General purpose automated activation and provisioning technologies

• US 7,548,746 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalke, Catherine
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/700,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20040137890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/411, 455/435.1, 455/345.2, 455418-420
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/39 Arrangements for preventing metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/28 SMS billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Automated activation and provisioning technologies can be applied in a variety of scenarios. For example, an automated activation and provisioning server can translate user desired features into associated provisioning directives. The directives can then be sent to elements of a wireless communications network support system. Activation and provisioning for a rich set of features can thus be achieved without manual intervention or reaction to the user'"'"'s choices. Receipt of the user'"'"'s choices can be accomplished in real time via a user interface of a mobile wireless device or a web-based user interface.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following to achieve automated provisioning for a mobile wireless device in a mobile wireless communications network support system, the mobile wireless device being operated by a subscriber:

receiving subscriber personal information from the mobile wireless device;

based on the subscriber personal information received, automatically determining whether to provision services for the mobile wireless device;

receiving an indication of the one or more subscriber-desired services, wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services are selected by the subscriber via an electronic user interface, wherein the electronic user interface comprises a user interface presented by the mobile wireless device, wherein the mobile wireless device initially has no non-emergency services provisioned on a mobile wireless communication network supported by the wireless communications network support system;

translating the indication of the one or more subscriber-desired services into associated provisioning directives; and

sending the associated provisioning directives to provisioning elements within the wireless communications network support system to achieve provisioning for the one or more subscriber-desired services.

2. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the electronic user interface comprises a web browsing user interface.

3. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1,

wherein the associated provisioning directives are sent to provisioning elements behind the wireless communication network from the perspective of the mobile wireless device.

4. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise a ring tone feature.

5. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise enrolling in a transactional electronic payment system for premium services.

6. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise subscribing to an online office.

7. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise subscribing to an image center.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise game functionality.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise text messaging functionality.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise unified messaging functionality.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise subscribing to a subscription-based assistance program.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise purchasing equipment insurance.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise enrolling in a mobile to mobile minutes plan.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprise voice activated dialing.

15. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services comprises purchasing accessories.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein determining whether to provision services for the mobile wireless device comprises performing a credit check using the subscriber personal information.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

presenting terms and conditions for payment related to the one or more subscriber-desired services to the mobile wireless device;

receiving an indication of acceptance of the terms and conditions for payment from the mobile wireless device; and

conditioning the provisioning for the one or more subscriber-desired services on the receipt of the indication of acceptance of the terms and conditions for payment from the mobile wireless device.

18. A method of automated provisioning for a mobile wireless device in a mobile wireless communications network, the method comprising:

receiving subscriber personal information from the mobile wireless device;

based on the subscriber personal information received, automatically determining whether to provision services for the mobile wireless device;

receiving an indication of the one or more subscriber-desired services, wherein the one or more subscriber-desired services are selected by the subscriber via an electronic user interface, wherein the electronic user interface comprises a user interface presented by the mobile wireless device, wherein the mobile wireless device initially has no non-emergency services provisioned on the mobile wireless communication network;

translating the indication of the one or more subscriber-desired services into associated provisioning directives; and

sending the associated provisioning directives to provisioning elements within the mobile wireless communications network to achieve provisioning for the one or more subscriber-desired services.

19. An automated activation and provisioning system for achieving automated activation and provisioning for a mobile wireless device in a mobile wireless communications network, the system comprising:

means for receiving communications from a wired web whereby a subscriber can select desired services via a web interface;

means for receiving wireless communications from the mobile wireless device, the mobile wireless device initially having no non-emergency services provisioned on the mobile wireless communication network, the wireless communications having been entered into a user interface of the mobile wireless device, the wireless communications comprising an indication of the desired services and subscriber personal information;

means for determining whether to provision the desired services for the mobile wireless device based on the subscriber personal information received from the mobile wireless device; and

means for translating the desired services into associated provisioning directives, wherein the means for translating is shared by the means for receiving communications from the wired web and the means for receiving communications from the mobile wireless device.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for performing the following to activate an unactivated mobile wireless device with respect to a mobile wireless communication network:

receiving user personal information associated with a user from an unactivated mobile wireless device, the unactivated mobile wireless device initially having only emergency services provisioned on the mobile wireless communication network, the user personal information having been entered by the user into a user interface presented by the unactivated mobile wireless device;

based on the user personal information received, automatically determining whether to provision services for the unactivated mobile wireless device;

receiving an indication of services desired by the user wirelessly from the unactivated mobile wireless device, the desired services having been selected by the user using the interface presented by the unactivated mobile wireless device;

translating the indication into provisioning directives operable to provision the services; and

sending the provisioning directive to provision the services.