System and method for mobile telephone roaming

• US 9,736,689 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Jing, Xu, Richard, Qin, Xiaolei
• Primary Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US13/372,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20120208532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 455411, 4554321, 455435
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

An authentication bank for a wireless communication system is disclosed. The authentication bank comprises a plurality of physical identification modules. A physical identification module may include one or more memory, processors, programs, and computer readable media storing subscriber identity module and authentication information. At least one of the one or more programs stored in the memory may comprise instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors. The executable instructions may cause the one or more processors to receive a request, from an authentication server, for associating the subscriber identity module (SIM) with a foreign wireless communication client or an extension unit, retrieve subscriber identity information and authentication information for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the SIM, and send the subscriber identity information and the authentication information to the authentication server.

Claims

1. An authentication bank comprising a plurality of physical identification modules, wherein a physical identification module includes one or more memory, processors, programs, and computer readable media storing subscriber identity module and authentication information, at least one of the one or more programs stored in the memory comprises instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

receiving a first request for authentication information, wherein the first request was transmitted over a data channel, for associating a subscriber identity module (SIM) with a foreign wireless communication client or an extension unit, wherein the SIM is subscribed to a local carrier for a current location of the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit, wherein the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit is a wireless device not subscribed to the local carrier, and wherein the first request for authentication information comprises information regarding a second request for local authentication information received by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the local carrier over a local cellular communication network;

retrieving subscriber identity information and authentication information for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the SIM;

sending the subscriber identity information and the authentication information to the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit over the data channel, wherein the data channel is distinct from local wireless services of the local carrier and wherein the authentication information for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit retrieved from the SIM is configured to be sent by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit to the local carrier over signal link of the local cellular communication network to provision a communication function from the local carrier for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit.

2. The authentication bank of claim 1, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

associating a local telephone number with the SIM; and

assigning the local telephone number to the wireless communication client or extension unit associated with the SIM, wherein the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit may use the local telephone number to send and receive phone calls.

3. The authentication bank of claim 2, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

identifying a non-local call from the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit, wherein the non local call comprises a call to a location outside of the local wireless network;

routing the non-local call such that the non-local call appears as a local call to both the local wireless network and a destination wireless network.

4. The authentication bank of claim 1, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

verifying the subscriber identity information in a subscriber database, wherein the subscriber identity information is verified prior to sending the subscriber identity information to the authentication server.

5. The authentication bank of claim 1, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

sending the subscriber identity information and the authentication information to the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit, wherein the subscriber identity information and the authentication information are stored by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit.

6. The authentication bank of claim 1, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

determining a local wireless account to associate with the foreign wireless communication client or an extension unit, the local wireless account having a corresponding local telephone number.

7. The authentication bank of claim 1, wherein the first request for authentication information further comprises at least one of a unique subscriber identifier, a wireless communication client identifier, a password, and a current location of the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit.

8. A wireless communication client or extension unit comprising a plurality of memory, processors, programs, communication circuitry, authentication data stored on a subscribed identify module (SIM) card and/or in memory and non-local calls database, at least one of the plurality of programs stored in the memory comprises instructions executable by at least one of the plurality of processors for:

enabling an initial setting of the wireless communication client or the extension unit and a remote administration system;

establishing a data communication link to transmit information among the wireless communication client or the extension unit, and the remote administration system;

establishing a local authentication information request in response to a local authentication request by a local cellular communication network, wherein the local authentication information request comprises information regarding the local authentication request for local authentication information received by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the local cellular communication network, and wherein the data communication link is distinct from the local cellular communication network;

relaying the local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link and obtaining suitable local authentication information from the remote administration system via the data communication link;

establishing local wireless services provided by the local cellular communication network to the wireless communication client or the extension unit by sending the local authentication information obtained from the remote administration system to the local cellular communication network over signal link; and

providing a communication service to the wireless communication client or the extension unit according to the established local wireless services.

9. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

receiving one or more calls associated with a local telephone number assigned by the remote administration system and associated with the local authentication information.

10. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

storing the local authentication information; and

relaying the stored local authentication information to the local cellular communication network when the local cellular communication network attempts to re-authenticate the local authentication information.

11. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

relaying verification information to the remote administration system, wherein the verification information identifies the wireless communication client or extension unit as being associated with a user account of the remote administration system.

12. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication client or the extension unit comprises a foreign wireless communication device not subscribed to the local network.

13. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, wherein the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

requesting access to a desired local wireless service by sending a request to the local cellular communication network over a signal link.

14. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, wherein the local authentication information request for authentication information further comprises at least one of a unique subscriber identifier, a wireless communication client identifier, a password, and a current location of the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit.

15. The wireless communication client or extension unit of claim 8, wherein the local authentication information request comprises a first local authentication information request and the local authentication information comprises first local authentication information, and the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

relaying a second local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link and obtaining suitable second local authentication information from the remote administration system at the via the data communication link.

16. An authentication bank comprising a plurality of physical identification modules, wherein a physical identification module includes one or more memory, processors, programs, and computer readable media storing subscriber identity module and authentication information, at least one of the one or more programs stored in the memory comprises instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

receiving a first request for authentication information, wherein the first request was transmitted over a data channel, wherein the first request is configured to enable the authentication bank to associate a subscriber identity module (SIM) with a foreign wireless communication client or an extension unit, wherein the SIM is subscribed to a local carrier for a current location of the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit, wherein the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit is a wireless device not subscribed to the local carrier, and wherein the first request for authentication information comprises a second request for local authentication information received by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the local carrier over a local cellular communication network;

retrieving subscriber identity information and authentication information for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit from the SIM;

sending the subscriber identity information and the authentication information to the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit via the data channel, wherein the data channel is distinct from wireless services of the local carrier, and wherein the authentication information for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit retrieved from the SIM is configured to be sent by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit to the local carrier over signal link of the local cellular communication network for provisioning a wireless communication function from the local carrier for the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit; and

assigning a local telephone number to the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit, wherein the local telephone number is associated with the SIM.

17. The authentication bank of claim 16, the memory comprising instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors for:

determining a local wireless account to associate with the foreign wireless communication client or an extension unit, the local wireless account having a corresponding local telephone number.

18. The authentication bank of claim 16, wherein the first request further comprises at least one of a unique subscriber identifier, a wireless communication client identifier, a password, and a current location of the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit.

19. A method for operating a mobile telecommunications device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a first request, via a data channel, for associating a subscriber identity module (SIM) with a mobile telecommunications device, wherein the SIM is subscribed to a local carrier for a current location of the mobile telecommunications device and the mobile telecommunications device is not subscribed to the local carrier, and wherein the first request comprises information regarding a second request from the local carrier received by the mobile telecommunications device over a local cellular communication network for local authentication information;

retrieving authentication information for the mobile telecommunications device from the SIM in response to receiving the first request for associating the SIM with the mobile telecommunications device; and

sending the authentication information to the mobile telecommunications device over the data channel, wherein the data channel is not associated with a local wireless service provided to a subscriber of the local carrier and wherein the authentication information for the mobile telecommunications device retrieved from the SIM is configured to be sent by the foreign wireless communication client or the extension unit to the local carrier over signal link of the local cellular communication network to provision a communication service from the local carrier for the mobile telecommunications device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile telecommunications device is a foreign wireless communications client or an extension unit.