Method of and Apparatus for Interfacing and Connecting a Wireless Device and a Wireless Network Using a Subscriber Identity Module Having Plural IMSI Associates with Different Network Operators

• US 20090149220A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shingletop IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ghost Telecom Limited
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Jose Luis Merino, Camilleri, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A wireless device includes a single SIM, plus an application module adapted to enable the device to operate as though it included two or more different SIMs. The module, referred to as a ‘proprietary applications module’ (PAM) is connected to, or built into, a wireless device (WD). The PAM is capable of switching all incoming traffic by associating the WD to one specific subscriber identity sub-module, referred to as “Local SIM” (LS). It can also switch or re-route all outgoing traffic by associating the same WD with a different subscriber identity sub-module, typically a “Roaming SIM” (RS). In a preferred embodiment, the PAM, RS and LS are built-into a single SIM for use in a WD; alternatively the PAM is built-into a WD and the RS and LS are built-into the single SIM.

Claims

1. A wireless device including a single SIM, the wireless device further including an application module adapted to enable the device to operate as though it included two or more different SIMs.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, in which the application module is adapted to switch the single SIM between (a) operating as a local SIM and (b) operating as a roaming SIM.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, in which the application module that controls the switching between operation as a local SIM and operation as a roaming SIM is a software module that is downloaded to the device.

4. The wireless device of claim 2 in which the user can manually control the switching between the local SIM and roaming SIM operation.

5. The wireless device of claim 4 in which switching is done by an end-user operating a switch.

6. The wireless device of claim 4 in which switching is done by an end-user interacting with an on-screen menu displayed on the device.

7. The wireless device of claim 2, in which, when the device is operating as a local SIM, it uses a local SIM sub-module that is associated with a network operator 1 based in country A.

8. The wireless device of claim 7 in which, when the device is operating as a roaming SIM, it uses a roaming SIM sub-module that is associated with a network operator 2 based in country B.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 in which the local SIM sub-module includes an IMSI number associated with a subscriber and operator 1.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 in which the roaming SIM sub-module includes an IMSI number associated with the subscriber and operator 2.

11. The wireless device of claim 10 in which its standby mode is to use the local SIM sub-module so that incoming calls using the IMSI number associated with operator 1 are received.

12. The wireless device of claim 11 in which the user can use the roaming SIM sub-module so that outgoing calls use the IMSI number associated with operator 2.

13. The wireless device of claim 12 in which the tariff associated with operator 2 for outgoing calls is lower than the tariff associated with operator 1 for outgoing calls.

14. The wireless device of claim 13 in which the tariff associated with operator 2 for outgoing calls made when the subscriber is outside country A is lower than the tariff associated with operator 1 for outgoing calls made when the subscriber is outside country A.

15. The wireless device of claim 12 in which the tariff associated with operator 2 for outgoing calls made when the subscriber is inside country A is lower than the tariff associated with operator 1 for outgoing calls made when the subscriber is inside country A.

16. The wireless device of claim 12 in which operator 2 places fewer restrictions than operator 1, including restrictions on destination servers accessed.

17. The wireless device of claim 8, in which the local SIM sub-module and the roaming SIM sub-module are sub-modules within the single SIM.

18. The wireless device of claim 8, in which the application module, the local SIM sub-module and the roaming SIM sub-module are each sub-modules within the single SIM.

19. The wireless device of claim 7 in which, when a call terminates, then the device reverts to its standby mode of using the local SIM sub-module.

32. A method of communicating with a wireless network, comprising the step of using a wireless device as claimed in claim 1.

20-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A downloadable software based application module that, when running on a wireless device, results in that device being a wireless device including a single SIM, the wireless device further including an application module adapted to enable the device to operate as though it included two or more different SIMs.

33. A SIM including a local SIM sub-module with a first IMSI and a second SIM sub-module with a different IMSI, the SIM being switchable between either of the sub-modules.

34. The SIM of claim 33, further including an application module to control the switching.

35. The SIM of claim 33, which, when used in combination with a wireless device, renders that wireless device as a wireless device including a single SIM, the wireless device further including an application module adapted to enable the device to operate as though it included two or more different SIMs.