Methods and apparatus to use an identity module in telecommunication services

• US 8,140,064 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Mardiks, Eitan
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/128,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/418, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

An identity module includes a memory and a processor. In the memory are stored installation code for installing in the memory a provider profile that associates the identity module with a communication services provider and communication code that, in combination with the provider profile, supports communication by a host of the identity module using services of the communication services provider. The processor executes the installation code to install the provider profile and then executes the communication code in support of the communication. Preferably, no portion of any such communication suite is stored initially in the identity module. The host requests the provider profile from a server that includes a communication interface for communicating with the host, a memory wherein is stored code for providing to the host a customization suite that includes substantially all of the provider profile, and a processor for executing the code.

Claims

1. An identity module comprising:

a memory with executable solicitation code for requesting a first provider profile from a server and with installation code for installing the first provider profile in the memory, wherein the first provider profile associates the identity module with a first communication services provider, wherein only after installation of the first provider profile the identity module contains data correlating the identity module and the first communication services provider; and

a processor, wherein the processor is operative to;

receive terms of usage from the server prior to downloading a customization suite that includes provider-specific data, wherein execution of the installation code is conditioned on access to the provider-specific data, and wherein the server is associated with the first communication services provider;

send an indication of acceptance of the terms of usage to the server; and

download the customization suite including the provider-specific data from the server conditioned on sending the indication of the acceptance of the terms of usage to the server.

2. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the executable solicitation code includes executable code to establish a secure channel with the server.

3. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the installation code includes executable code to replace the first provider profile with a second provider profile that associates the identity module with a second communication services provider.

4. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory is further to store executable code to install in the memory a second provider profile that associates the identity module with a second communication services provider.

5. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory is further to store executable deletion code to remove the first provider profile from the memory.

6. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the memory stores communication code for communicating with the server and for downloading the first provider profile from the server, and wherein the identity module is devoid of the first provider profile prior to downloading the first provider profile from the server.

7. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to request a download of the first provider profile by executing the executable solicitation code.

8. The identity module of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to install the first provider profile after the first provider profile is downloaded, wherein the first provider profile is installed using the provider-specific data in the customization suite downloaded from the server.

9. A computer readable medium storing processor-executable instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive terms of usage from a server prior to downloading a customization suite, wherein the processor is operable to execute installation code upon access to provider-specific data included in the customization suite, and wherein the installation code enables installation of a provider profile in an identity module;

download the customization suite from the server conditioned on indicating to the server an acceptance of the terms of usage;

execute solicitation code to request download of the provider profile;

download the provider profile in response to requesting the download of the provider profile; and

execute the installation code using the provider-specific data included in the downloaded customization suite to install the provider profile in the identity module,

wherein only after installation of the provider profile the identity module contains data correlating the identity module and a communication services provider associated with the server.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the customization suite is received via a cellular network.

11. A method of accessing a communication service by a system including a host, the method comprising:

when the host is coupled to an identity module having a non-volatile memory;

issuing a request by the host to receive a customization suite, the customization suite including provider-specific data enabling a processor of the identity module to execute installation code that enables installation of a provider profile in the identity module, wherein only after installation of the provider profile the non-volatile memory contains data correlating the identity module and a provider of the communication service;

in response to issuing the request, receiving at the host terms of usage associated with the communication service from a server that is associated with the provider of the communication service;

providing, by the host to the server, an indication of acceptance of the terms of usage; and

receiving the customization suite at the host conditioned on the host having provided the indication of acceptance of the terms of usage.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, prior to receiving the customization suite at the host, providing user credentials from the host to the provider of the communication service.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the customization suite is received at the host in response to the user credentials provided by the host having been authenticated.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the request to receive the customization suite is issued via a cellular network.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the request to receive the customization suite is issued via a data network.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising establishing a secure connection at the host with a provider of the customization suite by executing solicitation code prior to receiving the customization suite.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein prior to installing the provider profile using the provider-specific data the identity module is devoid of the provider profile and the identity module is unable to utilize services offered by the provider of the communication service.

18. A method of establishing access to a communication service by a host, the method comprising:

requesting access to the communication service by the host;

receiving at the host, terms of usage of a provider of the communication service in response to the requested access;

submitting an indication of acceptance of the terms of usage by the host; and

in response to submitting the indication of acceptance of the terms of usage, receiving a customization suite at the host, wherein the customization suite includes provider-specific data that enables a processor of an identity module to execute installation code to install a provider profile into a non-volatile memory of the identity module when the identity module is operationally coupled to the host, wherein only after installation of the provider profile the non-volatile memory contains data correlating the identity module and the provider of the communication service; and

executing solicitation code to request download of the provider profile.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

downloading the provider profile after executing the solicitation code; and

installing the provider profile in the identity module via the installation code using the provider-specific data in the customization suite after the customization suite has been received at the host.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein prior to the installation of the provider profile the identity module is unable to utilize services offered by the provider of the communication service.