Web Service Interface for Mobile Device Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier networks face challenges in integrating supplier proprietary protocols for provisioning and managing mobile communication devices, as these protocols are not easily compatible with existing network management systems, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An automated web service interface using industry-standard XML and SOAP protocols provides a common interface for device management, allowing carriers to access supplier provisioning systems without needing to integrate proprietary protocols, thereby simplifying device upgrades and management through a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If carrier networks integrate supplier proprietary protocols for provisioning and managing mobile communication devices, then device provisioning and management capabilities are improved, but system complexity and integration costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the carrier network management system and the supplier provisioning system. This gateway translates and adapts communication protocols, allowing the carrier to access device provisioning capabilities without directly integrating proprietary protocols. The gateway acts as a mediator that handles protocol conversion, thereby maintaining the carrier's existing system architecture while enabling access to advanced provisioning functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If carrier networks integrate supplier proprietary protocols for provisioning and managing mobile communication devices, then device provisioning and management capabilities are improved, but integration costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as a cost-effective intermediary that eliminates the need for expensive direct integration of proprietary protocols into the carrier's core network management systems. By deploying the gateway as a separate component, the carrier can access provisioning capabilities through standardized interfaces, reducing integration complexity and associated costs while maintaining full functionality.
3Reliability
If carriers manually track software revisions and network access methods, then device management control is improved, but staffing requirements and operational burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service functionality where the gateway automatically discovers available software revisions, determines optimal upgrade paths, and manages the provisioning process without requiring manual carrier intervention. The system autonomously tracks device states, monitors software versions, and executes upgrades based on predefined policies, thereby maintaining reliable device management control while eliminating the need for dedicated staff to perform these routine tasks.
4Productivity
If the supplier handles software revision selection and upgrade method determination, then upgrade process optimization is improved, but carrier control over the process decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the upgrade process into distinct functional layers: the gateway handles carrier policy enforcement and control decisions, while the supplier system handles technical optimization of software selection and upgrade execution. This segmentation allows the carrier to maintain control over what upgrades are deployed and to which devices, while leveraging the supplier's expertise for determining the optimal software revisions and upgrade methods, thereby achieving both efficiency and control.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a system and method for provisioning mobile communication device upgrades. In an embodiment, the method comprises: providing an automated web service device management interface (“WSDMI”) accessible to one or more carriers; adapting a supplier provisioning system to receive via the WSDMI one or more upgrade requests from the one or more carriers; adapting the supplier provisioning system to respond via the WSDMI to the one or more upgrade requests from the one or more carriers; and adapting the supplier provisioning system to execute one or more device upgrades on one or more supplier provisioning system connected devices. In an embodiment, the receiving and responding via the WSDMI is based on SOAP encoded XML messages.