Patent Publication Number: US-8126448-B2

Title: Methods for transfer of user identity between wireless communication devices

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/321,123, filed on Dec. 28, 2005. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to wireless communication devices, and more particularly relates to methods for CDMA wireless communication devices to transfer user identities therebetween. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication standard allows a user of GSM wireless communication devices to have more than one GSM wireless communication device tied to a single billing record, thereby permitting a user to share a single phone number on two or more wireless communication devices. This is accomplished by utilizing the GSM Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for storing user identity information. The SIM is a card with memory which can be transferred from one wireless communication device to another. New Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless communication devices have a similar capability. The Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM) is also a card which can be swapped between phones which would permit a user to transfer his identity from one wireless communication device to another. Yet many CDMA wireless communication devices do not support either SIM or R-UIM user authentication. 
     Thus, what is needed is a method for transferring user identities between one CDMA wireless communication device and another. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a wireless communication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a wireless communication device of the communication system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 , consisting of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , is a flowchart of the de-activation operation of the wireless communication device of  FIG. 2  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4 , consisting of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , is a flowchart of the de-activation and activation operations of the wireless communication system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of the activation operation of the wireless communication device of  FIG. 2  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method in a wireless communication system for deactivating a wireless communication device includes the steps of receiving a deactivation command from the deactivating wireless communication device including first identification information identifying the deactivating wireless communication device and second identification information identifying another wireless communication device, and identifying the other wireless communication device as a transferred identity wireless communication device having a transferred identity of the deactivating wireless communication devices in response to the identification information. In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, a method in the wireless communication system includes the steps of receiving an activation command from an activating wireless communication device including identification information identifying the activating wireless communication device, determining whether the activating wireless communication device is a transferred identity wireless communication device in response to the identification information, and activating the activating wireless communication device with a transferred identity if it is determined to be a transferred identity wireless communication device. 
     A further method is disclosed for deactivating a wireless communication device having an operational identity for operating in a wireless communication system having a system controller. The method includes the step of transmitting a deactivation command to the system controller, the deactivation command including identification information identifying another wireless communication device for transferring the operational identity of the deactivating wireless communication device thereto. 
     The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless communication system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of base stations  110  and a wireless communication device  120 . The plurality of base stations  110  communicate with the wireless communication device  120  via CDMA radio frequency (RF) signals on a plurality of RF channels for wireless communications. Associated with each of the plurality of base stations  110  is a coverage area  125  wherein the wireless communication device  120  can receive RF signals from and transmit RF signals to one of the plurality of base stations  110 . The plurality of base stations  110  are coupled to a CDMA network system controller  140  comprising a number of control components, including a network registration processor  150  having a storage device  160  coupled thereto. The network registration processor  150  operates to activate and deactivate wireless communication devices  120  for operation within the CDMA wireless communication system  100  and to verify the activation status of a wireless communication device  120 . The CDMA wireless communication system  100  supports Over-The-Air Service Provisioning (OTASP), a standards-based mechanism for a user of a wireless communication device  120  to configure and/or reconfigure the wireless communication device  120  over the wireless communication system  100  without manual intervention and under the control of the CDMA network system controller  140 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a wireless communication device  120  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is shown. The wireless communication device  120  includes an antenna  202  for receiving and transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals. A receive/transmit switch  204  selectively couples the antenna  202  to receiver circuitry  206  and transmitter circuitry  208  in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art. The receiver circuitry  206  demodulates and decodes the RF signals to derive information therefrom and is coupled to a controller  210  for providing the decoded information thereto for utilization thereby in accordance with the function(s) of the wireless communication device  120 . The controller  210  also provides information to the transmitter circuitry  208  for encoding and modulating information into RF signals for transmission from the antenna  202 . 
     The controller  210  is coupled to user interface circuitry  212  including, for example, a display for presenting video output to a user, a speaker for providing audio output to the user, a microphone for receiving voice input, and user controls, such as a keypad, for receiving user input thereby. The controller  210  is further coupled to a nonvolatile memory device  214  for storing information therein and for retrieving and utilizing information therefrom. When an OTASP signal is received, demodulated and decoded by the receiver circuitry  206  and provided to the controller  210 , the controller  210  automatically configures and/or reconfigures the operational characteristics of the wireless communication device  120  without requiring any user inputs from the user interface circuitry  212 . OTASP configuration can be initiated by the user either through the wireless communication device  120  (via user interface circuitry  212 ) or by other contact (e.g., landline telephone call) with the CDMA network system controller  140 . In addition, OTASP configuration can be initiated by the CDMA network system controller  140  without any user input. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , consisting of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the operation of the controller  210  of the wireless communication device  120  during deactivation in accordance with the present invention is shown. OTASP supports activation and deactivation of a wireless communication device in response to defined user inputs at user interface circuitry  212  of the wireless communication device  120 . A pre-defined user input command to deactivate, such as * 228 , received at the user interface circuitry  212 , would initiate deactivation of the wireless communication device  120  in accordance with the present invention. Therefore, deactivation processing in the controller  210  initially awaits detection of a command to deactivate  302  from the user interface circuitry  212 . When the user command to deactivate is received  302 , processing determines whether the user command indicates deactivation processing and transferring identity in accordance with the present invention  304 . 
     When the user command to deactivate is the predefined transferring identity deactivate command  304 , the controller forwards a command to the user interface circuitry  212  to display a request to the user to enter identification information for the transferred identity device (i.e., the wireless communication device to which the identity of the present phone will be transferred)  306 . The identification information could be either an electronic serial number (ESN) or a mobile equipment identifier (MEID) of the wireless communication device or other unique information which uniquely identifies the wireless communication device. Processing then awaits reception of the identification information for the transferred identity device by determining whether the identification information is received  308  from the user interface circuitry  212  or whether awaiting reception of the identification information has timed out  310  (i.e., whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the request for identification information  306  was displayed to the user). When reception of the identification information has timed out  310 , processing would return to await another command to deactivate  302 . As is well known in the art, instead of defaulting to reinitiating the process  302  after timeout  310 , a message could be displayed to the user that the process has timed out and he needs to restart, or the user could be reprompted to enter the identification information for the transferred identity device  306 , or any of a number of other user-friendly communication techniques could be added without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     When the identification information is received for the transferred identity device  308 , information is forwarded to the user interface circuitry  212  to present a request to the user to identify any repertoire information that the user wishes to transfer from his phone to the transferred identity device  312 . Repertoire information includes phone books, stored messages, stored recent call logs, calendar information, or other stored information personal to the wireless communication device. The user could enter information indicating the repertoire information that he wishes to transfer to the transferred identity device or the controller  210  could initiate a dialog with the user via the user interface circuitry  212  whereby categories of repertoire information are displayed and the user indicates which categories are to be transferred. As with communication between a user and the controller  210 , the controller awaits for the reception of information identifying the repertoire information to be transferred  314  or timeout of a predetermined time for response  316 . If timeout is reached  316  without receiving any response  314 , processing returns to await the next user command  302 . Alternatively, as discussed above, any of a number of user-friendly options could be added to the processing to encourage the user to respond or notify the user that he is running out of time or is out of time for response to the request  312 . 
     When the information is received from the user identifying the repertoire information to be transferred  314 , the repertoire information is retrieved from the memory  214  and an OTASP deactivate request is generated by the controller  210  and provided to the transmitter circuitry  208  for transmission  320  from the wireless communication device  120  to a base station  110  for provision to the CDMA network system controller  140 . In accordance with the present invention, the transmitted deactivate request  320  would include information identifying the deactivate request as a transferring identity deactivation request, first unique information (e.g., ESN or MEID) identifying the wireless communication device  120  transmitting the deactivation command, and second unique information identifying the transferred identity device. 
     After transmission  320 , processing awaits information from the receiver circuitry  206  indicating that the network system controller  140  has acknowledged reception of the deactivate request  322 . If no acknowledgement  322  has been received within the predefined timeout period  324 , it is assumed that the deactivation command was not received by the network system controller  140  and processing re-transmits the deactivate request  320 . When the network system controller  140  acknowledgement has been received  322 , a second message including any retrieved repertoire information  318  is generated by the controller  210  and provided to the transmitter circuitry  208  for transmission  326  to the network system controller  140 . In a similar manner, after transmission  326 , the controller  210  awaits reception of a network system controller  140  acknowledgement  328  and, if no acknowledgment has been received  328  within the timeout period  330 , processing retransmits the repertoire information message  326 . 
     As the CDMA network system controller  140  maintains centralized control of the wireless communication system  100 , only the network registration processor  150  can deactivate a wireless communication device. Accordingly, processing next awaits reception of the predefined OTASP deactivation command  332  from the network system controller  140 . The predefined OTASP deactivation command is a standard OTASP command which the network system controller  140  uses to deactivate a wireless communication device for, for example, nonpayment for service. While the network system controller  140  may transmit the standard OTASP command to deactivate the wireless communication device  120 , in accordance with the present invention, the network system controller  140  does not delete the billing records for the wireless communication device being deactivated or alter the billing status thereof in response to determining that the deactivation request is a transferring identity deactivation request. When the deactivation command is received  332 , the controller  210  deactivates the wireless communication device  334 . Deactivating the wireless communication device  334  places it in an idle device routine  336  where the wireless communication device will only respond to certain commands (OTASP commands from the network system controller  140  or commands from the user interface circuitry  212 ) to reactivate. While in the idle state, all functionality may be blocked or, in accordance with the operational parameters of the system, the wireless communication device may be able to access and/or use non-communication functions for operation thereof (e.g., if the user had purchased the phone, games, calculator or watch functions may still be operational). Maintaining the billing records of the wireless communication device  334  enables the network registration processor to relink the billing records to transferred identity device upon activation thereof. 
     The operation of the network registration processor  150  during activation and deactivation of wireless communication devices is depicted in the flowchart of  FIGS. 4A and 4B . Initially, the network registration processor  150  determines whether an OTASP code has been received for either a deactivation request  402  or an activation request  404 . If neither a deactivation request  402  nor an activation request  404  has been received, operation of the activation/deactivation process returns to await the next reception of an OTASP code indicating a deactivation request  402  or an activation request  404 . 
     CDMA wireless communication systems have an established OTASP code for wireless communication device activation. In accordance with the present invention an OTASP code for deactivation would indicate that the information received is a deactivation request  402 . Processing would identify, from the information received and decoded, first identification information identifying the wireless communication device  120  being deactivated, second identification information and any repertoire information from the wireless communication device being deactivated  406 . The first and second identification information could be either electronic serial numbers (ESNs) or mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs) of the wireless communication devices or other information which uniquely identifies the wireless communication devices  120 . Utilizing the first identification information, the telephone number for the wireless communication device  120  being deactivated is retrieved  408  from the storage device  160  and the network registration processor  150  stores the first identification information, the second identification information and the retrieved telephone number in the storage device  160  in a record identified as transferred identity information  410 , identifying from the first identification information that the wireless communication device  120  being deactivated is a transferred identity wireless communication device. An acknowledgement message is then sent to the wireless communication device  120  being deactivated that the deactivation command had been received  412 . 
     Processing then awaits reception of repertoire information  414  for a predefined timeout period  416 . When the repertoire information is received  414 , it is stored in the transferred identity record  418  of the storage device  160  along with the transferred identity information. Reception of receipt of the repertoire information is then acknowledged by sending a repertoire received acknowledgement message  420 , and the OTASP deactivation command is sent  422  to the wireless communication device  120  to deactivate it, placing it in an idle operational state. If processing times out  416  without receiving any repertoire information  414 , it is assumed that no repertoire information will be sent and processing proceeds to step  422  where the OTASP deactivation command is communicated  422  with (i.e., sent to) the wireless communication device  120 . 
     When the OTASP activation request is received  404  from a wireless communication device, the identification information for the wireless communication device to be activated as received in the activation request  404  is compared with the transferred identity records to determine if the wireless communication device  120  sending the activation request  404  is a transferred identity wireless communication device  424 . This identification information could be decoded by the network registration processor  150  or some other hardware or software portion of the CDMA network system controller  140 , and the identification information could be either an electronic serial number (ESN) or a mobile equipment identifier (MEID) of the wireless communication device or other information which uniquely identifies the wireless communication device  120  sending the activation request  404 . If the activation request  404  is not received from a transferred identity wireless communication device  424 , the network registration processor  150  activates the wireless communication device  120  in the CDMA network system  426  and an OTASP activation command is sent  428  to the wireless communication device  120 . Processing awaits reception of an acknowledgement  430  from the wireless communication device  120  for a predetermined time  432 . As receipt of the acknowledgement  430  is not critical to any next step, when either the acknowledgement is received  430  or processing times out  432 , the network registration processor  140  awaits reception of the next deactivation command  402  or activation command  404 . 
     In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, if the identification information indicates that the wireless communication device  120  is a transferred identity wireless communication device  424 , the transferred identity information corresponding to the wireless communication device  120  is retrieved  436  from the storage device  160 . The wireless communication device  120  is activated using the transferred information  436 , in that the telephone number stored in the transferred identity information (i.e., the telephone number of the wireless communication device deactivated in accordance with the present invention) is assigned to the wireless communication device  120  sending the activation request  404 . In addition, the billing record of the wireless communication device deactivated in accordance with the present invention, as identified by the identification information in the transferred identity record, is linked  438  to the activated wireless communication device  120 . If the transferred identity record does not contain repertoire information  440 , the OTASP activation command is sent to the wireless communication device  120  with an indication that there is no repertoire information to send  442 . Processing awaits reception of an acknowledgement  444  from the wireless communication device  120  for a predetermined time  446 . When either the acknowledgement is received  444  or processing times out  446 , processing of the network registration processor  140  returns to await reception of the next deactivation command  402  or activation command  404 . 
     If, on the other hand, repertoire information is stored in the transferred identity record  440 , the activation command is sent to the wireless communication device  120  with an indication that there is repertoire information to follow  448 . If no acknowledgement with a request for the repertoire information is received  450  from the wireless communication device  120  within the predetermined time  452 , processing returns to await reception of the next deactivation or activation request  402 ,  404 . Having not requested the repertoire information  450 , the wireless communication device  120  may, at a later time and apart from any activation or deactivation processing with the network registration processor, request the repertoire information to be retrieved from the storage device  160  and sent to the wireless communication device  120  by sending a request to the CDMA network system controller  140 . Alternatively, the CDMA network system controller  140  may be designed to allow only this one chance to retrieve the repertoire information or a limited time (e.g., thirty days) to request the repertoire information after activation  436  before the transferred identity record is deleted from the storage device  160 . 
     When the acknowledgement is received with a request to send the repertoire information  450 , the repertoire information is retrieved  454  from the transferred identity record in the storage device  160  and a message is generated and sent to the wireless communication device  120  forwarding the repertoire information thereto  456  for storage therein. Processing then returns to await the next reception of a deactivation request  402  or an activation request  404 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart of the activation operation of the controller  210  of the wireless communication device  120  in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is depicted. Operation is initiated when a user activation command is received from the user interface circuitry  214 . In response to the user activation command  502 , an activation request is generated and provided to the transmitter circuitry  208  for sending an activation request  504  to the network registration processor  150 . Processing then awaits reception of an activation acknowledgement message  506  from the network registration processor  150 . If an activation acknowledgement message is not received  506  within a predetermined time  508 , processing times out  508 ; the user is notified that activation was not successful  510  and processing returns to await the next user activation command  502 . In response to the user notification  510 , the user can reattempt to activate the wireless communication device  120 . 
     When the activation acknowledgement message is received  506 , the activation information therein (such as the assigned telephone number for the wireless communication device  120 ) is stored  512  in the memory  214 . In accordance with the present invention, the activation acknowledgement message is also checked to see if there is information therein indicating that repertoire information is stored  514  at the network system controller  140 . If there is no indication of repertoire information  514 , the controller  210  provides an acknowledgement message  516  to the transmitter  208  for transmission to the network registration processor  150 . The wireless communication device is now activated  518  for operation in the wireless communication system  100 . 
     If the activation acknowledgement message indicates that repertoire information is stored  514  at the network system controller  140 , the controller  210  provides an acknowledgement message and repertoire information request  520  to the transmitter  208  for transmission to the network registration processor  150 . Processing then awaits reception of the repertoire information  522 . If a predetermined time passes  524  without receiving any repertoire information  522 , processing returns to step  520  and the acknowledgement and repertoire information request is resent to the network registration processor  150 . When the repertoire information is received  522 , it is stored  526  in the memory  214  and the wireless communication device  120  is activated  518  for operation in the wireless communication system  100 . 
     Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides a method for transferring user identities between one CDMA wireless communication device and another. While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.