Apparatuses, methods and systems for virtualizing a reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip

• US 9,485,252 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2016
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GigSky, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simless, Inc. (GigSky, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wane, Ismaila
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US15/040,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/419, 455/558, 455/557, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7556 by SIM, e.g. smart card account in SCP, SDP or SN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• 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 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• 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 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 : Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 : Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are provided for virtualizing a reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip (UICC) in a connected device'"'"'s operating system. In one embodiment, an integrated cellular modem in the connected device is configured to use a simple protocol to communicate with the reprogrammable UICC. The protocol may be implemented in a way that allows cellular modem vendors to easily support such functionality and allow original equipment manufacturers to upgrade connected devices already deployed in the field.

Claims

1. A mobile station comprising:

an application processor physically connected to a baseband processor, wherein the physical connection facilitates secure transmission of commands to the application processor from a cellular modem application hosted by the baseband processor; and

one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, configure a mobile application running on the application processor to, in response to receipt of one or more commands from the baseband processor, communicate via a radio interface layer of the application processor with a virtual reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip (eUICC) that is not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor,

wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the application processor to communicate with the virtual eUICC by causing the radio interface layer of the application processor to

transmit the one or more commands to the virtual eUICC,

receive, from the virtual eUICC, one or more responses to the one or more commands, and

forward the one or more responses to the baseband processor.

2. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the virtual eUICC is stored within a trusted execution environment (TEE) of the application processor.

3. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the virtual eUICC is hosted by a device that is remote from the mobile station.

4. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the baseband processor is programmed to non-electrically attach to the virtual eUICC.

5. The mobile station of claim 4, wherein non-electrical attachment comprises a transmission to the application processor of a command initiated by the baseband processor.

6. The mobile station of claim 5, wherein a radio interface layer of the application processor is configured to interpret and forward the command to the virtual eUICC.

7. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the virtual eUICC is configured to:

receive the one or more commands; and

generate the one or more responses to the one or more commands.

8. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further configure the mobile application to, in response to receipt of one or more commands from the baseband processor, communicate with one or more other virtual eUICCs that are not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor.

9. A method comprising:

providing, in the mobile station, an application processor physically connected to a baseband processor, wherein the physical connection facilitates secure transmission of commands to the application processor from a cellular modem application hosted by the baseband processor; and

in response to receipt of one or more commands from the baseband processor, communicating, by a mobile application running on the application processor and via a radio interface layer of the application processor, with a virtual reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip (eUICC) that is not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor,

wherein communicating with the virtual eUICC includes causing the radio interface layer of the application processor to

transmit the one or more commands to the virtual eUICC,

receive, from the virtual eUICC, one or more responses to the one or more commands, and

forward the one or more responses to the baseband processor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual eUICC is stored within a trusted execution environment (TEE) of the application processor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual eUICC is hosted by a device that is remote from the mobile station.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

non-electrically attaching, by the baseband processor of the mobile station, to the virtual eUICC.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein non-electrical attachment comprises a transmission to the application processor of a command initiated by the baseband processor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

interpreting, by a radio interface layer of the application processor, the command; and

forwarding, by the radio interface layer of the application processor, the command to the virtual eUICC.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual eUICC is configured to:

receive the one or more commands; and

generate the one or more responses to the one or more commands.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to receipt of one or more commands from the baseband processor, communicating with one or more other virtual eUICCs that are not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor.

17. A mobile station comprising:

an application processor physically connected to a baseband processor, wherein the physical connection facilitates secure transmission of commands to the application processor from a cellular modem application hosted by the baseband processor; and

means for communicating, by a mobile application running on the application processor and in response to receipt of one or more commands from the baseband processor, with a virtual reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip (eUICC) that is not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor,

wherein the means for communicating with the virtual eUICC includes means for

transmitting the one or more commands to the virtual eUICC,

receiving, from the virtual eUICC, one or more responses to the one or more commands, and

forwarding the one or more responses to the baseband processor.

18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the virtual eUICC is stored within a trusted execution environment (TEE) of the application processor.

19. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the virtual eUICC is hosted by a device that is remote from the mobile station.

20. The mobile station of claim 17, further comprising means for non-electrically attaching the baseband processor to the virtual eUICC.

21. The mobile station of claim 20, wherein non-electrical attachment comprises a transmission to the application processor of a command initiated by the baseband processor.

22. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the application processor includes means for interpreting and forwarding the command to the virtual eUICC.

23. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the virtual eUICC includes:

means for receiving the one or more commands; and

means for generating the one or more responses to the one or more commands.

24. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the means for communicating with the virtual eUICC that is not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor include means for communicating with one or more additional virtual eUICCs that are not physically or electrically connected to the baseband processor.