Virtual subscriber identity module for mobile communication device

• US 10,084,879 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Jing, Ren, Wei, Wang, Chao, Qin, Xiaolei
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Du, Hung
• Application Number:
  US15/148,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/42 using virtual identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A system includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) application; a physical SIM driver configured to be coupled to a physical SIM card; a simulated SIM driver; a control switch that selectively couples the SIM application to the physical SIM driver or the simulated SIM driver, wherein the SIM application, when coupled to the physical SIM driver, is configured to read and write on the physical SIM card; and a SIM simulator in communication with the control switch and the simulated SIM driver, wherein the SIM simulator is configured to control the selective coupling of the control switch, and is configured to receive at least one request comprising an authentication request from the simulated SIM driver and transmit at least one response comprising an authentication response to the simulated SIM driver.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a subscriber identity module (SIM) application;

a physical SIM driver configured to be coupled to a physical SIM card;

a first simulated SIM driver;

a second simulated SIM driver;

a control switch that selectively couples the SIM application to the physical SIM driver or the first simulated SIM driver, wherein the SIM application, when coupled to the physical SIM driver, is configured to read and write on the physical SIM card; and

a SIM simulator in communication with the control switch and the first simulated SIM driver, wherein the SIM simulator is configured to control the selective coupling of the control switch, and is configured to receive at least one request comprising an authentication request from the first simulated SIM driver and transmit at least one response comprising an authentication response to the first simulated SIM driver, wherein the authentication request is received by the first simulated SIM driver from a communication network, and the SIM simulator is configured to

relay the authentication request received from the first simulated SIM driver to a remote server via a data communication link established by the second simulated SIM driver,

receive the authentication response transmitted to the first simulated SIM driver from the remote server via the data communication link established by the second simulated SIM driver, and

if no authentication response is received from the remote server within a predetermined period of time after relaying the authentication request, instructing the first simulated SIM driver to send a status change and an Answer to Reset (ATR) to the communication network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control switch and the first simulated SIM driver are implemented at a MODEM, and the SIM simulator is implemented at an application processor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the SIM simulator is in communication with the control switch and the first simulated SIM driver via Remote Procedure Call.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising an application module implemented at the application processor, wherein the application module is configured to control functionality of the SIM simulator.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising an interface module implemented at the application processor, wherein the interface module is configured to receive user input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication request is a Ki authentication request, and the authentication response is a Ki authentication response.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first simulated SIM driver is configured to be loaded with a local SIM profile not subject to roaming charges.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second physical SIM driver configured to be coupled to a second physical SIM card; and

a second control switch that selectively couples the SIM application to the second physical SIM driver or the second simulated SIM driver, wherein the SIM application, when coupled to the second physical SIM driver, is configured to read and write on the second physical SIM card.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second control switch is configured to:

switching from the second simulated SIM driver to the second physical SIM driver after the authentication response is received from the remote server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second simulated SIM driver is configured to be loaded with a SIM profile subject to roaming charges.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a MODEM, wherein both the first and second simulated SIM drivers are configured to communicate with the communication network using the MODEM.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second simulated SIM driver are configured to communicate with the communication network using the MODEM via time multiplexing.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first simulated SIM driver is configured to be in standby mode when the second simulated SIM driver communicates with the communication network using the MODEM.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second simulated SIM driver is configured to be in standby mode when the first simulated SIM driver communicates with the communication network using the MODEM.