Apparatus and methods for provisioning subscriber identity data in a wireless network

• US 9,635,487 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rodgers, Clive Edward, Schell, Stephan V., Pantfoerder, Achim, Narang, Mohit
• Primary Examiner(s): CASCA, FRED A
• Application Number:
  US14/668,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 455406, 455418, 455419, 455411, 455558, 455405, 455407, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• 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

Apparatus and methods for provisioning wireless devices for operation in one or more networks. In one embodiment, a provisioning service may provide access client (e.g., Subscriber Identity Module) data to a secure element in the wireless user device. The device may be preloaded with a provisioning SIM profile. The device may use the provisioning profile to roam onto a carrier, and communicate with a provisioning service, which may present the user with a list of available wireless carriers, such as carriers that service the user'"'"'s current geographic location. In response to a user selection, the provisioning service may load a SIM profile associated with the selected carrier onto the secure element. The loaded SIM profile can be used to obtain wireless service from the selected carrier. The user may add multiple SIM profiles, and/or may delete SIM profiles.

Claims

1. A method for acquiring subscriber identity module (SIM) data at a mobile device, the method comprising:

by the mobile device;

establishing a roaming connection with a roaming wireless carrier based on a SIM provisioning profile, wherein the SIM provisioning profile is preloaded on the mobile device;

providing, to the roaming wireless carrier, identification data from the SIM provisioning profile for a provisioning carrier to use in checking whether the SIM provisioning profile is associated with an active account;

receiving, from a provisioning service via the roaming wireless carrier, a list of wireless carriers;

sending, to the provisioning service, an indication of a selection of a wireless carrier from the list of wireless carriers;

receiving, from the provisioning service, SIM data associated with the selected wireless carrier; and

storing the SIM data in a secure element included in the mobile device, wherein the SIM data is usable by the mobile device to access services provided by the selected wireless carrier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a trusted service manager associated with the provisioning service provides the SIM data to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

establishing, prior to receiving the SIM data, a secure link with the trusted service manager.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile device and the trusted service manager share a secret key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of wireless carriers includes rate plan information associated with wireless carriers in the list of wireless carriers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a service provided by the selected wireless carrier, wherein the accessing is based on an authentication using the SIM data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending new user account information to the provisioning service, wherein the new user account information comprises a username.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before the sending the indication of the selected wireless carrier;

displaying, on a display of the mobile device, rate plan information, wherein the rate plan information comprises;

i) a first phone plan rate and a first data plan rate of a first wireless carrier, and ii) a second phone plan rate and a second data plan rate of a second wireless carrier.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

after receiving the SIM data;

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message indicates a successful loading of the SIM data.

10. A mobile device configured to acquire subscriber identity module (SIM) data, the mobile device comprising:

a processor configured to cause the mobile device to carry out steps that include;

identifying a SIM provisioning profile that is accessible to the mobile device and usable to access a provisioning service, wherein the SIM provisioning profile is preloaded on the mobile device;

establishing a roaming connection with a roaming wireless carrier based on the SIM provisioning profile;

using the SIM provisioning profile, communicating, to the provisioning service, information associated with the SIM provisioning profile for a provisioning carrier to use in checking whether the SIM provisioning profile is associated with an active account;

receiving, from the provisioning service, a list of wireless carriers;

obtaining a selection of a wireless carrier included in the list of wireless carriers;

sending, to the provisioning service, an indication of the selected wireless carrier;

receiving, from the provisioning service, SIM data associated with the selected wireless carrier; and

storing the SIM data in a secure element included in the mobile device, wherein the SIM data is usable by the mobile device to access services provided by the selected wireless carrier.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the mobile device receives the SIM data from a trusted service manager associated with the provisioning service.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the list of wireless carriers includes rate plan information associated with wireless carriers in the list of wireless carriers.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the provisioning service corresponds to a geographic region in which the mobile device is located.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the steps further comprise:

establishing, prior to receiving the SIM data, a secure link with a trusted service manager associated with the provisioning service.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the mobile device and the trusted service manager share a secret key.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein:

i) the receiving SIM data comprises receiving a SIM profile from the trusted service manager over the secure link, and ii) the secure link is based on the secret key.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the steps further include:

accessing a service provided by the selected wireless carrier, wherein the accessing is based on an authentication using the SIM data.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a mobile device, cause the mobile device to carry out steps that include:

establishing a roaming connection with a roaming wireless carrier based on a subscriber identity module (SIM) provisioning profile, wherein the SIM provisioning profile is preloaded on the mobile device;

providing, to the roaming wireless carrier, identification data from the SIM provisioning profile for a provisioning carrier to use in checking whether the SIM provisioning profile is associated with an active account;

receiving, from a provisioning service via the roaming wireless carrier, a list of wireless carriers;

sending, to the provisioning service, an indication of a selection of a wireless carrier from the list of wireless carriers;

receiving, from the provisioning service, SIM data associated with the selected wireless carrier; and

storing the SIM data in a secure element included in the mobile device, wherein the SIM data is usable by the mobile device to access services provided by the wireless carrier.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the mobile device receives the SIM data from a trusted service manager associated with the provisioning service.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the mobile device and the trusted service manager share a secret key.