Dual-User Wireless Device Subscription Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices enabled for cellular or wireless services often face challenges in separating the cost and control of connectivity based on multiple users with different purposes, leading to inefficiencies and unwillingness from either the OEM or consumers to fund connectivity for each other's purposes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for enrolling devices in multiple subscription and billing plans, allowing users to choose their own plans and using a bootstrap IMSI or profile as an alternate path for access, enabling dual use scenarios where one user's plan can piggyback on another's without disrupting service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cellular connectivity plan is used for multiple users with different purposes, then device complexity is reduced, but cost allocation and control become problematic as users are unwilling to fund connectivity for purposes other than their own
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cellular connectivity billing and control into separate subscription plans for different users. Each user (e.g., OEM and consumer) has their own subscription plan with independent billing, allowing cost allocation to match each user's specific purposes while maintaining a unified device architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate cellular connectivity plans are provided for different users and purposes, then cost allocation and control are improved, but device complexity and billing management become more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cellular service provider as an intermediary that manages multiple subscription plans. The service provider handles the complexity of multi-user billing and plan management externally, allowing the device itself to remain relatively simple while supporting flexible cost allocation through the intermediary's platform.
3Loss of energy
If one user's subscription plan is used for another user's purposes, then connectivity cost is reduced, but service control and authorization become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic subscription plan assignment where a device can be enrolled in different subscription plans depending on which user is currently operating it. The system dynamically determines which user is using the device and applies the appropriate subscription plan, enabling cost savings through shared connectivity while maintaining proper service control and authorization through automated user identification and plan selection.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method and system are disclosed for connecting one or more devices to subscriptions and cellular or other wireless billing plans. The method includes enrolling the one or more devices enabled for connectivity to cellular or other wireless service in a cellular or other wireless subscription and associated billing plan, wherein the enrollment includes providing an identifier for the one or more devices to a cellular or other wireless service provider chosen by a second user, and allowing the second user to use capabilities of the one or more devices governed by the cellular or other wireless subscription and an associated billing plan chosen by the second user; while the one or more devices are also configured to allow a first user to use capabilities of the one or more devices as governed by the cellular or other wireless subscription and an associated billing plan of the first user's choice.