Method and apparatus for provisioning mobile subscriber identification information to multiple devices and provisioning network elements

• US 10,602,345 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2019
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chastain, Walter Cooper, Chin, Stephen Emille
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US16/450,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20190313240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, communication device, including a universal integrated circuit card that stores a provisioned, shared international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), having a processing system that accesses the universal integrated circuit card to determine the shared IMSI using a secret key, wherein the secret key is uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card. A second IMSI is received via an over-the-air interface responsive to a first registration request that includes the shared IMSI and identification information obtained by an identity function of the network. The second IMSI is stored in the universal integrated circuit card, wherein the second IMSI facilitates a registration process that registers the communication device with the network, and wherein registration of the communication device facilitates access to subscriber services for the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a universal integrated circuit card storing a shared international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) provisioned to the universal integrated circuit card by equipment of an entity;

a processing system including a processor and being coupled with the universal integrated circuit card; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

accessing the universal integrated circuit card to determine the shared IMSI using a secret key, wherein the secret key is uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card;

receiving a second IMSI, via an over-the-air interface with a network, responsive to a first registration request with the network operated by a service provider that is distinct from the entity, wherein the first registration request includes the shared IMSI and identification information that is obtained by an identity function of the network; and

storing the second IMSI in the universal integrated circuit card, wherein the second IMSI facilitates a registration process that registers the communication device with the network, and wherein registration of the communication device facilitates access to subscriber services for the communication device.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an integrated circuit card identifier, wherein the first registration request is a first time that the communication device has requested registration with the network, and wherein the entity is a manufacturer of a group of universal integrated circuit cards that includes the universal integrated circuit card.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the second IMSI is not shared with any other communication devices.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the shared IMSI and identification information are obtained by an identity proxy function of the network, the operations further comprising:

during a simulated registration initiated by the identity proxy function according to the shared IMSI, providing an authentication response to the identity proxy function, wherein the providing the authentication response enables the identity proxy function to cause a reassignment of the second IMSI to the communication device.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the simulated registration and the registration process utilize the secret key uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the secret key is provisioned to the universal integrated circuit card by the equipment of the entity and is distinct from other secret keys provisioned by the equipment of the entity.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an international mobile station equipment identity, and wherein the communication device is a machine-to-machine communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing a transport key, wherein the over-the-air interface utilizes the transport key.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the shared IMSI is a limited service IMSI that enables communication with network elements and does not enable the subscriber services.

10. A method comprising:

accessing, by a processing system including a processor, a universal integrated circuit card of a communication device, to determine the shared IMSI using a secret key, the universal integrated circuit card storing a shared international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) provisioned to the universal integrated circuit card by equipment of an entity, wherein the secret key is uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card;

obtaining, by the processing system, a second IMSI via an over-the-air interface with a network, responsive to a transmission to the network operated by a service provider that is distinct from the entity, wherein the transmission includes the shared IMSI and identification information that is obtained by an identity function of the network; and

storing, by the processing system, the second IMSI in the universal integrated circuit card, wherein the second IMSI facilitates a registration process that registers the communication device with the network, and wherein registration of the communication device facilitates access to subscriber services for the communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the shared IMSI is a limited service IMSI that enables communication with network elements and does not enable the subscriber services.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises an international mobile station equipment identity, and wherein the communication device is a machine-to-machine communication device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises an integrated circuit card identifier, and wherein the entity is a manufacturer of a group of universal integrated circuit cards that includes the universal integrated circuit card.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the shared IMSI and identification information are obtained by an identity proxy function of the network, further comprising:

during a simulated registration initiated by the identity proxy function according to the shared IMSI, providing an authentication response to the identity proxy function, wherein the providing the authentication response enables the identity proxy function to cause a reassignment of the second IMSI to the communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the simulated registration and the registration process utilize the secret key uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the secret key is provisioned to the universal integrated circuit card by the equipment of the entity and is distinct from other secret keys provisioned by the equipment of the entity.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing a transport key, wherein the over-the-air interface utilizes the transport key.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the over-the-air interface utilizes a transport key stored by the communication device.

19. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

accessing a universal integrated circuit card of a communication device to determine the shared IMSI using a secret key, the universal integrated circuit card storing a shared international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) provisioned to the universal integrated circuit card by equipment of an entity, wherein the secret key is uniquely associated with the universal integrated circuit card;

obtaining a second IMSI via an over-the-air interface with a network, responsive to a transfer of information to the network operated by a service provider that is distinct from the entity, wherein the information includes the shared IMSI and identification information that is obtained by an identity function of the network; and

retaining the second IMSI within a storage location of the universal integrated circuit card, wherein the second IMSI facilitates a registration process that registers the communication device with the network, and wherein registration of the communication device facilitates access to subscriber services for the communication device.

20. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the shared IMSI and identification information are obtained by an identity proxy function of the network, the operations further comprising:

during a simulated registration initiated by the identity proxy function according to the shared IMSI, providing an authentication response to the identity proxy function, wherein the providing the authentication response enables the identity proxy function to cause a reassignment of the second IMSI to the communication device.