Method for deactivating and possibly reactivating SIM cards

• US 8,306,571 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security GmBH (Giesecke & Devrient GmbH)
• Original Assignee: SmartTrust AB (Giesecke & Devrient GmbH)
• Inventors: Larsson, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORALES FERNANDEZ, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US12/434,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20100210306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/71 Modifying recharging resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/715 Activating new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

When deactivating a subscription and SIM card, the SIM card is connected to the ODA database, an instruction to deactivate the SIM card and cancel the subscription is transferred to the ODA, information in the memory of the SIM card including the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) of the SIM card, is transferred to the ODA, which is arranged to be connected to the network, including a HLR/AUC. The ODA retrieves the subscription information, and replaces the IMSI of the SIM card with a temporary IMSI called IMSI-T. The ODA stores the information in the memory of the SIM card together with the IMSI-T in the database. The ODA also stores the information together with the IMSI-T and transfers to the network an instruction to cancel the subscription in the network. The SIM card may be reactivated using the information stored in the ODA database and on the SIM card including the IMSI-T.

Claims

1. A method of deactivating i) a SIM card (i) and ii) a subscription of the SIM card using an on-demand-activation application (2 , comprising of steps of:

using a computer (3) and an associated on-demand- activation (ODA) database (4), deactivating the subscription of the SIM card and the SIM card (i) by;

i) connecting the SIM card to the on-demand-activation (ODA) database (4);

ii) transferring an instruction to deactivate the SIM card and to cancel the subscription of the SIM card to the on-demand-activation application (2);

iii) transferring information in a memory of the SIM card, including card definition files comprising the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the SIM card, to the on-demand-activation application (2);

iv) arranging the on-demand-activation application (2) to be connected to the network, the network including a Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC);

v) with the on-demand-activation application, retrieving the subscription information from the Home Location Register/Authentication Center;

vi) with the on-demand-activation application, replacing the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the SIM card with a temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T);

vii) with the on-demand-activation application, a) storing said temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) in the memory of the SIM card, and b) storing said temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) in said on-demand-activation database (4); and

viii) with the on-demand-activation application, transferring to the network, including the Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC) (5), an instruction to cancel the subscription of the SIM card in the network including in Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC);

wherein the method provides that the SIM card (i) is reactivated using i) the retrieved subscription information and the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI- T) stored in the on-demand-activation database (4), together with ii) the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI- T) stored on the SIM card.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in, that said deactivation is carried out after the subscription of the SIM card has not been used for a predetermined period of time.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in, that said deactivation is carried out after an approval from the user.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in, that reactivation of the subscription of the SIM card and SIM card is carried out after said deactivation is carried out.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in, that a reactivation of a SIM card is carried out where the new subscription is a subscription which is different from the former, deactivated, subscription of the SIM card on the said SIM card.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein a deactivated SIM card (i) is activated using the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) stored in the SIM card:

i) the deactivated SIM card is inserted into a mobile equipment;

ii) the mobile equipment is switched on, iii) the on-demand-activation application is connected to the SIM card and updates the on-demand-application database with the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) stored in the SIM card;

iv) the on-demand-activation application is connected to a temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC) (5) and transfers the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) stored in on-demand-application database to the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center; and

v) the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC) sets up a subscription for the SIM card using the received temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) in order to update the SIM card with subscription information.

7. Method according to claim 2, characterized in, that said deactivation is carried out after an approval from the user.

8. Method according to claim 2, characterized in, that reactivation of the subscription of the SIM card and SIM card is carried out after said deactivation is carried out.

9. Method according to claim 3, characterized in, that reactivation of the subscription of the SIM card and SIM card is carried out after said deactivation is carried out.

10. Method according to claim 2, characterized in, that a reactivation of a SIM card is carried out where the new subscription is a subscription which is different from the former, deactivated, subscription of the SIM card on the said SIM card.

11. Method according to claim 3, characterized in, that a reactivation of a SIM card is carried out where the new subscription is a subscription which is different from the former, deactivated, subscription of the SIM card on the said SIM card.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein reactivation of a deactivated SIM card (i comprises the steps of:

i) with the deactivated SIM card inserted in a mobile equipment, connecting the on-demand-activation application to the SIM card and updating the on-demand-application database with the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) stored in the SIM card;

ii) connecting the on-demand-activation application to a temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC) (5) and transferring the temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T) stored in on-demand-application database to the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center; and

iii) the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center (HLR/AUC) setting up a subscription for the SIM card using the received temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T), including

based on the transferred temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI-T), creating a temporary subscription within the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center,

the temporary Home Location Register/Authentication Center sending information to the on-demand-activation application that temporary International Mobile Subscriber Identity IMSI-T) is ready for use,

the on-demand-activation application finalizing reactivation of the SIM card by transferring a permanent International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) together with an authentication key to a permanent Home Location Register/Authentication Center and also to the SIM-card.