Dual-SIM mobile terminal and operation method for the same

• US 8,170,614 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yu Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fahnert, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US12/239,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,312 Days
• Field of Search: 455/425, 455/426.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A dual-SIM mobile terminal and operation method for the same are disclosed. The dual-SIM mobile terminal checks the number of installed SIM cards during booting, and activates and deactivates the SIM switching mode according to the identified SIM card information. The operation method includes: detecting whether a first SIM card and second SIM card are installed in a first card socket and second card socket; storing SIM identification information regarding the detected SIM card; and performing a boot procedure on the basis of the detected SIM card. In particular, the SIM switching menu is displayed in an activated or deactivated state according to the identified SIM card information. Hence, the user can readily identify the number of installed SIM cards and the availability of SIM card switching through display status of the SIM switching menu.

Claims

1. An operation method for a dual-subscriber identity module (SIM) mobile terminal, comprising:

detecting, upon turning on the dual-SIM mobile terminal, whether a first SIM card and a second SIM card are installed in a first card socket and a second card socket;

storing a SIM identification information regarding the first SIM card if the first SIM card is installed in the first card socket;

storing SIM identification information regarding the second SIM card if the second SIM card is installed in the second card socket;

selecting and performing a boot procedure according to the number of installed SIM cards by;

performing the boot procedure based on the installed SIM card when a single SIM card is installed in a socket; and

performing the boot procedure based on a preset SIM when both the first and second SIM cards are installed in the sockets,

wherein performing a boot procedure comprises;

inputting an identification signal to the first card socket or the second card socket;

detecting one of the first SIM card and second SIM card outputting a response signal associated with the identification signal; and

initializing the dual-SIM mobile terminal using the detected SIM card.

2. The operation method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether a first SIM card and a second SIM card are installed comprises:

inputting an identification signal to the first card socket and the second card socket; and

checking for an output of a response signal associated with the identification signal from the first card socket and the second card socket to determine an installation of the first SIM card and the second SIM card.

3. The operation method of claim 2, wherein the identification signal comprises a clock signal, an input-output signal and a reset signal that are applied in sequence while a preset voltage is applied to the first card socket or the second card socket, and wherein the response signal is an answer-to-reset (ATR) signal output through the first card socket or the second card socket.

4. The operation method of claim 3, wherein performing a boot procedure comprises:

inputting an identification signal to the first card socket or the second card socket according to the SIM identification information;

detecting one of the first SIM card and the second SIM card outputting a response signal associated with the identification signal; and

initializing the dual-SIM mobile terminal using the detected SIM card.

5. The operation method of claim 1, wherein when one SIM card is detected in detecting whether a first SIM card and a second SIM card are installed, the boot procedure is performed using the detected SIM card.

6. The operation method of claim 5, further comprising displaying, upon selection of a main menu after booting, a SIM switching menu of the main menu in a deactivated state.

7. The operation method of claim 1, wherein when two SIM cards are detected in detecting whether a first SIM card and a second SIM card are installed, the boot procedure is performed using a preset one of the two SIM cards.

8. The operation method of claim 7, further comprising displaying, upon selection of a main menu after booting, a SIM switching menu of the main menu in an activated state.

9. The operation method of claim 8, further comprising performing, upon selection of the SIM switching menu in an activated state, a SIM card switching.

10. A dual-subscriber identity module (SIM) mobile terminal comprising:

a first card socket accommodating a first SIM card;

a second card socket accommodating a second SIM card;

a SIM detector detecting, upon turning on the dual-SIM mobile terminal, whether the first SIM card and the second SIM card are installed in the first card socket and second card socket;

a memory unit storing a SIM identification information regarding the first SIM card if the first SIM card is installed in the first card socket, and the second SIM card if the second SIM card is installed in the second card socket; and

a booting part configured to select and perform a boot procedure according to the number of installed SIM cards by performing a boot procedure based on the installed SIM card when a single SIM card is installed in a socket, and performing a boot procedure based on a preset SIM card when both the first and second SIM cards are installed in the sockets,

wherein, to perform the boot procedure, the booting part inputs an identification signal to the first card socket or the second card socket,

detects one of the first SIM card and the second SIM card outputting a response signal associated with the identification signal, and

initializes the dual-SIM mobile terminal using the detected SIM card.

11. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the SIM detector inputs an identification signal to the first card socket and the second card socket, and checks for an output of a response signal associated with the identification signal through the first card socket and the second card socket to determine an installation of the first SIM card and the second SIM card.

12. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the identification signal comprises a clock signal, an input-output signal and a reset signal that are applied in sequence while a preset voltage is applied to the first card socket or the second card socket, and wherein the response signal is an answer-to-reset (ATR) signal output through the first card socket or the second card socket.

13. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the booting part inputs an identification signal to the first card socket or the second card socket according to the SIM identification information, detects one of the first SIM card and the second SIM card outputting a response signal associated with the identification signal, and initializes the dual-SIM mobile terminal using the detected SIM card.

14. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the booting part performs, when one SIM card is detected by the SIM detector, the boot procedure using the detected SIM card.

15. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising a display unit displaying, upon selection of a main menu after booting, a SIM switching menu of the main menu in a deactivated state.

16. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the booting part performs, when two SIM cards are detected by the SIM detector, the boot procedure using a preset one of the two SIM cards.

17. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 16, further comprising a display unit displaying, upon selection of a main menu after booting, a SIM switching menu of the main menu in an activated state.

18. The dual-SIM mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising a switching part performing, upon selection of the SIM switching menu in an activated state, a SIM card switching.

19. An operation method for a dual-subscriber identity module (SIM) mobile terminal, comprising:

detecting, upon turning on the dual-SIM mobile terminal, a number of installed SIM cards;

displaying a SIM switching menu according to the detected number of installed SIM cards, comprising;

displaying, when the number of installed SIM cards is one, the SIM switching menu in a deactivated state;

displaying, when the number of installed SIM cards is two, the SIM switching menu in an activated state; and

displaying, then the number of installed SIM cards is zero, a notice requesting SIM card insertion; and

performing a boot procedure according to the number of installed SIM cards, comprising;

inputting an identification signal to the first card socket or the second card socket;

detecting one of the first SIM card and second SIM card outputting a response signal associated with the identification signal; and

initializing the dual-SIM mobile terminal using the detected SIM card.