Retention of old mobile number on sim card replacement

• US 20060063564A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axalto S A
• Original Assignee: Axalto S A
• Inventors: Sharma, Vineet
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

A method for managing phone numbers attribution after replacement of a first portable object (SCA) by a second portable object (SCB), the first portable object (SCA) being coupled to a communication device (CD) arranged to communicate with a network, the first portable object (SCA) including a first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) identifying a first phone number (MSISDN_A). The method includes sending a message that includes a second identification data identifying a second phone number (MSISDNB) assigned to the second portable object (SCB) to an application server (AS); inserting the second portable object (SCB) into the communication device (CD), and subsequently sending a message (M2) for replacing, in the second portable object (SCB), the second identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) with the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A).

Claims

1. A method for managing phone numbers attribution after replacement of a first portable object (SCA) by a second portable object (SCB), the first portable object (SCA) being coupled to a communication device (CD) arranged to communicate with a network, the first portable object (SCA) comprising a first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) identifying a first phone number (MSISDNA), wherein the method comprises the following steps:

a first sending step, in which the communication device (CD) sends to an application server (AS) a message including a second identification data identifying a second phone number (MSISDNB) assigned to the second portable object (SCB);

an inserting step, in which the second portable object (SCB) is inserted in the communication device (CD), the second portable object (SCB) comprising a second identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) identifying the second phone number (MSISDN_B); and

a second sending step, in which an application server (AS) sends a message (M2) for replacing, in the second portable object (SCB), the second identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) by the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) attached to the first phone number (MSISDN_A);

.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a using step, in which a user uses the second portable object (SCB) with the first phone number (MSISDN_A).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the first sending step, the application server (AS) sends a secure message (step 3) for deleting, in the first portable object (SCA), the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the secure message (M3) is encrypted, the encryption being performed by using an encryption key attached to the portable object (SCA), and by using an algorithm that resides both on the Application Server (AS), and on the portable object (SCA).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the second sending step, the application server (AS) sends a secure message.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the secure message is encrypted, the encryption being performed by using an encryption key attached to the second portable object (SCB), and by using an algorithm that resides both on the Application Server (AS), and on the second portable object (SCB).

7. The method according to claim 2, herein in the using step, the communication device (CD) communicates with the network using the second portable object (SCB), the first phone number (MSISDN_A,) and the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A).

8. An application server (AS) arranged to communicate with a communication device (CD), the communication device (CD) being coupled to a first portable object (SCA), the first portable object comprising a first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) identifying a first phone number (MSISDN_A), the application server storing the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) wherein the application server comprises a computer program arranged to perform the following steps:

a. a receiving step, in which the application server receives from the communication device, a message including second identifying data identifying a second phone number (MSISDNB) assigned to a second portable object (SCB); and

, after the second portable object has been coupled to the communication device; and

b. a sending step, in which the application server (AS) sends, a message (M2) for replacing, in the second portable object (SCB), the second identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) by the first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A).

9. A portable object (SCB) comprising first identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) identifying a first a phone number (MSISDN_B), the portable object being arranged to be coupled to a communication device (CD), the communication device (CD) being arranged to communicate with an application server via a communication network, the application server storing second identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_B) identifying a second phone number (MSISDN_A), wherein the portable object comprises a microcontroller including a program arranged to perform a receiving step in which the microcontroller is arranged to receive a request from the application server for replacing the first identification data (IMSI_B, ADM_B, Ki_B) by the second identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A).

10. A communication device (CD) being arranged to be coupled to a first portable object (SCA), the communication device (CD) being arranged to communicate with an application server via a communication network, the portable object (SCA) comprising first identification data (IMSI_A, ADM_A, Ki_A) identifying a first phone number (MSISDN_A), wherein the communication device (CD) is arranged to send to the application server a message comprising a second identifying data identifying a second phone number (MSISDNB) assigned to a second portable object (SCB).