Single interface for activating iot devices to network data plans
AssigneeT-Mobile USA, Inc.
InventorHamza Syed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are described herein for activating internet of things (IoT) devices, and other non-carrier provided devices, to data and other communication plans associated with a subscriber of a telecommunications carrier. The systems and methods may generate and publish a single API that, when called by an IoT device (e.g., an associated activation client for the IoT device) receives information associated with the IoT device and activates the IoT device to the subscriber's plan.
Claims20
A system for activating an internet of things (IoT) device to a telecommunications plan provided by a network carrier, the system comprising:
- at least one hardware computer, wherein the computer is configured to execute software modules, including:
- a device interface module that publishes an application programming interface (API) configured to receive an International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) identifier and a subscriber identity module (SIM) identifier from an IoT device that calls the API,
- wherein the API is associated with a subscriber system of a network carrier that provides the telecommunications plan to subscribers of the network carrier;
- a user authorization module that determines whether a user associated with the IoT device is a subscriber of the network carrier;
- and
- a plan activation module that activates the IoT device to receive telecommunications services via the telecommunications plan provided by the network carrier when the user authorization module authorizes the user associated with the IoT device as a subscriber of the network carrier.
A method for activating an IoT device to a subscriber's telecommunications plan, the method comprising:
- publishing an application programming interface (API) configured to receive identification information from an IoT device that calls the API,
- wherein the API is associated with a subscriber system of a network carrier that provides the telecommunications plan to subscribers of the network carrier;
- determining whether a user associated with the IoT device is a subscriber of the network carrier;
- and
- activating the IoT device to receive telecommunications services via the telecommunications plan provided by the network carrier when the user associated with the IoT device is confirmed as a subscriber of the network carrier.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose contents, when executed by an activation client associated with an internet of things (IoT) device, cause the activation client to perform a method for activating the IoT device to a data plan associated with a user of the IoT device, the method comprising:
- receiving input from a user of the IoT device to activate the IoT device to a data plan associated with the user and provided by a network carrier, wherein the data plan associated with the user is configured to provide data communications services over a network provided by the network carrier to a mobile device associated with the user;
- obtaining an International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) identifier and a subscriber identity module (SIM) identifier from the IoT device;
- calling an application programming interface (API) associated with provisioning data communication services to the IoT device via the data plan associated with the user;
- in response to calling the API, receiving activation information associated with activating the IoT device to the data plan associated with the user;
- and
- activating the IoT device to receive and transmit data over the network provided by the network carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.