Communication transceiver configuration in response to optically receiving an image in a wireless communication device

• US 9,154,899 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Bushman, Serge J. L., Stone, M. Jeffrey, Haubrich, Sharon T., Shashindranath, Ashwin, Barrington, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/043,199
• Time in Patent Office: 2,770 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 709/203, 709/206, 709/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A wireless communication device optically receives an image that is associated with a user device and processes the received image to generate image data. The wireless communication device transfers user information and the image data to a communication network. The communication network processes the user information and the image data to generate configuration data to allow the user device to access the communication network. The communication network transfers the configuration data to a communication transceiver. The communication transceiver receives a communication from the user device, and in response to the configuration data, the communication transceiver transfers the communication to the communication network.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a communication transceiver to allow a user device to access a communication network, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device, optically receiving an image that is associated with the user device and processing the received image to generate image data and transferring user information and the image data;

in the communication network, receiving and processing the user information and the image data to generate configuration data that directs the communication transceiver to allow the user device to access the communication network and transferring the configuration data;

in the communication transceiver, receiving a communication from the user device and the configuration data, and in response, transferring the communication to the communication network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the image comprises a bar-code associated with the user device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the image data comprises a picture of the user device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the image data comprises a picture of a code on the user device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user information comprises a telephone number for the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user information comprises an identification number for the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user information comprises a user account code.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the user information and the image data to generate the configuration data comprises processing the user information to identify the communication transceiver, processing the image data to identify the user device, and processing the identities of the communication transceiver and the user device to generate the configuration data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the user information and the image data from the wireless communication device and receiving the user information and the image data in the communication network comprises wirelessly transferring the user information and the image data between the wireless communication device and the communication network over an air interface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the configuration data from the communication network and receiving the configuration data in the communication transceiver comprises wirelessly transferring the configuration data between the communication network and the communication transceiver and over an air interface.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the communication from the user device in the communication transceiver comprises wirelessly receiving the communication from the user device over an air interface.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication transceiver comprises a wireless modem.

13. A method of configuring a wireless modem to allow a user device to access a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

in a wireless telephone, optically receiving and processing a bar-code that is associated with the user device to generate bar-code data and wirelessly transferring a number for the wireless telephone and the bar-code data to the wireless communication network;

in the wireless communication network, processing the number to identify the wireless modem, processing the identity of the wireless modem and the bar-code data to generate configuration data that directs the wireless modem to allow the user device to access the wireless communication network, and wirelessly transferring the configuration data to the wireless modem; and

in the wireless modem, receiving a wireless communication from the user device, and in response to the configuration data, wirelessly transferring the wireless communication from the wireless modem to the wireless communication network.

14. A communication system comprising:

a wireless communication device configured to optically receive an image that is associated with a user device and process the received image to generate image data and transfer user information and the image data;

a communication network configured to receive and process the user information and the image data to generate configuration data to allow the user device to access the communication network and transfer the configuration data; and

a communication transceiver configured to receive a communication from the user device and the configuration data, and in response, transfer the communication to the communication network.

15. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the image comprises a bar-code associated with the user device.

16. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the image data comprises a picture of the user device.

17. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the image data comprises a picture of a code on the user device.

18. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the user information comprises a telephone number for the wireless communication device.

19. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the user information comprises an identification number for the wireless communication device.

20. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the user information comprises a user account code.

21. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the communication network is configured to process the user information to identify the communication transceiver, process the image data to identify the user device, and process the identities of the communication transceiver and the user device to generate the configuration data.

22. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the wireless communication device and the communication network are configured to wirelessly transfer the user information and the image data over an air interface.

23. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the communication network and the communication transceiver are configured to wirelessly transfer the configuration data over an air interface.

24. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the communication transceiver is configured to wirelessly receive the communication from the user device over an air interface.

25. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the communication transceiver comprises a wireless modem.