SIM card sharing method in a mobile station

• US 20070004457A1
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Han, Jay
• Application Number:
  US11/344,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 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 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method for a mobile station. In a state where a SIM card sharing mode is set in two different MSs connected to each other via local area communication, if a first MS transmits a SIM card using request message to a second MS via the local area communication, the second MS releases session with its built-in SIM card in response to a SIM card lending permission input from a user and allows the first MS to establish session with a SIM card built in the second MS via the local area communication and perform mobile communication using the SIM card built in the second MS. Accordingly, a SIM card can be shared between different MSs without physically moving the SIM card. In addition, a SIM card can be shared between different MSs without a SIM card sharing device.

Claims

1. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method in different mobile stations (MSs), each MS including a SIM card, the method comprising:

requesting, by a first MS of a second MS connected via local area communication, use of a SIM card built in the second MS;

allowing, by the second MS, the first MS to use the SIM card built in the second MS if the second MS receives an input permitting the lending of the SIM card built in the second MS; and

releasing, by the first MS, a session established with a SIM card built in the first MS and establishing a session with the SIM card built in the second MS via the local area communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of allowing the first MS to use the SIM card built in the second MS comprises:

if the second MS receives the SIM card lending permission input, determining whether a session is established with the SIM card built in the second MS;

if the session is not established with the SIM card built in the second MS, transmitting a SIM card use permission message to the first MS; and

if the session is established with the SIM card built in the second MS, releasing the established session and transmitting the SIM card use permission message to the first MS.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by the first MS, mobile communication using the SIM card built in the second MS.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area communication is Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area communication is Bluetooth communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area communication is Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area communication is Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication.

8. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method in different mobile stations (MSs), each MS including a SIM card, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first MS, a SIM card use request message to another MS connected via local area communication; and

if a SIM card use permission message is received, the first MS releasing a session established with its own built-in SIM card and establishing a session via the local area communication with a built-in SIM card of the other MS connected via the local area communication.

9. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method in different mobile stations (MSs), each MS including a SIM card, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first MS, a SIM card use request message from another MS connected via local area communication;

if a SIM card lending permission input is received, the first MS releasing a session established with its own built-in SIM card and transmitting a SIM card using permission message to the other MS connected via the local area communication; and

allowing the other MS connected via the local area communication to establish a session with the built-in SIM card by transmitting, via the local area communication, built-in SIM card information to the other MS connected via the local area communication.

10. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method in different mobile stations (MSs) including a plurality of SIM cards, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first MS, a SIM card use request message to a second MS connected via local area communication;

selecting, by the second MS, a sharing SIM card among the plurality of SIM cards built in the second MS if the second MS receives an input for permission of the use of the SIM card built in the second MS, releasing an established session if the session has been established with the second MS, and transmitting a SIM card use permission message to the first MS; and

releasing, by the first MS, a session established with a SIM card built in the first MS and establishing a session with the sharing SIM card built in the second MS via the local area communication.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sharing SIM card is one of SIM cards for which a session is not currently established.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the sharing SIM card is determined by a user'"'"'s selection.

13. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card sharing method in different mobile stations (MSs), each MS including a SIM card, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first MS, a message asking whether a SIM card built in the first MS is currently being used to a second MS connected via local area communication;

transmitting, by the second MS, a message requesting the use of the SIM card built in the first MS to the first MS;

releasing, by the first MS, a session established with the SIM card built in the first MS and transmitting a SIM card use permission message to the second MS; and

releasing, by the second MS, a session established with a SIM card built in the second MS, establishing a session with the SIM card built in the first MS via the local area communication, and performing mobile communication using the SIM card built in the first MS.