Management systems for multiple access control entities

• US 10,200,853 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schell, Stephan V., Haggerty, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US14/814,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for managing multiple user access control entities or clients. For example, in one embodiment, a “wallet” of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) may be stored and used at a user device and/or distributed to other devices for use thereon. In another embodiment, a networked server may store and distribute eSIM to a plurality of user devices in communication therewith. A database of available eSIM is maintained at the wallet entity and/or at the network which enables request for a particular eSIM to be processed and various rules for the distribution thereof to be implemented. Security precautions are implemented to protect both user and network carrier specific data as the data is transmitted between networked entities. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.

Claims

1. A method for transferring electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) between mobile devices, the method comprising, at a server device configured to manage a plurality of eSIMs:

identifying a condition to provide an eSIM included in the plurality of eSIMs to a first mobile device;

referencing a usage status associated with the eSIM to identify whether the eSIM is being utilized by a second mobile device;

determining, in accordance with the usage status, that the eSIM is being utilized by the second mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the second mobile device to access a second subset of wireless services selected from a set of wireless services associated with the eSIM;

prompting the second mobile device to return the eSIM to the server device; and

in response to receiving the eSIM from the second mobile device;

providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the first mobile device to access a first subset of wireless services that is selected from the set wireless services and is distinct from the second subset of wireless services,

updating the usage status to reflect providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, and

causing the eSIM to be deleted from the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises (1) receiving, from the first mobile device, a request to download the eSIM, or (2) detecting that the first mobile device is without an active eSIM for a threshold amount of time, and the method further comprises:

denying the request when the second mobile device does not return the eSIM to the server device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage status associated with the eSIM is stored in a database that is accessible to the server device, and the usage status indicates whether the eSIM is active or inactive.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the eSIM is inactive, the eSIM is stored at the server device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the eSIM is active, the usage status further indicates a particular mobile device on which the eSIM is active.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the database to reflect the usage status of the eSIM comprises:

updating a value of the usage status to indicate that the eSIM is active on the second mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the first mobile device, and

the second subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the second mobile device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by at least one processor included in a server device, cause the server device to transfer electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) between mobile devices, by carrying out steps that include:

identifying a condition to provide, to a first mobile device, an eSIM included in a plurality of eSIMs managed by the server device;

referencing a usage status associated with the eSIM to identify whether the eSIM is being utilized by a second mobile device;

determining, in accordance with the usage status, that the eSIM is being utilized by the second mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the second mobile device to access a second subset of wireless services selected from a set of wireless services associated with the eSIM;

prompting the second mobile device to return the eSIM to the server device; and

in response to receiving the eSIM from the second mobile device;

providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the first mobile device to access a first subset of wireless services that is selected from the set wireless services and is distinct from the second subset of wireless services,

updating the usage status to reflect providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, and

causing the eSIM to be deleted from the second mobile device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the condition comprises (1) receiving, from the first mobile device, a request to download the eSIM, or (2) detecting that the first mobile device is without an active eSIM for a threshold amount of time, and the steps further include:

denying the request when the second mobile device does not return the eSIM to the server device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the usage status associated with the eSIM is stored in a database that is accessible to the server device, and the usage status indicates whether the eSIM is active or inactive.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein, when the eSIM is inactive, the eSIM is stored at the server device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein, when the eSIM is active, the usage status further indicates a particular mobile device on which the eSIM is active.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein updating the database to reflect the usage status of the eSIM comprises:

updating a value of the usage status to indicate that the eSIM is active on the second mobile device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the first mobile device, and

the second subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the second mobile device.

15. A server device configured to transfer electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) between mobile devices, the server device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server device to carry out steps that include;

identifying a condition to provide, to a first mobile device, an eSIM included in a plurality of eSIMs managed by the server device;

referencing a usage status associated with the eSIM to identify whether the eSIM is being utilized by a second mobile device;

determining, in accordance with the usage status, that the eSIM is being utilized by the second mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the second mobile device to access a second subset of wireless services selected from a set of wireless services associated with the eSIM;

prompting the second mobile device to return the eSIM to the server device; and

in response to receiving the eSIM from the second mobile device;

providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, wherein the eSIM enables the first mobile device to access a first subset of wireless services that is selected from the set wireless services and is distinct from the second subset of wireless services,

updating the usage status to reflect providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, and

causing the eSIM to be deleted from the second mobile device.

16. The server device of claim 15, wherein the condition comprises (1) receiving, from the first mobile device, a request to download the eSIM, or (2) detecting that the first mobile device is without an active eSIM for a threshold amount of time, and the steps further include:

denying the request when the second mobile device does not return the eSIM to the server device.

17. The server device of claim 15, wherein the usage status associated with the eSIM is stored in a database that is accessible to the server device, and the usage status indicates whether the eSIM is active or inactive.

18. The server device of claim 17, wherein, when the eSIM is inactive, the eSIM is stored at the server device.

19. The server device of claim 17, wherein, when the eSIM is active, the usage status further indicates a particular mobile device on which the eSIM is active.

20. The server device of claim 19, wherein updating the database to reflect the usage status of the eSIM comprises:

updating a value of the usage status to indicate that the eSIM is active on the second mobile device.

21. The server device of claim 15, wherein:

the first subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the first mobile device, and

the second subset of wireless services corresponds to capabilities possessed by the second mobile device.