METHOD, APPARATUS AND ARTICLE TO REMOTELY ASSOCIATE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES WITH SUBSCRIBER IDENTITIES AND/OR PROXY WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:
- a first subscriber identity module bank that is a discrete component remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;
a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank discretely and remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated first subscriber identity module bank;
a second subscriber identity module bank that is a further discrete component remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules; and
a second subscriber identity module server associated with the second subscriber identity module bank discretely and remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated second subscriber identity module bank, wherein each of the first and the second subscriber identity servers includes a respective computer-readable media storing computer accessible address information for subscriber identity modules received in each of the first and the second subscriber identity module banks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods provide remote access to subscriber identity information and subscriber configuration information stored on one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), to allow remote configuration of wireless communications devices. A SIM server provides access to the SIMs, a SIM librarian catalogs the SIMs, and a SIM accounting system tracks and/bills for SIM usage. Apparatus and methods provide remote access to proxy wireless communications devices, allowing such devices to operate as if actually present in the remote locations.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:
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a first subscriber identity module bank that is a discrete component remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;
a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank discretely and remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated first subscriber identity module bank;
a second subscriber identity module bank that is a further discrete component remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules; and
a second subscriber identity module server associated with the second subscriber identity module bank discretely and remotely located from the wireless telecommunications device and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated second subscriber identity module bank, wherein each of the first and the second subscriber identity servers includes a respective computer-readable media storing computer accessible address information for subscriber identity modules received in each of the first and the second subscriber identity module banks.
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2. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:
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receiving a first request from a controller which is remote to a first subscriber identity module and remote to the wireless communications device, wherein the first subscriber identity module is physically present at a subscriber identity module bank which is located at a fixed location remote to the wireless communications device;
after receiving the first request, determining the first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request; and
automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module physically present at the subscriber identity module bank to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module physically present at the subscriber identity module bank, wherein the subscriber identity information conforms to a wireless service protocol. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of remotely associating wireless communications clients with subscriber identities, comprising:
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receiving a first request from a wireless communications client;
determining whether the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization; and
automatically providing a first set of subscriber identity information from a first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request to the requesting wireless communications client over a communications path if the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization where the first subscriber identity module is physically present at a subscriber identity module bank and the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module, and denying access to the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the requesting wireless communications client if the received first request does not include a sufficient indication of authorization. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of remotely associating wireless communications clients with subscriber identities, comprising:
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receiving a first request from a wireless communications client;
determining whether the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization;
automatically providing a first set of subscriber identity information from a first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request to the requesting wireless communications client over a communications path if the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module, and denying access to the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the requesting wireless communications client if the received first request does not include a sufficient indication of authorization; and
wherein determining whether the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization includes at least one of verifying an authorization level contained within the request, verifying a password contained within the request, and verifying an indication of origin corresponding to a network address from which the configuration request originated.
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12. A method to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, comprising:
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receiving a request for at least one of a number of subscriber identity modules physically located at a subscriber identity module bank that is remotely located from the wireless communications devices;
after receiving the request, determining the requested one of the subscriber identity modules corresponding to the request; and
responding to the request by providing a unique set of subscriber identity information based at least in part on an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier encoded in the requested one of the subscriber identity modules physically located at the subscriber identity module bank remotely located from the wireless telecommunications devices over a communications link different from a cellular communications link used by the wireless telecommunications devices for cellular communications with a destination device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method to remotely operate wireless communications devices, comprising:
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receiving a request for at least one of a number of subscriber identity modules remotely located from the wireless communications devices;
responding to the request by providing a unique set of subscriber identity information based at least in part on an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier encoded in the requested one of the subscriber identity modules remotely located from the wireless communications devices over a communications link different from a cellular communications link used by the wireless communications devices for cellular communications with a destination device; and
wherein the wireless communications devices include a first remote test platform having at least two wireless telecommunications devices each having at least one subscriber identification module interface, and wherein providing a unique set of subscriber identity information from the requested one of the subscriber identity modules includes providing a unique set of subscriber identity information to the subscriber identification interface of one of the wireless telecommunications devices via at least one universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, comprising:
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receiving a first request for at least one of a number of subscriber identity modules remotely located from the wireless communications devices;
responding to the first request by providing a first unique set of subscriber identity information based at least in part on an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier encoded in the requested one of the subscriber identity modules remotely located from the wireless communications devices over a communications link different from a cellular communications link used by the wireless communications devices for cellular communications with a destination device;
receiving a second request for at least one of a number of subscriber identity modules;
after receiving the second request, determining the requested second one of the subscriber identity modules corresponding to the second request; and
responding to the second request by providing a second unique set of subscriber identity information based at least in part on an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier encoded in the requested second one of the subscriber identity modules to a first wireless telecommunications device of a first remote wireless communications client over a communications link different from the cellular communications link used by the wireless communications devices for cellular communications with a destination device.
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Specification