Method and system for associating subscriber identity information

• US 20050266883A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Chatrath, Vishal
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method, device, system, and module associate subscriber identity information with terminals in a communication network. For example, the method includes establishing a connection between a first terminal and a second terminal and communicating a software subscriber identity module from the first terminal to the second terminal. The software subscriber identity module includes a standard component and an active component. The standard component is communicated only when needed.

Claims

1. A method of associating subscriber identity information, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between a first terminal and a second terminal; and

communicating a software subscriber identity module from the first terminal to the second terminal, wherein the software subscriber identity module comprises a standard component and an active component, further wherein the standard component is communicated only when needed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing data in the first terminal with data in the second terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying user identity at the first terminal before the software subscriber identity module is communicated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating an active status message to a software subscriber identity module database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the active component is communicated between the first terminal and the second terminal for all communications between the terminals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a confirmation message from a software subscriber identity module database to the first terminal confirming that the second terminal is part of a federation with the first terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard component is communicated if it doesn'"'"'t exist in another terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard component is communicated if the standard component information in another terminal is not supported by the transferring terminal.

9. A system for associating subscriber identity information, the system comprising:

a software subscriber identity module containing subscriber identity information, wherein the software subscriber identity module comprises a standard component and an active component;

a database having data associated with the software subscriber identity module; and

a first terminal having programmed instructions to communicate the software subscriber identity module to a second terminal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the standard component is only communicated when needed between the first terminal and the second terminal.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the standard component is communicated if it doesn'"'"'t exist in second terminal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the standard component is communicated if the standard component information in second terminal is not supported by the first terminal.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the database receives status information regarding what terminal is an active terminal.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the software subscriber identity module is communicated from the first terminal to the second terminal using short range communications technique.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the software subscriber identity module is communicated from the first terminal to the second terminal using cellular communications.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the database is located in a network.

17. The device having a software subscriber identity module, the device comprising:

a processor that execute programmed instructions; and

a store that maintains programmed instructions and a software subscriber identity module containing subscriber information for associating the device with a subscriber service, wherein the software subscriber identity module comprises a standard component and an active component.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the standard component is communicated to another terminal only when needed and the active component is communicated to said another terminal each time the user sets the said another terminal as active terminal.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the standard component is communicated if it doesn'"'"'t exist in another terminal.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the standard component is communicated if the standard component information in another terminal is not supported by the transferring terminal.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the programmed instructions comprise directions for communicating the software subscriber identity module to another device.

22. A system for associating subscriber identity information, the system comprising:

means for establishing a connection between a first terminal and a second terminal; and

means for communicating a software subscriber identity module from the first terminal to the second terminal, wherein the software subscriber identity module comprises a standard component and an active component, further wherein the standard component is communicated only when needed.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for synchronizing data in the first terminal with data in the second terminal.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for verifying user identity at the first terminal before the software subscriber identity module is communicated.

25. A module that protects software subscriber identity information, the module comprising:

subscriber information that associates a device with a subscriber service, wherein the software subscriber identity module comprises a standard component and an active component.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the subscriber information included in the standard component and the active component is encrypted.