METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING OPERATOR SPECIFIC PROFILES IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110314037A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Veerepalli, Sivaramakrishna, Sahu, Debesh Kumar, Santaella, Tomas Galvez
• Granted Patent: US 9,706,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate providing one or more profiles to an application executing on a device. The application can request one or more profiles, which can relate to an application type. The application type can be specified in the profile request, determined based on a profile indicated in the profile request, etc. Where the application type corresponds to an operator-specific application type, one or more operator identifiers in the profile request can be verified with one or more other operator identifiers in an identity module of the device. Where the operator identifiers match, the requested profile can be provided to the application. Where the operator identifiers do not match, an invalid profile, error code, etc. can be provided to the application. In this regard, operators can control utilization of specific profiles that can be defined by the operator.

Claims

1. A method for providing operator-specific profiles for utilization by one or more applications, comprising:

receiving a profile request from an application;

discerning that an application type related to the profile request corresponds to an operator-specific application type;

determining whether one or more operator identifiers specified in the profile request match one or more other operator identifiers stored in an identity module; and

providing a profile to the application in response to the profile request based at least in part on the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises providing the profile specified in the profile request to the application, and wherein the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers comprises determining that the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the profile comprises providing an invalid profile to the application, and wherein the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers comprises determining that the one or more operator identifiers do not match the one or more other operator identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the discerning that the application type corresponds to the operator-specific application type comprises determining that the application type is within a range of types related to operator-specific application types.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity module is a removable user identity module for an open market handset.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers comprises determining whether a first mobile country code (MCC) and a first mobile network code (MNC) specified in the profile request match a second MCC and a second MNC stored in the identity module.

7. At least one processor configured to provide operator-specific profiles for utilization by one or more applications, comprising:

a first module for receiving a profile request from an application;

a second module for discerning that an application type related to the profile request corresponds to an operator-specific application type;

a third module for determining whether one or more operator identifiers specified in the profile request match one or more other operator identifiers stored in an identity module; and

a fourth module for providing a profile to the application in response to the profile request based at least in part on the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

8. The at least one processor of claim 7, wherein the fourth module provides the profile specified in the profile request to the application, and wherein the third module determines that the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

9. The at least one processor of claim 7, wherein the fourth module provides an invalid profile to the application, and wherein the third module determines that the one or more operator identifiers do not match the one or more other operator identifiers.

10. The at least one processor of claim 7, wherein the second module discerns that the application type corresponds to the operator-specific application type based at least in part on determining that the application type is within a range of types related to operator-specific application types.

11. The at least one processor of claim 7, wherein the identity module is a removable user identity module for an open market handset.

12. The at least one processor of claim 7, wherein the one or more operator identifiers comprise a mobile country code (MCC) and mobile network code (MNC) specified in the profile request, and the one or more other operator identifiers comprise another MCC and MNC stored in the identity module.

13. An apparatus for providing operator-specific profiles for utilization by one or more applications, comprising:

means for receiving a profile request from an application;

means for discerning that an application type related to the profile request corresponds to an operator-specific application type;

means for determining whether one or more operator identifiers specified in the profile request match one or more other operator identifiers stored in an identity module; and

means for providing a profile to the application in response to the profile request based at least in part on the means for determining determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

14. A computer program product for providing operator-specific profiles for utilization by one or more applications, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a profile request from an application;

code for causing the at least one computer to discern that an application type related to the profile request corresponds to an operator-specific application type;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether one or more operator identifiers specified in the profile request match one or more other operator identifiers stored in an identity module; and

code for causing the at least one computer to communicate a profile to the application in response to the profile request based at least in part on whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

15. An apparatus for providing operator-specific profiles for utilization by one or more applications, comprising:

a profile request receiving component for obtaining a profile request from an application;

an application type determining component for discerning that an application type related to the profile request corresponds to an operator-specific application type;

an operator verifying component for determining whether one or more operator identifiers specified in the profile request match one or more other operator identifiers stored in an identity module; and

a profile providing component for communicating a profile to the application in response to the profile request based at least in part on the determining whether the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the profile providing component communicates the profile specified in the profile request to the application, and the operator verifying component determines that the one or more operator identifiers match the one or more other operator identifiers.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the profile providing component communicates an invalid profile to the application, and the operator verifying component determines that the one or more operator identifiers do not match the one or more other operator identifiers.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the application type determining component discerns that the application type is within a range of types related to operator-specific application types.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identity module is a removable user identity module for an open market handset.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more operator identifiers comprise a mobile country code (MCC) and mobile network code (MNC) specified in the profile request, and the one or more other operator identifiers comprise another MCC and MNC stored in the identity module.