Mobile Communication Device with Subscriber Identity Module

• US 20120115542A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason Tyler, Pattenden, Christopher, Lazaridis, Mihal
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of directing calls on a mobile communication device comprises receiving a call signal at the mobile communication device from a short-range enabled communication device operably connected with the mobile communication device, accessing subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device, preparing an outgoing call signal using the accessed subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device, establishing a communication session between the short-range enabled communication device and a network, and transmitting the outgoing call signal to the network.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a communication subsystem operable to communicate with a wireless network;

a short-range communication subsystem operable to communicate with a short-range enabled communication device having a subscriber identity module; and

a manager component operable to access data from the subscriber identity module of the short-range enabled communication device and facilitate a communication session between the wireless network and the short-range enabled communication device using the communication subsystem, short-range communication subsystem, and accessed data from the subscriber identity module of the short-range enabled communication device.

2. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber identity module comprises one of a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), and a Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM).

3. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a subscriber identity module directly associated therewith.

4. The mobile communication device according to claim 3 wherein the communication subsystem comprises a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver adapted for communication associated with the subscriber identity module of the mobile communication device and a second radio RF transceiver adapted for communication associated with the subscriber identity module of the short-range enabled communication device.

5. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the manager component is associated with a processor adapted to initiate and maintain a subscriber identity module access session between the mobile communication device and the short-range enabled communication device.

6. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the communication subsystem is configured to operate with one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, and a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) network.

7. A short-range enabled communication device comprising:

a subscriber identity module for identifying a subscriber of the short-range enabled communication device to a wireless network;

a short-range communication subsystem operable to communicate with a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device having transceiver circuitry for communication with the wireless network; and

a processor component adapted to facilitate a subscriber identity module access session between the mobile communication device and the short-range enabled communication device for extraction of data from the subscriber identity module of the short-range enabled communication device during a communication session with the wireless network.

8. A method of directing calls on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a call at the mobile communication device;

determining that the received call is directed to subscriber identity information associated with a short-range enabled communication device;

selecting on which of the mobile communication device and the short-range enabled device to answer the call; and

directing the call to the selected device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting on which of the mobile communication device and the short-range enabled device to answer the call further comprises receiving an input from a user of the mobile communication device.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the input directs the call to the short-range enabled communication device.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the input results in the call answered directly on the mobile communication device.

12. The method according to claim 8 wherein the call comprises a circuit-switched call and the subscriber identity information is associated with an E.164 telephone number.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the call comprises a packet-switched call and the subscriber identity information is associated with a uniform resource identifier.

14. The method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying information regarding a calling party and a called party for the received call on a display of the mobile communication device.

15. A method of directing calls on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a call signal at the mobile communication device from a short-range enabled communication device operably connected with the mobile communication device;

accessing subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device;

preparing an outgoing call signal using the accessed subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device;

establishing a communication session between the short-range enabled communication device and a network; and

transmitting the outgoing call signal to the network.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the call signal is received via a short-range radio communication signal.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein accessing subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device comprises the mobile communication device initiating a subscriber identity module access session with the short-range enabled communication device.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the call signal comprises a circuit-switched call signal and the subscriber identity module data comprises an E.164 telephone number.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein the call signal comprises a packet-switched call signal and the subscriber identity module data comprises a uniform resource identifier.

20. A method of directing calls on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

accessing subscriber identity module data of a short-range enabled communication device operably connected with the mobile communication device;

originating a call signal at the mobile communication device using the accessed subscriber identity module data of the short-range enabled communication device; and

transmitting the outgoing call signal to a network.