MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR MULTIPLE ACCESS CONTROL ENTITIES

• US 20160044495A1
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: SCHELL, Stephan V., HAGGERTY, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,200,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for managing multiple user access control entities or clients. For example, in one embodiment, a “wallet” of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) may be stored and used at a user device and/or distributed to other devices for use thereon. In another embodiment, a networked server may store and distribute eSIM to a plurality of user devices in communication therewith. A database of available eSIM is maintained at the wallet entity and/or at the network which enables request for a particular eSIM to be processed and various rules for the distribution thereof to be implemented. Security precautions are implemented to protect both user and network carrier specific data as the data is transmitted between networked entities. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.

Claims

1. A method for transferring electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) between mobile devices, the method comprising:

at a server device configured to manage a plurality of eSIMs;

identifying a condition to provide an eSIM included in the plurality of eSIMs to a first mobile device;

referencing a usage status associated with the eSIM to identify whether the eSIM is being utilized by a second mobile device;

determining, in accordance with the usage status, that the eSIM is being utilized by the second mobile device;

prompting the second mobile device to return the eSIM to the server device;

when the second mobile device returns the eSIM to the server device;

providing the eSIM to the first mobile device, and

updating the usage status to reflect providing the eSIM to the first mobile device; and

when the second mobile device does not return the eSIM to the server device;

denying the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises:

receiving, from the first mobile device, a request to download the eSIM.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage status associated with the eSIM is stored in a database that is accessible to the server device, and the usage status indicates whether the eSIM is active or inactive.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the eSIM is inactive, the eSIM is stored at the server device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the eSIM is active, the usage status further indicates a particular mobile device on which the eSIM is active.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the database to reflect the usage status of the eSIM comprises:

updating a value of the usage status to indicate that the eSIM is active on the second mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the second mobile device to return the eSIM to the server device causes the second mobile device to display a prompt that enables a selection of:

returning the eSIM to the server device, or

refusing to return the eSIM to the server device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the second mobile device does not return the eSIM to the server device:

causing the first mobile device to display a message indicating that the eSIM is not available to be downloaded.

9. A mobile device, comprising:

a secure element configured to manage a plurality of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs); and

a processor configured to cause the mobile device to carry out steps that include;

receiving a first request to access a particular eSIM not included in the plurality of eSIMs, wherein the particular eSIM is stored at a different mobile device;

in response to the first request, issuing, to a server device that manages the mobile device and the different mobile device, a second request to obtain the particular eSIM from the different mobile device; and

when the server device indicates the particular eSIM is available;

downloading the particular eSIM from the server device; and

when the server device indicates the particular eSIM is not available;

displaying a message indicating that the particular eSIM cannot be obtained.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the first request is issued in response to a user seeking to access a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) associated with the particular eSIM.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the mobile device and the different mobile device are associated with a same subscription to the MNO.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the steps further include, when the particular eSIM is successfully downloaded from the server device:

indicating to the server device that the particular eSIM has successfully downloaded.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein, when the particular eSIM is successfully downloaded from the server device, the particular eSIM is removed from the different mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the server device indicates an availability of the particular eSIM in accordance with a response provided by different mobile device.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a secure element configured to manage a plurality of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs); and

a processor configured to cause the mobile device to carry out steps that include;

receiving, from a server device, a request to provide a particular eSIM of the plurality of eSIMs to the server device;

in response to the request, issuing a prompt to select from;

providing the particular eSIM to the server device, or

withholding the particular eSIM from the server device;

receiving a selection in response to the prompt; and

uploading the particular eSIM from the mobile device to the server device when the selection indicates to provide the particular eSIM to the server device.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the request is received in response to a different mobile device seeking to access the particular eSIM.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the mobile device and the different mobile device are associated with a same subscription to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO).

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the steps further include:

preventing the particular eSIM from being uploaded to the server device when the selection indicates to withhold the particular eSIM from the server device.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein preventing the particular eSIM from being uploaded to the server device causes the server device to indicate to the different mobile device that the particular eSIM is not available.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the steps further include, subsequent to uploading the particular eSIM from the mobile device to the server device:

removing the particular eSIM from the plurality of eSIMs.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the steps further include:

indicating to the server device that the particular eSIM is removed from the plurality of eSIMs.