Use, provision, customization and billing of services for mobile users through distinct electronic apparatuses

• US 20100029200A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Marcelli, Maurizio, Alessio, Elisa, Turolla, Maura, Mangiabene, Simonetta, Varriale, Antonio
• Granted Patent: US 9,332,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An office electronic apparatus is associated to an apparatus card and is able to use or provide a service by means of identification information; the identification information allows billing of the use or provision of the service. A mobile telephone terminal is associated to a subscriber card storing subscriber identification information. According to the method of the present invention, at least the subscriber identification information and preferably also subscriber authentication information are transferred from the mobile telephone terminal to an office electronic apparatus when the said mobile telephone terminal is in proximity of the office electronic apparatus, the transferred information is stored into the apparatus card of the office electronic apparatus, and the service is autonomously used or provided by the office electronic apparatus by means of the transferred information.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method of using communication services comprising the steps of:

A) providing an electronic apparatus associated with an apparatus card and capable of being adapted to use a communication service by means of identification information;

B) providing a mobile telephone terminal;

C) associating a subscriber card storing subscriber identification information to said mobile telephone terminal;

D) transferring at least said subscriber identification information from said subscriber card to said apparatus card when said mobile telephone terminal is in proximity of said electronic apparatus;

E) storing said transferred information in said apparatus card; and

F) using said communication service by means of said transferred information.

37. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of:

G) providing said electronic apparatus with a radio proximity detector associated with a radio coverage space and capable of being adapted to detect a mobile telephone terminal when inside said radio coverage space.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein said subscriber card and said apparatus card each comprise a radio communication unit for communicating together.

39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

H) removing or disabling said transferred information when said mobile telephone terminal is out of proximity of said electronic apparatus.

40. The method according to claim 35, wherein step D also provides for transferring subscriber authentication information.

41. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of:

transferring applications from said mobile telephone terminal to said electronic apparatus.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of:

L) storing said transferred applications in said electronic apparatus.

43. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of:

M) transferring application commands from said mobile telephone terminal to said electronic apparatus.

44. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

N) transferring applications from said electronic apparatus to said mobile telephone terminal; and

O) storing said transferred applications into said mobile telephone terminal.

36. A method of providing services comprising the steps of:

A) providing an electronic apparatus associated with an apparatus card and capable of being adapted to provide a service by means of identification information;

B) providing a mobile telephone terminal;

C) associating a subscriber card storing subscriber identification information to said mobile telephone terminal;

D) transferring at least said subscriber identification information from said subscriber card to said apparatus card when said mobile telephone terminal is in proximity of said electronic apparatus;

E) storing said transferred information in said apparatus card; and

F) providing said service by means of said transferred information.

45. A smart card for communications capable of being adapted to be associated with a local electronic apparatus storing subscriber identification information and comprising a configuration block capable of being adapted to transmit said stored subscriber identification information to a smart card associated with a remote electronic apparatus, said transmitted information capable of being adapted and sufficient to be used by said remote electronic apparatus for providing a service autonomously with respect to the smart card of said local electronic apparatus.

46. The smart card according to claim 45, wherein said configuration block is also capable of being adapted to transmit subscriber authentication information and/or subscriber rights information and/or subscriber credit information and/or subscriber preferences information to said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

47. The smart card according to claim 45, comprising a programming block capable of being adapted to transmit applications to said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

48. The smart card according to claim 45, comprising a controlling block capable of being adapted to transmit application commands to said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

49. The smart card according to claim 45, comprising a radio communication unit for communicating with a remote electronic apparatus.

55. The smart card comprising the features of claim 45, and capable of being adapted to be associated with a local electronic apparatus in order to provide a service, comprising a configuration block capable of being adapted to receive and store subscriber identification information from a smart card associated with a remote electronic apparatus, and capable of being adapted to use said received information for providing said service autonomously with respect to said smart card associated with said remote electronic apparatus, and having at least two operation modes, a first operation mode using subscriber identification information pre-stored locally and a second operation mode using subscriber identification information received remotely.

50. A smart card for communications capable of being adapted to be associated with a local electronic apparatus in order to provide a service, comprising a configuration block capable of being adapted to receive and store subscriber identification information from a smart card associated with a remote electronic apparatus, and capable of being adapted to use said received information for providing said service autonomously with respect to said smart card associated with said remote electronic apparatus.

51. The smart card according to claim 50, wherein said configuration block is also capable of being adapted to receive subscriber authentication information and/or subscriber rights information and/or subscriber credit information and/or subscriber preferences information from said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

52. The smart card according to claim 50, comprising a programming block capable of being adapted to receive applications from said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

53. The smart card according to claim 50, comprising a controlling block capable of being adapted to receive application commands from said smart card of said remote electronic apparatus.

54. The smart card according to claim 52, capable of being adapted to transfer said received applications and/or received commands to said associated local electronic apparatus.