In-car head unit wireless communication service subscription initialization

• US 9,398,454 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Burcham, Robert H., Singh, Ashish K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US13/455,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/406
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method for registering an in-vehicle head unit to receive wireless communication services. The method comprises determining by the head unit that a motor vehicle in which the head unit is installed has been turned on and, while the motor vehicle remains turned on, the head unit completing a first stage of registration during which a reference to a web site is created, wherein the reference is valid for a predefined period of time after completion of the first stage of registration. The method further comprises creating a subscription account to provide the wireless communication services to the head unit during a second stage of registration, wherein the second stage of registration is based on accessing the web site using the reference before expiration of the predefined period of time.

Claims

1. A method for registering an in-vehicle head unit to receive wireless communication services, comprising:

determining by the head unit that a motor vehicle in which the head unit is installed has been turned on;

while the motor vehicle remains turned on, the head unit completing a first stage of registration during which a reference to a web site is created, wherein the reference is valid for a predefined period of time after completion of the first stage of registration;

creating a subscription account to provide the wireless communication services to the head unit during a second stage of registration, wherein the second stage of registration is based on accessing the web site using the reference before expiration of the predefined period of time; and

sending a message to perform a digital rights management synchronization command to the head unit after completion of the second state of registration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment information to recover wireless communication subscription fees; and

in response to receiving the payment information, enabling continued wireless communication service to the head unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the head unit comprises a radio transceiver operable to wirelessly communicate with a cellular tower.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after completion of a sale of the motor vehicle by a new vehicle dealer a first wireless service plan is enabled for the motor vehicle for a non-renewable time duration and after completion of the second stage of registration a second wireless service plan is enabled for a renewable time duration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-renewable time duration is less than 7 days and wherein the renewable time duration is at least 28 days.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription account is associated with a subscriber who is further associated with a different head unit installed in a second motor vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning the head unit to an initial state in which the head unit can again complete the first stage of registration, wherein the return of the head unit to the initial state promotes a later purchaser of the motor-vehicle establishing their own wireless communication subscription for the head unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein returning the head unit to the initial state is initiated from one of the head unit, a customer care site operated by a provider of wireless communication services to the head unit, or a web site.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a provisional subscription entry in a wireless service provider data store as part of the first stage of registration;

receiving an access to the web site using the reference before the expiration of the predefined period of time, wherein the website is associated with a manufacturer of the motor vehicle, and wherein the subscription account is created based on the provisional subscription entry in the wireless service provider data store; and

accessing, by a subscriber of the subscriber account, a data store defining digital rights associated with the subscription account by entering an identity and a password and authenticating the identity and password in the manufacturer data store.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined period of time is about 3 days.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined period of time is about 2 days.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein completing the first stage of registration comprises inputting subscriber information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the subscriber information comprises an electronic mail address.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the reference to the web site incorporates a vehicle identification number.

9. A method for registering an in-vehicle head unit to receive wireless communication services, comprising:

determining by the head unit that a motor vehicle in which the head unit is installed has been turned on;

while the motor vehicle remains turned on, the head unit completing a first stage of registration during which a reference to a web site is created, wherein the reference encapsulates a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the motor vehicle and an electronic mail address of a subscriber, and wherein the reference is valid for a predefined period of time after completion of the first stage of registration; and

creating a subscription account to provide the wireless communication services to the head unit during a second stage of registration, wherein the second stage of registration is based on accessing the web site using the reference before expiration of the predefined period of time and based on the vehicle identification number, wherein after completion of a sale of the motor vehicle by a new vehicle dealer a first wireless service plan is enabled for the motor vehicle for a non-renewable time duration and after completion of the second stage of registration a second wireless service plan is enabled for a renewable time duration.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the head unit presents an in-vehicle registration screen on a display coupled to the head unit and receives user input of the electronic mail address.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second stage of registration comprises presenting a form in a web page to receive user input of subscription account information, wherein the web page comprises information about functional capabilities of the head unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the form in the web page receives user input of security information comprising a security question and security answer.