Communications network capable of determining SIM card changes in electronic devices

• US 7,369,851 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama, Huq, Ziaul Jami, Okonnen, Harri
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US10/417,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 4555561-558, 455/410, 455/411, 455/345.1
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A communication network comprising a carrier network with a service coordinator is capable of acting upon SIM card change information detected by an agent located in the electronic devices used in the communication network. In general, the agent in electronic devices facilitates the determination of SIM Card changes in the electronic device. It also facilitates the selective reporting of such changes to the carrier network. In one embodiment, the communication network is capable of detecting SIM Card changes in the electronic device. In general, the carrier network determines updates to firmware, software, configuration etc. necessitated by the change in SIM card and selectively communicates it to the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a programmed card reader, the electronic device communicatively coupled to a carrier network and capable of communicating with the carrier network when an authorized programmed card is docked in the programmed card reader, the electronic device comprising:

an intelligent agent capable of communicating with the carrier network;

the intelligent agent detecting the presence of the authorized programmed card in the programmed card reader of the electronic device;

the intelligent agent detecting when the authorized programmed card is changed, and, in response, communicating a programmed card changed event to the carrier network; and

wherein the intelligent agent notifies a user of the electronic device, if delivery on the electronic device of a subscription service associated with the authorized programmed card is changed by an authorized programmed card change, based upon messaging received via the carrier network in response to communication of the programmed card change event.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the intelligent agent determines that the authorized programmed card that is currently employed in the programmed card reader of the electronic device in a current session is different from an authorized programmed card employed during a previous session, and, in response, communicates a programmed card changed event to the carrier network.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the electronic device communicates the programmed card changed event to the carrier network in order to initiate the determination of the availability of updates for the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 further comprising:

a firmware;

a software;

a first agent component of the intelligent agent communicating the programmed card changed event to the carrier network in order to initiate the determination of the availability of updates for the electronic device;

the first agent component of the intelligent agent receiving one or more updates communicated by the carrier network in response to the programmed card changed event communicated by the electronic device; and

a second agent component of the intelligent agent applying the one or more updates to update or adapt the firmware and/or software in the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the programmed card changed event communicated comprises identification information uniquely identifying the authorized programmed card that is currently employed in the programmed card reader of the electronic device in the current session and device type information of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein the device type information comprises a selective combination of manufacturer, model, hardware version number, firmware version number and/or software version number.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a programmed card in place of the authorized programmed card that is inserted into the programmed card reader;

a non-volatile storage area;

a stored data in the non-volatile storage area that is computed from information retrieved from the authorized programmed card inserted into the programmed card reader;

the intelligent agent capable of accessing, from the non-volatile storage area, the stored data;

the intelligent agent capable of reading an input data from the programmed card inserted into the programmed card reader;

the intelligent agent reading the input data from the programmed card when the programmed card is inserted into the programmed card reader, comparing it to the stored data stored in the non-volatile storage area whenever the programmed card is inserted into the programmed card reader, or whenever the electronic device is powered up, and detecting a programmed card changed event only when the stored data does not match the input data; and

the intelligent agent communicating the programmed card changed event to the carrier network whenever it detects the programmed card changed event.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the intelligent agent receives updates communicated by the carrier network in response to the programmed card changed event communicated by the electronic device to the carrier network.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the electronic device communicates the programmed card changed event to a service coordinator via the carrier network, that is communicatively coupled to the carrier network, that responds to the programmed card changed event communicated to it.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 further comprising:

the intelligent agent capable of assembling or retrieving a device specific information from the electronic device; and

the intelligent agent communicating the device specific information and the input data from the programmed card to the carrier network along with the programmed card changed event.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein the electronic device is capable of interacting with the carrier network that maps the input data from the programmed card to the device specific information communicated by the intelligent agent.

12. A carrier network comprising:

a first electronic device with an intelligent agent communicatively coupled to the carrier network, the first electronic device comprising a programmed card reader and a first programmed card associated with the carrier network or a service provided by the carrier network;

a service coordinator that is communicatively coupled to the first electronic device;

a second electronic device with a second intelligent agent and a second programmed card reader also communicatively coupled to the service coordinator;

a first device specification in the first electronic device describing the device specifications of the first electronic device;

a second electronic device specification in the second electronic device describing the device specifications of the second electronic device;

wherein the second intelligent agent in the second electronic device detects the presence of the first programmed card when the first programmed card is introduced into the second programmed card reader of the second electronic device, and communicates a first programmed card information retrieved from the first programmed card to the service coordinator along with the second electronic device specification; and

wherein the second intelligent agent notifies a user of the second electronic device, if delivery on the second electronic device of a subscription service associated with the first programmed card is changed by introducing the first programmed card into the second programmed card reader of the second electronic device, based upon messaging received from the service coordinator.

13. The carrier network of claim 12 further comprising:

the service coordinator storing the first programmed card information that it receives from the second electronic device when the first programmed card replaces the second programmed card in the second electronic device and a communication is received from the second electronic device containing the first programmed card information along with the second electronic device specification;

the service coordinator determining that a programmed card changed event has occurred; and

the service coordinator determining the availability of updates for the second electronic device based on received second electronic device specification and communicating the availability of updates to the second electronic device.

14. The carrier network of claim 13 further comprising:

the service coordinator receiving the first programmed card information along with the second electronic device specification communicated by the intelligent agent in the second electronic device;

the service coordinator maintaining a saved mapping information that maps a plurality of known programmed card related information to associated known electronic devices;

the service coordinator detecting a programmed card changed event by comparing the received first programmed card information to the saved mapping information; and

the service coordinator associating the first programmed card with the second electronic device specifications and storing an association information as part of the saved mapping information.

15. The carrier network of claim 12 further comprising:

the intelligent agent in the second electronic device detecting the presence of the first programmed card and communicating a programmed card changed event to the service coordinator along with the second electronic device specification when the first programmed card is incorporated into the second programmed card reader of the second electronic device replacing the second programmed card; and

the service coordinator receiving the programmed card changed event and the second electronic device specifications communicated by the intelligent agent in the second electronic device and associating the first programmed card information with the second electronic device specification and creating a mapping that is saved for subsequent retrieval.

16. The carrier network of claim 15 further comprising:

services associated with first programmed card information;

the service coordinator facilitating delivery of the services associated with the first programmed card information;

the service coordinator facilitating the continuation of the delivery of services associated with first programmed card information to the second electronic device after the first programmed card is removed from the first electronic device and incorporated into the second electronic device.

17. The carrier network of claim 16 further comprising:

the service coordinator connectively coupled to an external entity such as a manufacturer'"'"'s portal environment or a service provider'"'"'s server; and

the service coordinator receiving the programmed card changed event communicated by the intelligent agent in the second electronic device and sending an associated message to the external entity.

18. The carrier network of claim 17 further comprising:

a new service supported by the service coordinator;

the service coordinator causing the external entity to selectively send at least one update package associated with the new service to the second electronic device from the external entity via the service coordinator in response to the associated message received by the external entity; and

the second electronic device, acting as a dynamic platform, accepting and installing the at least one update package associated with the new service.

19. The carrier network of claim 18 wherein the second electronic device further comprises firmware and software and wherein the at least one update package sent by the external entity to the second electronic device is an update to the firmware of the software, or both.

20. A mobile handset communicatively coupled to a cellular wireless network wherein the mobile handset comprises a subscriber identity module that identifies a subscriber'"'"'s subscription to the cellular wireless network, the subscriber identity module being mounted in a programmed card, the programmed card capable of being inserted into any mobile handset that will accept the programmed card, the subscriber identity module, when inserted into the mobile handset as part of the programmed card, providing the cellular wireless network information about the subscriber that is necessary for one or both of establishing a call and billing, the mobile handset further comprising:

a non-volatile storage;

a previous card reference in the non-volatile storage for saving at least a portion of information provided by the subscriber identity module;

a device specification comprising at least a manufacturer, a model, and a firmware version of the mobile handset;

the mobile handset comparing the saved previous card reference to at least a portion of the information provided by the current subscriber identity module, on power up or on insertion of the programmed card containing the subscriber identity module into the mobile handset, and, if determined to be different, the mobile handset saving at least a portion of the information provided by the subscriber identity module in the previous card reference;

the mobile handset communicating a subscriber identity module changed event to the cellular wireless network when it determines that the saved previous card reference does not match the at least a portion of the information provided by the current subscriber identity module; and

wherein the mobile handset notifies a user, if delivery of an existing subscription service is changed by changing the subscriber identity module in the mobile handset, based upon messaging received via the cellular wireless network in response to communication of the subscriber identity module changed event.

21. An electronic device communicatively coupled to a carrier network, the electronic device comprising:

a card reader for accepting an authorized programmed card;

an intelligent agent enabled to communicate with the carrier network, the intelligent agent communicatively coupled to the card reader;

wherein the intelligent agent detects a first authorized programmed card operably coupled to the card reader;

wherein the intelligent agent communicates a programmed card changed event, via the carrier network, upon detecting a second authorized programmed card operably coupled to the card reader, that is different from the first authorized programmed card; and

wherein the intelligent agent notifies a user of the electronic device, if delivery on the electronic device of a subscription service is changed by an authorized programmed card change, based upon messaging received via the carrier network in response to communication of the programmed card change event.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the intelligent agent communicates a programmed card changed event to the carrier network upon determining that the second authorized programmed card is different from any previous authorized programmed card operably coupled to the card reader.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein communication of the programmed card changed event to the carrier network initiates determination of availability of updates for the electronic device.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the programmed card changed event comprises information uniquely identifying the authorized programmed card operably coupled to the programmed card reader, and device type information of the electronic device.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the device type information comprises information identifying at least one of the following:

a manufacturer, a model, a hardware version number, a firmware version number, and a software version number.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising:

at least one memory having stored therein one or both of firmware and software;

wherein the intelligent agent comprises at least a first agent component and a second agent component;

wherein communication of the programmed card changed event initiates determination of the availability of one or more updates for the electronic device, by the carrier network;

wherein the first agent component functions, at least, to receive the one or more updates; and

wherein the second agent component functions, at least, to apply the one or more updates to update the at least one memory, in the electronic device.

27. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory comprising data computed from information in the first authorized programmed card;

wherein the intelligent agent functions to compare the computed data to data from the second programmed card upon one or both of insertion of the second programmed card into the card reader, and power-up of the electronic device;

wherein the intelligent agent functions to detect a programmed card changed event, when the computed data does not match the data from the second programmed card; and

wherein the intelligent agent functions to communicate the programmed card changed event to the carrier network upon detection of the programmed card changed event.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the intelligent agent functions to receive updates communicated by the carrier network in response to the programmed card changed event communicated by the electronic device to the carrier network.

29. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the electronic device communicates the programmed card changed event to a service provider via and external to the carrier network, that responds to the programmed card changed event.

30. The electronic device of claim 27, further comprising:

wherein the intelligent agent one or both of assembles and retrieves device specific information from the electronic device; and

wherein the intelligent agent communicates the device specific information and the data from the second programmed card to the carrier network along with the programmed card changed event.

31. The electronic device of claim 30 wherein the carrier network maps the data from the second programmed card to the device specific information.

32. A carrier network comprising:

a service coordinator that is communicatively coupled to a first electronic device and a second electronic device;

wherein the first electronic device comprises a first intelligent agent communicatively coupled to the carrier network, a first card reader, a first programmed card associated with a first set of services, and a first device specification descriptive of the first electronic device;

wherein the second electronic device comprises a second intelligent agent communicatively coupled to the carrier network, a second card reader, a second programmed card associated with a second set of services, and a second device specification descriptive of the second electronic device;

wherein the second intelligent agent detects insertion of the first programmed card into the second card reader, and communicates to the service coordinator the second device specification and information retrieved from the first programmed card; and

wherein the second intelligent agent notifies a user of the second electronic device, if delivery on the second electronic device of a subscription service associated with the first programmed card is changed by introducing the first programmed card into the second card reader of the second electronic device, based upon messaging received from the service coordinator.

33. The carrier network of claim 32, wherein the service coordinator:

stores the information retrieved from the first programmed card and the second device specification;

detects that a programmed card changed event has occurred;

determines update availability for the second electronic device, based upon the received second device specification; and

communicates availability of an update, to the second electronic device.

34. The carrier network of claim 33, wherein the service coordinator:

maintains a store of information mapping at least one programmed card to at least one associated electronic device;

detects the programmed card changed event by comparing the received information retrieved from the first programmed card to the stored mapping information; and

stores, as part of the stored mapping information, an association of the first programmed card with the second device specification.

35. The carrier network of claim 32, wherein the second intelligent agent, upon detecting replacement of the second programmed card with the first programmed card, communicates to the service coordinator a programmed card changed event and the second device specification, and wherein the service coordinator upon receiving the programmed card changed event and the second electronic device specifications, associates the first programmed card information with the second device specification and creates a mapping that is saved for subsequent retrieval.

36. The carrier network of claim 35, wherein the service coordinator facilitates continuation of delivery of the first set of services associated with the first programmed card, by the second electronic device.

37. The carrier network of claim 36, wherein upon receiving a programmed card changed event, the service coordinator facilitates continuation of delivery of the first set of services by causing an entity external to the carrier network to send, to the second electronic device, at least one update package associated with a new service not in the second set of services;

and by causing the second electronic device, acting as a dynamic platform, to accept and install the at least one update package associated with the new service.

38. The carrier network of claim 37 wherein the second electronic device further comprises one or both of firmware and software, and wherein the at least one update package sent to the second electronic device by the entity external to the carrier network, is an update to the one or both of firmware and software.

39. A mobile handset communicatively coupled to a cellular wireless network, the mobile handset comprising:

a subscriber identity module comprising service subscription information, the subscriber identity module contained in a programmed card for operable coupling to a compatible mobile handset;

at least one non-volatile storage containing a previous card reference comprising at least a portion of information saved from a subscriber identity module of a previously operably coupled programmed card;

a device specification comprising information representing one or more of a manufacturer, a model, and a firmware version of the mobile handset;

wherein upon power up, or upon a change to a different operably coupled programmed card, the mobile handset determines whether the previous card reference matches at least a portion of the information of a subscriber identity module of a currently operably coupled programmed card and, if no match exists, the mobile handset saves in the previous card reference, at least a portion of the information provided by the subscriber identity module of the currently operably coupled programmed card;

wherein the mobile handset then communicates to the cellular wireless network a subscriber identity module changed event; and

wherein the mobile handset notifies a user that delivery of a subscription service is changed based upon determination by the mobile handset that the previous card reference does not match the information of a subscriber identity module of a currently operably coupled programmed card.