Mobile equipment and networks providing selection between USIM/SIM dependent features

• US 6,591,116 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sisvel International S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Laurila, Pasi, Kall, Jan, Einola, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/326,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/418, 455/419, 455/426, 455/552, 455/553
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile equipment (10), such as a cellular radio telephone, includes a controller (18) coupled to a wireless transceiver (14, 16) for bidirectionally communicating with one of a plurality of different networks (32, 32′), such as a GSM network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network. A data storage module (28), referred to herein as a SIM/USIM or as a UICC (UMTS Integrated Circuit Card), is readably coupled to the controller. The module stores information for specifying at least an identification and the operational capabilities of the module in each of the plurality of different networks. The controller is responsive to a request received from one of the plurality of networks through the transceiver for accessing the module to retrieve the stored information and for transmitting the retrieved information to the requesting one of the networks through the transceiver.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile equipment, comprising steps of:

providing a data storage module that is readably coupled to the mobile equipment, the module storing information for specifying identities of applications that are executable by the module when operating in each of a plurality of different networks;

in response to a request from one of the networks, accessing the module to retrieve the stored information; and

transmitting the retrieved information to the requesting one of the networks.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting transmits the retrieved information using a response to a dedicated message type defined for transmitting the retrieved information.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting transmits the retrieved information using a response to a message type originally defined for a purpose other than transmitting the retrieved information.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting transmits the retrieved information using a response to an authentication request that is received from the network.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of accessing uses a dedicated message type defined for accessing the module to retrieve the stored information, and wherein the module responds to the dedicated message type by returning the requested stored information.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of accessing selects a predetermined file stored in the module, the predetermined file having a content that indicates the operational capabilities of the module, and wherein the module returns the content of the predetermined file.

7. A method of operating a mobile equipment, the method comprising steps of:

providing a data storage module that is readably coupled to the mobile equipment, the module storing information for specifying at least an identification and the operational capabilities of the module in each of a plurality of different networks;

in response to a request from one of the networks, accessing the module to retrieve the stored information; and

transmitting the retrieved information to the requesting one of the networks, wherein the step of transmitting transmits at least one Classmark value that specifies the operational capability of the module.

8. A mobile equipment, comprising:

a controller coupled to a wireless transceiver for bidirectionally communicating with one of a plurality of different networks;

a data storage module that is readably coupled to said controller, said module storing information for specifying identities of applications that are executable by the module when operating with said plurality of different networks; and

said controller being responsive to a request received from one of said plurality of networks through said transceiver for accessing said module to retrieve the stored information and for transmitting the retrieved information to said requesting one of said networks through said transceiver.

9. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein said controller transmits the retrieved information using a response to a dedicated message type defined for transmitting the retrieved information.

10. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein said controller transmits the retrieved information using a response to a message type originally defined for a purpose other than transmitting the retrieved information.

11. Mobile equipment as in claim 10, wherein said message type is a Location Update message type.

12. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein said controller transmits the retrieved information using a response to an authentication request that is received from said network.

13. Mobile equipment in claim 8, wherein said controller uses a dedicated message type defined for accessing said module to retrieve the stored information, and wherein said module responds to the dedicated message type by returning the requested stored information.

14. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein said controller selects a predetermined file stored in said module to retrieve the stored information, and wherein said module returns content of the predetermined file.

15. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein said request is initiated by a VLR of said requesting network, and wherein said retrieved information is transmitted through said transceiver back to said VLR.

16. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein one of said plurality of different network types is comprised of a GSM network.

17. Mobile equipment as in claim 8, wherein one of said plurality of different network types is comprised of a UMTS network.

18. A mobile equipment, comprising:

a controller coupled to a wireless transceiver for bidirectionally communicating with one of a plurality of different networks;

a data storage module that is readably coupled to said controller, said module storing information for specifying at least an identification and the operational capabilities of said module in each of said plurality of different networks; and

said controller being responsive to a request received from one of said plurality of networks through said transceiver for accessing said module to retrieve the stored information and for transmitting the retrieved information to said requesting one of said networks through said transceiver, wherein said controller transmits at least one Classmark value that specifies the operational capability of the module.

19. An electronic data storage module comprising:

a memory for storing information for specifying identities of applications that are executable by the module in each of a plurality of different wireless telecommunications networks; and

an interface for electrically coupling said memory to a mobile equipment for at least making read accesses of said memory, said interface being responsive for retrieving the stored information in response to a request from a wireless telecommunications network for gaining access to the stored information.

20. An electronic data storage module as in claim 19, wherein said information for said different networks is stored in certain different regions of said memory, and further comprising a directory portion that stores pointers to said certain different regions.

21. A method of operating a mobile equipment, comprising steps of:

providing a data storage module that is readably coupled to the mobile equipment, the module storing information for specifying identities of applications that are executable by the module in each of a plurality of different networks;

in response to a request from one of the networks, accessing the module to retrieve the stored information only if the requesting network is authorized to receive the requested information; and

transmitting the retrieved information to the requesting one of the networks.

22. A method of operating a mobile station, comprising:

providing a data storage module that is readably coupled to the mobile station, the module storing information for specifying identities of applications that are executable

by the module when operating in each of a plurality of different networks;

in response to a request from a Visitor Location Register (VLR) of a roamed-to network, accessing the module to retrieve the stored information; and

transmitting the retrieved information from the mobile station to the VLR of the roamed-to network.

23. A mobile station, comprising:

a controller;

a first interface for bidirectionally coupling to a wireless network;

a second interface for at least readably coupling to an information storage module, the module storing information for specifying the identity of the module when operating with different wireless networks, and for specifying capabilities of the module when operating with the different wireless networks, the information specifying the capabilities comprising identities of applications that are executable by the module;

said controller being coupled to said second interface for receiving the capabilities of the module from the module; and

said module being coupled to said first interface for transmitting at least the capabilities of the module to the wireless network.

24. A mobile station as in claim 23, where said module transmits at least the capabilities of the module to the wireless network in response to a query by the wireless network.

25. A mobile station as in claim 23, where some information transmitted from module through the first interface is transmitted without requiring authorization, and other information is transmitted only after authorization.

26. A mobile station as in claim 23, where said module transmits information to the wireless network in response to receiving a wireless network standardized query.

27. A mobile station as in claim 23, where said module transmits information to the wireless network in response to receiving a wireless network operator-specific query.

28. A mobile station as in claim 23, where said module stores information for identifying both GSM applications and UMTS applications.