Apparatus and methods for provisioning subscriber identity data in a wireless network
First Claim
1. A method for acquiring Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data at a wireless electronic device loaded with a provisioning SIM profile, the method comprising:
- at the wireless electronic device;
communicating information from the provisioning SIM profile to a local carrier, wherein the local carrier is configured to contact a provisioning carrier corresponding to the provisioning SIM profile, to determine whether the provisioning SIM profile is associated with an active account, wherein the provisioning carrier has a roaming agreement with at least one wireless carrier and the provisioning carrier provides service in multiple countries or multiple geographic regions;
establishing a data connection with a provisioning service through a wireless link via the local carrier;
receiving from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, a list of wireless carriers to present to a user;
obtaining a user selection of a selected carrier from the list of wireless carriers;
based at least in part on the user selection, receiving from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, SIM data associated with the selected carrier;
storing the SIM data into a secure element of the wireless electronic device; and
operating the wireless electronic device using the SIM data,wherein the provisioning SIM profile comprises a bootstrap program having minimal functionality in comparison to the SIM data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for provisioning wireless devices for operation in one or more networks. In one embodiment, a provisioning service may provide access client (e.g., Subscriber Identity Module) data to a secure element in the wireless user device. The device may be preloaded with a provisioning SIM profile. The device may use the provisioning profile to roam onto a carrier, and communicate with a provisioning service, which may present the user with a list of available wireless carriers, such as carriers that service the user'"'"'s current geographic location. In response to a user selection, the provisioning service may load a SIM profile associated with the selected carrier onto the secure element. The loaded SIM profile can be used to obtain wireless service from the selected carrier. The user may add multiple SIM profiles, and/or may delete SIM profiles.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for acquiring Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data at a wireless electronic device loaded with a provisioning SIM profile, the method comprising:
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at the wireless electronic device; communicating information from the provisioning SIM profile to a local carrier, wherein the local carrier is configured to contact a provisioning carrier corresponding to the provisioning SIM profile, to determine whether the provisioning SIM profile is associated with an active account, wherein the provisioning carrier has a roaming agreement with at least one wireless carrier and the provisioning carrier provides service in multiple countries or multiple geographic regions; establishing a data connection with a provisioning service through a wireless link via the local carrier; receiving from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, a list of wireless carriers to present to a user; obtaining a user selection of a selected carrier from the list of wireless carriers; based at least in part on the user selection, receiving from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, SIM data associated with the selected carrier; storing the SIM data into a secure element of the wireless electronic device; and operating the wireless electronic device using the SIM data, wherein the provisioning SIM profile comprises a bootstrap program having minimal functionality in comparison to the SIM data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A wireless apparatus loaded with a provisioning Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) profile, the wireless apparatus comprising:
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wireless communications circuitry adapted to communicate with a communications network; a secure element configured to store SIM data; a processor; and a storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless apparatus to; communicate information from the provisioning SIM profile to a local carrier, wherein the local carrier is configured to contact a provisioning carrier corresponding to the provisioning SIM profile, to determine whether the provisioning SIM profile is associated with an active account, wherein the provisioning carrier has a roaming agreement with at least one wireless carrier and the provisioning carrier provides service in multiple countries or multiple geographic regions; verify the active account with the provisioning carrier; establish a data connection between the wireless apparatus and a provisioning service via a wireless link; based at least in part on a selection of a selected carrier by a user of the wireless apparatus, receive, from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, SIM data associated with the selected carrier; and store the SIM data into one of a plurality of locally manageable SIM profiles of the secure element; and operate the wireless apparatus using the SIM data, wherein the provisioning SIM profile comprises a bootstrap program having minimal functionality in comparison to the SIM data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A network apparatus, comprising:
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communications circuitry adapted to communicate with a communications network; a processor; and a storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the network apparatus to; send to a user device, via a provisioning service, a list of wireless carriers to present to a user of the user device, wherein the user device is loaded with a provisioning Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) profile associated with at least one provisioning carrier that has a roaming agreement with one or more wireless carriers in the list of wireless carriers, wherein the at least one provisioning carrier provides service in multiple countries or multiple geographic regions, and wherein the user device is configured to roam onto a local carrier; receive from the user device a user selection of a selected carrier from the list of wireless carriers; in response to receiving the user selection, allocate SIM data associated with the selected carrier for the user device; establish a wireless link to the user device; send the SIM data to the user device to load the SIM data into one of a plurality of locally manageable SIM profiles at the user device; and notify a service provider of the allocation of the SIM data for the user device, wherein the provisioning SIM profile comprises a bootstrap program having minimal functionality in comparison to the SIM data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed at a wireless electronic device loaded with a provisioning Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) profile, cause the wireless electronic device to:
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communicate information from the provisioning SIM profile to a local carrier, wherein the local carrier is configured to contact a provisioning carrier corresponding to the provisioning SIM profile, to determine whether the provisioning SIM profile is associated with an active account, wherein the provisioning carrier has a roaming agreement with at least one wireless carrier and the provisioning carrier provides service in multiple countries or multiple geographic regions; establish a wireless link with a network via the local carrier; establish a data connection with a provisioning service via the wireless link; receive from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, a list of wireless carriers to present to a user of the wireless electronic device; based at least in part on a user selection of a selected carrier from the list of wireless carriers, receive from the provisioning service, via the provisioning carrier, SIM data associated with the selected carrier; and store the SIM data into one of a plurality of locally managed SIM profiles of a secure element at the wireless electronic device; and operate the wireless electronic device using the SIM data, wherein the provisioning SIM profile comprises a bootstrap program having minimal functionality in comparison to the SIM data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification