Virtual SIM card for mobile handsets

• US 8,811,969 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shi, Guangming, Tangirala, Venkat, Siu, Ta-yan, Durand, Julian, Sprigg, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US12/480,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• 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 12/42 using virtual identity modules
• 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

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 selectively enable provisioning data supporting one of the plurality of service providers stored in the VSIM internal memory unit to conduct a wireless communication. An embodiment permits backing up, retrieving and restoring personal data in the VSIM internal memory unit using a remote database. Another embodiment allows a mobile device to select an optimal service provider to conduct a wireless communication. The optimal service provider may be determined based upon mobile device location, communication usage request and/or time and date.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a mobile device, comprising:

storing provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts in at least one remote database;

sending, via a communication network, a list of service contract options to the mobile device;

receiving, via the communication network, a request from the mobile device to download provisioning data for at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

downloading the provisioning data for the at least two of the plurality of service contracts to a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit comprising a portion of an internal memory of the mobile device using the communication network;

receiving, via the communication network, codes identifying the mobile device;

uploading the received code identifying the mobile device into a service account data file associated with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

associating a single telephone number with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

storing personal data for a user of the mobile device in a remote personal data database;

receiving, via the communication network, an account name and an authentication credential from the user of the mobile device;

authenticating the user based on the received account name and authentication credential; and

downloading the personal data for the user stored in the remote personal data database to the VSIM internal memory unit using the communication network if the user is authenticated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloaded provisioning data for one of the at least two of the plurality of service contracts is for a pre-paid service contract.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloaded provisioning data for one of the at least two of the plurality of service contracts is for a monthly service contract.

4. A server, comprising:

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

means for sending, via a communication network, a list of service contract options to the mobile device;

means for receiving, via the communication network, a request from the mobile device to download provisioning data for at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

means for downloading the provisioning data for the at least two of the plurality of service contracts to a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit comprising a portion of an internal memory of the mobile device using the communication network;

means for receiving, via the communication network, codes identifying the mobile device;

means for uploading the received code identifying the mobile device into a service account data file associated with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

means for associating a single telephone number with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

storing personal data for a user of the mobile device in a remote personal data database;

receiving, via the communication network, an account name and an authentication credential from the user of the mobile device;

means for authenticating the user based on the received account name and authentication;

means for downloading the stored personal data for the user to the VSIM internal memory unit using the communication network if the user is authenticated.

5. A server, comprising:

a 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 the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising;

storing provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts in at least on database in the memory;

sending, via a communication interface circuit, a list of service contract options to the mobile device;

receiving, via the communication interface circuit, a request from the mobile device to download provisioning data for at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

downloading the provisioning data for the at least two of the plurality of service contracts to a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit comprising a portion of an internal memory of the mobile device using the communication interface circuit;

receiving, via the communication interface circuit, codes identifying the mobile device;

uploading the received code identifying the mobile device into a service account data file associated with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

associating a single telephone number with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

storing personal data for a user of the mobile device in a second remote database in the memory;

receiving, via the communication interface circuit, an account name and an authentication credential from the user of the mobile device;

authenticating the user based on the received account name and authentication credential; and

downloading the stored personal data for the user to the VSIM internal memory unit using the communication interface circuit if the user is authenticated.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

storing provisioning data for a plurality of service contracts in at least one remote database;

sending, via a communication network, a list of service contract options to the mobile device;

receiving, via the communication network, a request from the mobile device to download provisioning data for at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

downloading the provisioning data for the at least two of the plurality of service contracts to a Virtual Subscriber Identity Module (VSIM) internal memory unit comprising a portion of an internal memory of the mobile device using the communication network;

receiving, via the communication network, codes identifying the mobile device;

uploading the received code identifying the mobile device into a service account data file associated with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

associating a single telephone number with the at least two of the plurality of service contracts;

storing personal data for a user of the mobile device in a remote personal data database;

receiving, via the communication network, an account name and an authentication credential from the user of the mobile device;

authenticating the user based on the received account name and authentication credential; and

downloading the personal data for the user stored in the second remote database to the VSIM internal memory unit using the communication network if the user is authenticated.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored there in the at least one remote database that includes provisioning data supporting a pre-paid service contract.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored there in the at least one remote database that includes provisioning data supporting a monthly service contract.