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`(19) United States
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`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0291912 A1
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` TAFARRODI et a1. (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 18, 2010
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`US 20100291912A1
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`(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC
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`USER-ENABLED ACCOUNT IDENTIFIER
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`ASSOCIATION
`Inventors:
`Dar T. TAFARRODI, Roseville,
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`CA (Us); Chris Perry, Folsom, CA
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`(US)
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`Correspondence Address:
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`NICDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP
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`600 13TH STREET, N.W.
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`WASHINGTON, DC 20005_3 096 (US)
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`(75)
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`(73) Assignee:
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`CELLCO PARTNERSHIP d/b/a
`VERIZON WIRELESS
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`(21) Appl. No.:
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`(22) Filed:
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`12/467,680
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`May 189 2009
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`Publication Classification
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`(51)
`Int Cl
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`' HoitM'3/00
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`(2006.01)
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`(52) U'S' Cl' “““““““““““““““““““““““““““““ 455/419
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`(57)
`ABSTRACT
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`Systems, methods, and an article oi manutacturing ior auto-
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`matically associating an identifier of a particular mobile sta-
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`tion with a mobile communications network account are
`shown and described. In some circumstances, an identifier is
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`automatically captured from a mobile station, e.g., via over—
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`the-air signaling to the network. Upon verification of other
`account details,
`the captured identifier is assigned to the
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`account, e.g., with a particular directory number of the
`account, and the change is propagated to other systems ofthe
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`mobile communications network.
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`36
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`Usage Data
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`Aggregator
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`System(s)
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`of Record
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`Customer Care
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`Enterprise
`Services
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`1 3
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`Interactive Voice
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`Response System
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`31
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`Page 1 of 14
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 18, 2010 Sheet 2 of 5
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`\
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`Step 200
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`Step 210%
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`Enter Starting Code
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`3
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`Step 220 x{
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`Assign TRN to Mobile Station
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`_l
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`Step 230M Capture Identifier Associated with Mobile Station
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`Step 240M Determine WhEh'er the End-Useris
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`an Existing Account Holder
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`Step 250%
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`Retrieve Captured Identifier
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`Step 260%
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`Y
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`Perform Identifier Change
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`FIG. 2
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`Validate MDN
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`Confirm Account Access
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`K_/
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`Implement New Identifier
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`3
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`FIG. 3
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`Step 262%
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`Step 264M
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`Step 266/\_ I
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 18, 2010 Sheet 3 of 5
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`Step 262
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`For security purposes, please enter
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`your lO-digit Wireless mobile
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`i/ I \
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`xfi'uerid :R\
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`\QWhOIesale)? )—————Ye
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`FIG. 4
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`No
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`ERROR
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 18, 2010 Sheet 4 of 5
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`FIG. 5
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`Step 264
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`ERROR
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`Please enter your current 4-digit
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`account security code.
`Your security code
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`must be 4 digits.
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`Please
`a ain.
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`Valid
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`Passcode
`3m .
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`< digits
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`Step 530
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`“‘5
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`Please try again.
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`Yes
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`3'd time
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`Continue
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`ID Change
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`Step 266
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`l
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`Step 610%
`Change ID in Network Elements
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`Step 620% Provision Mobile Station Automatically Over The Air ]
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`FIG. 6
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 18, 2010 Sheet 5 0f 5
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`Nov. 18, 2010
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`SYSTEI\IS AND METHODS FOR AUTONIATIC
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`USER-ENABLED ACCOUNT IDENTIFIER
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`ASSOCIATION
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`[0001] The present subj ect matter relates to techniques and
`equipment associated with wireless communications sys-
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`tems. In more detail, the present disclosure relates to user-
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`enabled association of an identifier with a mobile communi-
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`cations system account.
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`BACKGROUND
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`In existing mobile communication systems, when a
`[0002]
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`user purchases a new mobile station it needs to be associated
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`with their account. Various methods exist for making this
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`association. For example, the user can call customer service
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`and interact with a customer service representative to affect
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`the change in mobile station and associate a new mobile
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`station identifier with their account. As part of that process,
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`the end-user is asked to inform the customer service repre-
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`sentative of an electronic serial number (ESN) that was
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`assigned to the new mobile station.
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`[0003] An ESN is typically 32 bits long. It consists ofthree
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`fields, including an 8-bit manufacturer code, an 18-bit unique
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`serial number, and 6 bits that were reserved for later use,
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`although in practice these 6 bits have long been combined into
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`a 24-bit serial number field.
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`[0004] ESNs are oftenrepresented as 11 digit decimal num-
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`bers or 8 digit hex numbers. The first three digits are the
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`decimal representation ofthe first 8 bits (between 000 and 25 5
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`inclusive) and the next 8 are derived from the remaining 24
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`bits and will be between 00000000 and 16777215 inclusive.
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`[0005] Given the complexities of ESN numbers, the end-
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`user can often make a mistake when repeating the alphanu—
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`meric characters of the ESN to the customer service repre-
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`sentative. These errors can prevent the new mobile station
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`from being associated with the user’s account.
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`In addition to end-user errors, the customer service
`[0006]
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`representative can easily input an incorrect alphanumeric
`digit ofthe ESN during the activation process. Again, an error
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`in the ESN number prevents association of the new mobile
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`station with the end-user’s account. This can cause great
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`frustration to the account holder.
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`[0007] Another method of associating a new mobile station
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`with the end—user’s account includes using a web interface
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`provided by the mobile carrier. For example, the end-user can
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`sign into their account online and update whim mobile sta-
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`tion is associated with their account by inputting the ESN
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`associated with the new mobile station. Again, as part of this
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`process, the end-user is required to input the ESN number
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`a ssociated with the new mobile station. Given the complexity
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`ofthese numbers, this process is prone to errors. Inputting the
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`wrong ESN prevents the carrier from correctly associating the
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`new mobile station with the end-user’s account. Again, the
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`account holder may become frustrated with the activation
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`process and seek a new mobile carrier.
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`[0008] Hence a need exists for systems and methods that
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`provide a means for the end-user to accurately and automati-
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`cally associate a new mobile station identifier with their
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`mobile carrier account.
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`SUMMARY
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`[0009] The teachings herein alleviate one or more of the
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`needs discussed above relating to capture or entry of a mobile
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`Page 7 of 14
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`station identifier. The systems, methods, and articles ofmanu-
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`facture described herein provide for automatic capture of the
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`new mobile station identifier and association ofthat identifier
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`with an account without interaction from a customer service
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`representative.
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`In one configuration, a method of automatically
`[0010]
`associating an identifier of a particular mobile station with a
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`mobile communications network account
`is shown and
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`described. The method can include receiving an initiation
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`request from the mobile station over the air in the mobile
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`communication network and automatically capturing from
`the mobile station the mobile station identifier. The method
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`also includes validating one ormore accountparameters asso-
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`ciated with the mobile communications network account and
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`associating the captured mobile station identifier with the
`mobile communications network account upon successful
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`validation.
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`[0011]
`In certain examples,
`automatically capturing
`includes automatically capturing from the mobile station an
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`electronic serial number associated with the mobile station. It
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`can also include updating another mobile communications
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`network element with the captured mobile station identifier
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`associated with the mobile
`communications network
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`account. The updating and validating can be performed by the
`same or different network elements (e.g., a customer care
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`enterprise services platform).
`[0012]
`In further examples, the method includes provision-
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`ing the mobile station with account specific information upon
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`successful validation. Provisioning can include associating a
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`mobile directory number (“MDN”) with the mobile station.
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`Provisioning can also include associating a mobile identifi-
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`cation number (“MIN”) with the mobile station.
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`[0013]
`In another configuration, a mobile communications
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`network is shown and described. The mobile communica—
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`tions network includes a traffic network configured to support
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`communications and one or more mobile communications
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`network elements in communication with the traflic network.
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`The one or more mobile communications network elements
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`are configured to receive an initiation request from a mobile
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`station over the air in the mobile communications network
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`and automatically capture a mobile station identifier, respon-
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`sive to the received initiation request. The network elements
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`also validate one or more account parameters associated with
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`the mobile communications network account and associate
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`the captured mobile station identifier with the mobile com-
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`munications network account upon successful validation to
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`activate the particular mobile station for mobile communica-
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`tion network service on the account.
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`[0014]
`In yet another configuration. an article of manufac-
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`ture is shown and described. The article includes a machine
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`readable storage medium and executable program instruc-
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`tions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that
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`when executed by a programmable system coupled to a
`mobile communications network causes the system to per-
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`form functions that change an identifier ofa particular mobile
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`station that is associated with a mobile communications net-
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`work account. The functions include receiving an initiation
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`request from the mobile station over the air in the mobile
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`communication network and automatically capturing from
`the mobile station the mobile station identifier, responsive to
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`the received initiation request. The functions also include
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`validating one or more account parameters associated with
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`the mobile communications network account and associating
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`the captured mobile station identifier with the mobile c0111-
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`Nov. 18, 2010
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`munications network account upon successful validation, to
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`activate the particular mobile station for mobile communica-
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`tion network service on the account.
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`[0015] As a result, the systems, methods, and articles of
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`manufacture described herein provide for automatic capture
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`of the new identifier and association ofthat identifier with an
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`account without interaction from a customer service repre-
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`sentative
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`[0016] Other concepts relate to unique software for imple-
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`menting the automatic association of an identifier of a par-
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`ticular mobile station with a mobile communications network
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`account. A software product, in accord with this concept,
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`includes at least one machine-readable medium and informa-
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`tion carried by the medium. The information carried by the
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`medium may be executable program code, one or more data—
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`bases and/or information regarding the automatic association
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`of an identifier of a particular mobile station with a mobile
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`communications network account.
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`[0017] Additional advantages and novel features will be set
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`forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will
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`become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination
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`of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be
`learned by production or operation of the examples. The
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`advantages of the present teachings may be realized and
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`attained by practice or use of various aspects of the method-
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`ologies, instrumcntalitics and combinations set forth in the
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`detailed examples discussed below.
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`[0018] The drawing figures depict one or more implemen—
`tations in accord with the present teachings, by way of
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`example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like
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`reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
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`FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram useful in under-
`[0019]
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`standing networked elements/systems that may be used in
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`automatically associating an identifier with an end-user’s
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`account.
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`FIG. 2 is a high-level flow chart illustrating a pro-
`[0020]
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`cess for automatic end-user enabled account identifier asso-
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`ciation.
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`FIG. 3 is a more detailed flow chart illustrating a
`[0021]
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`process for changing an identifier associated with a mobile
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`user’s account.
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`[0022]
`FIG. 4 is a more detailed flow chart illustrating a
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`process for validating an MDN.
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`FIG. 5 is a more detailed flow chart illustrating a
`[0023]
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`process for confirming account access.
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`FIG. 6 is a more detailed flow chart illustrating a
`[0024]
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`process for implementing the new identifier.
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`FIG. 7 is a simplified functional block diagram ofa
`[0025]
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`computer that may be configured as a host or server.
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`FIG. 8 is a simplified functional block diagram ofa
`[0026]
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`personal computer or other work station or terminal device.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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`Inthe following detailed description, numerous spe-
`[0027]
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`cific details are set forth by way of examples in order to
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`provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings.
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`However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that
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`the present teachings may be practiced without such details.
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`In other instances, well known methods, procedures, compo—
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`nents, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively
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`Page 8 of 14
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily
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`obscuring aspects of the present teachings.
`[0028] The various systems, methods, and articles ofmanu-
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`facture disclosed herein relate to automatically capturing a
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`new identifier of a mobile station and associating that identi-
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`fier with an account, without requiring interaction from a
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`customer service representative. Said another way, the sys-
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`tems, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein
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`allow for the changing the mobile station that is associated
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`with the end-user’s account by changing the ESN that is
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`associated with the directory number of end—user. The change
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`in identifier is also propagated throughout the mobile corn-
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`munications
`system.
`In some instances,
`the described
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`examples are most readily understood in the context of a
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`pre—paid wireless communication system, but they can apply
`equally to a post-paid system. For example, if an end-user
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`purchases a mobile station from a secondary market (e.g., the
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`want adds or a friend) the end-user can associate that new
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`mobile station with their account without interaction from
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`customer service.
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`[0029] Reference now is made in detail to the examples
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`illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed
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`below. FIG. 1 illustrates anumber ofmobile stations, a mobile
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`communication network coupled to other communication
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`networks and several systems/elements associated with or
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`included in the mobile network for various functions as may
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`be involved in automatically associating an identifier of a
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`particular mobile station with a mobile communications net-
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`work account.
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`[0030] Hence, FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile communication
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`network 1 0 as may be operated by a carrier or service provider
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`to provide a wide range of mobile communication services
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`and ancillary services or features to its subscriber customers
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`and associated mobile station (MS) users. The elements gen-
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`erally indicated by the reference numeral 10 generally are
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`elements of the network and are operated by or on behalf of
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`the carrier, although the mobile stations typically are sold to
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`the carrier’s customers. The mobile communication network
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`10 provides communications between mobile stations as well
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`as communications for the mobile stations with networks and
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`stations 11 outside the mobile communication network 10.
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`[0031] For purposes of later discussion, several mobile sta—
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`tions 13, 15, and 17 appear in the drawing,
`to represent
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`examples of the mobile stations that may receive various
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`services via the mobile communication network 10. Today,
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`mobile stations typically take the fomi portable handsets,
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`smart-phones or personal digital assistants, although they
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`may be implemented in other form factors. For discussion of
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`the automatically associating an identifier of a particular
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`mobile station with a mobile communications network
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`account, we will assume that the mobile stations 13, 15 and 17
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`and are each associated with an individual subscriber
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`account.
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`[0032] The network 10 allows users of the mobile stations
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`to initiate and receive telephone calls to each other as well as
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`through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and
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`telephone stations c01mected thereto. The network 10 allows
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`SMS, EMS, and MMS type messaging between mobile sta-
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`tions and similar messaging with other devices via the Inter-
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`net. The network 10 typically offers a variety of other data
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`services via the Internet, such as downloads, web browsing,
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`e-mail, etc.
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`[0033] The mobile communication network 10 typically is
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`implemented by a number of interconnected networks.
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`Page 8 of 14
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`

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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`Nov. 18, 2010
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`Hence, the overall network 10 may include a number ofradio
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`access networks (RANs), as well as regional ground networks
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`interconnecting a number of RANs and a wide area network
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`(WAN) interconnecting the regional ground networks to core
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`network elements, such as the MMSCs. A regional portion of
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`the network 10, such as that serving mobile stations 13, 15
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`and 17, will typically include one or more RANs and a
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`regional circuit and/or packet switched network and associ—
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`ated signaling network facilities.
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`[0034]
`Physical elements of a RAN operated by one of the
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`mobile service providers or carriers, include a number ofbase
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`stations represented in the example by the base stations (BSs)
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`19. Although not separately shown, such a base station 19
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`typically comprises a base transceiver system (BTS) which
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`communicates via an antennae system at the site of base
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`station and over the airlink with one or more of the mobile
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`stations 13, 15 and 17, when the mobile stations are within
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`range. Each base station typically includes a BTS coupled to
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`several antennae mounted on a radio tower within a coverage
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`area often referred to as a “cell.” The BTS is the part of the
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`radio network that sends and receives RF signals to/from the
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`mobile stations that the base station currently serves.
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`[0035] The radio access networks also include a traffic net-
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`work represented generally by the cloud at 21, which carries
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`the user communications for the mobile stations 13, 15 and 17
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`between the base stations and other elements with or through
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`which the mobile stations communicate. The traffic network
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`can include one or more home location register(s) (HLRs) 33
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`and mobile switching centers (MSCs) 34 in communication
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`with the various other traffic network elements. Each time a
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`call is placed, the ESN is automatically transmitted to the base
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`station 19 so the wireless carrier’s mobile switching center 34
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`can check the call’s validity. During operation, the MSC 34
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`can save the ESN for use by other elements ofthe network 10.
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`Other individual elements such as switches and]or routers
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`forming the traffic network 21 are omitted here form simplic-
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`ity.
`[0036] The HLR 33, in some examples, stores a subscriber
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`profile for each of the wireless subscribers and their associ-
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`ated mobile station 13, 15, and 17. The HLR 33 may reside in
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`an MSC 33 or in a centralized service control point that
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`communicates with the MSC(s) 34 via an out-of-band signal-
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`ing system such as an SS7 network. The HLR 33 stores for
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`each mobile subscriber the subscriber’s mobile telephone
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`number, the mobile identification number, and information
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`specifying the wireless services subscribed to by the mobile
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`subscriber, such as numeric paging or text-based paging, data
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`communication services, etc.
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`[0037] The mobile communication network 10 also
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`includes an interactive voice response system (“IVR”) 36,
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`that communicates with the other network elements using the
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`various networks shown and described. The IVR system 36
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`allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs from
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`devices such as the mobile station or the subscribers voice.
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`IVR system 36 can respond with pre—recorded or dynamically
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`generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed.
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`IVR system 36 can be used to control almost any function
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`where the interface can be broken down into a series ofsimple
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`menu choices. In some situations, the IVR system 36 uses
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`DTMF signals (entered from the telephone keypad) and natu-
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`ral language speech recognition interpret the caller’s response
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`to voice prompts. Various features of the present disclosure
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`can be implemented using the IVR system 36 and are dis—
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`cussed below in more detail.
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`[0038] A Mobilc Directory Number (MDN) is the tele-
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`phone number assigned to a mobile station, which a calling
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`party or device inputs in order to call or send a message to the
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`particular mobile station. To call the mobile station 15, for
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`example, a user of a PSTN telephone or of another mobile
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`station dials the MDN associated with the mobile station 15.
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`To send a MMS message or a SMS message to destination
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`mobile station 15, as another example, typically entails input
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`of the MDN of that mobile station. A Mobile Identification
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`Number (MIN) is an identification number used by the net-
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`work 10 to signal a particular mobile station. The MIN is
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`formatted like a telephone number, and the MIN may be the
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`same as the MDN. However,
`increasingly.
`the network
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`assigns a different number for use as the MIN and translates
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`the MDN input by a calling or other originating party into the
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`MIN that the network 10 uses to establish the call or send the
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`message to the destination mobile station. Of these numbers
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`assigned to the mobile station, the MDN typically is the
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`number or address of the station known and used by other
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`parties or stations and corresponding to the applicable sub-
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`scriber account with the mobile service provider.
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`[0039] The traflic network portion 21 of the mobile com—
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`munication network 10 connects to a public switched tele-
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`phone network 23. This allows the network 10 to provide
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`voice grade call connections between mobile stations and
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`regular telephones connected to the PSTN 23. The drawing
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`shows one such telephone at 25. The PSTN 23 also provides
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`connections to other types of customer premises equipment,
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`such as facsimile or ‘FAX’ machines. The drawing shows one
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`FAX machine 27.
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`[0040] The traflic network portion 21 of the mobile com-
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`munication network 10 connects to a public packet switched
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`data communication network, such as the network commonly
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`referred to as the “Internet” shown at 29. Packet switched
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`communications via the traflic network 21 and the Internet 29
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`may support a variety ofuser services through the network 10,
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`such as mobile station communications of text and multime-
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`dia messages, e-mail, web surfing or browsing, programming
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`and media downloading, etc. For example, the mobile stations
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`may be able to receive messages from and send messages to
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`user temiinal devices, such as personal computers, either
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`directly (peer-to-peer) or via various servers (not separately
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`shown). The drawing shows one such user terminal device as
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`a personal computer (PC) at 31, by way of example.
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`[0041] The carrier will also operate a number of systems
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`that provide ancillary functions in support of the communi-
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`cations services provided through the network 10, and those
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`elements communicate with other nodes/elements of the net-
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`work 10 via one or more private IP type packet data networks
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`35 (sometimes referred to as an Intranet). The support ele-
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`ments, for example, include one or more systems of record,
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`such as the system shown at 39.An example of such a system
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`39 is a Vision system, which includes subscriber account
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`records. A large carrier typically has a number of such sys-
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`tems, and the system that stores the account data for a par-
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`ticular subscriber may be referred to as the “system ofrecord”
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`for that subscriber’s account.
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`[0042] Another ancillary carrier system of the network 10
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`is a usage data aggregator 37. The usage data aggregator 37
`will monitor real time usage ofthe mobile stations 13, 15, and
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`17 through the mobile traffic network 21. The aggregator 37
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`may be similar to real-time call or usage rating platform
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`originally developed for prepaid services. Such a platform,
`however, may be adapted to usage monitoring for postpay
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`Page 9 of 14
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`Page 9 of 14
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`US 2010/0291912 A1
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`Nov. 18, 2010
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`subscription services as well, for example, where it is desir-
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`able to monitor and possibly restrict amount ofusage or other
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`aspect of mobile station operations in real-time, An example
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`of a suitable platform, which may be adapted to perform the
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`functions of the usage data aggregator 37, is the Surepay®
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`platform manufactured and sold by Alcatel-Lucent.
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`[0043] The exemplary network 10 also includes a customer
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`care enterprise services (“CCES”) system 41, which is
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`coupled for communication via the private network 35. These
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`systems include one or more billing systems, network provi-
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`sioning systems such as the Mobile Telephone Administra-
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`tion System or “MTAS”, client account administration sys-
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`tems, and the like. The billing system, for example, receives
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`usage and operations data from the usage data aggregator 37
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`and processes that data to generate bills for individual sub-
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`scriber and to forward data regarding users roaming through
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`the ca