GENERIC IDENTITY MODULE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

• US 20090191918A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: MARDIKS, Eitan
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

An identity module includes a memory and a processor. In the memory are stored installation code for installing in the memory a provider profile that associates the identity module with a communication services provider and communication code that, in combination with the provider profile, supports communication by a host of the identity module using services of the communication services provider. The processor executes the installation code to install the provider profile and then executes the communication code in support of the communication. Preferably, no portion of any such communication suite is stored initially in the identity module. The host requests the provider profile from a server that includes a communication interface for communicating with the host, a memory wherein is stored code for providing to the host a customization suite that includes substantially all of the provider profile, and a processor for executing the code.

Claims

1. An identity module comprising:

(a) a memory wherein is stored;

(i) executable installation code for installing, in the memory, a provider profile that associates the identity module with a communication services provider, and

(ii) executable communication code that, in combination with the provider profile, supports communication, by a host to which the identity module is operationally coupled, using communication services provided by the communication services provider; and

(b) a processor for executing the executable installation code to install the provider profile in the memory and for then executing the executable communication code for communication using the communication services provided by the communication services provider.

2. The identity module of claim 1, wherein no portion of any such provider profile is stored initially in the identity module.

3. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory also has stored therein:

(iii) executable solicitation code for requesting the provider profile.

4. The identity module of claim 3, wherein the executable solicitation code is adapted to be executed by the processor.

5. The identity module of claim 3, wherein said executable solicitation code includes executable code for establishing a secure channel for communicating with a provider of the provider profile.

6. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory is nonvolatile.

7. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the executable installation code includes executable code for substituting, for a first provider profile that associates the identity module with a first communication services provider and that is already installed in the memory, a second provider profile that associates the identity module with a second communication services provider.

8. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the executable installation code includes executable code for installing in the memory, in addition to a first provider profile that associates the identity module with a first communication services provider and that is already installed in the memory, a second provider profile that associates the identity module with a second communication services provider.

9. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory also has stored therein:

(iii) executable deletion code for removing the provider profile from the memory.

10. A server comprising:

(a) a communication interface for communicating with a host that is operationally coupled to an identity module that, when provided with a provider profile that associates the identity module with a communication services provider, supports communication services provided by the communication services provider;

(b) a memory wherein is stored executable installation code for providing, to the host, a customization suite that includes substantially all of the provider profile; and

(c) a processor for executing the executable installation code.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the communication interface is an interface to a telecommunication network.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the telecommunication network is a cellular telephony network.

13. The server of claim 11, wherein the telecommunication network is an internetwork.

14. The server of claim 10, wherein the executable installation code is for providing the communication suite to the host contingent on satisfaction of a condition.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the condition is validation of credentials of an entity requesting the customization suite.

16. The server of claim 10, wherein the memory also has stored therein executable solicitation code for establishing a secure channel to the host for providing the customization suite to the host.