MDN switching between telematics devices
View Patent ↗Aspects of the present invention provide for a telematics subscriber and provider to facilitate a wireless carrier to associate a cellular telephone number from a subscriber's previous telematics unit to a subscriber's newly purchased telematics unit. In addition, the telematics provider reconfigures a new telematics device in a newly purchased vehicle to retain the same cellular phone number as the subscriber's previous telematics device.
1. A method for switching Mobile Directory Numbers (MDNs) of a acquired telematics unit and a previously registered telematics unit, the method comprising:
requesting a telematics service provider to transfer an MDN from a subscriber's previously registered telematics unit to a subscriber's acquired telematics unit;
verifying that the subscriber is an authorized user for both the previously registered telematics unit and the acquired telematics unit;
requesting a wireless carrier to transfer the MDN from a subscriber's previously registered telematics unit to the acquired telematics unit;
associating the MDN of the previously registered telematics unit with the Mobile Identification Number (MIN) and Electronic Serial Number (ESN) of the acquired telematics unit and associating the MDN of the acquired telematics unit with the MIN and ESN of the previously registered telematics unit by the wireless carrier; and
reprogramming the MDN of the acquired telematics unit by the telematics service provider.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising accessing the subscriber's records from one or more databases by a telematics service provider; and analyzing subscriber's records to verify that the subscriber is an authorized user for the previously registered telematics unit and the acquired telematics unit.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a cellular network database containing the cellular information of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit and acquired telematics unit; and
modifying the cellular information such that the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit is associated with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a billing database containing billing records of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit and acquired telematics unit; and
modifying the billing records such that the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit is associated with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising reprogramming the MDN of the acquired telematics unit by a telematics unit across a wireless network using one or more software applications implemented by one or more telematics service provider servers.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: accessing subscriber's record information from one or more databases; and modifying the subscriber's record information by a telematics service provider to record that the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit is associated with the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the wireless network is selected from the group consisting of wireless wide area networks, wireless metropolitan area networks, wireless local area networks, CDMA2000, Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), GSM, WiFi, and WiMAX networks.
8. A system for switching Mobile Directory Numbers (MDNs) of an acquired telematics unit and a previously registered telematics unit, the system comprising:
an acquired telematics unit by a telematics subscriber containing an MDN, Mobile Identification Number (MIN), and Electronic Serial Number (ESN);
a previously registered telematics unit by a telematics subscriber containing an MDN, MIN, and ESN;
a plurality of servers at a wireless carrier that implement a plurality of administrative software applications;
a plurality of databases at the wireless carrier that store the wireless carrier's cellular network information and billing information;
a plurality of servers at a telematics service provider that implement software applications that switch the MDN of an acquired telematics unit to the MDN of a previously registered telematics unit, wherein one or more software applications implemented by one or more servers at the telematics service provider receives a request from a subscriber to switch the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics to the MDN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit, verifies that the subscriber is an authorized user for both the previously registered telematics unit and the acquired telematics unit, and sends a request to a wireless carrier to associate the MDN of subscriber's previously registered telematics unit with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit and to associate the MDN of the acquired telematics unit with the MIN and ESN of the previously registered telematics unit;
a plurality of databases at a telematics service provider that store subscriber information; and
a wireless network that communicates between a telematics unit, wireless carrier, and the telematics service provider.
9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein one or more administrative software applications implemented by one or more servers at the wireless carrier receives a request from a telematics service provider to associate the MDN of subscriber's previously registered telematics unit with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
10. A system according to claim 8 , wherein one or more administrative software applications implemented by one or more servers at the wireless carrier:
accesses a cellular network database containing cellular information of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit and acquired telematics unit; and
modifies the cellular information such that the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit is associated with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
11. A system according to claim 8 , wherein one or more administrative software applications implemented by one or more servers at the wireless carrier:
accesses a billing database containing billing records of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit and acquired telematics unit; and
modifies the billing records such that the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit is associated with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
12. A system according to claim 8 , wherein one or more software applications implemented by one or more servers at the telematics service provider reprograms the MDN of the acquired telematics unit to the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics device across a wireless network.
13. A system according to claim 8 , wherein one or more software applications implemented by one or more servers at the telematics service provider:
accesses the subscriber's telematics record information from one or more databases;
modifies the subscriber's telematics record information such that the MDN of the subscriber's previously registered telematics unit is associated with the MIN and ESN of subscriber's acquired telematics unit.
14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the wireless network is selected from the group consisting of wireless wide area networks, wireless metropolitan area networks, wireless local area networks, CDMA2000, Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), GSM, WiFi, and WiMAX networks.