available subscription to the selected mobile network operator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile network operators, which own or control access to a radio spectrum license from a regulatory or government entity, provide subscriptions on an ad hoc basis.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, modifying a subscription register stored in the memory system of the service fulfillment network to account for the wireless device'"'"'s new subscription or the wireless device'"'"'s user'"'"'s new subscription.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the service fulfillment server system, one or more machine instructions for optimizing the value of the available non-roaming local subscriptions which when invoked determines the available, non-roaming subscription that provides the wireless device with the best value; and

transmitting, by the service fulfillment server system, the one or more machine instructions for optimizing the value of the available non-roaming local subscriptions to the wireless device.