METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING VIRTUAL SIM SERVICE CONTRACTS WHEN ROAMING
First Claim
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1. A method for supporting a wireless communication call on a mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts, comprising:
- determining whether the mobile device is currently roaming;
determining whether the mobile device is currently conducting a wireless communication call;
identifying one of the plurality of service contracts that is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device if the mobile device is currently roaming and not currently conducting a wireless communication call;
retrieving provisioning data corresponding to the identified one of the plurality of service contracts; and
establishing a communication link to the home system using the retrieved provisioning data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method store provisioning data supporting a plurality of service providers in a VSIM internal memory unit of a mobile device. The mobile device may automatically enable provisioning data supporting one of the plurality of service providers stored in the VSIM internal memory unit to conduct a wireless communication so as to avoid roaming fees.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for supporting a wireless communication call on a mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts, comprising:
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determining whether the mobile device is currently roaming; determining whether the mobile device is currently conducting a wireless communication call; identifying one of the plurality of service contracts that is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device if the mobile device is currently roaming and not currently conducting a wireless communication call; retrieving provisioning data corresponding to the identified one of the plurality of service contracts; and establishing a communication link to the home system using the retrieved provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for supporting a wireless communication call on a mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts, comprising:
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receiving at a remote server data indicating a current location of the mobile device; determining an optimal service contract for use by the mobile device in the current location; determining whether the provisioning data for the optimal service contract is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit; and transmitting a VSIM switch instruction to the mobile device to enable the provisioning data associated with the optimal service contract if it is determined that the provisioning data for the optimal service is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A mobile device comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of service contracts; means for determining whether the mobile device is currently roaming; means for determining whether the mobile device is currently conducting a wireless communication call; means for identifying one of the plurality of service contracts that is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device if the mobile device is currently roaming and not currently conducting a wireless communication call; means for retrieving provisioning data corresponding to the identified one of the plurality of service contracts; and means for establishing a communication link to the home system using the retrieved provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising:
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means for receiving from the remote server a download instruction to download provisioning data corresponding to a service contract whose provisioning data is supported by the home system currently available to the mobile device; and means for downloading the provisioning data of the service contract whose provisioning data is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device.
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12. A remote server, comprising:
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means for receiving data indicating a current location of a mobile device, wherein said mobile device has a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts; means for determining an optimal service contract for use by the mobile device in its current location; means for determining whether provisioning data for the optimal service contract is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device; and means for transmitting a VSIM switch instruction to the mobile device to enable the provisioning data associated with the optimal service contract on the mobile device if it is determined that the provisioning data for the optimal service is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device.
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- 13. The remote server of claim 13, further comprising means for downloading provisioning data for the optimal service contract to the mobile device if the provisioning data for the optimal service contract is not stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device.
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15. A mobile device, comprising:
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a processor; an internal memory unit coupled to the processor, the internal memory unit having stored thereon provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts within a VSIM memory unit; and a wireless communication transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising; determining whether the mobile device is currently roaming; determining whether the mobile device is currently conducting a wireless communication call; identifying one of the plurality of service contracts stored on the VSIM memory unit that is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device if the mobile device is currently roaming and not currently conducting a wireless communication call; retrieving provisioning data corresponding to the identified one of the plurality of service contracts from the VSIM memory unit; and establishing a communication link via the wireless communication transceiver to the home system using the retrieved provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A remote server comprising:
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a server processor; an server internal memory unit coupled to the server processor; and a server wireless communication transceiver coupled to the server processor, wherein the server processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising; receiving data indicating a current location of a mobile device, wherein said mobile device has a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts; determining an optimal service contract for use by the mobile device in its current location; determining whether provisioning data for the optimal service contract is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device; and transmitting a VSIM switch instruction to the mobile device to enable the provisioning data associated with the optimal service contract on the mobile device if it is determined that the provisioning data for the optimal service is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:
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determining whether a mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contract is currently roaming; determining whether the mobile device is currently conducting a wireless communication call; identifying one of the plurality of service contracts that is supported by a home system currently available to the mobile device if the mobile device is currently roaming and not currently conducting a wireless communication call; retrieving provisioning data corresponding to the identified one of the plurality of service contracts; and establishing a communication link to the home system using the retrieved provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon server processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a server processor to perform steps comprising:
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receiving at a remote server data indicating a current location of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contract is currently roaming; determining an optimal service contract for use by the mobile device in the current location; determining whether the provisioning data for the optimal service contract is stored in the VSIM internal memory unit; and transmitting a VSIM switch instruction to the mobile device to enable the provisioning data associated with the optimal service contract. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification