Method, apparatus and article to remotely associate wireless communications devices with subscriber identities and /or proxy wireless communications devices

• US 6,836,670 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RcatsOne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Casabyte, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Read, John S., Castrogiovanni, Benedetto
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/194,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/423, 455/424, 455/466, 455/556.1, 455/558, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Apparatus and methods provide remote access to subscriber identity information and subscriber configuration information stored on one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), to allow remote configuration of wireless communications devices. A SIM server provides access to the SIMs, a SIM librarian catalogs the SIMs, and a SIM accounting system tracks and/bills for SIM usage. Apparatus and methods provide remote access to proxy wireless communications devices, allowing such devices to operate as if actually present in the remote locations.

Claims

1. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a first subscriber identity module bank having a number of slots for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;

a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the slots of the associated subscriber identity module bank;

at least a first subscriber identity module comprising an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and a retrievable and modifiable set of subscriber customization information, the first subscriber identity module configured upon request to provide a set of subscriber identity information based at least in part on the subscriber identifier and configured upon request to provide at least a portion of the set of subscriber customization information, the first subscriber identity module received at one of the slots of the first subscriber identity module bank; and

a first remote wireless communications client having at least a first wireless telecommunications device, the first remote wireless communications client selectively couplable to receive the set of subscriber customization information from the first subscriber identity module via a communications channel in response to a request to the first subscriber identity module server for use in configuring the first wireless communications device, the communications channel being different from a cellular communications link used for wireless communications to a destination device by the first wireless communications device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the subscriber identity information provided by the first subscriber identity module is a unique set of subscriber identity information.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an accounting system coupled to each of a number of subscriber identity module servers to track usage of the subscriber identity modules by a number of tracking entities.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first subscriber identity module server is responsive to requests to store subscriber customization information to the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the slots of the associated subscriber identity module bank.

5. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a first subscriber identity module bank having a number of slots for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;

a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the slots of the associated subscriber identity module bank;

at least a first subscriber identity module for providing a unique set of subscriber identity information and a set of subscriber customization information, the first subscriber identity module received at one of the slots of the first subscriber identity module bank; and

a first remote wireless communications client taking the form of a mobile phone having at least a first wireless telecommunications device, the first remote wireless communications client selectively couplable to receive the unique set of subscriber identity information in the form of a signed response and the set of subscriber customization information from the first subscriber identity module via a communications channel in response to a request to the first subscriber identity module server for use in wireless communications by the first wireless communications device and for configuring the first wireless communications device, respectively.

6. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a first subscriber identity module bank having a number of slots for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;

a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the slots of the associated subscriber identity module bank;

at least a first subscriber identity module for providing a unique set of subscriber identity information and a set of subscriber customization information, the first subscriber identity module received at one of the slots of the first subscriber identity module bank; and

a first remote wireless communications client taking the form of a personal digital assistant having at least a first wireless telecommunications device, the first remote wireless communications client selectively couplable to receive the unique set of subscriber identity information and the set of subscriber customization information from the first subscriber identity module via a communications channel in response to a request to the first subscriber identity module server for use in wireless communications by the first wireless communications device and configuring the first wireless communications device, respectively.

7. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a first subscriber identity module bank having a number of slots for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;

a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the slots of the associated subscriber identity module bank;

at least a first subscriber identity module for providing a unique set of subscriber identity information and a set of subscriber customization information, the first subscriber identity module received at one of the slots of the first subscriber identity module bank; and

a first remote wireless communications client having at least a first wireless telecommunications device, the first remote wireless communications client selectively couplable to receive the set of subscriber customization information from the first subscriber identity module via a communications channel in response to a request to the first subscriber identity module server for use in configuring the first wireless telecommunications device wherein the first remote wireless communications client takes the form of a first remote test platform having at least one local subscriber identity module for providing the unique set of subscriber identity information, and at least one switch to selectively couple the first wireless telecommunications device between the local subscriber identity module and a communications port to receive the unique set of subscriber identity information from the local subscriber identity module or a unique set of subscriber information from a remote subscriber identity module received in one of the positions of the first subscriber identity module bank via the communications port, respectively.

8. A system to remotely operate wireless telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a first subscriber identity module bank having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules;

a first subscriber identity module server associated with the first subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated first subscriber identity module bank;

a second subscriber identity module bank having a number of positions for receiving a number of subscriber identity modules; and

a second subscriber identity module server associated with the second subscriber identity module bank and responsive to requests to provide subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity modules, if any, received at the positions of the associated second subscriber identity module bank,

wherein each of the first and the second subscriber identity servers includes a respective computer-readable media storing computer accessible address information for subscriber identity modules received in each of the first and the second subscriber identity module banks, and

wherein the first subscriber identity module server is configured to return the computer accessible address information for a subscriber identity module received in the second subscriber identity module bank in response to a request for subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity module, the address information including an address of the second subscriber identity module server.

9. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier wherein determining a first subscriber identity module capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request includes determining a position of the first subscriber identity module in a subscriber identity module bank; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module.

10. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier wherein determining a first subscriber identity module capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request includes determining a subscriber identity module bank having the first subscriber identity module and determining a position of the first subscriber identity module in the subscriber identity module bank; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module.

11. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier wherein determining a first subscriber identity module capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request includes determining a first subscriber identity module bank address corresponding to a first subscriber identity module bank having the first subscriber identity module and determining a first subscriber identity module position address corresponding to a position of the first subscriber identity module in the first subscriber identity module bank; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module.

12. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module and wherein automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path includes retrieving the subscriber identity information from the subscriber identity module and transmitting the retrieved subscriber identity information to the remote wireless communications device.

13. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module wherein automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path includes providing a seed to the subscriber identity module, receiving a response to the seed from the subscriber identity module and transmitting the response to the remote wireless communications device.

14. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and unmodifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier; and

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module wherein automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path includes providing a seed to the subscriber identity module, providing a number of messages to the wireless communications device while waiting to receive a response from the subscriber identity module, receiving the response to the seed from the subscriber identity module, and transmitting the response to the remote wireless communications device.

15. A method of of remotely associating a wireless communications device with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request;

determining a first subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a first set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the first request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier;

automatically providing the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the first subscriber identity module;

receiving a second request;

determining a second subscriber identity module encoding an irretrievable and un-modifiable subscriber identifier and capable of providing a second set of subscriber identity information corresponding to the second request based at least in part on the subscriber identifier; and

automatically providing the second set of subscriber identity information from the second subscriber identity module to the wireless communications device over a communications path different from a communications path used by the wireless communications device for communications with a destination device where the wireless communications device is remote from the second subscriber identity module.

16. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications client with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first configuration request from a wireless communications client;

determining whether the received first configuration request includes a sufficient indication of authorization;

determining the first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first configuration request based at least in part on a human-recognizable identifier in the first request after determining whether the received first configuration request includes a sufficient indication of authorization; and

automatically providing a first set of subscriber identity information from a first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first configuration request to the requesting wireless communications client over a communications path if the received first configuration request includes a sufficient indication of authorization where the wireless communications client is remote from the first subscriber identity module, and denying access to the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the requesting wireless communications client if the received first configuration request does not include a sufficient indication of authorization.

17. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications client with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request from a wireless communications client;

determining a first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request based at least in part on a human-recognizable identifier in the request and further based at least in part on information stored in the first subscriber identity module;

determining whether the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization; and

automatically providing a first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request to the requesting wireless communications client over a communications path if the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization where the wireless communications device client is remote from the first subscriber identity module, and denying access to the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the requesting wireless communications client if the received first request does not include a sufficient indication of authorization.

18. A method of remotely associating a wireless communications client with subscriber identities, comprising:

receiving a first request from a wireless communications client;

determining a first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request based at least in part on a human-recognizable identifier in the request and further based at least in part on ownership information stored in the subscriber identity module;

determining whether the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization; and

automatically providing a first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module corresponding to the first request to the requesting wireless communications client over a communications path if the received first request includes a sufficient indication of authorization where the wireless communications client is remote from the first subscriber identity module, and denying access to the first set of subscriber identity information from the first subscriber identity module to the requesting wireless communications client if the received first request does not include a sufficient indication of authorization.