Method and system for managing subscriber identity modules on wireless networks for machine-to-machine applications

• US 8,611,891 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Numerex Corporation (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Numerex Corporation (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Selig, Gregory W., Aidee, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/681,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20130079051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/411, 455/436, 455/433, 455/426.1, 455/558, 455/449, 455/428, 370/328, 370/329, 370/349, 380/247, 713/169, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile station connected to a wireless network can comprise a subscriber identity module. The subscriber identity module can maintain a list of networks. The list can comprise forbidden public land mobile network data. Software can manage the forbidden public land mobile network data. For example, an applet transmitted to the subscriber identity module can periodically delete entries from the list and/or reset the subscriber identity module on predefined time intervals or when specified events occur.

Claims

1. A mobile station for providing a communications link for a machine-to-machine (M2M) application, the mobile station comprising:

mobile equipment comprising;

a microprocessor module operative to control operation of telemetry of the mobile station based on local sensor information and commands received via a cellular network;

a transceiver, operatively coupled to the microprocessor module, operative to process wireless signals incoming from and outgoing to the cellular network; and

an antenna, associated with the transceiver, that conducts the wireless signals;

a subscriber identity module (SIM); and

a computer program loaded on the subscriber identity module, the computer program comprising a timer that increments time based on detecting transmissions of periodic messages containing location information, wherein the timer is operative to trigger one or more time-based actions responsive to the timer determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed by counting the transmissions of periodic messages and comparing the count to a threshold number that is greater than one, the threshold number equating to the predetermined amount of time according to transmission time interval,

wherein the subscriber identity module comprises forbidden public land mobile network data stored in memory of the subscriber identity module and managed by the one or more time-based actions that the timer is operative to trigger.

2. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the periodic messages comprise status commands.

3. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the periodic messages are sent approximately every 30 seconds, and wherein the predetermined amount of time is approximately one day.

4. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the periodic messages are sent on a time interval set in an industry standard, and wherein the threshold number is not less than 20.

5. A mobile station for providing a communications link for a machine-to-machine (M2M) application, the mobile station comprising:

mobile equipment comprising;

a microprocessor module operative to control operations of telemetry of the mobile station based on local sensor information and commands received via a cellular network;

a transceiver, operatively coupled to the microprocessor module, operative to process wireless signals incoming from and outgoing to the cellular network; and

an antenna, associated with the transceiver, that conducts the wireless signals;

a subscriber identity module (SIM); and

a computer program loaded on the subscriber identity module, the computer program comprising a timer that increments time based on transmission of periodic messages containing location information, wherein the timer is operative to trigger one or more time-based actions,

wherein the computer program comprises an applet that clears a forbidden public land mobile network from a forbidden public land mobile network data file when the timer counts a predetermined number of the periodic messages.

6. A mobile station for a machine-to-machine (M2M) application, comprising:

a transceiver that is configured to send telemetry data over a cellular network to a gateway; and

a subscriber identity module (SIM) comprising instructions for;

tracking time from within the subscriber identity module by counting communications that carry location information and that are transmitted periodically over the cellular network;

determining if the tracked time has met a threshold by determining if a predetermined number of the communications have been counted, the predetermined number at least two; and

if the tracked time has met the threshold, modifying forbidden public land mobile network data stored in memory of the subscriber identity module.

8. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein modifying the forbidden public land mobile data comprises automatically clearing an entry of a data file stored at the subscriber identity module.

9. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein modifying the forbidden public land mobile data comprises periodically deleting one or more networks from a list of networks stored in memory of the subscriber identity module.

10. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the telemetry data comprises local sensor information.

11. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the subscriber identity module comprises an applet that comprises a timer for triggering time-based actions according to the tracked time.

12. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the communications that carry location information and that are transmitted periodically over the cellular network are transmitted on a time interval of approximately 30 seconds.

13. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the communications that carry location information and that are transmitted periodically over the cellular network are transmitted on a time interval set in accordance with an industry standard.

7. A mobile station for a machine-to-machine (M2M) application, comprising:

a transceiver that is configured to send telemetry data over a cellular network to a gateway; and

a subscriber identity module (SIM) comprising instructions for;

tracking time from within the subscriber identity module by counting communications that carry location information and that are transmitted periodically over the cellular network;

determining if the tracked time has met a threshold by determining if a predetermined number of the communications have been counted; and

if the tracked time has met the threshold, modifying data stored in the subscriber identity module,

wherein modifying data comprises clearing a forbidden land mobile network from a forbidden public land mobile network data file stored in memory of the subscriber identity module.

14. A mobile station, comprising:

a SIM card comprising an applet; and

a transceiver that is operatively coupled to the SIM card, that provides connectivity to a cellular network via an antenna, and that is operative to send telemetry information over the cellular network for a machine-to-machine (M2M) application,

wherein the applet comprises a timer that increments time based on detection of transmission of periodic messages containing location information, the transmissions occurring on a time interval, and

wherein the applet comprises instructions for changing a data file stored on the SIM card when the timer increments to a predetermined level indicating passage of a predetermined amount of time that is at least twice the time interval,

wherein the data file comprises a forbidden public land mobile network list, and

wherein changing the data file comprises resetting the data file.

15. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the mobile station comprises mobile equipment, and

wherein the applet further comprises instructions for:

using the timer to determine if the mobile equipment has not registered for a predetermined amount of time; and

rebooting the mobile equipment if the mobile equipment has not registered for the predetermined amount of time.

16. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein each periodic message containing location information comprises a status command.

17. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the time interval is set in accordance with an industry standard and the predetermined amount of time comprises 24 hours.

18. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the telemetry data comprises local sensor information.