Activation of mobile computing device
View Patent ↗A mobile computing device has a memory and a processing device. The memory has network settings for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers. The processing device is configured to obtain network settings for a particular carrier from the memory based on an account ID and to activate the mobile computing device with the carrier based on the network settings and the ID.
1. A mobile computing device, comprising:
a memory comprising network settings for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers; and
a processing device configured to obtain network settings for a particular carrier from the memory based on an account ID and to activate the mobile computing device with the carrier based on the network settings and the ID, wherein the account ID identifies the mobile computing device or a user of the mobile computing device, wherein the network settings for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers are stored in a read-only memory (ROM) portion of the memory, wherein the processing device is configured to obtain an account associated with the account ID from the particular carrier, wherein the account comprises a user name and password.
2. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises carrier-specific user interface setting and the processing device is configured to display a carrier-specific user interface based on a particular carrier associated with the account ID.
3. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the processing device is configured to obtain the network settings in response to a user launching an executable application using the display.
4. The mobile computing device of claim 3 , wherein the user launches the executable application via a user-selectable icon on the display.
5. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the network settings are built into the operating system of the mobile computing device.
6. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to update the memory according to a network associated with the carrier on which the mobile computing device is activated.
7. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the network settings are for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers using a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network.
8. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to receive a choice of carriers from a user and to obtain the network settings based on the choice.
9. A mobile computing device, comprising:
a memory comprising network settings for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers, wherein the network settings are stored in a read-only memory portion of the memory; and
a processing device configured to obtain an account associated with an account ID from a particular carrier, the account comprising a user name and password, wherein the account ID identifies the mobile computing device or a user of the mobile computing device, the processing circuit further configured to activate the mobile computing device on a network using the network settings, to deactivate the mobile computing device on the network, and to activate the mobile computing device on a second network using network settings associated with the account ID.
10. The mobile computing device of claim 9 , wherein the network settings are for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers using a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network.
11. The mobile computing device of claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device is a handheld device.
12. A mobile computing device, comprising:
a memory comprising network settings for making the mobile computing device able to communicate in a plurality of different wireless carrier networks, wherein the network settings for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers are stored in a read-only memory portion of the memory; and
a processing device configured to obtain network settings for a particular carrier network from the memory based on an identifier and to make the mobile computing device able to communicate in the carrier network based on the network settings and the identifier, wherein the identifier identifies the mobile computing device or a user of the mobile computing device, wherein the identifier is associated with an account comprising a user name and password.
13. The mobile computing device of claim 12 , wherein the processing device is configured to update the memory according to a network associated with the carrier on which the mobile computing device is activated.
14. The mobile computing device of claim 13 , wherein the processing device is configured to operate an address book and a daily organizer.
15. The mobile computing device of claim 14 , wherein the network settings are for compatibility with a plurality of different wireless carriers using a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network.
16. The mobile computing device of claim 15 , wherein the processing device is configured to obtain the account associated with the identifier from the carrier network.