Mediation server, communication device, and connecting method

• US 9,705,731 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Oda, Toshikane, Murakami, Shingo, Sugimoto, Shinta
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Davoud
• Application Number:
  US13/812,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,520 Days
• Field of Search: 709227, 709232, 709233, 709234, 709235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mediation server for mediating subscription information to a communication device from a network operator providing network connectivity is provided. The server includes a management unit for managing context information of a communication device, which includes data relating to service provided by a network operator; an obtaining unit for obtaining device information of the communication device, which includes data needed to obtain subscription information from a network operator; a selecting unit for selecting, using the context information, a network operator that provides the best service to the communication device out of network operators that are able to provide network connectivity to the communication device; and a request unit for sending a request, with the obtained device information to the selected network operator, for subscription information which is to be used for the communication device to connect to the selected network operator as a home network operator.

Claims

1. A mediation server for mediating subscription information to a plurality of communication devices from a network operator providing network connectivity, the mediation server comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises computer readable program code that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request for provisioning subscription information to one of the plurality of communication devices, along with device information of the one of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the device information includes data needed to obtain subscription information from the network operator;

responding to the request for provisioning subscription information by obtaining a group comprising the plurality of communication devices including the one of the plurality of communication devices for which the provisioning is requested;

selecting, using context information of the plurality of communication devices included in the group, the network operator, among a plurality of network operators that are able to provide network connectivity to the plurality of communication devices, that provides a highest average, over all of the plurality of communication devices in the group, radio strength to the plurality of communication devices in the group; and

sending, to the network operator, a request for each subscription information used for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group to connect to the network operator, with the device information of the plurality of communication devices in the group,

wherein the network operator is commonly used for all of the plurality of communication devices in the group,

wherein the context information comprises radio signal condition information with respect to each of the plurality of network operators for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, and

wherein the selecting comprises selecting for the group, using the context information comprising the radio signal condition information with respect to each of the plurality of network operators for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, the network operator that provides the highest average radio strength to the plurality of communication devices in the group.

2. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the request for provisioning subscription information from the one of the plurality of communication devices in the group.

3. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the responding comprises specifying a group including the communication device from which the request for provisioning subscription information is received.

4. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising:

managing the context information of each communication device included in the group, wherein the context information includes data relating to network operator service, and

wherein sending the request comprises sending the request, for each subscription information used for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, to the selected network operator.

5. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising:

receiving the subscription information for each communication devices from the selected network operator, and

transmitting each of the received subscription information to each communication device in the group.

6. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the group from the communication device.

7. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising:

storing a group list describing communication devices in a group,

retrieving a group that includes the communication device whose device information is obtained from the group list.

8. The mediation server according to claim 1, wherein the communication devices are Machine to Machine Equipments and the subscription information includes a Machine Communications Identity Module.

9. The mediation server according to claim 4, wherein the context information includes at least one of radio signal condition measured at the communication device, location information of the communication device, a capability of the communication device, velocity of the communication device, and information about service provided by the network operator.

10. A method for mediating subscription information to a plurality of communication devices from a network operator providing network connectivity, comprising:

Receiving, by a mediation server, a request for provisioning subscription information to a communication device among the plurality of communication devices, along with device information of the communication device, wherein the device information includes data needed to obtain subscription information from the network operator;

responsive to the request for provisioning subscription information, obtaining, by the mediation server, a group comprising the plurality of communication devices including the communication device for which the provisioning is requested;

selecting, by the mediation server, using context information of the plurality of communication devices included in the group, the network operator, among a plurality of network operators that are able to provide network connectivity to the plurality of communication devices, that provides a highest average, over all of the plurality of communication devices in the group, radio strength to the plurality of communication devices in the group; and

sending, by the mediation server, a request, to the network operator, for subscription information used for the communication devices in the group to connect to the network operator, with the device information of the communication devices in the group,

wherein the network operator is commonly used for all of the plurality of communication devices in the group,

wherein the context information comprises radio signal condition information with respect to each of the plurality of network operators for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, and

wherein selecting the network operator comprises selecting, using the context information comprising the radio signal condition information with respect to each of the plurality of network operators for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, the network operator that provides the highest average radio strength to the plurality of communication devices in the group.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising

managing the context information of each communication device included in the group, wherein the context information includes data relating to network operator service;

and

sending the request, for each subscription information used for each of the plurality of communication devices in the group, to the selected network operator.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising

receiving the subscription information for each of the plurality of communication devices from the selected network operator, and

transmitting each of the received subscription information to each communication device in the group.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising

storing a group list describing communication devices in a group;

and

retrieving a group that includes the communication device whose device information is obtained from the group list.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication devices are Machine to Machine Equipments and the subscription information includes a Machine Communications Identity Module.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the context information includes at least one of radio signal condition measured at the communication device, location information of the communication device, a capability of the communication device, velocity of the communication device, and information about service provided by the network operator.