Configuring an electronic device based on a transaction

• US 9,240,984 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qterics, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Thielen, Kurt Roman, Taylor, Robert Edward, Sansonetti, Patrick James, Melville, Ryan Michael, Alviani, James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prifti, Aurel
• Application Number:
  US13/190,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/102, 341/22, 709/217, 709/203, 709/220, 455/419, 455/418, 726/1, 726/3, 726/12, 705/26.5, 713/155
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A first network signal is received indicating a device identifier in response to a transaction involving an electronic device uniquely associated with the device identifier. An entity identifier specific to an entity associated with the transaction is determined. In response to an initialization event of the electronic device, a second network signal from the electronic device is received that identifies the electronic device. In response to the second network signal, a configuration is communicated to the electronic device that is specific to the entity associated with the transaction.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a provisioning service in response to a sales transaction in which a first electronic device and a second electronic device interoperable with the first electronic device are purchased, a first network signal including a hashed or encrypted value derived from a device identifier uniquely associated with the first electronic device and additional information indicating the second electronic device;

storing the hashed or encrypted value in a database of the provisioning service;

receiving, at the provisioning service, an entity identifier indicating an entity engaged in the sales transaction from the entity;

linking the entity identifier with the hashed or encrypted value of the device identifier and the additional information in the database of the provisioning service;

receiving, at the provisioning service in response to an initialization event of the electronic device by an end user, the hashed or encrypted value in a second network signal from the first electronic device that identifies the first electronic device;

in response to receiving the second network signal, determining the linkage of the hashed or encrypted value to the entity in the database at the provisioning service; and

in response to determining the linkage, sending, from the provisioning service to the first electronic device, a configuration that is customized to the entity engaged in the sales transaction and enabling the first electronic device and the second electronic device to interoperate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises at least one of a serial number and a media access control address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity comprises a retailer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional data further comprises a purchase of at least one of:

a service contract related to the electronic device;

content usable by the electronic device; and

a network service usable by the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network signal further indicates the entity identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration customizes at least one of a user interface and an operational function of the first electronic device as specified by the entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the configuration customizes the user interface to display any combination of contact information and graphical information associated with the entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises a media access control address.

9. A method, comprising:

in response to a transaction in which a first electronic device and a second electronic device interoperable with the first electronic device are sold by a seller, sending a sending to a provisioning service via a network a hashed or encrypted value derived from a device identifier and additional information indicating the second electronic device in a first network signal by the seller, to cause a database in the provisioning service to link hashed or encrypted value of the device identifier with an entity identifier associated with the seller, the device identifier uniquely associated with the first electronic device;

causing the provisioning service to determine an initialization of the first electronic device by an end user in response to the provisioning service receiving the hashed or encrypted value from the first electronic device in a second network signal; and

causing the provisioning service to send a configuration customized to the seller and enabling the first electronic device to interoperate with the second electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device identifier comprises at least one of a serial number and a media access control address.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the seller comprises a retailer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional information further indicates one or more of:

a service contract related to the first electronic device;

content usable by the electronic device; and

a network service usable by the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating the entity identifier to the provisioning service in response to the transaction.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the wherein the initialization comprises a first connection to a network by the first electronic device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein sending the device identifier from the seller to the provisioning service comprises reading the device identifier at a point of sale terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein reading the device identifier comprises one of optical scanning, reading a radio frequency identifier tag, and optical character recognition.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions when executed on a processor causing the processor to:

receive, at a provisioning service in response to a sales transaction in which a first electronic device and a second electronic device interoperable with the first electronic device are purchased, a first network signal including a hashed or encrypted value derived from a device identifier uniquely associated with the first electronic device and additional information indicating the second electronic device;

store the hashed or encrypted value in a database of the provisioning service;

receive, at the provisioning service, an entity identifier indicating an entity engaged in the sales transaction from the entity;

link the entity identifier with the hashed or encrypted value of the device identifier and the additional information in the database of the provisioning service;

receive, at the provisioning service in response to an initialization event of the electronic device by an end user, the hashed or encrypted value in a second network signal from the first electronic device that identifies the first electronic device;

in response to receiving the second network signal, determine the linkage of the hashed or encrypted value to the entity in the database at the provisioning service; and

in response to determining the linkage, send, from the provisioning service to the first electronic device, a configuration that is customized to the entity engaged in the sales transaction and enabling the first electronic device and the second electronic device to interoperate.