MULTI-SIM STATUS UPDATE SYSTEM

• US 20120172011A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Sudhendra K., Naidu Babbadi, Venkata A., Pattanayak, Uttam
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure

Abstract

A particular method includes processing a call connection between a user equipment (UE) device and a first network. The UE device is coupled to or includes at least a first subscriber identity module (SIM) that is associated with the first network and a second SIM that is associated with a second network. The method includes sending a status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM. The status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

processing a call connection between a user equipment (UE) device and a first network associated with a first subscriber identity module (SIM); and

sending a status update message to a second network associated with a second SIM of the UE device, wherein the status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the busy status message is different from an unreachable status message provided by the second network when the UE device is not reachable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of a request to initiate an outgoing call from the UE device to the first network associated with the first SIM, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to initiation of the outgoing call.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the outgoing call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the outgoing call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of a notification of an incoming call from the first network associated with the first SIM, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to receipt of the incoming call.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the incoming call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the incoming call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the status update message is communicated using one of a supplementary service and a short messaging service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the status update message includes one of an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message and a short messaging service (SMS) message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, after sending the status update message, the UE device does not receive a paging message from the second network in response to the second network receiving the call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a first subscriber identity module (SIM) interface to receive a first SIM;

a second SIM interface to receive a second SIM; and

call processing logic to;

process a call connection between the apparatus and a first network associated with the first SIM; and

send a status update message to a second network associated with the second SIM, wherein the status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the call processing logic processes the call connection in response to receipt of a request to initiate an outgoing call from the apparatus to the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the status update message is sent prior to initiation of the outgoing call, wherein the call processing logic sends a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the outgoing call, and wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the outgoing call.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the status update message includes a first unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message, and wherein the second status update message includes a second USSD message.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the call processing logic processes the call connection in response to receipt of a notification of an incoming call from the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the status update message is sent prior to receipt of the incoming call, wherein the call processing logic sends a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the incoming call, and wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the incoming call.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the status update message includes a first unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message, and wherein the second status update message includes a second USSD message.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

means for interfacing with a first subscriber identity module (SIM);

means for interfacing with a second SIM;

means for processing a call connection between the apparatus and a first network associated with the first SIM; and

means for sending a status update message to a second network associated with the second SIM, wherein the status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to initiate an outgoing call from the apparatus to the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of the request to initiate the outgoing call, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to initiation of the outgoing call; and

means for sending a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the outgoing call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the outgoing call.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a notification of an incoming call from the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of the notification of the incoming call, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to receipt of the incoming call; and

means for sending a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the incoming call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the incoming call.

18. A computer readable tangible medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

process a call connection between an apparatus and a first network associated with a first subscriber identity module (SIM); and

send a status update message to a second network associated with a second SIM of the apparatus, wherein the status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.

19. The computer readable tangible medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request to initiate an outgoing call from the apparatus to the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of the request to initiate the outgoing call, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to initiation of the outgoing call; and

send a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the outgoing call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the outgoing call.

20. The computer readable tangible medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a notification of an incoming call from the first network associated with the first SIM, wherein the call connection is processed in response to receipt of the notification of the incoming call, and wherein the status update message is sent to the second network associated with the second SIM prior to receipt of the incoming call; and

send a second status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM in response to termination of the incoming call, wherein the second status update message informs the second network of the termination of the incoming call.