Identity module with interchangeable unique identifiers

• US 9,526,008 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Prabdial, Yakeen, Gumbrell, Richard, Koraichi, Najib
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Dao
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Cheng-Feng
• Application Number:
  US14/254,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• 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

A telecommunications system is provided, including a plurality of different cellular telecommunications networks, an identity module registrable on the plurality of different networks and containing multiple unique identifiers, each unique identifier being associated with a respective network; and, a device, operative in accordance with the identity module, to communicate with the networks when the identity module is registered on that network. The identity module includes a common security key associated with at least two of the unique identifiers such that the identity module is registrable on each one of the plurality of networks when a unique identifier of the identity module and its associated security key are authenticated for that network.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

a plurality of different wireless telecommunications networks;

a smart card that is registrable on each of the plurality of different networks and that contains multiple unique identifiers, each unique identifier being associated with a respective network;

a service platform that communicates with the plurality of different wireless telecommunications networks; and

a mobile device that uses the smart card to communicate with a registered network,

wherein the smart card comprises a common security key associated with at least two of the unique identifiers such that the smart card is registrable on each one of the plurality of networks when a unique identifier of the smart card and a corresponding common security key are authenticated for that network,

wherein the smart card is configured to send diagnostic data to the service platform and configured to be instructed by the service platform to choose a unique identifier from the at least two unique identifiers based on the diagnostic information, and

wherein, upon a condition in which the smart card switches from using a first unique identifier to using a new unique identifier, the mobile device performs a soft reboot while continuously maintaining communication with a desired network during the soft reboot,

wherein the smart card attempts to connect to one of the plurality of different networks using the multiple unique identifiers in accordance with a predetermined sequence,

wherein the service platform is operative to instruct the smart card to reorder the predetermined sequence of unique identifiers, wherein the smart card is operative to reorder the predetermined sequence of identifiers upon instruction.

2. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises an authentication server for authenticating the unique identifier and the corresponding common security key on the plurality of networks.

3. A telecommunications system according to claim 2, wherein the authentication server comprises a database for storing the at least two unique identifiers and common security key, each unique identifier being associated with the common security key in the database.

4. A telecommunications system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of different networks comprises a local location register for receiving access requests from the mobile device, the local location register being operative to redirect each access request to a central location register, wherein the central location register includes the authentication server.

5. A telecommunications system according to claim 4, wherein the central location register is operative to instruct the local location register to grant the mobile device network access when an authentication performed by the authentication server is successful.

6. A telecommunications system according to claim 2, wherein the authentication server authenticates the smart card for a particular network using a particular unique identifier in dependence on one or more criteria selected from a group comprising cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority and predicted device functionality on the network.

7. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein, when the smart card attempts to connect to one of the plurality of different networks using the multiple unique identifiers, a determination as to which unique identifier to use is based on one or more predetermined criteria selected from a group comprising cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority and predicted device functionality on the network.

8. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined sequence is retained on a card as sequence data.

9. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein power is maintained to the mobile device when the smart card attempts to connect using the multiple unique identifiers.

10. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 wherein the reordered sequence of unique identifiers is calculated in dependence on one or more criteria selected from a group comprising the diagnostic data transmitted from the smart card, cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority, and predicted device functionality on the network.

11. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the service platform is operative to transmit a new unique identifier to the smart card and authentication server to be associated with the common security key and, upon receipt of the new unique identifier, the smart card is operative to add the new unique identifier to the predetermined sequence.

12. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the service platform is operative to instruct the smart card to delete a unique identifier from the sequence and, upon instruction, the smart card is operative to delete the unique identifier from the sequence.

13. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the service platform is operative to instruct the smart card to purge a unique identifier from the smart card and, upon instruction, the smart card is operative to purge the unique identifier from the module.

14. A telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the service platform is operative to instruct the smart card and authentication server to modify one or more of the unique identifiers stored on the smart card and authentication server and associated with the common security key and, upon instruction, the smart card and authentication server are operative to modify one or more of the stored unique identifiers associated with the common security key.

15. A method of using a telecommunications system having a plurality of different wireless telecommunications networks, comprising:

registering a smart card on a first one of the plurality of networks in accordance with a first unique identifier; and

,

registering the smart card on a second one of the plurality of networks in accordance with a second unique identifier, wherein the smart card comprises a common security key associated with the first and second unique identifiers, and wherein the smart card is registered on a respective network when a unique identifier and an associated security key are authenticated for that respective network;

providing a service platform;

sending diagnostic data from the smart card to the service platform;

having the service platform instruct the smart card to choose a unique identifier from the at least two unique identifiers based on the diagnostic data; and

after switching from using the first unique identifier to using the second unique identifier, performing a soft reboot of a mobile device that is using the smart card while the mobile device continuously maintains communication with the second one of the plurality of networks during the soft reboot,

wherein the smart card comprises at least two unique identifiers associated with the common security key, the method further comprising;

attempting to register the smart card on one of the plurality of networks using the unique identifiers in accordance with a predetermined sequence, and

at the service platform, instructing the smart card to reorder the sequence of unique identifiers and, at the smart card, reordering the sequence of unique identifiers upon instruction.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first and second ones of the plurality of networks are the same network.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising providing an authentication server and, at the authentication server, authenticating the unique identifier and the associated common security key on the first or second ones of the plurality of networks.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising, at the authentication server, storing the first and second unique identifiers and common security key, each unique identifier being associated with the common security key.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising providing a local location register and, at the local location register, receiving a network access request from the mobile device in accordance with the smart card and redirecting the network access request to a central location register in accordance with the unique identifier, said central location register comprising the authentication server.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising, at the central location register, instructing the local location register to grant network access when an authentication performed by the authentication server is successful.

21. A method according to claim 17, further comprising, at the authentication server, authenticating the smart card for a particular network using a particular unique identifier in dependence on one or more criteria selected from a group comprising cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority and predicted device functionality on the network.

22. A method according to claim 15 further comprising:

attempting to register the smart card on one of the plurality of networks in accordance with one or more predetermined criteria selected from a group comprising cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority and predicted device functionality on the network.

23. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the smart card, storing the predetermined sequence as sequence data.

24. A method according to claim 15, further comprising maintaining power to the device between registering steps.

25. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the service platform, calculating the reordered sequence of unique identifiers in dependence on one or more criteria selected from a group comprising the diagnostic data transmitted from the smart card, cellular coverage, signal strength, cost, service quality, device priority and predicted device functionality on the network.

26. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the service platform, transmitting a new unique identifier to the smart card and authentication server to be associated with the common security key and, at the smart card, adding the new unique identifier to the predetermined sequence upon receipt of the new unique identifier.

27. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the service platform, instructing the smart card to delete a unique identifier from the sequence, and, at the smart card, deleting the unique identifier from the sequence upon instruction.

28. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the service platform, instructing the smart card to purge a unique identifier from the smart card, and, at the smart card, purging the unique identifier from the module upon instruction.

29. A method according to claim 15, further comprising, at the service platform, instructing the smart card and authentication server to modify one or more of the unique identifiers stored on the smart card and authentication server and associated with the common security key, and at the smart card and authentication server, modifying one or more of the stored unique identifiers associated with the common security key.