Radio communication device comprising at least one radio communication module and one SIM card, corresponding radio communication module and SIM card

• US 8,131,318 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wavecom
• Original Assignee: Wavecom
• Inventors: Montes, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/089,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/410, 455/411, 455418-420, 455/557, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A radio communication device includes at least one radio communication module including baseband and/or radio frequency signal processing. The module of the device carries an internal SIM card, permanently welded thereto.

Claims

1. Radio communication device comprising:

a baseband and/or a radio frequency signal processing means mounted on a support,

at least one radio communication module comprising said baseband and/or radio frequency signal processing means and an internal subscriber identification SIM card, wherein said SIM card comprises means for storing a minimal protocol stack suitable for establishing a basic connection to a communication network in order to download a full protocol stack which allows a basic reboot of said module.

2. Radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber identification SIM card is an internal subscriber identification SIM card which is definitively secured to said support.

3. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card is secured to said module by welding.

4. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card carries information items for parameterizing and/or identifying said module.

5. Radio communication device according to claim 4, wherein said parameterizing information items comprise data for configuring said radio frequency processing means.

6. Radio communication device according to claim 4, wherein said identification information items comprise a first key intended to be combined with a second key comprised in said signal processing means, so as to allow operation of said device only after checking that said first and second keys match.

7. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein the device comprises connection means for connecting a second subscriber identification SIM card, referred to as an external SIM card.

8. Radio communication device according to claim 7, wherein the device comprises deactivation means for deactivating said internal SIM card when an external SIM card is connected to said connection means.

9. Radio communication device according to claim 8, wherein the device comprises selection means for selecting one of said SIM cards.

10. Radio communication device according to claim 7, wherein the device comprises dialogue means for dialoguing between said SIM cards.

11. Radio communication device according to claim 10, wherein said external SIM card performs operations for registering on a radio communication network, and said internal SIM card performs internal operations for parameterizing said module and/or checking a protocol stack.

12. Radio communication device according to claim 7, wherein said internal SIM card stores at least one authorization parameter for said external SIM card, so as to carry out authentication thereof.

13. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card comprises means for detecting a software fault in said module, and means for rebooting said module.

14. Radio communication device according to claim 13, wherein said module comprises reading means for reading from said internal SIM card an information item indicating that it is said internal SIM card that has forced a reboot, and means for transmitting said information item to a remote server.

15. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card is installed in a casing equipped with pins allowing it to be welded to a module.

16. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card is definitively secured directly to a printed circuit of said module.

17. Radio communication device according to claim 2, wherein said internal SIM card comprises:

means for receiving at least one information item for configuring said internal SIM card;

means for switching from a first configuration to a second configuration of the internal SIM card which takes account of this at least one configuration information item; and

means for informing the baseband signal processing means of a switch from the first configuration to the second configuration.

18. Radio communication device according to claim 17, wherein the baseband signal processing means comprises:

means for detecting at least one unsuitability of said second configuration for at least one use of the radio communication device after the means for switching from the first configuration to the second configuration have been activated; and

means for asking the internal SIM card to adopt the first configuration.

19. Radio communication device according to claim 17, wherein the first and second configurations are adapted respectively to a first and a second communication network.

20. Module for a radio communication device, said module comprising:

a baseband and/or radio frequency signal processing means, and

a subscriber identification SIM card carried by the device and comprising means for storing a minimal protocol stack suitable for establishing a basic connection to a communication network in order to download a full protocol stack which allows a basic reboot of said module.

21. SIM card for a radio communication device comprising at least one radio communication module comprising baseband and/or radio frequency signal processing means, wherein the SIM card comprises means for allowing the SIM card to be definitively welded to said module, and wherein said SIM card comprises means for storing a minimal protocol stack suitable for establishing a basic connection to a communication network in order to download a full protocol stack which allows a basic reboot of said module.