Wireless terminal device, communication system, and control method of wireless terminal device

• US 9,208,455 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Naito, Masahiko, Itoh, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US13/249,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/418, 455/419
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless terminal device includes: a transmission control unit which transmits a transfer request which is for requesting a use right of contract authentication information relating to a wireless business operator providing wireless connection services, which is information held by a second wireless terminal device as another wireless terminal device, via a wireless line when a predetermined operation is input; a receiving unit which receives transfer information which is transmitted via the wireless line in response to the transfer request for transferring the use right; and a control unit which sets valid contract authentication information based on the received transfer information.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal device comprising:

circuitry configured to;

transmit a transfer request, via a wireless line operated by a wireless business operator providing wireless connection services on the wireless line by a limited connection performed without using contract authentication information, to the wireless business operator, the transfer request requesting transfer of a use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless business operator providing wireless connection services, and the contract authentication information being held by a second wireless terminal device as another wireless terminal device, when a predetermined operation is input;

receive transfer information, which is transmitted via the wireless line in response to the transfer request for transferring the use right held by the second wireless terminal device, the transfer information including the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device and the contract authentication information received while the second wireless terminal device is unavailable; and

set valid contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services in the wireless terminal device, as a first wireless terminal device, based on the received transfer information, the second wireless terminal device continuing to hold the use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services.

2. The wireless terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the transfer information includes validation information which is for validating the contract authentication information held by a memory, and

wherein the circuitry is configured to set the valid contract authentication information by validating the contract authentication information held by the memory based on the validation information included in the received transfer information.

3. The wireless terminal device according to claim 2,

wherein the circuitry is configured to:

transmit the transfer request to a network control apparatus with a database which manages the contract authentication information which is respectively held by the wireless terminal device and the second wireless terminal device, and

set the valid contract authentication information based on the transfer information which is transmitted from the network control apparatus based on management by the database.

4. The wireless terminal device according to claim 3,

wherein the network control apparatus is configured to validate the contract authentication information held by the memory by transmitting the transfer information to the wireless terminal device in response to the transfer request and performs control so as to invalidate the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device, and

wherein the circuitry is configured to set the valid contract authentication information based on control by the network control apparatus.

5. The wireless terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the circuitry is configured to:

set the valid contract authentication information by causing the memory to hold the contract authentication information included in the received transfer information.

6. The wireless terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the transfer information before the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device is invalidated.

7. The wireless terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined operation is an instructing operation by a user who instructs the transfer request.

8. The wireless terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the second wireless terminal device is off or out of service.

9. A network control apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

receive a transfer request, via a wireless line operated by a wireless business operator providing wireless connection services on the wireless line by a limited connection performed without using contract authentication information, from a first wireless terminal device, the transfer request requesting transfer of a use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless business operator providing wireless connection services, and the contract authentication information being held by a second wireless terminal device and held by a memory; and

transmit transfer information which is for transferring the use right, held by the second wireless terminal device, when the transfer request is received, to the first wireless device, via a wireless line, the transfer information including the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device and the contract authentication information transferred while the second wireless terminal device is unavailable, the second wireless terminal device continuing to hold the use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services.

10. The wireless terminal device according to claim 9,

wherein the circuitry is configured to cause a display to display a confirmation screen, which allows a user to confirm the transfer of the use right when the transfer request is received, and transmit the transfer information via the wireless line when an operation of authorizing the transfer of the use right is input after the display of the confirmation screen.

11. The network control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the transfer information when predetermined conditions are satisfied.

12. The network control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined conditions are conditions set at the second wireless terminal device.

13. The network control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine that the second wireless terminal device is unavailable when invalidation confirmation information regarding invalidating the contract authentication information for the second wireless terminal has not been received from the second wireless terminal device.

14. A communication system comprising:

a first wireless terminal device including

circuitry configured to;

transmit a transfer request, via a wireless line operated by a wireless business operator providing wireless connection services on the wireless line by a limited connection performed without using contract authentication information, to the wireless business operator, the transfer request requesting transfer of a use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless business operator providing wireless connection services, and the contract authentication information being held by a second wireless terminal device, when a predetermined operation is input,

receive transfer information which, is transmitted via the wireless line in response to the transfer request for transferring the use right held by the second wireless terminal device, the transfer information including the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device and the contract authentication information received while the second wireless terminal device is unavailable, and

set valid contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services in the first wireless terminal device based on the received transfer information, the second wireless terminal device continuing to hold the use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services; and

a device network control apparatus including

circuitry configured to;

receive the transfer request from the first wireless terminal device via the wireless line, and

transmit the transfer information when the transfer request is received, via the wireless line.

15. A control method of a wireless terminal device comprising:

transmitting a transfer request, via a wireless line operated by a wireless business operator providing wireless connection services on the wireless line by a limited connection performed without using contract authentication information, to the wireless business operator, the transfer request requesting transfer of a use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless business operator providing wireless connection services, and the contract authentication information held by a second wireless terminal device as another wireless terminal device, when a predetermined operation is input;

receiving transfer information, which is transmitted via the wireless line in response to the transfer request for transferring the use right held by the second wireless terminal device, the transfer information including the contract authentication information held by the second wireless terminal device and the contract authentication information received while the second wireless terminal device is unavailable; and

setting valid contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services in the wireless terminal device, as a first wireless terminal device based on the received transfer information, the second wireless terminal device continuing to hold the use right of the contract authentication information relating to the wireless operator providing wireless connection services.