Method and System for Tailoring Wireless Device Service Provisioning Based on Device Capability Information Communicated to Network

Abstract

Before a wireless-equipped device is distributed to an end-user, the manufacturer or distributor of the wireless-equipped device will record in the device a set of data that describes characteristics (e.g., type, features, capabilities, and limitations) of the device. When the end-user powers on the device or otherwise brings the device within the coverage of a service provider's wireless base station, the device will then acquire radio connectivity, typically with the service provider authenticating the device's wireless chipset. Thereafter, the device will engage in a first-time activation/service-provisioning session with a system operated by the service provider, and during that session, the device will provide the system with its device-characteristics data and the service provider will use that device-characteristics data as a basis to customize provisioning of service for the device based on one or more of the device's features or capabilities.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving from a wireless communication chipset manufacturer a certified wireless communication chipset;   manufacturing a device, including embedding the received wireless communication chipset in the device to enable the device to engage in wireless communication; and   storing on the device a set of device-characteristics data describing one or more features or capabilities of the device, and programming the device to report the stored data to a network during first-time activation of the device so as to facilitate customizing initial service provisioning of a service account for the device based on the one or more features and capabilities, wherein the service account is maintained in the network and is used by a service provider to serve the device, and wherein customizing initial provisioning of the service account comprises setting one or more service parameters of the service account.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 distributing to an end-user the device having the embedded wireless communication chipset and the stored set of device-characteristics data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication module is a WiMAX chipset. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein programming the device to report the stored data to the network during first-time activation comprises programming the device to provide the data to the network within a service provisioning request message transmitted from the device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  4 , wherein the service provisioning request message comprises an HTTP request message requesting service provisioning. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stored data comprises an XML file. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise one or more user interface components possessed by the device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) one or more hardware components of the device and (ii) one or more software components of the device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) a generic type of the device, (ii) one or more user interface components if any possessed by the device, (iii) capability of engaging in one or more particular types of communication, (iv) data storage if any possessed by the device, (v) an operating system if any installed on the device, (vi) one or more media codecs if any supported by the device, and (vii) one or more software applications if any installed on the device. 
     
     
         10 . A device having an embedded wireless communication chipset and a stored set of device-characteristics data indicating one or more features or capabilities of the device,
 wherein after the wireless communication chipset detects a wireless communication network signal, the wireless communication chipset sends an authentication message wirelessly to facilitate network authentication of the wireless communication chipset, and   wherein, after network authentication of the wireless communication chipset, the device engages in an activation session with a network system to facilitate provisioning of service for the device, and, during the activation session, the device transmits to the network system the device-characteristics data to enable the network system to (i) customize provisioning of a service account for the device based on the one or more features or capabilities of the device, wherein the service account is maintained in the network and is used by a service provider to serve the device, and wherein customizing initial provisioning of the service account comprises setting one or more service parameters of the service account.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the authentication message carries an X.509 certificate for the wireless communication chipset, and wherein authenticating the wireless communication chipset comprises authenticating the wireless communication module by reference to the X.509 certificate. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication chipset is a WiMAX chipset. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the device-characteristics data to the network system during the activation session comprises transmitting the device-characteristics data to the network system within a service provisioning request message. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  10 , wherein the service provisioning request message comprises an HTTP request message requesting service provisioning. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the stored set of device-characteristics data comprises an XML file. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise one or more user interface components possessed by the device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) one or more hardware components of the device and (ii) one or more software components of the device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) a generic type of the device, (ii) one or more user interface components if any possessed by the device, (iii) capability of engaging in one or more particular types of communication, (iv) data storage if any possessed by the device, (v) an operating system if any installed on the device, (vi) one or more media codecs if any supported by the device, and (vii) one or more software applications if any installed on the device.