Method and system for activation of a local terminal

• US 6,888,932 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Snip, Jan Gerard, Bastiaansen, Marc-Jan, De Graaf, Wilbert Ludovicus Johanna Maria, Van De Vlag, Hendrik Antonius Bernard, Rancuret, Arnoldus Johannes Paulus
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/069,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.24, 379/90.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 709/206
• US Class Current: 379/93.24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

System and method for activating a terminal (7) connectable to a first network (1). An activation module (6) is connected to a second network (5) on the one hand and to the terminal on the other hand and can activate the terminal after receiving an activation code. The activation module might also activate a connection between the terminal and the server, while the server might further activate the terminal. If the second network (5) passes on to the activation module (6) an identifier (e.g. CLI) of the node via which the server (2) connects to the second network, the activation module can activate the terminal in various ways in accordance with the value of the recorded identifier. The server (2) can connect to the network via nodes with various identifiers. The activation code can also comprise notification messages or other messages (for example SMS), which the server (2) sends directly to the user terminal (7) via the activation module (6).

Claims

1. A method for activating a local terminal connectable to a first network comprising the steps of:

selecting by a server, out of a plurality of network nodes with different identifiers for connecting to a local activation module via second network, a network node with an identifier;

transmitting, by the server and via the second network an activation code with the identifier of the selected network node to the local activation module which is connected to the second network and to the local terminal; and

activating, by the activation module and after receiving the activation code, the local terminal in accordance with the value of the identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

activating, through the activation module, a connection between the local terminal and the server, via the first network; and

further activating, by the server, the local terminal.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the activation code comprises a message that is sent by the server to the activation module and that can be read by the local terminal after having been activated by the activation module.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the message is a notification message.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the notification message relates to a message that is waiting in the server to be read by a user of the local terminal.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the message waiting in the server is an SMS message.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the message waiting in the server is an email message.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein the notification message is an SMS message.

9. A server comprising selection means for activating a local terminal, in a plurality of ways, connected to a first network by selecting, out of a plurality of network nodes with different identifiers for connecting to a local activation module via a second network, a network node with an identifier.

10. The server according to claim 9 wherein the first network and the second network are separate networks.

11. The server according to claim 9 wherein the first network and the second network are at least partially constituted by a same network.

12. The server according to claim 9 further comprising means for connecting with an external terminal or other server and adapted to be controlled by the external terminal or said other server on the basis of control parameters.

13. A system for activating a local terminal connected to a first network, the system comprising:

an activation module which is connected to a server via a second network and to a local terminal, wherein;

the server comprises selection means to select, out of a plurality of network nodes with different identifiers for connecting to the activation module via the second network, a network mode with an identifier and passing an activation code with the identifier of the selected network node to the activation module;

the activation module records the identifier so as to define a recorded identifier and activates the local terminal, after receiving the activation code, in accordance with a value of the recorded identifier.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the activation module is adapted to activate a connection between the local terminal and the server, via the first network, which server further activates the local terminal.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein the first network and second network are separate networks.

16. The system according to claim 13 wherein the first network and second network are at least partially constituted by a same network.

17. The system according to claim 13 wherein the server comprises means for connecting to an external terminal or other server and is adapted to be controlled by said external terminal or said other server on a basis of control parameters.

18. The system according to claim 13 wherein the local terminal is adapted to control further devices.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the further devices are domestic devices.

20. The system according to claim 13 wherein the activation module or said other server are adapted to control further devices.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein at least one of the activation module and the local terminal are integrated within the further devices.

22. A module for making a connection between a local terminal and a server, via a network, comprising:

means for receiving, from the server, an activation code, the activation code comprising an identifier of a node selected by the server from a plurality of nodes with different identifiers for connecting to the module via the network; and

means for recording the identifier, so as to define a recorded identifier, and activating the terminal in accordance with a value of the recorded identifier.

23. The module according to claim 22 wherein the activation code comprises a message and the module comprises means for passing on the message to the local terminal.

24. The module according to claim 22 wherein the message is a notification message that relates to a message stored in the server.

25. The module according to claim 22 wherein the message is an SMS message.

26. The module according to claim 22 further comprising means for detecting a terminal-status code relating to the status of the local terminal and adapted to pass on the status code, via the network, to the server.

27. The module according to claim 26 wherein the status code comprises an indication whether the local terminal is active or inactive.

28. The module according to claim 22 wherein the module is implemented as hardware.

29. The module according to claim 22 wherein the module is implemented as software.

30. A method for activating a local terminal connected to a first network, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a server and via a second network, an activation code, the code comprising a message to a selected local activation module which is connected to the second network and to the local terminal; and

after reception of the activation code by the selected local activation module, activating the local terminal by the selected local activation module wherein the message can be read by the local terminal.

31. A method for activating a local terminal connectable to a first network comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a server and via a second network an activation code to a local activation module which is connected to the second network and to the local terminal; and

activating, by the activation module and after receiving the activation code, the terminal; and

wherein the activation code comprises a message that is sent by the server to the activation module and that can be read by the terminal after having been activated by the activation module.

32. The method according to claim 31 wherein the message is a notification message.

33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the notification message relates to a message that is waiting in the server to be read by the user of the terminal.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the message waiting in the server is an SMS message.

35. The method according to claim 33 wherein the message waiting in the server is an e-mail message.

36. A system for activating a local terminal connected to a first network, the system comprising:

a local activation module which is connected to a second network and to the local terminal, wherein;

the second network passes on an identifier of a node via which a server is connected to the second network; and

the activation module records the identifier so as to define a recorded identifier and activates the terminal, after receiving an activation code, in accordance with a value of the recorded identifier; and

wherein the activation code comprises a message and system further comprises means for passing on the message to the terminal.

37. The system according to claim 36 wherein the message is a notification message.

38. The system according to claim 37 wherein the notification message relates to a message that is waiting in the server to be read by the user of the terminal.

39. The system according to claim 38 wherein the message waiting in the server is an SMS message.

40. The system according to claim 38 wherein the message waiting in the server is an e-mail message.

41. A module for making a connection between a local terminal and a server, via a network, comprising:

means for receiving, from the server, an activation code, the code comprising an identifier of a node via which the server is connected to the network; and

means for recording the identifier, so as to define a recorded identifier, and activating the terminal in accordance with a value of the recorded identifier; and

wherein the activation code comprises a message and the module comprises means for passing on the message to the terminal.

42. The module according to claim 41 wherein the message is a notification message.

43. The module according to claim 42 wherein the notification message relates to a message that is waiting in the server to be read by the user of the terminal.

44. The module according to claim 43 wherein the message waiting in the server is an SMS message.

45. The module according to claim 43 wherein the message waiting in the server is an e-mail message.