Key for a wireless-enabled device
View Patent ↗A user sets up an account including radio identification, billing information, etc. via a web-based account creation device, or over the telephone with an account representative. An activation key is provided to the user that identifies the radio device and the users account. An activation screen is displayed to a user at the start of wireless activities. The activation screen requires the activation key before continuing with wireless services. Since the key identifies both the radio and user's account (which was approved prior to provision of the activation key), rejection traffic is eliminated and non-active account traffic is significantly reduced.
1. A method of providing a mobile computing device access to a wireless network, the method being performed by a processor of a mobile computing device and comprising:
storing, by the processor, a first key on a memory resource of the mobile computing device, the first key including an encryption of an identification associated with the mobile computing device; and
performing, by the processor, an activation process, wherein the performing comprises: (i) receiving an activation key entry from a user of the mobile computing device via an input mechanism of the mobile computing device, (ii) generating a second key by encrypting the received activation key entry, (iii) checking the validity of the second key by comparing the first key to the second key, (iv) determining that the second key is valid, and (v) communicating an activation request using the second key to a remote server over the wireless network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via web page interaction.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via a telephone call between the user and a wireless service provider.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server by entering inputs using a telephone dial pad of the mobile computing device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the activation process includes displaying a user interface on a display of the mobile computing device, the user interface prompting the user to input the activation key entry using the input mechanism.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the activation process is performed in response to the user initiating a program stored on the memory resource of the mobile computing device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the program is an email program.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the second key by encrypting the received activation key entry includes hashing received activation key entry.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is a wireless-enabled personal digital assistant.
10. A mobile computing device comprising:
a display screen;
a memory resource;
a radio frequency device to provide wireless connectivity to a wireless network;
a processing circuit coupled to the display screen, the memory resource, and the radio frequency device, wherein the memory resource stores instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, cause the processing circuit perform the steps of:
storing a first key on the memory resource, the first key including an encryption of an identification; and
performing an activation process wherein the performing comprises: (i) receiving an activation key entry from a user via an input mechanism, (ii) generating a second key by encrypting the received activation key entry, (iii) checking the validity of the second key by comparing the first key to the second key, (iv) determining that the second key is valid, and (v) communicating an activation request using the second key to a remote server over the wireless network.
11. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via web page interaction.
12. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit performs the activation process by displaying a user interface on the display screen, the user interface prompting the user to input the activation key entry using the input mechanism.
13. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor generates the second key by using a hash function on the received activation key entry.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:
storing a first key on a memory resource of a mobile computing device, the first key including an encryption of an identification associated with the mobile computing device; and
performing an activation process wherein the performing comprises: (i) receiving an activation key entry from a user of the mobile computing device via an input mechanism of the mobile computing device, (ii) generating a second key by encrypting the received activation key entry, (iii) checking the validity of the second key by comparing the first key to the second key, (iv) determining that the second key is valid, and (v) communicating an activation request using the second key to a remote server over the wireless network.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform the activation process by displaying a user interface on a display of the mobile computing device, the user interface prompting the user to input the activation key entry using the input mechanism.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform the activation process in response to the user initiating a program stored on the memory resource of the mobile computing device.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to generate the second key by using a hash function on the received activation key entry.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via web page interaction.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via a telephone call between the user and a wireless service provider.
20. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein the identification associated with the mobile computing device is previously provided by the user to the remote server via web page interaction.