# US 2013/0252576 A1 · Method and apparatus for transferring identity information to a wireless device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0252576 A1 - Document ID: US20130252576A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/619,764 - Filed: 2012-09-14 - Published: 2013-09-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-10 - Assignees: Sierra Wireless, Inc. - Inventors: Ashish Syal; Steven John Bennett; Gustav Gerald Vos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130252576A1 ## CPC - H04W 8/245: {from a network towards a terminal} - H04W 8/205: {Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for transferring identity information for temporary use by a wireless device, visiting a foreign operator network, is provided. A user is presented, at a kiosk, with an opportunity to download a temporary identity which is recognized by the operator network as belonging to a local subscriber, and the user may make a request for service. In response to the user-generated request for service, local identity information is transferred to the wireless device for use thereby. The transfer is short-range wireless communication from the kiosk to the wireless device. The temporary identity, once installed on the wireless device, makes the wireless device appear as a local subscriber. Upon termination of use, the temporary identity is returned to a pool and usable for another wireless device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enabling a wireless device for local operation with a foreign operator network, the method implemented using one or more computing devices and comprising: (a) receiving a user-generated request for local operation of the wireless device at a kiosk; and (b) in response to the user-generated request, transferring, via short-range wireless communication from the kiosk to the wireless device, local identity information to the wireless device, the local identity information for use by the wireless device, said local identity information providing the wireless device local operation on a foreign operator network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the local identity information corresponds to an identity recognized by the foreign operator network as being associated with a local subscriber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising: (a) storing a plurality of different local identities in computer memory, each local identity represented by respective local identity information; (b) accessing the computer memory to acquire the local identity information corresponding to a selected local identity stored therein, the selected local identity marked as currently unused; and (c) marking the selected local identity as currently in-use. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, the method further comprising: (a) monitoring for completion of temporary use of the local identity; and (b) upon completion of temporary use of the local identity by the wireless device, marking the selected local identity information as currently unused, the local identity thereby suitable for use by one or more other wireless devices after temporary use by the wireless device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising: (a) obtaining payment information from a user of the wireless device, said payment information for use in recovering payment related to temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device in accordance with a predetermined service agreement; and (b) initiating a request for payment based at least in part on said payment information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the local identity to the wireless device as part of a set of selectable identities, wherein an identity of the set of selectable identities is selectable via user action, operation of a predetermined rule set, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the set of selectable identities comprises a static identity, the static identity usable for wireless device identification, wireless device access control, or both. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the kiosk is a physical kiosk. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the kiosk is a virtual kiosk. ### Claim 10 A method for preparing a wireless device for local operation with a foreign operator network, the method comprising: (a) storing a plurality of different identities in computer memory, each identity comprising information suitable for temporary use by the wireless device for operation with the operator network as a local subscriber; (b) receiving a user-generated request for service made at a kiosk; (c) selecting a currently unused identity; (d) marking the selected identity as currently in-use; and (e) transferring, via short-range wireless communication from the kiosk to the wireless device, the selected identity to the wireless device for use thereby. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, the method further comprising: (a) monitoring for completion of use of the selected identity; and (b) upon completion of temporary use of the selected identity by the wireless device, marking the selected identity information instance as currently unused. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for enabling a wireless device for local operation with a foreign operator network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a physical user interface configured for receiving a user-generated request for service; and (b) a short-range wireless interface module configured, in response to the user-generated request for service, to transfer local identity information from the apparatus to the wireless device via short-range wireless communication, the local identity information for use by the wireless device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the local identity information corresponds to an identity recognized by the operator network as being associated with a local subscriber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, the apparatus further comprising computer memory having stored therein a plurality of different identities, the apparatus configured to: (a) access the computer memory to acquire the local identity information corresponding to a selected identity, the selected identity marked as currently unused; and (b) mark the selected identity as currently in-use. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, the apparatus further configured to: (a) monitor, via a monitoring module, for completion of temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device; and (b) upon completion of temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device, mark the selected identity as currently unused, the local identity information thereby suitable for use by one or more other wireless devices after temporary use by the wireless device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, the apparatus further comprising a payment module configured to: (a) obtain, from a user of the wireless device, payment information, said payment information for use in recovering payment related to use of the local identity information by the wireless device, in accordance with a predetermined service agreement; and (b) initiate a request for payment based at least in part on said payment information. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for enabling a wireless device for local operation with a foreign operator network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a server configured for operative coupling to the wireless device via a wireless network, the server configured to receive a user-generated request for service, the user-generated request entered via a user interface of the wireless device; and (b) a wireless interface module configured, in response to the user-generated request for service, to transfer local identity information from the apparatus to the wireless device via the wireless network, the local identity information for use by the wireless device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the local identity information corresponds to an identity recognized by the operator network as being associated with a local subscriber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, the apparatus further comprising computer memory having stored therein a plurality of different identities, the apparatus configured to: (a) access the computer memory to acquire the local identity information corresponding to a selected identity, the selected identity marked as currently unused; and (b) mark the selected identity as currently in-use. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, the apparatus further configured to: (a) monitor, via a monitoring module, for completion of temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device; and (b) upon completion of temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device, mark the selected identity as currently unused, the local identity information thereby suitable for use by one or more other wireless devices after temporary use by the wireless device. ### Claim 21 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, for execution by a CPU, for performing operations for enabling a wireless device for operation with an operator network, the operations comprising: (a) receiving a user-generated request for service made at a kiosk; and (b) in response to the user-generated request for service, transferring, via short-range wireless communication from the kiosk to the wireless device, local identity information to the wireless device, the local identity information for use by the wireless device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the local identity information corresponds to an identity recognized by the operator network as being associated with a local subscriber. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The computer program product according to claim 21, the operations further comprising: (a) storing a plurality of different identities in computer memory; (b) accessing the computer memory to acquire the local identity information corresponding to a selected identity stored therein, the selected identity marked as currently unused; and (c) marking the selected identity as currently in-use. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The computer program product according to claim 23, the operations further comprising: (a) monitoring for completion of temporary use of the local identity information; and (b) upon completion of temporary use of the local identity information by the wireless device, marking the selected identity as currently unused, the local identity information thereby suitable for use by one or more other wireless devices after temporary use by the wireless device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The computer program product according to claim 21, the operations further comprising: (a) obtaining payment information from a user of the wireless device, said payment information for use in recovering payment related to use of the local identity information by the wireless device in accordance with a predetermined service agreement; and (b) initiating a request for payment based at least in part on said payment information.