Generic mobile devices customization framework

• US 9,420,399 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Urbanek, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US14/877,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20160094931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/432.1, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method for open mobile alliance (OMA) device management (DM) and over-the-air customization of a generic mobile device is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an activation message from the generic mobile device to register with a service provider, wherein the generic mobile device is pre-configured to support a plurality of functions. The method also comprises associating the generic mobile device with a service provider from the service providers as indicated by the activation message. The method further comprises sending one or more OMA service objects to customize the generic mobile device according to the service provider, wherein the one or more OMA service objects enable or disable each of the pre-configured functions on the generic mobile device to support one or more service features available by the service provider.

Claims

1. A method for open mobile alliance (OMA) device management (DM) and over-the-air customization of a generic mobile device, comprising:

receiving, by a server from the generic mobile device, an activation message to register with a service provider, wherein the generic mobile device comprises generic firmware that is pre-configured to support a plurality of functions;

associating, by the server, the generic mobile device with the service provider from among a plurality of service providers based on the activation message; and

based on the service provider, sending, from the server to the generic mobile device using an OMA DM protocol via a wireless network, one or more OMA service objects to a memory location on the generic mobile device that is outside of a memory portion storing the generic firmware, wherein the one or more OMA service objects enable or disable each of the pre-configured functions of the generic firmware and pre-configured applications on the generic mobile device to support one or more service features available by the service provider without reflashing the generic firmware, updating the generic firmware, and changing the amount of information already within the generic firmware on the generic mobile device, and wherein the OMA service objects comprise a plurality of flags and a plurality of configuration parameters that are processed on the generic mobile device to switch on or off one or more of the pre-configured applications and to reconfigure one or more of the pre-configured applications on the generic mobile device to support one or more service features available by the service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the OMA service objects comprise a plurality of flags that are processed on the generic mobile device at the memory location to switch on or off one or more of the pre-configured functions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more OMA service objects reconfigure one or more of the pre-configured functions on the generic mobile device to support one or more service features available by the service provider, and wherein the OMA service objects comprise a plurality of configuration parameters that are processed on the generic mobile device to reconfigure one or more of the pre-configured functions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service features and the pre-configured functions are related to voice calling, data calling, data communications, radio connectivity, call roaming, text messaging, web browsing, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-configured functions comprise input and output interface functions of the generic mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering, by an application executing on the server based on the association, the generic mobile device to the service provider that is associated with the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the application registers the generic mobile device to the service provider using any of a stock keeping unit number, an electronic serial number, or a mobile subscriber number indicated by the activation message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory portion storing the generic firmware is read-only memory (ROM).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the OMA DM service objects are received outside of ROM at the memory location on the generic mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic firmware comprises a plurality of function parameters and a plurality of embedded applications that are certified for use prior to a registration with the service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic firmware identifies at least one OMA DM service object as corresponding to at least one function parameter in the generic firmware.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one function parameter supports at least some of the one or more service features available by the service provider.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the OMA DM service objects are prevented from being written into the memory portion storing the generic firmware.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to sending the plurality of OMA DM service objects, an embedded application in the generic firmware is configured without updating or changing the storage of data already within the generic firmware on the generic mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the OMA DM service objects are sent to the generic mobile device without updating or changing the storage of data already within the generic firmware at the memory portion on the generic mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic mobile device comprises a customization application that is embedded in the generic firmware, and wherein the OMA DM service objects are processed by the customization application in response to being sent via the OMA DM protocol.