Mobile communication device profound identity brokering framework

• US 9,560,519 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McCracken, Billy Gene Jr., Spanel, Robert L., Urbanek, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Navar, Erica
• Application Number:
  US13/912,190
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mobile communication device. The device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a processor, and a memory integral with the device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of partitions. The device further comprises a first wireless communication identity stored in a first partition of the memory and a second wireless communication identity stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity. The device further comprises an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, detects a triggering event and in response to the triggering event selects one of the wireless communication identities to be an active communication identity of the device, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity and a list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device, comprising:

storing a first wireless communication identity in a first sub-partition of a non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity associated with a first country, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a first table of device rules;

storing a second wireless communication identity in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity associated with a second country, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a second table of device rules, wherein at least the first network access identity is different from the second network access identity, and wherein the mobile communication device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the mobile communication device at one time;

determining, by an application stored in the non-transitory memory and executable by a processor of the mobile communication device, a country in which the mobile communication device is located; and

based on the country, one of deactivating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition and activating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition, or deactivating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition and activating, by the application the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition,

wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key,

wherein the first sub-partition is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, and wherein the second sub-partition is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising rebooting the mobile communication device to complete activating either the first wireless communication identity or the second wireless communication identity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication identity is provisioned by a first provisioning entity, wherein the second wireless communication identity is provisioned by a second provisioning entity, and wherein the first provisioning entity is different from the second provisioning entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-key partition of the trusted security zone is accessed based on a first trusted security zone key and the second sub-key partition of the trusted security zone is accessed based on a second trusted security zone key, and wherein the first trusted security zone key is different from the second trusted security zone key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second tables of device rules comprise at least one of a band select table and a technology order table.

6. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a cellular radio transceiver;

a non-transitory memory integral with the mobile communication device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of sub-partitions;

a first wireless communication identity stored in a first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity, a list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the list, and a table of device rules;

a second wireless communication identity stored in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity;

a processor; and

an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor;

detects a triggering event, and

in response to the triggering event, selects the first wireless communication identity stored in the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory or the second wireless communication identity stored in the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory to be an active communication identity of the mobile communication device, wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key, and wherein the mobile communication device conducts wireless communication via the cellular radio transceiver based on the active communication identity, wherein the first sub-partition of memory is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, wherein the second sub-partition of memory is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the triggering event comprises detecting one of an electronic door scanner signal or a hotel identification wireless beacon signal.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the triggering event comprises detecting a network identifier signal transmitted by a cell tower.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the application comprises logic to work with a first provisioning system to wirelessly receive the first wireless communication identity and to work with a second provisioning system to wirelessly receive the second wireless communication identity, and wherein the first provisioning system is different from the second provisioning system.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the mobile communication device further comprises:

a third wireless communication identity stored in a third sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity, a list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the list, and a table of device rules; and

a fourth wireless communication identity stored in a fourth sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the third wireless communication identity is different from the first, second, and fourth wireless communication identities, and wherein the fourth wireless communication identity is different from the first, second, and third wireless communication identities.

11. A method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device, comprising:

storing a first wireless communication identity in a first sub-partition of a non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules;

storing a second wireless communication identity in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a table of device rules, wherein at least the first wireless communication identity is different from the second wireless communication identity, wherein only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time, and wherein the mobile communication device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the mobile communication device at one time;

receiving, by an application stored in the non-transitory memory and executable by a processor of the mobile communication device, a trigger signal; and

based on the trigger signal, one of;

deactivating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition and activating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition, or deactivating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition and activating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition, wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key,

wherein the first sub-partition is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, and wherein the second sub-partition is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless communication identity corresponds to a business usage identity and the second wireless communication identity corresponds to a personal usage identity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first wireless communication identity is associated with a first wireless communication subscription account and the second wireless communication identity is associated with a second wireless communication subscription account.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless communication identity is associated with a production use environment and the second wireless communication identity is associated with a first test environment.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising storing a third wireless communication identity in a third sub-partition of the non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the third wireless communication identity comprises a third network access identity, a third list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a third rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the third list, and a table of device rules, and wherein the third wireless communication identity is associated with a second test environment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach comprises a coverage map.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the coverage map comprises one or more of an MLPL file, an MSPL file, an EQPRL file, an OPLMN file, an EHPLMN file, and an HPLMN file.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the coverage map file comprises a compilation of an MLPL file, an MSPL file, an EQPRL file, an OPLMN file, an EHPLMN file, and an HPLMN file.