Methods and apparatus for storage and execution of access control clients

• US 9,930,527 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schell, Stephan V., Hauck, Jerrold Von
• Primary Examiner(s): HENNING, MATTHEW T
• Application Number:
  US15/373,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20170188234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 726 7, 726 3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• 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 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a technique for securely provisioning access control entities (e.g., electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) components) to a user equipment (UE) device. In one embodiment, a UE device is assigned a unique key and an endorsement certificate that can be used to provide updates or new eSIMs to the UE device. The UE device can trust eSIM material delivered by an unknown third-party eSIM vendor, based on a secure certificate transmission with the unique key. In another aspect, an operating system (OS) is partitioned into various sandboxes. During operation, the UE device can activate and execute the OS in the sandbox corresponding to a current wireless network. Personalization packages received while connected to the network only apply to that sandbox. Similarly, when loading an eSIM, the OS need only load the list of software necessary for the current run-time environment. Unused software can be subsequently activated.

Claims

1. An electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the eUICC to;

identify an initialization of the eUICC, wherein the eUICC manages a plurality of secure partitions, and each secure partition of the plurality of secure partitions includes a respective access control client;

parse the plurality of secure partitions to identify an access control client for activation; and

cause an operating system (OS) associated with the access control client to execute within a limited scope that corresponds to the secure partition in which the access control client is included, wherein the OS, when executed, activates the access control client.

2. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein the access control client comprises an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM), and the eSIM is a virtualization of a physical SIM.

3. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor further causes the eUICC to:

authenticate the access control client by validating a first certificate associated with the access control client against a second certificate associated with the eUICC.

4. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein the initialization of the eUICC is issued in conjunction with a reset of the eUICC.

5. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein the access control client corresponds to a default Mobile Network Operator (MNO) associated with a mobile device in which the eUICC is included.

6. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein the secure partition in which the access control client is included stores at least one additional access control client.

7. The eUICC of claim 1, wherein activating the access control client enables a mobile device in which the eUICC is included to register with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) that corresponds to the access control client.

8. An electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), comprising:

at least one memory that includes a plurality of secure partitions, wherein each secure partition of the plurality of secure partitions includes a respective access control client; and

at least one processor configured to cause the eUICC to carry out steps that include, in response to identifying an initialization of the eUICC;

parsing the plurality of secure partitions to identify an access control client for activation;

authenticating the access control client; and

subsequent to authenticating the access control client;

causing an operating system (OS) associated with the access control client to execute within a limited scope that corresponds to the secure partition in which the access control client is included, wherein the OS, when executed, activates the access control client.

9. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein the access control client comprises an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM), and the eSIM is a virtualization of a physical SIM.

10. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein authenticating the access control client comprises:

validating a first certificate associated with the access control client against a second certificate associated with the eUICC.

11. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein the initialization of the eUICC is issued in conjunction with a reset of the eUICC.

12. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein the access control client corresponds to a default Mobile Network Operator (MNO) associated with a mobile device in which the eUICC is included.

13. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein the secure partition in which the access control client is included stores at least one additional access control client.

14. The eUICC of claim 8, wherein activating the access control client enables a mobile device in which the eUICC is included to register with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) that corresponds to the access control client.

15. An electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), comprising:

at least one memory storing a plurality of access control clients, wherein each access control client of the plurality of access control clients is included in a respective secure partition; and

at least one processor configured to cause the eUICC to carry out steps that include;

receiving a request to activate an access control client of the plurality of access control clients;

identifying a secure partition that includes the access control client, wherein the access control client is associated with an operating system (OS) that is configured to manage the access control client;

authenticating at least one of the access control client and the OS; and

subsequent to authenticating;

causing the OS to execute within a limited scope that corresponds to the secure partition, wherein the OS, when executed, causes the access control client to be activated.

16. The eUICC of claim 15, wherein the access control client comprises an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM), and the eSIM is a virtualization of a physical SIM.

17. The eUICC of claim 15, wherein authenticating the access control client comprises:

validating a first certificate associated with the access control client against a second certificate associated with the eUICC.

18. The eUICC of claim 15, wherein the request to activate the access control client is issued in conjunction with a reset of the eUICC.

19. The eUICC of claim 15, wherein the access control client corresponds to a default Mobile Network Operator (MNO) associated with a mobile device in which the eUICC is included.

20. The eUICC of claim 15, wherein activating the access control client enables a mobile device in which the eUICC is included to, using at least one wireless interface included in the mobile device, register with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) that corresponds to the access control client.