Simple mobile registration mechanism enabling automatic registration via mobile devices

Abstract

Simple Mobile Registration (SMR) is a one-step system for self-registration, authentication and account activation that provides simple and immediate access, via a mobile device, to the features and functionality of third-party services or applications. Optionally, the user may, during the registration process, invite friends to also register in real time for the third-party services or applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing automatic registration and authentication access to a service or application via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
 providing a mobile device connecting to a server via a wireless network using a communication protocol in the service or application server;   evaluating a mobile device user or mobile device identification based on specific and unique information provided by the mobile device or the wireless network;   identifying a registered user account assigned to the user or the mobile device identification;   registering or authenticating a user or mobile device to the service or application based on specific information provided by the mobile device and for wireless network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending a message from the mobile device to a Simple Mobile Registration (“SMR”) Messaging and Processing System, which begins by:
 permitting users to invite friends to register to the service or application by including at least one of tags, labels, Mobile Systems International Subscriber Identity Number (“MSISDN”), and email address; 
 identifying and validating the message sender; 
 returning a verification message to the message sender; 
 replying to a Messaging and Processing System with a verification message; 
 creating a new registration account; and 
 accessing the service or applications. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein sending the verification message comprises the step of directing the message to a user identified by a unique identifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein receiving the message comprises the Processing and Messaging module automatically recognizing, capturing, and interpreting at least one of symbols, tags, labels, and coded requests provided by the user or by the SMR system on a subject line or in a body of a message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  comprising the step of verifying that the user seeking access to the service or application is legitimate, comprises the further step of querying a user database based on the specific and unique information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  comprising the step in which the SMR system System verifies the message sender's legitimacy, and further comprising the step of requiring that the message sender return a response message to the SMR system in order to verify his desire to register. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  comprising the step of searching the SMR User Data Management System to determine whether the message sender is already registered or not, comprising further the steps of:
 querying a database to determine whether there is already a registered account associated with the specific and unique identification, and 
 if no account exists for the specific and unique identification, creating a new user account in the service or application user database system, storing the user specific data associated with the new user account in the service or application database system. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the SMR system verifies the message sender's registration status, comprising the steps of:
 stopping registration functions as to the sender if it is determined that the sender is already registered, 
 if not already registered, storing the message sender's unique, primary identifiers in the SMR User Data Management System, sending a verification message to the user's mobile device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of the SMR system verifying whether the message sender has requested registration invitations for friends and determining whether any of the Invitees are already registered, comprising further the steps of:
 querying a database to determine whether there is already a registered account associated with the specific and unique identification of each Invitee. And   if no account exists for the specific and unique identification, creating a new user account for each Invitee in the service or application user database system, storing the user specific data associated with the new user account's) in the service or application database system.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of the SMR system verifying the status of Invitees by:
 determining whether any of the Invitees are registered or unregistered;   stopping registration functions for a specific Invitee if it is determined that the Invitee is already registered;   sending a notification message to Invitees determined to be unregistered, inviting them to register for the service or application;   stopping registration functions for Invitees who decline to register;   stopping registration functions as to a specific Invitee if the supplied identification data is incorrect or defective (e.g. incorrect MSISDN or nonexistent email address);   deleting the database entries for Invitees who have declined to register or have not registered within a designated time period;   sending a verification message to the mobile device of Invitees who choose to register for the service or application; and   providing access to Invitees to the service or application.