Methods and apparatus for user identity module update without service interruption

• US 9,235,406 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sen, Abhishek, Vashi, Prashant H., Anantharaman, Karthik
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US13/632,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20130283257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for accepting software updates without interruption of ongoing services. Various embodiments are adapted for maintaining service continuity in multi-mode devices such as cellular devices. In one exemplary implementation, unlike prior art solutions (which interrupt user identity module software to implement changes to the network access software), unnecessary updates can be postponed or otherwise scheduled so as to minimize or eliminate service or user experience impact.

Claims

1. A method of operating a network, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of active network connections to a corresponding plurality of user devices;

transmitting to at least one user device of the plurality of user devices one or more updates for at least one user identity module (UIM) software application associated with the at least one user device,

wherein the transmitting causes each user device of the at least one user device to;

refresh the one or more updates, when the one or more updates are relevant to at least one active network connection belonging to a set of active network connections between the user device and the network; and

when the one or more updates are not relevant to any member of the set of active network connections between the user device and the network, refresh the one or more updates after connections of all members of the set of active network connections terminate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the at least one user device one or more parameters with the one or more updates, wherein each user device of the at least one user device determines whether the one or more updates are relevant to the at least one active network connection belonging to the set of active network connections between the user device and the network based on the one or more parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one UIM software application associated with the at least one user device is configured to cause the at least one user device to verify a user identity of a communicating party and to grant a level of access to one or more networks commensurate with the verified user identity.

10. The user apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more UIM software applications are configured to cause the user apparatus to verify a user identity of a communicating party and to grant a level of access to one or more networks commensurate with the verified user identity.

4. A user apparatus comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless network;

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor; and

computerized logic configured to accept software updates from the wireless network without interruption of one or more ongoing services, the logic configured to cause the user apparatus to;

receive one or more updates for one or more user identity module (UIM) software applications;

determine whether the one or more updates are relevant to at least one active network connection belonging to a set of currently active network connections between the user apparatus and the wireless network;

when the one or more updates are not relevant to any member of the set of currently active network connections, refresh the one or more updates after connections of all members of the set of currently active network connections terminate; and

otherwise, refresh the one or more updates.

5. The user apparatus of claim 4, wherein the user apparatus determines whether the one or more updates are relevant to the at least one active network connection based on a comparison of the at least one active network connection to a network connection on which the one or more updates were received.

6. The user apparatus of claim 4, wherein the user apparatus determines whether the one or more updates are relevant to the at least one active network connection based on one or more parameters provided with the one or more updates.

7. The user apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more UIM software applications are configured to run on at least a first context and a second context;

and

wherein the user apparatus refreshes the one or more updates on the first context and maintains the at least one active network connection on the second context.

8. The user apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user apparatus refreshes the one or more updates on the second context when the at least one active network connection terminates.

9. The user apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computerized logic is configured to cause the user apparatus to refresh the one or more updates without disabling any active network interfaces of the user apparatus that are not associated with the one or more updates.

11. A network apparatus comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a plurality of user devices;

a processor,

a storage device in communication with the processor; and

computerized logic configured to provide software updates to the plurality of user devices without interrupting one or more ongoing services, the computerized logic configured to cause the network apparatus to;

maintain a plurality of active network connections to a corresponding plurality of user devices;

transmit to at least one user device of the plurality of user devices one or more updates for at least one user identity module (UIM) software application associated with the at least one user device;

wherein transmission of the one or more updates causes each user device of the at least one user device to;

refresh the one or more updates when the one or more updates are relevant to at least one active network connection belonging to a set of active network connections between the user device and the network apparatus; and

when the one or more updates are not relevant to any member of the set of active network connections between the user device and the network apparatus, refresh the one or more updates after connections of all members of the set of active network connections terminate.

12. The network apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computerized logic is further configured to cause the network apparatus to:

transmit to the at least one user device one or more parameters with the one or more updates, wherein each user device of the at least one user device determines whether the one or more updates are relevant to the at least one active network connection belonging to the set of active network connections between the user device and the network apparatus based on the one or more parameters.

13. The network apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one UIM software application associated with the at least one user device is configured to cause the at least one user device to verify a user identity of a communicating party and to grant a level of access to one or more networks commensurate with the verified user identity.

14. A non-transitory computer readable apparatus for use in a network apparatus, the non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a digital processor, cause the network apparatus to:

maintain a plurality of active network connections between the network apparatus and a corresponding plurality of user devices; and

transmit to a user device of the plurality of user devices one or more updates for at least one user identify module (UIM) software application associated with the user device,

wherein transmission of the one or more updates causes the user device to;

refresh the one or more updates, when the one or more updates are relevant to at least one active network connection belonging to a set of active network connections between the user device and the network apparatus; and

when the one or more updates are not relevant to any member of the set of active network connections between the user device and the network apparatus, refresh the one or more updates after connections of all members of the set of active network connections terminate.

15. The non-transitory computer readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more updates are provided to the user device via an inactive network connection between the network apparatus and the user device, and the user device receives a notification message via an active network connection between the network apparatus and the user device, the notification message indicating availability of the one or more updates.

16. The non-transitory computer readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one UIM software applications is configured to cause the user device to verify a user identity of a communicating party and to grant a level of access to one or more networks commensurate with the verified user identity.