Methods for initiating operating voltages for subscriber identity cards and systems utilizing the same

• US 8,208,961 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Liu-Yang, Huang, Chiang Hsia
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROD, YOUSEF R
• Application Number:
  US13/352,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 161 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/552.1, 455/571
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

A system for operating at least two subscriber identity cards has a subscriber identity module (SIM) controller generating a first voltage variable signal with a first voltage level to a first subscriber identity card during a first time period, generating the first voltage variable signal at a second voltage level to the first subscriber identity card during a second time period, receiving a first code indicating that generated voltage matches from the first subscriber identity card during the first or second time period, generating a first operating voltage with the first voltage level to the first subscriber identity card when receiving the first code in the first time period, generating the first operating voltage with the second voltage level when receiving the first code in the second time period.

Claims

1. A system for operating at least two subscriber identity cards, comprising:

a subscriber identity module (SIM) controller, after being power-on, generating a first voltage variable signal with a first voltage level to a first subscriber identity card during a first time period, generating the first voltage variable signal at a second voltage level to the first subscriber identity card during a second time period, receiving a first code indicating that generated voltage matches from the first subscriber identity card during the first or second time period, generating a first operating voltage with the first voltage level to the first subscriber identity card when receiving the first code in the first time period, generating the first operating voltage with the second voltage level when receiving the first code in the second time period, generating a second voltage variable signal with the first voltage level to a second subscriber identity card during a third time period, generating the second voltage variable signal with the second voltage level to the second subscriber identity card during a fourth time period, receiving a second code indicating that generated voltage matches from the second subscriber identity card during the third or fourth time period, generating a second operating voltage with the first voltage level to the second subscriber identity card when receiving the second code in the third time period, and generating the second operating voltage with the second voltage level to the second subscriber identity when receiving the second code in the fourth time period, thereby enabling the first subscriber identity card and the second subscriber identity card to be operated at the first voltage level and the second voltage level respectively.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SIM controller further comprises:

a first regulator generating the first voltage variable signal with different voltage levels in different time periods to the first subscriber identity card, and generating the first operating voltage with one of the first voltage level and the second voltage level to the first subscriber identity card; and

a second regulator generating the second voltage variable signal with different voltage levels in different time periods to the second subscriber identity card, and generating the second operating voltage with one of the first voltage level and the second voltage level to the second subscriber identity card.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the SIM controller further comprises a control unit directing the first regulator to generate the first voltage variable signal with different voltage levels in different time periods to the first subscriber identity card, directing the first regulator to generate the first operating voltage with one of the first and second voltage levels according to receiving time period of the first code, directing the second regulator to generate the second voltage variable signal with different voltage levels in different time periods to the second subscriber identity card, and directing the second regulator to generate the second operating voltage with one of the first and second voltage levels according to receiving time period of the second code.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SIM controller further couples or connects a interface to the first subscriber identity card before generating the first voltage variable signal to the first subscriber identity card, receives the first code via the interface after coupling or connecting the interface to the first subscriber identity card, switchingly couples or connects the interface to the second subscriber identity card after generating the first operating voltage and before generating the second voltage variable signal to the second subscriber identity card, and receives the second code via the interface after coupling or connecting the interface to the subscriber identity card.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interface is SIM interfaces.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the SIM controller further determines voltage level of the first operating voltage according to a first setting signal from a Baseband unit, and determines voltage level of the second operating voltage according to a second setting signal from the Baseband unit.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first setting signal and the second setting signal are transmitted from the Baseband unit to the controller via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) interface.

8. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the SIM controller further comprises:

a first level shifter;

a second level shifter;

a switching circuit; and

a control unit directing the switching circuit to couple or connect the interface to the first subscriber identity card via the first level shifter before generating the first voltage variable signal to the first subscriber identity card, and directing the switching circuit to couple or connect the interface to the second subscriber identity card via the second level shifter before generating the second voltage variable signal to the second subscriber identity card.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SIM controller further reads out a first international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) from the first subscriber identity card for subsequently sending to cellular network after successfully determining and generating voltage level of the first operating voltage, and reads out a second IMSI from the second subscriber identity card for subsequently sending to cellular network after successfully determining and generating voltage level of the second operating voltage.

10. A subscriber identity module (SIM) controller, comprising:

a control unit;

a first regulator, directed by the control unit, generating a first voltage variable signal with a first voltage level to a first subscriber identity card during a first time period, and with a second voltage level to the first subscriber identity card during a second time period, and generating a first operating voltage with the first or second voltage level to the first subscriber identity card in response to which time period a first code indicating that generated voltage matches is received from the first subscriber identity card; and

a second regulator, directed by the control unit, generating a second voltage variable signal with the first voltage level to a second subscriber identity card during a third time period, and with the second voltage level to the second subscriber identity card during a fourth time period, and generating a second operating voltage with the first or second voltage level to the second subscriber identity card in response to which time period a second code indicating that generated voltage matches is received from the second subscriber identity card.

11. The SIM controller as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a first level shifter;

a second level shifter; and

a switching circuit, directed by the control unit, coupling or connecting a interface to the first subscriber identity card via the first level shifter before generating the first voltage variable signal to the first subscriber identity card, such that the first code can be passed through the first level shifter to a Baseband unit, and switchingly coupling or connecting the interface to the second subscriber identity card via the second level shifter before generating the second voltage variable signal to the second subscriber identity card, such that the second code can be passed through the second level shifter to the Baseband unit.

12. The SIM controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the interface is SIM interface.