Mobile App Activation via Web-to-Text Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile application activation on communication devices is tedious, requiring users to manually input configuration information, which can be difficult to remember and time-consuming, especially due to small keypads on mobile devices.

Innovation Solution

A method where users activate applications by inputting information through a web browser, allowing a server to initiate activation by sending text messages with state information to the mobile device, which then retrieves configuration information from a remote resource to activate the application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users manually input configuration information through the mobile device keypad, then the application can be activated, but the process becomes time-consuming and difficult due to small key size and long information strings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of application activationVSAvoidactivation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A server acts as an intermediary between the user and the mobile application. The user provides configuration information to the server through a web interface, and the server automatically transmits this information to activate the application on the mobile device, eliminating the need for manual keypad input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical keypad input system is replaced with an electronic/web-based input system. Users input configuration information through a web browser interface on a computer or mobile device, which is then automatically transmitted electronically to activate the application, replacing the manual mechanical key-pressing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If users manually input configuration information through the mobile device keypad, then the application can be activated, but the process becomes tedious and difficult due to small key size and long information strings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of application activationVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The configuration information input interface is copied and made accessible through a web browser, allowing users to input data on a larger screen with a more comfortable keyboard, then this input is copied/transmitted to the mobile application activation process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS9622017B2Remote activation of mobile applications

Publication Date: 2017.04.11 TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

According to one configuration, a user is able to activate an application on a mobile phone device without the user having to directly pressing an appropriate sequence of keys on the mobile phone device. For example, a user logs onto a web site to provide a phone number of the mobile phone device. Additionally, via input to the web site, the user also requests activation of a particular application on the mobile phone device. An application server receives notification of the request and generates a text-message to the application on the mobile phone device to initiate activation of the application. In response to receiving the text-message, the application on the mobile phone device initiates retrieval of appropriate configuration information associated with the user from the application server.