System and method for remotely managing wireless devices

• US 20080207167A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for providing wireless services. One or more wireless identifiers are stored in an authentication space of a server associated with a wireless service provider. The authentication space is associated with an enterprise. A remote client is granted access to the authentication space to allow the enterprise to manage services associated with the one or more wireless identifiers. Managed service options associated with the one or more identifiers are selected. The managed service options are selected in response to receiving data from the remote client.

Claims

1. A method for providing wireless services, said method comprising:

storing one or more wireless identifiers in an authentication space of a server associated with a wireless service provider, the authentication space being associated with an enterprise and the wireless identifiers being associated with employees of the enterprise;

granting a remote client access to the authentication space to allow the enterprise to manage services associated with the one or more wireless identifiers; and

selecting managed service options associated with the one or more identifiers, the managed service options being selected in response to receiving data from the remote client.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

specifying authorization and permissions for the remote client.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless identifiers are a block of numbers for wireless devices.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of the one or more wireless identifiers are associated with a wireless device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the wireless device is any of a cellular phone, personal digital assistant, laptop, computer, personal digital assistant, multi-mode device, and evolution data optimization card.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a remote wireless management agreement between the wireless service provider and the enterprise.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

billing the enterprise a fee based on the one or more wireless identifiers.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the administrative options are account options or adds, moves, and changes to features of the wireless services.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the fee is a flat fee for service and the enterprise is not billed for each add, move, or change.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the managed service options is performed by a network management server based on commands received through an enterprise graphical user interface.

11. A wireless management system for providing wireless services, said system comprising:

a first server associated with the management of wireless services provided by a wireless network the first server including an authentication space and the first server being operable to authenticate an enterprise communicating with the first server using a remote client, wherein the first server communicates an interface to the remote client for receiving user input; and

a second server operable to receive commands from the first server in response to the received user input, the second server operable to implement managed service options for a plurality of wireless devices associated with employees of the enterprise in response to the received commands.

12. The wireless management system according to claim 11, wherein the remote client is in communication with the first server and, wherein the authentication space authenticates the enterprise using a secure identifier.

13. The wireless management client system according to claim 11, wherein the wireless network is a cellular network.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of wireless devices are any of a cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop, evolution data optimized (EDO) card, WiFi card, and WiMAX card.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the remote client is accessible by the enterprise for managing the wireless services of the plurality of wireless devices without interaction from the personnel of a wireless services provider operating the first server and the second server.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

permitting other authorized account options and billing review from the remote client.

18. The method according to claim 15, closing the authentication space of the wireless management client.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

requesting access to the authentication space;

sending one or more mobile identifiers to the server, and

requesting the managed service option.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the requesting and sending steps are performed by the remote client based on user input from the enterprise.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the user input is received using an enterprise graphical user interface, wherein the enterprise is a consumer.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of remote clients may each be designated an authentication space for managing the wireless services for each of a plurality of consumer enterprises.

16. A method for providing wireless services, said method comprising:

granting access to an authentication space of a server in response to a request from a remote client associated with an enterprise;

verifying that a mobile identifier of a wireless device is associated with the authentication space, the mobile identifier being identified by the remote client and being associated with an employee of the enterprise;

receiving a managed service option for the wireless device from the remote client; and

implementing the managed service option to configure the wireless services.