Mobile device with device agents to detect a disallowed access to a requested mobile data service and guide a multi-carrier selection and activation sequence

• US 9,173,104 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/668,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 216 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/405, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/418, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/222, 709/223, 709/228, 709/229, 370/252, 370/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0876 Aspects of the degree of configuration automation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 : Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 : Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 : by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 : Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 : for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 : Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: H04L 63/0892 : by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 : avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• 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 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 : based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 : Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 : of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 : Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 : Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 : Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning

Abstract

An end-user mobile device has a cellular network modem that is capable of communication over multiple carrier access networks. Prior to activation of the device with any cellular carrier, a secure credential memory stores a set of pre-activation credentials. One or more device agents detect an attempt by a user to use the device in a manner that would require a cellular connection to communicate Internet data, where such attempt is not allowed by a pre-activation service policy. Such an occurrence triggers the device agents to guide a device activation sequence that uses the pre-activation credentials to connect via a carrier access network to an activation server, which downloads service options to the device for multiple cellular service carriers. When the user selects one of the options, the activation sequence further guides the device to receive and securely store permanent credentials. The device subsequently uses the permanent credentials to access the network of the selected service carrier.

Claims

1. An end-user mobile device comprising:

a cellular network modem capable of communication over multiple carrier access networks;

a secure credential memory capable of storing pre-activation credentials and permanent credentials; and

one or more device agents configured to initiate an activation sequence, the activation sequence automatically triggered by one or more of the agents when

(i) the device is configured to use pre-activation credentials from the secure credential memory to access a first carrier access network through the cellular network modem, and

(ii) a user attempts to use the device in a manner that requires access to the Internet through the first carrier access network, where the attempted access is not allowed by a pre-activation service policy;

the one or more device agents further configured to guide the activation sequence such that

the device connects to an Internet-connected activation server through the cellular network modem and the first carrier access network, using the pre-activation credentials from the secure credential memory,

the device receives, from the activation server over the first carrier access network, a set of multiple cellular network service options, including for each of multiple cellular network service carriers at least one option for activating service on that service carrier,

the device accepts input from the user to select a first one of the cellular network service options for a selected one of the cellular network service carriers and request activation of the first service option,

the device forwards, based on the input, an activation request for the first service option to the activation server, and

the device receives from the activation server a set of permanent credentials corresponding to the first service option and selected service carrier and automatically stores the permanent credentials in the secure credential memory so as to supersede the pre-activation credentials;

the device subsequently using the set of permanent credentials to connect to a second carrier access network corresponding to the set of permanent credentials.

2. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the one or more device agents are part of a service processor installed on the device prior to any delivery of the device to a first end user.

3. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the pre-activation service policy is applied by a network element based on the pre-activation credentials, the pre-activation service policy limiting Internet data access through the first carrier access network to access to the activation server.

4. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the pre-activation service policy is stored on the device and enforced by the device agents.

5. The end-user mobile device of claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of the pre-activation service policy stored on the device and enforced by the device agents limits Internet data access through the first carrier access network to access to the activation server.

6. The end-user mobile device of claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of the pre-activation service policy stored on the device and enforced by the device agents limits a non-zero amount of Internet data access through the first carrier access network while using the pre-activation credentials.

7. The end-user mobile device of claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of the pre-activation service policy stored on the device and enforced by the device agents allows an ambient access to retrieve service upgrade selection options.

8. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the permanent credentials are associated with a data service policy that allows Internet data access not allowed by the pre-activation service policy, at least some aspects of the data service policy received by the device as a result of the activation request, stored on the device, and enforced by the device agents.

9. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the pre-activation credentials and at least some aspects of the pre-activation service policy are pre-installed on the mobile device.

10. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the secure credential memory is at least partially resident on a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) installed in the device.

11. The end-user mobile device of claim 10, wherein the pre-activation credentials associate the device with a service provider operating the activation server.

12. The end-user mobile device of claim 11, wherein the pre-activation credentials allow a selection of multiple carrier access networks as the first carrier access network.

13. The end-user mobile device of claim 12, wherein the one or more device agents select the first carrier access network from among the multiple carrier access networks based on at least one of a stored preference list, relative signal strength, and current availability.

14. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the secure credential memory comprises at least one master credential that cannot be reprogrammed during the activation sequence.

15. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the pre-activation credentials are unassociated with a user, and the permanent credentials are associated with a user.

16. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the device stores the permanent credentials in the secure credential memory so as to supersede the pre-activation credentials comprises the device stores, in a Subscriber Identity Module installed on the device, an indication of the selected service carrier and a secure certificate or signature.

17. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the device agents configured to automatically trigger the activation sequence when the user attempts to use the device in a manner that requires access to the Internet through the first carrier access network comprises the device agents configured to detect and respond to a first attempt by the user to access the Internet through the first carrier access network.

18. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein a specific membership of the multiple cellular network carriers is geographically specific to the location of the end-user mobile device at the time of initiation of the activation sequence.

19. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the permanent credentials include at least some of the pre-activation credentials.

20. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein the cellular network service options include multiple service plan options for at least one of the multiple cellular network service carriers.

21. The end-user mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple cellular network service carriers is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator.

22. A method of operation in an end-user mobile device comprising:

initiating an activation sequence, the activation sequence automatically triggered when the device is configured to use pre-activation credentials from a secure credential memory to access a first carrier access network, and a user attempts to use the device in a manner that would require access to the Internet through the first carrier access network, where the attempted access is not allowed by a pre-activation service policy;

as part of the activation sequence,

connecting to an Internet-connected activation server through the first carrier access network, using the pre-activation credentials from the secure credential memory,

receiving, from the activation server over the first carrier access network, a set of multiple cellular network service options, including for each of multiple cellular network service carriers at least one option for activating service on that service carrier,

accepting user input to select a first one of the cellular network service options for a selected one of the cellular network service carriers and request activation of the first service option,

forwarding, based on the user input, an activation request for the first service option to the activation server, and

receiving, from the activation server, a set of permanent credentials corresponding to the first service option and selected service carrier and automatically storing the permanent credentials in the secure credential memory so as to supersede the pre-activation credentials; and

subsequently using the set of permanent credentials to connect to a second carrier access network corresponding to the set of permanent credentials.

23. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein initiating an activation sequence, the activation sequence automatically triggered when the device is configured to use pre-activation credentials from a secure credential memory to access a first carrier access network, and a user attempts to use the device in a manner that would require access to the Internet through the first carrier access network comprises detecting and responding to a first attempt by the user to access the Internet through the first carrier access network.

24. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein the permanent credentials are associated with a data service policy that allows Internet data access not allowed by the pre-activation service policy, the method further comprising receiving at least some aspects of the data service policy as a result of the activation request, storing the aspects of the data service policy on the device, and enforcing the aspects of the data service policy.

25. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein the pre-activation credentials and aspects of the pre-activation service policy are pre-installed on the mobile device before the mobile device is associated with a user.

26. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein the secure credential memory is at least partially resident on a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) installed in the device.

27. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein the pre-activation credentials allow a selection of multiple carrier access networks as the first carrier access network.

28. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein a specific membership of the multiple cellular network carriers is geographically specific to the location of the end-user mobile device at the time of initiation of the activation sequence.

29. The method of operation of claim 22, wherein the pre-activation credentials are unassociated with a user, and the permanent credentials are associated with a user.