SIM Lock For Multi-SIM Environment

• US 20120289197A1
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Holtmanns, Silke, Lindholm, Rune
• Granted Patent: US 9,198,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/48 using secure binding, e.g. securely binding identity modules to devices, services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

An apparatus with a memory and computer program code configured, with a processor, to start an application; to read a file from a first subscriber module and to determine if there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module; in response to determining that there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module executing the application; otherwise if it is determined that there is not an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module, to determine if there is an active subscriber module lock of a second subscriber module and continuing until an active subscriber module lock of another subscriber module is determined, and then executing the application using that subscriber module having the active subscriber module lock, otherwise terminating the method without executing the application if no active subscriber module lock of any other subscriber module is determined to be present.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

starting an application in a wireless communication device;

reading a file from a first subscriber module and determining if there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module;

if it is determined that there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module then executing the application using the first subscriber module;

else, if it is determined that there is not an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module, then determining if there is an active subscriber module lock of a second subscriber module and continuing until an active subscriber module lock of another subscriber module is determined, and then executing the application using that subscriber module having the active subscriber module lock, otherwise terminating the method without executing the application if no active subscriber module lock of any other subscriber module is determined to be present.

2. The method as in claim 1, where reading a file is performed after receiving a personal identification number of a user of the wireless communication device.

3. The method as in claim 1, where the file is comprised of an elementary file.

4. The method of claim 1, where if it is determined that there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module, further comprising checking for a presence of an associated valid flag, and executing the application using the first subscriber module only if the associated valid flag is found.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising removing an active subscriber module lock in response to authenticating a received unlocking message.

6. The method as in claim 5, where authenticating the received unlocking message comprises use of a certificate and a shared secret.

7. The method as in claim 1, where the subscriber module is one of a subscriber identity module, a universal subscriber identity module, an international subscriber identity module, or a code division multiple access subscriber identity module.

8. The method as in claim 1, where at least the first subscriber module and the second subscriber module are contained within one secure module that is coupled with the wireless communication device.

9. The method as in claim 1, where the method is executed at least partially in cooperation with a subscription server that is external to the wireless communication device.

10. The method as in claim 9, where the subscription server operates to enforce an operator'"'"'s policy with respect to a subscription lock.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that contains software program instructions, where execution of the software program instructions by at least one data processor results in performance of operations that comprise execution of the method of claim 1.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor and a memory including computer program code, where the memory and computer program code are configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus at least to start an application in a wireless communication device;

to read a file from a first subscriber module and to determine if there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module;

in response to determining that there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module executing the application using the first subscriber module;

otherwise if it is determined that there is not an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module, to determine if there is an active subscriber module lock of a second subscriber module and continuing until an active subscriber module lock of another subscriber module is determined, and then using executing the application using that subscriber module having the active subscriber module lock, otherwise terminating the method without executing the application if no active subscriber module lock of any other subscriber module is determined to be present.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, where the memory and computer program code are further configured, with the processor, to read the file in response to receiving a personal identification number of a user of the wireless communication device.

14. The apparatus as in claim 12, where the file is comprised of an elementary file.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, where the memory and computer program code are further configured, with the processor, if it is determined that there is an active subscriber module lock of the first subscriber module, to check for a presence of an associated valid flag, and to execute the application using the first subscriber module only if the associated valid flag is found.

16. The apparatus as in claim 12, where the memory and computer program code are further configured, with the processor, to remove an active subscriber module lock in response to authenticating a received unlocking message.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16, where authenticating the received unlocking message comprises use of a certificate and a shared secret.

18. The apparatus as in claim 12, where the subscriber module is one of a subscriber identity module, a universal subscriber identity module, an international subscriber identity module, or a code division multiple access subscriber identity module.

19. The apparatus as in claim 12, where at least the first subscriber module and the second subscriber module are contained within one secure module that is coupled with the wireless communication device.

20. The apparatus as in claim 12, where the memory and computer program code are further configured, with the processor, to operate at least partially in cooperation with a subscription server that is external to the wireless communication device.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20, where the subscription server operates to enforce an operator'"'"'s policy with respect to a subscription lock.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

means for starting a telecommunication application;

means for reading an EF_IMSI file from a first USIM and validating a presence of a SIM Lock of the first USIM;

means, responsive to finding an active SIM Lock, for using use the first USIM; and

means, responsive to no active SIM Lock being found, for determining if there is another USIM to check and if there is then the means for reading is activated to examine a next USIM.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means, responsive to it being determined that there is an active SIM Lock of the first USIM, for checking for a presence of an associated valid flag, and for executing the telecommunication application using the first USIM only if the associated valid flag is found.

24. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising means for removing an active SIM Lock in response to authenticating a received unlocking message.

25. The apparatus as in claim 22, where there are a plurality of USIMs each contained in a separate physical entity, or where there are a plurality of USIMs each contained in a single physical entity.

26. The apparatus as in claim 22, configured to operate at least partially in cooperation with a subscription server that is external to the apparatus, where the subscription server functions to enforce an operator'"'"'s policy with respect to a subscription lock.