1. A method of activating a wireless device on a wireless network, the method comprising:
maintaining, at an activation system, a pool of temporary international mobile station identity (\u201cIMSI\u201d) numbers;
assigning an IMSI number to the wireless device, wherein the temporary IMSI number falls within a pool of known IMSI numbers, and wherein the wireless device is not activated as a subscriber on the wireless network;
populating an authentication center in the wireless network with a data for generating a security key for the wireless device;
reserving the temporary IMSI number from the pool of known IMSI numbers;
providing, in the wireless network, a detection device configured to identify the wireless device;
configuring the wireless network to identify the detection device as a quasi-home location register for the block of known IMSI numbers;
receiving, at a base station controller, a message from the wireless device, wherein the message comprises the first IMSI number;
identifying the temporary IMSI number of the wireless device;
based on the identification of the temporary IMSI number, identifying the detection device as a quasi-home location register for the wireless device;
receiving, at the detection device, a query from a mobile switching center (\u201cMSC\u201d) for data pertaining to the wireless device;
selecting, from a pool of temporary mobile subscriber international ISDN numbers (\u201cMSISDN\u201d) maintained by the activation system, a temporary MSISDN for the wireless device;
providing to the MSC, in response to the query, the temporary MSISDN assigned to the wireless device and a notification that the wireless device is capable of receiving short messaging service (\u201cSMS\u201d) messages;
forwarding the query from the detection device to the authentication center, so that the authentication center can provide to the MSC the security key for the wireless device;
notifying the activation system that the wireless device has been detected;
transmitting a SMS message from the activation system to the wireless device, the message comprising instructions for registering the wireless device with the wireless network;
assigning, at the activation system, a permanent MSISDN to the wireless device, based on an interaction, via the wireless device, between the user and the activation system;
assigning, at the activation system, a permanent IMSI number to the wireless device;
updating the wireless device with the permanent IMSI number, via an over-the-air provisioning message;
creating, in a home location register, a record corresponding to the wireless device, the record comprising the permanent MSISDN and the permanent IMSI number;
configuring the wireless network to identify the home location register as the home location register for the wireless device;
creating, in the authentication center, a new entry to correlate the security key assigned to the wireless device with the permanent IMSI number assigned to the device;
returning the temporary MSISDN to the pool of temporary MSISDNs, such that the temporary MSISDN can be selected for another wireless device; and
returning the temporary IMSI to the pool of known IMSI numbers, such that the temporary IMSI number can be assigned to another wireless device.
2. A method of activating a wireless device on a wireless network, the method comprising:
assigning a first identification number to the wireless device, wherein the identification number falls within a pool of known identification numbers, and wherein the wireless device is not activated as a subscriber on the wireless network;
providing, in the wireless network, a detection device configured to identify the wireless device;
configuring the wireless network to identify the detection device as a quasi-home location register for the block of known identification numbers;
receiving, at the detection device, a query, from a component of the wireless network, for data pertaining to the wireless device;
assigning, at the detection device, a temporary addressing number to the wireless device;
in response to the query, providing to the component of the wireless network the temporary addressing number;
notifying an activation system that the wireless device has been detected;
assigning, at the activation system, a permanent addressing number to the wireless device; and
creating a record in a home location register corresponding to the wireless device, wherein the record comprises the permanent addressing number.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the component of the wireless network is a mobile switching center (\u201cMSC\u201d), a visited location register (\u201cVLR\u201d), or a combined MSCVLR.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
populating an authentication center in the wireless network with data for generating a security key for the wireless device; and
forwarding the query from the detection device to the authentication center, so that the authentication center can provide, to the component of the wireless network, the security key for to the wireless device.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification number is an international mobile subscriber identity (\u201cIMSI\u201d) number.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning a first identification number to the wireless device comprises assigning the first identification number to a subscriber identity module (\u201cSIM\u201d) card and packaging the SIM card with the wireless device.
7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
receiving, at a base station controller, a message from the wireless device, wherein the message comprises the first identification number;
identifying the first identification number, based on the message from the wireless device; and
based on an identification of the first identification number, querying the detection device for data pertaining to the wireless device;
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
selecting the home location register based on a location of the base station controller receiving the message from the wireless phone.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
maintaining a pool of available addressing numbers at the selected home location register;
wherein the permanent addressing number assigned to the wireless device is selected from the pool of available addressing numbers.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein the record is created in the home location register prior to receiving, at the detection device, the query for data pertaining to the wireless device.
11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
pre-provisioning the home location register with a plurality of paired combinations of addressing numbers and identification numbers; and
assigning a permanent identification number to the wireless device;
wherein assigning a permanent addressing number to the wireless device comprises assigning one of the pre-provisioned addressing numbers to the wireless device, and assigning a permanent identification number to the wireless device comprises assigning to the wireless device an identification number that has been paired with the assigned addressing number.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning a permanent addressing number to the wireless device comprises:
receiving notification that a particular permanent addressing number has been allocated by a wireless service provider to the wireless device;
pre-provisioning the home location register with a paired combination of the particular addressing number and a permanent identification number; and
assigning the particular permanent addressing number to the wireless device.
13. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning a temporary addressing number to the wireless device comprises selecting, from a pool of available temporary addressing numbers, the temporary addressing number.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, upon assigning the permanent addressing number to the wireless device, returning the temporary addressing number to the pool of available temporary addressing numbers.
15. The method of claim 2, wherein the first identification number is a temporary identification number, the method further comprising:
assigning a permanent identification number to the wireless device.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
updating the wireless device with the permanent identification number, via an over-the-air provisioning message.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the record in the home location register further comprises the permanent identification number.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the pool of known identification numbers comprises a pool of available of temporary identification numbers, wherein assigning the temporary identification number to the wireless device comprises reserving the first identification number from the pool of available temporary identification numbers.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
after assigning the permanent identification number to the wireless device, returning the temporary identification number to the pool of available temporary identification numbers.
20. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is selected from the group consisting of a global system for mobile communications (\u201cGSM\u201d) telephone and a code division multiple access (\u201cCDMA\u201d) phone.
21. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is a prepaid wireless phone.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the prepaid wireless phone was purchased by a user from a general merchandise retailer.
23. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
notifying the component of the wireless network that wireless device to which the temporary addressing number is assigned is capable of receiving messages of a specified type.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the specified type of message is selected from the group consisting of: a short messaging service (\u201cSMS\u201d) type of message and a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (\u201cUSSD\u201d) type of message.
25. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning the permanent addressing number to the wireless device comprises sending a message from the activation system to the wireless device.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the message is a short messaging service (\u201cSMS\u201d) message.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the message comprises information about the permanent addressing number assigned to the wireless device.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the permanent addressing number is assigned based on a location of the base station controller receiving the message from the wireless device.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein the permanent addressing number is assigned based on input from the user.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the input from the user indicates a desired region for the permanent addressing number.
31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
applying a charge to an account associated with the wireless device, as a result of assigning the permanent addressing number based on input from the user.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein an amount of the charge applied to the account is based on a type of input received from the user
33. The method of claim 32, wherein, wherein if the user selects a permanent addressing number from a provided list of addressing numbers, the charge has a first amount, if the user requests a permanent addressing number matching at least a desired portion of a desired addressing numbers, the charge has a second amount, andor if the user selects a premium addressing number, the charge has a third amount.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein applying a charge to an account associated with the wireless device comprises applying a repeating charge on a periodic basis.
35. The method of claim 25, wherein the message comprises a plurality of permanent addressing numbers from which a user of the wireless device can select the permanent addressing number, and wherein assigning the permanent addressing number to the wireless device further comprises receiving a selection of the permanent addressing number from the user.
36. The method of claim 25, wherein the message comprises an offer to allow a user to specify at least a desired portion of a desired addressing number, and wherein assigning a permanent addressing number to the wireless device further comprises searching for a permanent addressing number comprising at least the desired portion of the desired addressing number.
37. A method of activating a wireless device, comprising:
maintaining, at an activation system, a pool of temporary international mobile station identity (\u201cIMSI\u201d) numbers;
providing the pool of temporary IMSI numbers to a subscriber identity module (\u201cSIM\u201d) manufacturing process;
detecting, in a wireless network, an attempt to register by a wireless device corresponding to one of the temporary IMSI numbers;
based upon detecting the attempt to register, assigning a mobile subscriber international ISDN number (\u201cMSISDN\u201d) to the wireless device and a permanent IMSI number to the wireless device; and
updating the wireless device with the assigned MSISDN and permanent IMSI number.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein assigning an MSISDN to the wireless device comprises allowing a user to select the MSISDN.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the user is charged a fee for being allowed to select the MSISDN, and wherein the method further comprises:
notifying an entity in a supply chain of the wireless device that the user has selected the MSISDN, so that the entity can charge the user for being allowed to select the MSISDN.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the entity is a wireless provider that operates the wireless network.
41. The method of claim 39, wherein an amount of the fee charged is based on a type of selection of the MSISDN, and wherein notifying the entity comprises notifying the entity of the type of selection made by the user.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein the type of selection is selected from the group consisting of: the user accepting a default MSISDN, the user selecting from a provided list of MSISDNs, the user specifying a string of characters and selecting an MSISDN that matches the string of characters, and the user selecting a premium MSISDN.
43. The method of claim 41, wherein assigning a MSISDN comprises presenting an interface to the user, on the wireless device, for selecting the MSISDN during activation of the wireless device.
44. The method of claim 38, further comprising:
charging the user a fee based on the user’s selection of the MSISDN.
45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:
identifying a sales channel through which the wireless device is sold; and
paying, to one or more entities within the sales channel, at least a portion of the fee charged to the user.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein each of the one or more entities are selected from the group consisting of: a wireless service provider, a SIM manufacturer, a distributor, and a retailer.
47. A system for activating a wireless device, the system comprising:
an activation system comprising a processor and a first computer readable medium, the first computer readable medium having encoded thereon a first set of instructions executable by the first activation system to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising:
instructions for maintaining a pool of known identification numbers for wireless devices; and
instructions for providing a temporary identification number for use in a wireless device, wherein the first identification number falls within the pool of known identification numbers; and
a detection device in a wireless network, the detection device comprising a second processor and a second computer readable medium having encoded thereon a second set of instructions executable by the detection device to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving, from a component of the wireless network, a query for data pertaining to the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is not a subscriber on the wireless network;
instructions for assigning a temporary addressing number to the wireless device;
instructions for providing, to the component of the wireless network, the temporary addressing number, in response to the query; and
instructions for notifying the activation system that the mobile device has been detected;
wherein the first set of instructions further comprises:
instructions to assign a permanent addressing number to the wireless device; and
instructions to create, in a home location register, a record corresponding to the wireless device, wherein the record comprises the permanent addressing number.
48. An apparatus, comprising:
a first computer readable medium having encoded thereon a first set of instructions executable by an activation system to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising:
instructions for maintaining a pool of known identification numbers for wireless devices; and
instructions for providing a temporary identification number for use in a wireless device, wherein the first identification number falls within the pool of known identification numbers; and
a second computer readable medium having encoded thereon a second set of instructions executable by a detection device in a wireless network to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving, from a component of the wireless network, a query for data pertaining to the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is not a subscriber on the wireless network;
instructions for assigning a temporary addressing number to the wireless device;
instructions for providing, to the component of the wireless network, the temporary addressing number, in response to the query; and
instructions for notifying the activation system that the mobile device has been detected;
wherein the first set of instructions further comprises:
instructions to assign a permanent addressing number to the wireless device; and
instructions to create, in a home location register, a record corresponding to the wireless device, wherein the record comprises the permanent addressing number.
49. A method of activating a wireless device on a wireless network, the method comprising:
assigning a first identification number to an identification module, wherein the identification number falls within a pool of known identification numbers, and wherein the identification module is not activated as a subscriber on the wireless network;
providing, in the wireless network, a detection device configured to identify a wireless device associated with the identification module;
configuring the wireless network to identify the detection device as a quasi-home location register for the block of known identification numbers;
receiving, at the detection device, a query, from a component of the wireless network, for data pertaining to the wireless device;
assigning, at the detection device, a temporary addressing number to the wireless device;
in response to the query, providing to the component of the wireless network the temporary addressing number;
notifying an activation system that the wireless device has been detected;
assigning, at the activation system, a permanent addressing number to the wireless device; and
creating a record in a home location register corresponding to the wireless device, wherein the record comprises the permanent addressing number.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the identification module is a subscriber identity module (\u201cSIM\u201d) card.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An file detection and removal system (system) for detecting and removing harmful files on a computer without obstructing other processes running on the computer, the system comprising:
an initial scanning module that initiates a signature database by creating one signature for each file on a computer, and
a subsequent scanning module that re-uses the signature database created by the initial scanning module during the later scans, in stead of creating a new signature for each file on the computer every time the computer is being scanned for harmful files.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprises:
an allocation module that allocates a memory space for storing a database;
a create signature module that creates a unique file identifier (signature) for each file located on the computer, and
a query module that searches the signature database for the signature.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the allocation means comprises:
a first allocation module that allocates a first memory space for storing a harmful files database, and
a second allocation module that allocates a second memory space for storing a signature database.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the create signature means comprises:
generate module that generates the signature;
associate module that associates the signature with a file (first file) on the computer, and
storage module that stores a plurality of attributes of the first file in the second memory space.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the storage module employs a dynamic linked list to store signature data in the signature database.
6. The system of claim 4 wherein storage module comprises:
name module that stores a name of the parent folder of the first file, and
branch module that stores one signature database for each directory for which scanning is requested.
7. The system of claim 4 wherein storage module stores the size, the date of modification, and the time of modification of the first file.
8. The system of claim 2 wherein the query means comprises:
a search module that locates the first file in the signature database such that the signature of the first file matches with the signature of a second file;
a compare module that compares the plurality of attributes associated with the first file and the second file;
a detection module that identifies presence of a harmful file on the computer, and
removal module that removes harmful files from the computer.
9. The system of claim 2 wherein the compare module compares the date of modification of the first file and the second file.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the compare module comprises a modified module that deletes the plurality of attributes associated with the first file if the date of modification of the first file does not match with the date of modification of the second file.
11. The system of claim 2 wherein the compare module compares the time of modification of the first file and the second file.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the modified module deletes the plurality of attributes associated with the first file if the time of modification of the first file does not match with the time of modification of the second file.
13. The system of claim 2 wherein the compare module compares the size of the first file and the second file.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the compare module further comprises a modified module that deletes the plurality of attributes associated with the first file if the size of the first file does not match with the size of the second file.
15. A system for comparing files without obstructing other computer processes, the system comprising:
a database to store a first predetermined attribute;
a compare module comparing the first predetermined attribute with a second predetermined attribute;
a determine module to decide if the first and the second attributes are identical, and
a monitoring system deciding the allocation of the computer resources.
16. A file comparison method for detecting harmful files on a computer without obstructing other processes running on the computer, the method comprising:
an initial scanning step storing a plurality of predetermined attribute to initiate a signature database;
a subsequent scanning step using the signature database created by the initial scanning step to compare a second attribute to the predetermined attribute;
determining if the predetermined attribute is identical to the second attribute, and
monitoring the CPU usage to determine allocation of resource.
17. The method of claim 16 comprises using the signature database created by the very first scan for each subsequent scan to avoid generating a new signature if the given file identifier is found in the signature database and if the signature attributes match with the file identifier attributes.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the receiving step further comprises continuously polling the user computer for a file identifier of the modified files.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the subsequent scanning step further comprises:
means for receiving a given file identifier associated with a file for which the scan is requested;
means for identifying a second attribute associated with the given file identifier (given file attributes);
means for querying the signature database for the given file identifier;
means for comparing the predetermined attributes with the given file attributes, if the given file is found in the signature database, and
means for generating a unique file identifier (signature), if the given file identifier is found in the signature database but at least one predetermined attributes does not match with the given file attribute.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the subsequent scanning step further comprises:
means for storing the plurality of attributes associated with the newly generated signature in the signature database in the root directory of the directory for which the scan is requested, and
means for updating the plurality of attributes associated with the newly generated signature in a second memory space.