Methods, electronic devices and computer program products for transferring data stored in an electronic device when a subscriber identity module is absent therefrom

• US 20050009563A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Stenmark, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The invention can allow data to be transferred from/to an electronic device when a removable Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that stores information used to register the electronic device with a communications network is absent from the electronic device. A subscriber may, therefore, upgrade from an existing radiotelephone to a new radiotelephone without the need for two SIM cards so that both radiotelephones operate to transfer the data. For example, according to embodiments of the invention, a subscriber can transfer data from the existing radiotelephone to the new radiotelephone even though one of the radiotelephones does not have a SIM card.

Claims

1. A method of transferring data from/to an electronic device comprising:

transferring data from/to an electronic device when a removable Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that stores information used to register the electronic device with a wireless communications network is absent from the electronic device.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the SIM is absent from the electronic device; and

determining if a transfer mode is enabled to allow transferring data while the SIM is absent from the electronic device.

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

transferring data if the transfer mode is enabled and blocking transferring data if the transfer mode is disabled.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of determining if a transfer mode is enabled comprises:

requesting input to the electronic device;

receiving input to the electronic device via an input device associated with the electronic device; and

determining if the received input enables transfer mode.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of transferring comprises transferring the data using a first communications channel that is separate from a second communications channel used to register the electronic device with the communications network.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the first communications channel is carried over at least one of an infrared communications link, a BlueTooth communications link, a USB interface, and an IEEE 802.11 communications link.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile cellular radiotelephone configured to register in a Global System for Mobile telecommunications compliant communications network.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a first electronic device, the method further comprising:

determining, in the first electronic device, that the SIM is absent therefrom;

determining if a transfer mode is enabled for the first electronic device to allow the transfer of data from/to a second electronic device while the SIM is absent; and

transferring data from the first electronic device or receiving data from the second electronic device responsive to determining that the transfer mode is enabled for the first electronic device.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein a second SIM that stores information used to register the second electronic device with the communications network is absent from the second electronic device while transferring data.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

transferring the data while a SIM that stores information other than that used to register the electronic device with the communications network is present in the electronic device.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the data comprises data stored in non-volatile memory of the electronic device.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the data comprises at least one of contact information, schedule information, to-do information, e-mail information, web information, image information, audio information, and video information.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the data comprises excess data having a size that exceeds an unused storage capacity of the SIM.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a unitary mobile cellular radiotelephone.

15. An electronic device for transferring data comprising:

a processor circuit configured to allow transfer of data from/to the electronic device when a removable Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that stores information used to register the electronic device with a wireless communications network is absent from the electronic device.

16. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the processor circuit is configured to determine whether the SIM is present or absent from the electronic device, the electronic device further comprising:

a registration circuit configured to register the electronic device with the communications network responsive to the processor circuit determining that the SIM is present; and

a data transfer circuit configured to transfer data from/to the electronic device responsive to the processor circuit determining that the SIM is absent and a transfer mode is enabled to allow transferring data while the SIM is absent.

17. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the processor circuit is further configured to allow transfer of data if a transfer mode is enabled and the SIM is absent and to block the transfer of data if the transfer mode is disabled.

18. An electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the processor circuit is further configured to:

request an input;

receive input via an input device associated with electronic device; and

determine if the received input enables transfer mode.

19. An electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the data transfer circuit is configured to transfer the data using a first communications channel;

and

wherein the registration circuit is configured to register the electronic device with the communications network using a second communications channel that is separate from the first communications channel.

20. An electronic device according to claim 19 wherein the first communications channel is carried over at least one of an infrared communications link a BlueTooth communications link, a USB interface, and an IEEE 802.11 communications link.

21. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile cellular radio telephone configured to register in a Global System for Mobile telecommunications compliant communications network.

22. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the electronic device comprises a first electronic device, the processor circuit is further configured to:

determine, in the first electronic device, that the SIM is absent therefrom;

determine if a transfer mode is enabled for the first electronic device to allow the transfer of data from/to a second electronic device while the SIM is absent; and

transfer data from the first electronic device or receiving data from the second electronic device responsive to determining that the transfer mode is enabled for the first electronic device.

23. An electronic device according to claim 22 wherein a second SIM that stores information used to register the second electronic device with the communications network is absent from the second electronic device.

24. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the processor circuit is further configured to allow transfer the data while a SIM that stores information other than that used to register the electronic device with the communications network is present in the electronic device.

25. An electronic device according to claim 15 further comprising:

a non-volatile memory configured to store the data outside the SIM.

26. An electronic device according to claim 25 wherein the excess data comprises at least one of contact information, schedule information, to-do information, e-mail information, web information, image information, audio information, and video information.

27. An electronic device according to claim 25 wherein the excess data comprises excess data having a size that exceeds an unused storage capacity of the SIM.

28. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the electronic device comprises a unitary mobile cellular radiotelephone.

29. An electronic device for transferring data comprising:

a processor circuit configured to allow transfer of user selectable data from a memory of an electronic device to an output therefrom when a removable Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that stores information used to register the electronic device with a wireless communications network is absent from the electronic device.

30. An electronic device according to claim 29 wherein the user selectable data comprises at least one of audio information transferred to headphones coupled to the electronic device and video or image data transferred to a display of the electronic device that is selected by a user.

31. A computer program product for transferring data from/to an electronic device, comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to transfer data from/to an electronic device when a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that stores information used to register the electronic device with a wireless communications network is absent from the electronic device.