Systems and methods for providing modem behavior-based setup for user devices

• US 9,451,444 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Dawson-Haney, Maxine C., Chen, Zhengfang, Youtz, Andrew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS-FILS, NICOLE M
• Application Number:
  US14/285,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 4554141-4143, 455/418, 455/419, 726/6, 726/7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• 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 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for enabling a mobile device to connect with a data network, based on the type of account associated with the mobile device. The system transmits a first signal to the data network and receives one or more network codes in response. The network codes may correspond to a type of SIM card associated with the mobile device. The system may display one or more setup screens on the mobile device based on the received network codes. The setup screens may guide the user of the mobile device to access the data network using an existing account, or setup a new account to access the data network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile device comprising;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor to execute one or more of the instructions to;

transmit a signal to a network device of a network,

the signal including information identifying a hardware component included in the mobile device,

 

the information identifying the hardware component including information identifying a type of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card included in the mobile device, and the network being associated with a service provider;

receive a response signal from the network device,

the response signal comprising a network code,

 

the network code being based on the information identifying the type of the SIM card,

 

the network code indicating whether the mobile device is allowed to access the network, and

 

the network code having a particular value,

 

the particular value being a first value when the network code is a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) code and a type of account, associated with the mobile device, is one of a post-pay account or a pre-pay account with a positive account balance,

 

the particular value being a second value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a pre-pay account having no account balance,

 

the particular value being a third value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a self-activation account, and

 

the particular value being a fourth value when the network code is an Evolved Packet System Mobility Management (EMM) code and no account is associated with the mobile device,

 

the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value being different values;

provide, for display, an interactive activation screen based on the network code,

the interactive activation screen being;

 

a first interactive activation screen, configured to allow the mobile device to have unrestricted access to the network, when the network code is the PCO code having the first value,

 

a second interactive activation screen configured to allow the mobile device to connect to a web portal, hosted by the service provider, via which a user of the mobile device activates the account, when the network code is the PCO code having the second value or the third value, and

 

a third interactive activation screen, configured to allow the mobile device to connect to a wireless network, when the network code is the EMM code having the fourth value;

receive one or more user inputs for at least one of the first interactive activation screen or the second interactive activation screen; and

access the network based on the one or more user inputs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the SIM card is associated with the type of account that is one of the post-pay account with the service provider, the pre-pay account with the positive account balance with the service provider, the pre-pay account with no account balance with the service provider, or the self-activation account with the service provider.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the hardware component comprises a unique identifier associated with the SIM card.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further to:

connect the mobile device to the network based on the network code being a PCO code and having one of the first value, the second value, or the third value,

the mobile device not being connected to the network based on the network code being the EMM code and having the fourth value.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive activation screen is at least one screen configured to:

allow a user, of the mobile device, to set up an email account for the mobile device,

allow the user to select a language for the mobile device, or

allow the user to connect to another network using the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further to:

send a web address request based on the network code not being a PCO code;

receive a web address response based on sending the web address request,

the mobile device being redirected to the web portal, hosted by the service provider, based on the web address response not being the same as the web address request; and

present, for display, the second interactive activation screen based on the mobile device being redirected to the web portal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more user inputs are first user inputs;

and

wherein the processor is further to;

receive second user inputs for the third interactive activation screen; and

access the network based on the second user inputs.

8. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a mobile device, a signal to a network device of a network,

the signal including information identifying a hardware component included in the mobile device,

the hardware component including a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card included in the mobile device, and

the network being associated with a service provider;

receiving, by the mobile device, a response signal from the network device,

the response signal comprising a network code,

the network code being based on the information identifying the hardware component included in the mobile device,

the information identifying the hardware component including information identifying a type of the SIM card included in the mobile device,

the network code indicating whether the mobile device is allowed to access the network, and

the network code having a particular value,

the particular value being a first value when the network code is a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) code and a type of account, associated with the mobile device, is one of a post-pay account or a pre-pay account with a positive account balance,

the particular value being a second value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a pre-pay account having no account balance,

the particular value being a third value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a self-activation account, and

the particular value being a fourth value when the network code is an Evolved Packet System (EPS) Mobility Management (EMM) code and no account is associated with the mobile device,

 

the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value being different values;

sending, by the mobile device, a web address request based on the network code not being a PCO code;

receiving, by the mobile device, a web address response based on sending the web address request,

the mobile device being redirected to a web portal, hosted by the service provider, based on the web address response not being the same as the web address request;

presenting, for display by the mobile device, an interactive activation screen based on the network code,

the interactive activation screen being;

a first interactive activation screen when the network code is the PCO code having the first value,

a second interactive activation screen when the network code is the PCO code having the second value or the third value, or

a third interactive activation screen when the network code is the EMM code having the fourth value;

receiving, by the mobile device, one or more user inputs for at least one of the first interactive activation screen or the second interactive activation screen; and

accessing, by the mobile device, the network based on the one or more user inputs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the SIM card is associated with the type of account that is one of the post-pay account with the service provider, the pre-pay account with the positive account balance with the service provider, the pre-pay account with no account balance with the service provider, or the self-activation account with the service provider.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the hardware component comprises a unique identifier associated with the SIM card.

11. The method of claim 8,

wherein the first interactive activation screen is configured to give the mobile device unrestricted access to the network, and

wherein the second interactive activation screen is configured to connect the mobile device to a web portal, hosted by the service provider,

the web portal enabling a user, of the mobile device, to activate the type of account associated with the SIM card.

12. The method of claim 8,

wherein the third interactive activation screen is configured to connect the mobile device to another network.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

connecting the mobile device to the network based on the network code being a PCO code having one of the first value, the second value, or the third value.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the interactive activation screen is at least one screen configured to allow a user, of the mobile device, to set up an email account for the mobile device, allow the user to select a language for the mobile device, or allow the user to connect to a second network using the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the third interactive activation screen is configured to allow the mobile device to connect to a wireless network.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a mobile device, cause the mobile device to;

transmit a signal to a network device of a network,

the signal including information identifying a hardware component included in the mobile device,

the hardware component including a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card included in the mobile device, and

the network being associated with a service provider;

receive a response signal from the network device,

the response signal comprising a network code,

the network code being based on the information identifying the hardware component included in the mobile device,

 

the information identifying the hardware component including information identifying a type of the SIM card,

the network code indicating whether the mobile device is allowed to access the network, and

the network code having a particular value,

the particular value being a first value when the network code is a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) code and a type of account, associated with the mobile device, is one of a post-pay account or a pre-pay account with a positive account balance,

the particular value being a second value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a pre-pay account having no account balance,

the particular value being a third value when the network code is a PCO code and the type of account, associated with the mobile device, is a self-activation account, and

the particular value being a fourth value when the network code is an Evolved Packet System (EPS) Mobility Management (EMM) code and no account is associated with the mobile device,

 

the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value being different values;

send a web address request based on the network code not being a PCO code;

receive a web address response based on sending the web address request,

the mobile device being redirected to a web portal, hosted by the service provider, based on the web address response not being the same as the web address request,

the web portal enabling a user, of the mobile device, to activate the SIM card;

present, for display, an interactive activation screen based on the network code,

the interactive activation screen being;

a first interactive activation screen when the network code is the PCO code having the first value,

a second interactive activation screen when the network code is the PCO code having the second value or the third value, or

a third interactive activation screen when the network code is the EMM code having the fourth value;

receive one or more user inputs for at least one of the first interactive activation screen or the second interactive activation screen; and

access the network based on the one or more user inputs.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the network code is based on a type of account associated with the SIM card.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second interactive activation screen is configured to allow the mobile device to connect to the web portal;

via which the user pays for access to the network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the third interactive activation screen is configured to allow the mobile device to connect to a wireless network.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the SIM card is associated with the type of account that is one of the post-pay account with the service provider, the pre-pay account with the positive account balance with the service provider, the pre-pay account with no account balance with the service provider, or the self-activation account with the service provider.