Management of multiple subscriber identity modules

• US 8,995,951 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UROS Technology S.A.R.L.
• Original Assignee: UROS Technology S.A.R.L.
• Inventors: Korkiakoski, Jari, Uhari, Tommi
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US13/742,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 455406-408
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/202 selecting interactively a payment method
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/203 cash-based recharging, i.e. physical input of coins or bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Management of multiple subscriber identity modules by a server is disclosed. The server, for each subscriber identity module belonging to a set of subscriber identity modules of a user of a mobile terminal, detects a need to top up credit of the subscriber identity module, and after the detection, transmits, through a communication interface, transaction data determining a payment to the mobile phone operator of the subscriber identity module in order to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

Claims

1. A server comprising a communication interface,

one or more processors, and

one or more memories storing instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server,

for each subscriber identity module belonging to a set of subscriber identity modules of a user of a mobile terminal, to detect a need to top up credit of the subscriber identity module,

wherein the server is operated by a service provider providing the set of the subscriber identity modules, the service provider being an independent supplier or vendor of the subscriber identity modules,

the set of the subscriber identity modules comprises prepaid subscriber identity modules obtained from various mobile phone operators,

wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

(i) keep balance data relating to the subscriber identity module;

(ii) detect the need to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module on the basis of the balance data; and

(iii) after the detection, for each subscriber identity module belonging to a set of subscriber identity modules of a user of a mobile terminal, (i) transmit, through the communication interface, transaction data and (ii) determine a payment to a mobile phone operator of the subscriber identity module in order to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

receive, through the communication interface, the balance data from the mobile phone operator of the subscriber identity module.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

receive, through the communication interface, a request from the mobile phone operator of the subscriber identity module to top up the credit; and

detect the need to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module on the basis of the received request.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

after the detection, decide automatically to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

after the detection, transmit, through the communication interface, alarm data to the user informing of the need to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

receive, through the communication interface, in response to the alarm data, instructions from the user instructing to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

determine the payment to the mobile phone operator to be paid from a bank account of a service provider providing the set of the subscriber identity modules.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

transmit, through the communication interface, an invoice to the user covering the sum needed to top up the credit of the subscriber identity module.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

compile user balance data from the balance data of each subscriber identity module belonging to the set of subscriber identity modules.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the one or more memories further store instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

transmit, through the communication interface, a compiled invoice to the user covering the sum indicated by the user balance data.

11. The server of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile wireless communications terminal, an accessory of a mobile wireless communications terminal, a combination of a mobile wireless communications terminal and an accessory of the mobile wireless communications terminal, an accessory of a mobile terminal, a combination of a mobile terminal and an accessory of the mobile terminal, a Universal Serial Bus USB modem.

12. The server of claim 1, wherein the server comprises at least one of the following:

a computer, a server computer, a cluster of computers, and a computer system.