Method and apparatus for downloading a profile in a wireless communication system

• US 10,111,089 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jonghan, Lee, Duckey, Yeom, Taesun, Lee, Sangsoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Su, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US15/094,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). A method for downloading profiles in a terminal in a wireless communication system include generating and storing an encryption key at a time point, loading the stored encryption key, when receiving profile download start information from a profile providing server, and downloading an encrypted profile for the electronic device from the profile providing server, via the loaded encryption key, and installing the encrypted profile in the electronic device. An electronic device configured to download a profile in a wireless communication system includes a memory, and a controller configured to generate an encryption key at a time point, store the encryption key in the memory, loading the stored encryption key, when receiving profile download start information from a profile providing server, and downloading an encrypted profile for the electronic device from the profile providing server, by using the loaded encryption key, and installing the downloaded profile.

Claims

1. A method of downloading a profile by an electronic device in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

storing a generated encryption key;

receiving, after the storing, information indicating a start of a profile download; and

downloading, from a profile providing server, a profile for a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the electronic device by using the encryption key, based on the received information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption key comprises:

an ephemeral asymmetric key pair including an ephemeral public key and an ephemeral private key.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprises transmitting, to the profile providing server, an ephemeral public key of the UICC,

wherein the profile for the UICC is encrypted by the profile providing server by using the ephemeral public key of the UICC.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing the profile in the UICC based on the encryption key.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

deleting an ephemeral private key and an ephemeral public key, after installing the profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption key is generated at one of:

a time point that the UICC is manufactured;

a time point when a profile is downloaded and installed;

a periodically or non-periodically created time; and

a time point when a command for requesting creation of a security key is received.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the

information is received from the profile providing server by the electronic device and is delivered to the UICC.

8. An electronic device of downloading a profile in a wireless communication system, the electronic device comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals;

a memory; and

a controller configured to;

store a generated encryption key in the memory,

control the transceiver to receive, after the storing, information indicating a start of a profile download, and

control the transceiver to download, from a profile providing server, a profile for a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the electronic device by using the encryption key, based on the received information.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the encryption key comprises:

an ephemeral asymmetric key pair including an ephemeral public key and an ephemeral private key.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the controller is further configured to control the transceiver to transmit, to the profile providing server, an ephemeral public key of the UICC, and

the profile for the UICC is encrypted by the profile providing server by using the ephemeral public key of the UICC.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to install the profile in the UICC based on the encryption key.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to delete an ephemeral private key and an ephemeral public key, after installing the profile.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to generate of the encryption key at one of:

a time point that the UICC is manufactured;

a time point when a profile is downloaded and installed;

a periodically or non-periodically creating time;

or

a time point when a command for requesting creation of a security key is received.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the

information is received from the profile providing server by the transceiver and is delivered to the UICC.

15. A method of providing a profile by a server in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting, to an electronic device, information indicating a start of a profile download;

receiving, from the electronic device, an encryption key of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the electronic device based on the transmitted information; and

transmitting, to the electronic device, a profile for the UICC encrypted by using the encryption key of the UICC,

wherein the encryption key is generated and stored in the electronic device prior to the transmitting of the information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the encryption key comprises an ephemeral public key of an ephemeral asymmetric key pair including the ephemeral public key and an ephemeral private key.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the profile is installed in the electronic device based on the encryption key, and

an ephemeral private key and an ephemeral public key is deleted by the electronic device, after installing the profile.

18. A server for providing a profile in a wireless communication system, the server comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals;

a memory; and

a controller configured to control the transceiver to;

transmit, to an electronic device, information indicating a start of a profile download,

receive, from the electronic device, an encryption key of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the electronic device based on the transmitted information, and

transmit, to the electronic device, a profile for the UICC encrypted by using the encryption key of the UICC,

wherein the encryption key is generated and stored in the electronic device prior to the transmitting of the information.

19. The server of claim 18, wherein the encryption key comprises an ephemeral public key of an ephemeral asymmetric key pair including the ephemeral public key and an ephemeral private key.

20. The server of claim 18, wherein:

the profile is installed in the electronic device based on the encryption key, and

an ephemeral private key and an ephemeral public key is deleted by the electronic device, after installing the profile.