Digital radiotelephone installation with mobile terminals

• US 5,875,404 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Mobile Phones
• Inventors: Messiet, Samira
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/632,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/557, 455/550, 455/410, 455/411, 455/422, 455/551, 455/552, 455/553, 379/144, 379/357
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A digital radiotelephone installation with mobile terminals includes a fixed base transceiver station, which is an element of the network, and mobile telephone terminals at least some of which are designed to be unable to access the network until a user has inserted therein an extractable personalized smart card ("SIM card"). Each mobile terminal is designed to receive, in addition to the extractable "conventional" SIM card, another, auxiliary SIM smart card which remains in the mobile terminal at all times. The auxiliary SIM card corresponds to the same personalized subscription as the conventional SIM card. The extractable conventional SIM card takes precedence over the auxiliary SIM card when it is inserted into said mobile terminal, however, and has the same functionality as the latter. The auxiliary SIM card is assigned by the network or by said terminal only specific predefined services, such as typically an answering function and/or a short messages service function, the predefined services possibly including outgoing call restriction.

Claims

1. Digital radiotelephone installation with mobile terminals, said installation including a network with at least one fixed base station transceiver, and mobile terminals at least some of which are designed to be unable to access the network until a user has inserted therein an extractable personalized SIM card,

said mobile terminals being each designed to receive, in addition to said extractable SIM card, an auxiliary SIM card which remains in said mobile terminal at all times,

said auxiliary SIM card corresponding to the same personalized subscription as said extractable SIM card,

said extractable SIM card taking precedence over said auxiliary SIM cards when said extractable SIM card is inserted into said mobile terminal, and having the same functionality as said auxiliary SIM card,

wherein said auxiliary SIM card is assigned by said network, or by said terminal, only specific predefined services, such as an answering function, a short messages service function, or an outgoing call restriction.

2. Installation according to claim 1 wherein said auxiliary SIM card has a small format, said small format capable of being a micro-SIM format.

3. Installation according to claim 1 wherein said auxiliary SIM card has a code number internal to said network that is not the same as the code number specific to said extractable SIM card, and said extractable SIM card and said auxiliary SIM card have the same subscriber number.

4. Installation according to claim 3 adapted to administer a facility for remote interrogation of messages stored in said auxiliary SIM card from another terminal of the network subject to insertion of said extractable SIM card in said another terminal.

5. Installation according to claim 1 wherein said extractable SIM card and said auxiliary SIM card are administered as two separate cards.

6. Installation according to claim 1 including a provision enabling, at a location where personal access to a mobile terminal is not available, to request transfer of calls to another terminal by inserting said extractable SIM card in said another terminal, thereby receiving messages on said extractable SIM card.

7. Installation according to claim 1 adapted to receive short messages on said auxiliary SIM card and on said extractable SIM card when the extractable SIM card is plugged into the terminal that contains said auxiliary SIM card.

8. Digital radiotelephone mobile terminal adapted to receive an extractable personalized SIM card and an auxiliary SIM smart card, said auxiliary SIM card remaining in said mobile terminal at all times, said auxiliary SIM card corresponding to the same personalized subscription and having the same functionality as said extractable SIM card, said extractable SIM card taking precedence over said auxiliary SIM card when said extractable SIM card is inserted into said mobile terminal, wherein said auxiliary SIM card is assigned by said terminal only specific predefined services, such as an answering function, a short messages service function, or an outgoing call restriction.

9. Digital radiotelephone mobile terminal according to claim 8 wherein said auxiliary SIM card has a smaller format, said smaller format capable of being a micro-SIM format.

10. Digital radiotelephone mobile terminal according to claim 8 wherein said auxiliary SIM card has a code number internal to said network that is not the same as the code number specific to said extractable SIM card, and said extractable SIM card and said auxiliary SIM card have the same subscriber number.

11. Digital radiotelephone network comprising access control means adapted to associate with the same subscriber number an internal code number of an extractable SIM card and at least one access code and adapted to associate with the same subscriber number at least a second internal code number and a second access code corresponding to an auxiliary SIM card, wherein said auxiliary SIM card is assigned by said network only specific predefined services, such as an answering function, a short messages service function, or an outgoing call restriction.

12. Digital radiotelephone network according to claim 11 comprising means for administering said extractable SIM card and said auxiliary SIM card as two separate cards.

13. Digital radiotelephone network according to claim 12 comprising means for administering remote interrogation of messages stored in said auxiliary SIM card contained in a terminal of said network from another terminal of said network into which said extractable SIM card associated with said same subscriber number has been inserted.

14. Digital radiotelephone network according to claim 12 comprising means enabling, at a location where personal access to a mobile terminal is not available, to request transfer of calls to another terminal by inserting said extractable SIM card into said another terminal, thereby receiving messages on said extractable SIM card.

15. Digital radiotelephone network according to claim 12 comprising means for receiving short messages on said auxiliary SIM card or on said extractable SIM card when said extractable SIM card is plugged into the terminal that contains said auxiliary SIM card.