Method and apparatus for switching virtual SIM service contracts based upon a user profile

• US 8,634,828 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shi, Guangming, Tangirala, Venkat, Siu, Ta-yan, Durand, Julian, Sprigg, Stephen A
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US12/480,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/558, 455/551, 455/436, 370/356
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system and method store provisioning data supporting a plurality of service providers in a VSIM internal memory unit of a mobile device. A user may specify a user profile to automatically enable provisioning data supporting one of the plurality of service providers stored in the VSIM internal memory unit to conduct a wireless communication when certain criteria values are satisfied. The automatic enabling of provisioning data may be determined based upon mobile device location, communication usage request and/or time and date.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a wireless communication call on a mobile device having a VSIM internal memory unit having stored therein provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts, comprising:

storing a plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts, wherein priority of the service contracts in each of the prioritized lists is determined by user inputs to the mobile device;

storing a plurality of user profiles, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles specifies one or more criteria categories for selecting one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts for use in supporting the wireless communication call;

identifying one of the plurality of user profiles as an active user profile;

determining the criteria categories specified by the active user profile, wherein each of the specified criteria categories is associated with a data field that stores a user-defined criteria category value for the active user profile;

collecting a current criteria value from the mobile device for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

comparing the collected current criteria values to the user-defined criteria category values stored for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

retrieving one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts associated with the active user profile if the collected current criteria values satisfy the user-defined criteria category values stored for the specified criteria categories;

retrieving from the VSIM memory unit the provisioning data corresponding to a highest priority service contract appearing in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts; and

attempting to establish a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria categories specified by the active user profile comprise a time of day criteria category, a mobile device location criteria category, and an application criteria category.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the application criteria category corresponds to a type of wireless communication call being initiated, and wherein the user-defined criteria category value for the application criteria category comprises one application type selected from the group consisting of voice call, SMS text, email, Internet browsing, and MobileTV.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a communication network supporting the highest priority service contract is available to the mobile device;

removing the communication network supporting the highest priority service contract from consideration if the communication network is unavailable to the mobile device; and

retrieving from the VSIM internal memory unit the provisioning data corresponding to a next highest priority service contract in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is currently active; and

establishing a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data corresponding to the highest priority service contract only if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is not currently active.

6. A mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for storing provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts;

means for storing a plurality prioritized lists of service contracts, wherein priority of the service contracts in each of the prioritized lists is determined by user input;

means for storing a plurality of user profiles, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles specifies one or more criteria categories for selecting one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts for use in supporting a wireless communication call;

means for identifying one of the plurality of user profiles as an active user profile;

means for determining the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

wherein each of the specified criteria categories is associated with a data field that stores a user-defined criteria category value for the active user profile;

means for collecting a current criteria value for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

means for comparing the collected current criteria values to the user-defined criteria category values stored for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

means for retrieving one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts associated with the active user profile if the collected current criteria values satisfy the user-defined criteria category values stored for the specified criteria categories;

means for retrieving the provisioning data corresponding to a highest priority service contract listed in the retrieved one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts; and

means for attempting to establish a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the one or more criteria categories specified by the active user profile comprise a time of day criteria category, a mobile device location criteria category, and an application criteria category.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the application criteria category corresponds to a type of wireless communication call being initiated, and wherein the user-defined criteria category value for the application criteria category comprises an application type selected from the group consisting of voice call, SMS text, email, Internet browsing, and MobileTV.

9. The mobile device of claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining whether a communication network supporting the highest priority service contract is available to the mobile device;

means for removing the communication network supporting the highest priority service contract from consideration if the communication network is unavailable to the mobile device; and

means for retrieving from the VSIM internal memory unit provisioning data corresponding to a next highest priority service contract in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts.

10. The mobile device of claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is currently active; and

means for establishing a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data only if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is not currently active.

11. A server, comprising:

a memory having stored therein a plurality of user profiles, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles specifies one or more criteria categories for selecting one of a plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts stored in the memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

a communication interface circuit coupled to the processor, the communication interface circuit configured to connect the processor to a communication network, wherein priority of the service contracts in each of the prioritized lists is received over the communication network from user inputs at a mobile device,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform steps comprising;

identifying one of the plurality of user profiles as an active user profile;

determining the criteria categories specified by the active user profile, wherein each of the specified criteria categories is associated with a data field that has a stored criteria category value for the active user profile, wherein the stored criteria value is received over the communication network from user inputs at the mobile device;

receiving a collected current criteria value from the mobile device for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

comparing the collected current criteria values to the stored criteria category values for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

retrieving one of the prioritized lists of service contracts associated with the active user profile if the collected current criteria values satisfy the stored criteria category values for the specified criteria categories; and

transmitting to the mobile device via the communication interface circuit a priority list index, wherein the priority list index is an indicator of the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the one or more criteria categories specified by the active user profile comprise a time of day criteria category, a mobile device location criteria category, and an application criteria category.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the application criteria category corresponds to a type of wireless communication call, and wherein the stored criteria value for the application criteria category comprises an application type selected from the group consisting of voice call, SMS text, email, Internet browsing, and MobileTV.

14. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface;

a processor; and

an internal memory unit coupled to the processor, the internal memory unit including a VSIM provisioning data buffer and having stored thereon;

provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts within a VSIM memory unit;

a plurality of user profiles; and

a plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts, wherein priority of the service contracts is determined by inputs received from the user interface,

wherein each of the plurality of user profiles specifies one or more criteria categories for selecting one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts for use in supporting a wireless call; and

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform steps comprising;

identifying one of the plurality of user profiles as an active user profile;

determining the criteria categories specified by the active user profile, wherein each of the specified criteria categories is associated with a data field that stores a user-defined criteria category value for the active user profile;

collecting a current criteria value for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

comparing the collected current criteria values to the user-defined criteria category values stored for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

retrieving one of the plurality of prioritized lists associated with the active user profile if the collected current criteria values satisfy the user-defined criteria category values stored for the specified criteria categories;

retrieving from the VSIM memory unit the provisioning data corresponding to a highest priority service contract appearing in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts; and

attempting to establish a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the one or more criteria categories specified by the active user profile comprise criteria a time of day criteria category, a mobile device location criteria category, and an application criteria category.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the application criteria category corresponds to a type of wireless communication call, and wherein the user-defined criteria category value for the application criteria category comprises an application type selected from the group consisting of voice call, SMS text, email, Internet browsing, and MobileTV.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured with software instructions to perform steps further comprising:

determining whether a communication network supporting the highest priority service contract is available to the mobile device;

removing the communication network supporting the highest priority service contract from consideration if the communication network is unavailable to the mobile device; and

retrieving from the VSIM internal memory unit provisioning data corresponding to a next highest priority service contract in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts.

18. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured with software instructions to perform steps further comprising:

determining if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is currently active; and

establishing a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data only if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is not currently active.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

storing a plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts, wherein the priority of the service contracts in each list is determined by inputs received from a user interface;

storing a plurality of user profiles, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles specifies one or more criteria categories for selecting one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts for use in supporting a wireless communication call;

identifying one of a plurality of user profiles as an active user profile;

determining the criteria categories specified by the active user profile, wherein each of the specified criteria categories is associated with a data field that stores a user-defined criteria category value for the active user profile;

collecting a current criteria value a mobile device for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

comparing the collected current criteria values to the user-defined criteria category value stored for each of the criteria categories specified by the active user profile;

retrieving one of the plurality of prioritized lists of service contracts associated with the active user profile if the collected current criteria values satisfy the user-defined criteria category values stored for the specified criteria categories;

retrieving from a VSIM internal memory unit the provisioning data corresponding to a highest priority service contract appearing in the prioritized list of service contracts; and

attempting to establish a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more criteria categories specified by the active user profile comprise a time of day criteria category, a mobile device location criteria category, and an application criteria category.

21. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the application criteria category corresponds to a type of wireless communication call being initiated, and wherein the user-defined criteria category value for the application criteria category comprises one application type selected from the group consisting of voice call, SMS text, email, Internet browsing, and MobileTV.

22. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

determining whether a communication network supporting the highest priority service contract is available to the mobile device;

removing the communication network supporting the highest priority service contract from consideration if the communication network is unavailable to the mobile device; and

retrieving from the VSIM internal memory unit provisioning data corresponding to a next highest priority service contract in the retrieved prioritized list of service contracts.

23. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

determining if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is currently active; and

establishing a communication link to a communication network using the retrieved provisioning data only if a wireless communication call on the mobile device is not currently active.