Patent ID: 8302173

Claim:
A method for providing a user device with a set of access codes, the method comprising: receiving from a tool kit operably coupled with a user device operating within a wireless access network a first message requesting a set of access codes from a server, wherein the tool kit tracks access code usage of the user device and each time the user device uses an access code, the tool kit performs: comparing a number of unused access codes stored in the tool kit to a predetermined threshold level; when the number of unused access codes falls to the predetermined threshold level: automatically generating a first message to the server to request a new set of access codes without any intervening transmission from the user device; including in the first message an identification code associated with an encryption key stored in the server; and sending the first message to the server via the wireless communications network; wherein upon receipt of the first message, the server performs: allocating the set of access codes on receipt of the identification code from the tool kit; performing a look up function based on the identification code received in the message to retrieve the encryption key; encrypting the set of access codes using the retrieved encryption key to produce an encrypted set; and sending a second message containing the encrypted set to the tool kit for storing.