Patent ID: 7917133

Claim:
A method for selectively vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said method comprising: maintaining an internet website having access to a menu comprising a plurality of down-loadable feature provisioning software and respective prices; providing download access control software to access and use said website; authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified hardware device suitable and authorized for receiving said menu, said authenticating step including use of a unique device identification number (UDIN) that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software and a user ID assigned for use on said mobile wireless communication device by a particular wireless carrier service provider; providing qualified suitable feature-provisioning software at stated prices from said menu for selection; effecting monetary payment for the selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges with said website; and if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the qualified selected feature-provisioning software via the internet; wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party selected from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.