Device-based network service provisioning

• US 8,948,726 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Christopher David, Kruis, David, Kline, Robert V. N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US12/648,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20100167696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/461, 455/432.3, 455/433, 455410-411
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A device-based network service provisioning model is provided in which a wireless device facilitates a subscriber to provide provisioning information for activating carrier, value-added or other service provider services automatically. The model facilitates subscriber control while balancing service provider needs. Provisioning components may be provided to a device during a provisioning session to maintain service provider branding, look and feel and other control over a subscriber'"'"'s experience. Provisioning components may be dynamically generated to capture current services, subscriber plans and particular device criteria. In one embodiment, service provider-side components define a service-oriented interface (e.g. Web services) for receiving a subscriber'"'"'s provisioning information. Device-side components define an interface to request and receive the provisioning components and to provide provisioning information to the service-oriented interface. A gateway may be interposed between the device and service-oriented interface to provide the provisioning components to the wireless device and proxy provisioning session communications.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a wireless device for services via communication in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a provisioning profile at the wireless device from a service provider provisioning system configured for automatically provisioning services to wireless devices, the provisioning profile customized for the device;

generating a customized subscriber interface at the wireless device in accordance with the customized provisioning profile, the customized subscriber interface configured to receive input with which to generate provisioning information for said services, wherein said input comprises subscriber information and the selection of said services to be provided;

receiving the input to generate the provisioning information via the customized subscriber interface;

communicating the provisioning information to the service provider provisioning system via the wireless communication network to activate the at least one selected service for the wireless device;

receiving the at least one selected service; and

generating a modification to at least some provisioning information for modifying the services in response to subscriber input and communicating the modification to the service provider provisioning system thereby to update the services.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving via the wireless communication network and storing service provisioning data for authorizing said wireless device for said services.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising communicating via the wireless communication network an acknowledgment to the service provider provisioning system confirming said receiving and storing.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving and storing a modification to at least some of the service provisioning data to modify the services, the modification generated in accordance with one or more updates by a service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising, until said wireless device is provisioned for said services, restricting the wireless device from communicating via said wireless communication network other than for provisioning said services.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving an encryption key in association with said provisioning profile and decrypting and encrypting communications for provisioning the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless device is pre-configured to initiate the method of provisioning with a specific service provider.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising communicating with the service provider provisioning system via a network gateway configured to proxy communications between wireless devices and the service provider provisioning system.

9. A wireless device comprising:

a communication sub-system for transmitting and receiving communications via a wireless communication network;

a processor coupled to the communication sub-system; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions to configure the processor to communicate via the wireless communication network to;

receive a provisioning profile at the wireless device from a service provider provisioning system configured for automatically provisioning services to wireless devices, the provisioning profile customized for the device;

generate a customized subscriber interface at the wireless device in accordance with the customized provisioning profile, the customized subscriber interface configured to receive input with which to generate provisioning information for said services,

wherein said input comprises subscriber information and the selection of said services to be provided;

receive input to generate the provisioning information via the customized subscriber interface;

communicate the provisioning information to the service provider provisioning system via the wireless communication network to activate the at least one selected service for the wireless device; and

receive the at least one selected service; and

generate a modification to at least some provisioning information for modifying the services in response to subscriber input and communicating the modification to the service provider provisioning system thereby to update the services.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to receive via the wireless communication network and store service provisioning data for authorizing said wireless device for said services.

11. The wireless device of claim 10 wherein the instructions configure the processor to communicate via the wireless communication network an acknowledgment to the service provider provisioning system confirming said receiving and storing.

12. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to generate a modification to at least some of the service provisioning data for modifying the services in response to subscriber input and communicate the modification via the wireless communication network to the service provider provisioning system thereby to update the services.

13. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to receive via the wireless communication network and store a modification to at least some of the service provisioning data to modify the services, the modification generated in accordance with one or more updates by a service provider.

14. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to, until said wireless device is provisioned for said services, restrict the wireless device from communicating via the wireless communication network other than for provisioning said services.

15. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to receive an encryption key in association with said provisioning profile and decrypt and encrypt communications for provisioning the wireless device.

16. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions are pre-configured to initiate the provisioning of services with a specific service provider.

17. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the instructions configure the processor to communicate with the service provider provisioning system via a network gateway configured to proxy communications between wireless devices and the service provider provisioning system.

18. A wireless communication network for providing services to wireless devices comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices configured for wireless communication via wireless communication network infrastructure, each wireless device comprising device-side components;

defining an interface for requesting and receiving a provisioning profile via the wireless communication network infrastructure for provisioning services of a service provider, the provisioning profile customized for the device;

defining a run-time environment for generating a customized subscriber interface at the respective wireless devices in accordance with the customized provisioning profile, the customized subscriber interface configured to receive input to generate provisioning information for said services, wherein said input comprises subscriber information and the selection of said services to be provided,

the customized subscriber interface further configured to receive modifications to at least some provisioning information to modify the services; and

defining an interface for communicating the provisioning information via the wireless communication network infrastructure to a service provider provisioning system for automatically provisioning the services to the wireless device in accordance with the provisioning information and updates to the services in accordance with the provisioning information as modified; and

the service provider provisioning system coupled via wireless communication network infrastructure for wireless communication with respective ones of the plurality of wireless devices, the service provider provisioning system comprising server-side components;

defining an interface for receiving respective requests from the wireless devices and providing respective provisioning profiles in response; and

defining an interface for receiving respective provisioning information and any modifications to at least some provisioning information from the wireless devices to automatically provision the services and any services as updated to the respective wireless devices.

19. The wireless communication network of claim 18 wherein the service provider provisioning system comprises service provider-side components defining an interface for communicating provisioning session communications to a second service provider provisioning system to provision services of a second service provider.

20. The wireless communication network of claim 18 comprising a provisioning configuration system, said provisioning configuration system defining an interface for defining provisioning profiles and for configuring the service provider provisioning system to provide said provisioning profiles to wireless communication devices.

21. The wireless communication network of claim 18 wherein the service provider provisioning system comprises service provider-side components defining an interface to at least one of a network service control system or billing/ERP system to communicate provisioning information to complete service activation and billing-set up.

22. The wireless communication network of claim 18 further comprising a network gateway system coupled to the wireless communication network infrastructure, said network gateway system configured to proxy communications between said wireless devices and said service provider provisioning system.

23. The wireless communication network of claim 22 wherein the service provider side components defining said interfaces are configured to provide provisioning operations as a Web Service in accordance with Web Service protocols and wherein said network gateway proxies communications to provide said Web Service to the wireless devices.

24. A service provider provisioning system for provisioning services to a plurality of wireless devices for communication via a wireless communication network, said system comprising server-side components:

defining an interface for receiving respective requests from the wireless devices and providing respective dynamically generated provisioning profiles in response,

each provisioning profile customized for respective ones of the wireless devices for generating a customized subscriber interface at the respective ones of the wireless devices by a run-time environment,

the customized subscriber interface configured to receive input to generate provisioning information with which to define said services,

wherein said input comprises subscriber information and the selection of said services to be provided,

the customized subscriber interface further configured to receive modifications to at least some provisioning information to modify the services; and

defining an interface for receiving respective provisioning information and any modifications to at least some provisioning information from the wireless devices to automatically provision the services and any services as updated to the respective wireless devices.