Global e-marketplace for mobile services

• US 9,913,211 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GigSky, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GigSky, Inc.
• Inventors: Maharaj, Ravi Rishy
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pascual Peguero, Natali N
• Application Number:
  US14/171,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 370259, 370338, 370464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/751 Card based account, e.g. smart card, SIM card or USIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7556 by SIM, e.g. smart card account in SCP, SDP or SN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A method for providing an online market place for purchasing service from a variety of servers is provided. A GUI or application having a page having a list of carriers for the user to select is sent to a mobile device. A selection of a carrier is received. In response, an encrypted IMSI and Ki are sent to the mobile device. The GUI or application may include other pages for the user to manage service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, from a server, to a mobile device information which when consumed by the mobile device causes the mobile device to display a list of carriers that are active in a location for the user to select, the server including a processor system having one or more processor and a memory system;

receiving, at the server from the mobile device, a selection of a carrier;

sending from the server an encrypted IMSI and an encrypted Ki of the carrier to the mobile device, the IMSI and the Ki of the carrier being encrypted with a Ki of the server, the Ki of the server being different from the encrypted Ki of the carrier; and

establishing by the server, local wireless service, via the carrier, for the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a list of virtual SIMs on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication of locations where the local wireless service is available, wherein the local wireless service includes prepaid data plans of mobile phone services.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the server to the user'"'"'s mobile device, information which when consumed by the user'"'"'s mobile device cause a list of service plans for the carrier to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at the server, a request to perform a search for at least one wireless carrier meeting a selected search criterion, and in response searching for the at least one wireless carrier meeting the search criterion;

sending from the server information, which when consumed by the mobile device causes the mobile device to display results of the searching.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selection of the carrier is a selection of a carrier found by the searching.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending from the server to the mobile device, information which when consumed by the mobile device causes a list of plans for one or more carriers identified in the results to be displayed on a display of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a cell phone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the server to the mobile device, information which when consumed by the mobile device causes a list of carriers that the user has had plans with to be displayed on the user device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending from the server to the mobile device, information which when consumed by the mobile device causes the mobile device to display an indication of locations where the carriers provide prepaid data plans of mobile phone service.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a list of subscriptions that the user has had and the subscriptions the user now has and indicating whether the subscriptions are active.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the server to the mobile device, information which when consumed by the mobile device causes a page that allows the user to purchase a plan to be displayed on the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the server to the mobile device, information which when consumed by the mobile device causes a sign-in page to be displayed on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user is required to sign in via the sign-in page on the mobile device to purchase a plan.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the Ki of the server is a Ki of a carrier that the user has had at least a service plan with.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising

decrypting, by the mobile device, the encrypted IMSI and the encrypted Ki of the carrier using the Ki of the server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device has service with multiple mobile networks simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending from the server to the mobile device information that causes information about at least topup options to be displayed on the mobile device.

19. A system comprising:

a server including a processor system having one or more processors and

a memory system storing on at least one non-transitory computer readable media one or more machine instructions, which when implemented causes the server to implement a method including at least

sending, from a server, to a mobile device information which when consumed by the mobile device causes the mobile device to display a list of carriers that are active in a location for the user to select;

receiving, at the server from the mobile device, a selection of a carrier;

sending, from the server, an encrypted IMSI and an encrypted Ki of the carrier to the mobile device, the IMSI and the Ki of the carrier being encrypted with a Ki of the server, the Ki of the server being different from the Ki of the carrier; and

establishing by the server, local wireless service, via the carrier, for the mobile device.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, from a server, at a mobile device, user information, which when consumed by the mobile device causes the mobile device to display a list of carriers that are active in a location for the user to select and a list of subscriptions that the user has had and the subscriptions the user now has, the mobile device including a processor system having one or more processors and a memory system;

sending, to the server from the mobile device, a selection of a carrier and a selection of a prepaid data plan;

receiving from the server an encrypted IMSI and an encrypted Ki of the carrier to the mobile device, the IMSI and the Ki of the carrier being encrypted with a Ki of the server, the Ki of the server being different from the encrypted Ki of the carrier;

decrypting, by the mobile device, the encrypted IMSI and the encrypted Ki of the carrier; and

installing, by the mobile device the IMSI on a local SIM.