Dedicated memory partitions for users of a shared mobile device

• US 8,107,927 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sivaram, Girish, Udezue, Ezinne, Warfel, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/487,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 726/17, 726/20, 711/173
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

A system and method that allows a mobile device to be shared between multiple users by establishing dedicated memory partitions for each user of the mobile device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the mobile device establishes a memory partition for a user of the mobile device when the user first uses the mobile device. Users are permitted to read and/or write digital data in their respective memory partitions, and are prevented from accessing digital data in other memory partitions. In some instances, a current user of a mobile device can authorize other users to access digital data stored in the current user'"'"'s memory partition. In one embodiment, a user of the mobile device can also backup and/or synchronize digital data stored in the user'"'"'s memory partition using a network synchronization service.

Claims

1. A method of sharing resources of a single mobile device among a plurality of users, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of users of a single mobile device;

detecting an identifier associated with each user;

establishing a memory partition in a storage memory of the mobile device and associating the memory partition with the detected identifier of each user, wherein the memory partition is a subset of the available storage memory in the mobile device; and

storing digital data associated with each user in the associated memory partition;

allowing access of a user of the mobile device to digital data stored in the memory partition associated with the user; and

denying access of a user of the mobile device to digital data stored in memory partitions that are not associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of a memory partition is dynamically adjusted to store the digital data of the associated user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of a memory partition is fixed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with a user is a credential received from the user during an account login.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with a user is an identifier received from a smart card inserted into the mobile device by the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), IM Public User identity (IMPU), or IM Private User identity (IMPI).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier is an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the association between the memory partition and the identifier of the user is stored in a mapping table.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing one user to authorize another user to access digital data associated with the one user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

allowing the one user to specify access rules that are associated with the authorized another user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user of the mobile device to delete digital data from a memory partition assigned to the user if the storage memory of the mobile device approaches a threshold capacity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user is prompted to delete the oldest digital data contained in the memory partition.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user is prompted to delete the least-accessed digital data contained in the memory partition.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to synchronize the digital data stored in the associated memory partition with a network storage service.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital data associated with a user includes one or more of:

a contact list;

a calendar;

a task list;

a note;

a digital media file;

a message;

or

a software application.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

enabling a user to synchronize a contact list in the associated memory partition with a contact list in a smart card associated with the user.

17. A method of sharing resources of a mobile device among a plurality of users, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of memory partitions in a storage memory of a shared mobile device, each memory partition being associated with one of a plurality of users of the shared mobile device, wherein each memory partition is a subset of the storage memory of the shared mobile device;

maintaining a mapping of the plurality of users to the plurality of memory partitions; and

using the mapping of the plurality of users to the plurality of memory partitions to;

allow access to a user to read or write digital data in the memory partition that is associated with the user; and

deny access to a user to read or write digital data stored outside of the memory partition that is associated with the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a memory partition is established for a user when the user provides log-in credentials to the shared mobile device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a memory partition is established for a user when the user connects an unrecognized smart card to the shared mobile device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling a first user of the shared mobile device to authorize a second user of the shared mobile device to access digital data associated with the first user; and

providing, to the second user, access to the digital data associated with the first user subsequent to the first user granting the authorization to the second user.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

allowing the first user to specify access rules that govern the ability of the second user to access the digital data associated with the first user.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein each user is identified in the mapping by one of:

login credentials associated with the user;

an IMSI associated with a smart card of the user;

an ICCID associated with a smart card of the user;

an IM Public User identity associated with a smart card of the user;

or

an IP Private User identity associated with a smart card of the user.

23. A method of sharing memory resources of a mobile device among a plurality of users, the method comprising:

recognizing a first user of a plurality of shared users of a mobile device based on an identifier associated with the first user;

identifying a first memory partition of a storage memory of the mobile device previously assigned for dedicated use by the first user, wherein the first memory partition is a subset of a storage memory in the mobile device;

presenting to the first user a list of the plurality of shared users of the mobile device;

receiving from the first user a selection of one or more authorized users from the presented list of shared users;

allowing the selected one or more authorized users to read or write digital data in the first memory partition; and

denying access to the first memory partition to shared users that were not selected by the first user to prevent the non-selected shared users from accessing digital data located in the first memory partition.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is login credentials associated with the first user.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), IM Public User identity (IMPU), or IM Private User identity (IMPI) associated with a smart card of the first user.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID) associated with a smart card of the first user.

27. A method of sharing memory resources of a mobile device among a plurality of users, the method comprising:

recognizing a first user of a plurality of shared users of a mobile device based on an identifier associated with the first user;

identifying a first memory partition of a storage memory of the mobile device previously assigned for dedicated use by the first user, wherein the first memory partition is a subset of a storage memory in the mobile device;

allowing the first user to associate a password with the first memory partition, wherein the password may be shared by the first user with one or more other users;

allowing other users to read or write digital data in the first memory partition if the other users provide the associated password; and

denying access to the first memory partition to other users that do not provide the associated password.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifier is login credentials associated with the first user.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), IM Public User identity (IMPU), or IM Private User identity (IMPI) associated with a smart card of the first user.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifier is an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID) associated with a smart card of the first user.

31. A mobile device configured to be shared between a plurality of users, the mobile device comprising:

a storage memory; and

a processor configured to execute a series of instructions, the series of instructions, when executed, causing a plurality of memory partitions configured to store digital data to be established in the storage memory, each of the plurality of memory partitions being assigned to a different user of the mobile device based on an identifier associated with the user;

wherein each of the plurality of memory partitions is a subset of the storage memory of the mobile device and wherein the size of a memory partition may grow or shrink in accordance with the amount of digital data that is stored in the memory partition by the assigned user.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein a memory partition is established when a user initiates a use of the mobile device.

33. The mobile device of claim 32, wherein the user initiates a use of the mobile device by performing one of:

providing log-in credentials to the mobile device using a login account;

or

connecting an unrecognized smart card to the mobile device.

34. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the identifier includes one of:

login credentials associated with the user;

an IMSI associated with a smart card of the user;

an ICCID associated with a smart card of the user;

an IM Public User identity associated with a smart card of the user;

or

an IP Private User identity associated with a smart card of the user.

35. The mobile device of claim 31, further comprising:

a mapping table configured to maintain mapping information correlating each of the plurality of memory partitions to a corresponding identifier associated with a user.

36. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the series of instructions, when executed, further cause a user interface to be generated and presented to a user, the user interface configured to enable the user to grant an authorization to another user to access digital data associated with the user.

37. The mobile device of claim 31, further comprising:

a communication component configured to transmit the contents of the plurality of memory partitions to a network storage entity to back-up the plurality of memory partitions.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the digital data includes one or more of:

a contact list;

a calendar;

a task list;

a note;

a digital media file;

a message;

or

a software application.