System and method for acquiring and/or configuring a mobile platform to provide a suite of services

Abstract

A system and method for determining a service provider set of one or more service providers to provide a service suite of one or more services in a platform (e.g., a mobile device platform) and configuring such platform to utilize such service provider set to provide such service suite to a user, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for operating a portable electronic device comprising:
 determining a selectable suite of services;   determining a selectable set of service providers for the selectable suite of services;   from the selectable suite of services and the selectable set of service providers for the selectable suite of services, configuring the portable electronic device to:
 service cellular serviced instant messaging via a cellular service provider; and 
 service Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) serviced instant messaging via a WLAN service provider; 
   initiating cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider;   identifying a change in operating environment; and   ceasing servicing of the cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment; and   initiating WLAN serviced instant messaging via the WLAN service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein configuring the portable electronic device comprises:
 selecting a first service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the cellular serviced instant messaging;   selecting a second service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the WLAN serviced instant messaging;   configuring the portable electronic device to use the first service provider for the cellular serviced instant messaging; and   configuring the portable electronic device to use the second service provider for the WLAN serviced instant messaging.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 presenting a suite of services to a user for user selection of desired services based on operating environment; and   receiving user feedback to select services based upon associated operating environments.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising presenting a list of available service providers to a user for user selection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the list of available service providers comprises a plurality of WLAN service providers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising interacting with one or more external systems to identify available services or service providers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying a change in operating environment comprises detecting at least one of:
 a time or date change;   a geographic location change;   a change in elevation;   a lack of utilization;   a new user; or   a change in user characteristics.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein configuring the portable electronic device comprises:
 configuring one or more communication modules of the portable electronic device;   interacting with one or more service providers to receive configuration information for the portable electronic device; or   configuring a user interface of the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         10 . A method for operating a portable electronic device comprising:
 from a selectable suite of services and a selectable set of service providers for the selectable suite of services, configuring the portable electronic device to:
 service cellular serviced instant messaging via a cellular service provider; and 
 service Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) serviced instant messaging via a WLAN service provider; 
   initiating cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider;   identifying a change in operating environment; and   ceasing servicing of the cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment; and   initiating WLAN serviced instant messaging via the WLAN service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein configuring the portable electronic device comprises:
 determining the selectable suite of services;   determining the selectable set of service providers for the selectable suite of services;   selecting a first service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the cellular serviced instant messaging;   selecting a second service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the WLAN serviced instant messaging;   configuring the portable electronic device to use the first service provider for the cellular serviced instant messaging; and   configuring the portable electronic device to use the second service provider for the WLAN serviced instant messaging.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 presenting a suite of services to a user for user selection of desired services based on operating environment; and   receiving user feedback to select services based upon associated operating environments.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising presenting a previously determined suite of services to a user for user selection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising presenting a list of available service providers to a user for user selection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the list of available service providers comprises a plurality of WLAN service providers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising interacting with one or more external systems to identify available services or service providers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein identifying a change in operating environment comprises detecting at least one of:
 a time or date change;   a geographic location change;   a change in elevation;   a lack of utilization;   a new user; or   a change in user characteristics.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein configuring the portable electronic device comprises:
 configuring one or more communication modules of the portable electronic device;   interacting with one or more service providers to receive configuration information for the portable electronic device; or   configuring a user interface of the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         19 . A portable electronic device comprising:
 at least one wireless interface; and   processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the at least one wireless interface, wherein the at least one wireless interface and/or the processing circuitry configured to:   from a selectable suite of services and a selectable set of service providers for the selectable suite of services, configure the portable electronic device to:
 service cellular serviced instant messaging via a cellular service provider; and 
 service Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) serviced instant messaging via a WLAN service provider; 
   initiate cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider;   identify a change in operating environment; and   cease servicing of the cellular serviced instant messaging via the cellular service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment; and   initiate WLAN serviced instant messaging via the WLAN service provider in response to the identified change in operating environment.   
     
     
         20 . The portable electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein in configuring the portable electronic device the at least one wireless interface and/or the processing circuitry configured to:
 select a first service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the cellular serviced instant messaging;   select a second service provider from the selectable set of service providers to support the WLAN serviced instant messaging;   configure the portable electronic device to use the first service provider for the cellular serviced instant messaging; and   configure the portable electronic device to use the second service provider for the WLAN serviced instant messaging.   
     
     
         21 . The portable electronic device of  claim 19 , the at least one wireless interface and/or the processing circuitry configured to present a list of available service providers to a user for user selection that includes a plurality of WLAN service providers.