Over the air programming and/or service activation

A method for intelligently managing a subscriber base of programmable mobile digital devices for a wireless, digital communications network, comprising the steps of:

• compiling in a processing node within the network, network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices served by the wireless, digital communications network;
• processing at least a portion of the network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices through an expert system to determine whether an individual mobile, digital device should receive a download of programming data that relates to the individual mobile, digital device;
• selecting, by the expert system, a data category from among a plurality of data categories contained in processing nodes within the wireless, digital communications network if programming data that relates to a mobile, digital device should be downloaded to the individual mobile, digital device;
• searching the selected data category by the expert system to identify specific programming data that relates to the individual mobile, digital device for the download to the individual mobile, digital device;
• establishing an over-the-air link through the wireless digital communications network to the individual mobile, digital device;
• downloading the specific programming data that relates to the individual mobile, digital device to the individual, mobile, digital device via the over-the-air data link;
• and
• storing the downloaded programming data that relates to the individual mobile, digital device in memory on the individual mobile, digital device for future use by the individual mobile, digital device.

A method for intelligently managing a subscriber base of programmable mobile digital devices for a wireless, digital communications network, comprising the steps of:

• compiling in a processing node within the network, network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices served by the wireless, digital communications network;
• developing a set of rules for analyzing the network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices to determine whether programming data should be changed;
• logically applying the rules to at least a portion of the collected network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices to determine whether an individual mobile, digital device should have its programming data changed;
• identifying specific programming data from a plurality of programming data, if an individual mobile, digital device should have its programming data changed;
• initiating a download of programming data from the wireless, digital communications system to the individual mobile, digital device to download the specific programming data onto the individual mobile, digital device.

A system for use with a wireless, digital communications network comprising:

• a system for compiling in a processing node within the network, network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices served by the wireless, digital communications network;
• an expert system, communicating with the system for compiling, for analyzing at least a portion of the network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to the mobile, digital devices to recognize predetermined activities, and determine whether recognized activities indicate that an individual mobile, digital device requires data, and retrieves necessary programming data;
• and
• an over-the-air application system responsive to the expert system to download the retrieved programming data onto the mobile, digital device upon the expert system's command.

A wireless, digital communications network comprising:

• a plurality of mobile, digital devices;
• a plurality of base stations implementing a standard air-link interface for wireless communications with a plurality of mobile, digital devices;
• a mobile switching center, in communication with the base stations for controlling the wireless communications to and from the of mobile, digital devices;
• a home location register, accessible by the mobile switching center, for storing service profiles for each mobile, digital device;
• interworking function equipment for providing data communication coupled to the mobile switching center and a data network;
• an expert system communicating via the data network for receiving and analyzing network administration data related to wireless communication services provided to one or more of the mobile, digital devices to determine whether individual mobile, digital devices require programming data downloads;
• an over-the-air application server communicating with the data network, and communicating with and controlled by the expert system through the data network, for establishing a data link with an individual mobile, digital device and transmitting programming data over an established data link to the individual mobile, digital device;
• and
• a source of a plurality of programming data for supplying the programming data to the expert system and to be transmitted via the over-the-air application server.