Subscriber Identity Module Provisioning

• US 20120196569A1
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Holtmanns, Silke, Richarme, Marc, Kumpf, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,246,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

The exemplary embodiments of the invention include inputting, at a device, a voucher having a plurality of data fields, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device, sending at least some of the voucher data fields to a network operator, based on the sent information, receiving a software based subscriber identity module, and using the software based subscriber identity module to authenticate the device. Further, the exemplary embodiments include receiving a voucher having a plurality of data fields from a device, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device, in response to the voucher code, sending to the device a request for additional information, in response to the request, receiving an additional data field of the voucher and a security identifier of the device, and based on validating the additional information using the security identifier, sending a software based subscriber identity module to the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

inputting, at a device, a voucher having a plurality of data fields, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device;

sending at least some of the voucher data fields to a network operator;

based on the sent information, receiving a software based subscriber identity module; and

using the software based subscriber identity module to authenticate the device.

2. The method according to claim 1, where the software based subscriber identity module provides an international mobile subscriber identity for the device.

3. The method according to claim 1, where the data fields of the voucher comprise a mobile country code, a mobile network code, and a first prepaid code.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for additional information; and

sending a response with the additional information, where the response is encrypted using a public key certificate for the device.

5. The method according to claim 4, where the additional information is a second prepaid code that comprises one of the voucher data fields.

9. The method according to claim 1, where the network operator is a visiting network operator, where the software based subscriber identity module is received from a home network of the device, and where communication between the device and the home network for the software based subscriber identity module is via the visiting network operator.

10. A computer readable memory encoded with computer program code, the computer program code executed by at least one processor to perform the method according to claim 1.

6-8. -8. (canceled)

11-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least;

input, at a device, a voucher having a plurality of data fields, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device;

send at least some of the voucher data fields to a network operator;

based on the sent information, receive a software based subscriber identity module; and

use the software based subscriber identity module to authenticate the device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, where the software based subscriber identity module provides an international mobile subscriber identity for the device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, where the data fields of the voucher comprise a mobile country code, a mobile network code, and a first prepaid code.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, where the at least one memory including the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive a request for additional information; and

send a response with the additional information, where the response is encrypted using a public key certificate for the device.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, where the additional information is a second prepaid code that comprises one of the voucher data fields.

25. The apparatus according to claim 17, where the network operator is a visiting network operator, where the software based subscriber identity module is received from a home network of the device, and where communication between the device and the home network for the software based subscriber identity module is via the visiting network operator.

22-24. -24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method comprising:

receiving a voucher having a plurality of data fields from a device, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device;

in response to the voucher code, sending to the device a request for additional information;

in response to the request, receiving an additional data field of the voucher and a security identifier of the device; and

based on validating the additional information using the security identifier, sending a software based subscriber identity module to the device.

29. The method according to claim 28, where the voucher comprises a mobile country code, a mobile network code, and a first prepaid code.

30. The method according to claim 28, where the security identifier is a public key certificate for the device, where the additional information is encrypted using the public key certificate, and where validating comprises decrypting the additional information with the public key certificate for the device.

34. The method according to claim 28, where the voucher is received at a home network via visiting network operator to which the device is connected, and where communication between the home network for the software based subscriber identity module is via the visiting network operator.

35. A computer readable memory encoded with computer program code, the computer program code executed by at least one processor to perform the method according to claim 28.

31-33. -33. (canceled)

36-41. -41. (canceled)

42. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least;

receive a voucher having a plurality of data fields from a device, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device;

in response to the voucher code, sending to the device a request for additional information;

in response to the request, receiving an additional data field of the voucher and a security identifier of the device; and

based on validating the additional information using the security identifier, of sending a software based subscriber identity module to the device.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, where the voucher comprises a mobile country code, a mobile network code, and a first prepaid code.

44. The apparatus according to claim 42, where the security identifier is a public key certificate for the device, where the additional information is encrypted using the public key certificate, and where validating comprises decrypting the additional information with the public key certificate for the device.

48. The apparatus according to claim 42, where the voucher is received at a home network via visiting network operator to which the device is connected, and where communication between the home network for the software based subscriber identity module is via the visiting network operator.

45-47. -47. (canceled)

49-50. -50. (canceled)