System and method for authorizing the activation of a communication device
View Patent ↗A system and method for authorizing the activation of a communication device is provided. A request to activate a communication device is received by a communication service provider. The communication service provider or a central processor determines whether the communication device was validly sold in a purchase transaction. Alternately, the communication service provider can outsource the determining step to a central processor. The communication service provider or central processor determines whether to activate the communication device based on the determining action.
1. A method of authorizing the activation of a communication device, comprising:
deactivating or otherwise disabling the communication device prior to sale from a merchant store;
receiving at a central processor an authorization request from a merchant terminal at the merchant store to authorize activation of a communication device, the central processor being in selective communication with the merchant terminal and a communications service provider;
determining at the central processor whether the communication device was validly sold from the merchant store in a purchase transaction;
authorizing at the central processor activation of the communication device, responsive to a determination that the communication device was validly sold from the merchant store in a purchase transaction; and
sending a notification from the central processor to the communications service provider that the communication device is authorized and ready for activation; and
receiving an activation request.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
activating at the central processor the communication device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is from a customer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises an identifier.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the identifier comprises at least one of an ESN, SIM, or IMEI.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received by a communication service provider.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is pre-associated with a specific communication service provider.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a wireless communication device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a wireless phone.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is an Internet-enabled PDA.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a pager.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device can access the interne.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
denying at the central processor authorization of the communication device responsive to a determination that the communication device was not validly sold in a purchase transaction.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from a central processor an identifier associated with the communication device, wherein the determining action comprises processing the identifier.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
passing an authorization request to a central processor; and
receiving from the central processor a response to the authorization request,
wherein the determining action comprises processing the response.