Patent ID: 8385976
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A cellular telephone, comprising: a mobile telecommunications handset; an integrated circuit contained in the handset; a microprocessor contained in the handset that coordinates all activities associated with three or more subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, said microprocessor consisting of an arithmetic/logic unit (ALU), an instruction register, an instruction decoder, firmware that instructs the microprocessor to coordinate all communications associated with all SIM cards connected to said microprocessor, and firmware configured to enable said microprocessor to coordinate conference communication among all subscriptions installed on the aforementioned cellular phone without requiring any of said subscriptions to have conferencing service installed individually; a device contained in the handset that is configured to hold three or more SIM cards, said device simultaneously connecting all said SIM cards to said microprocessor; said telephone choosing among a suite of operation modes for said telephone, said suite consisting; a “signal-strength optimization mode”, whereby said telephone monitors signal strength available to all subscriptions installed on said telephone via SIM cards and ensures that when the signal that is actively being used for communication, said communication being either voice communication or data communication, drops below a pre-defined set-point, then said telephone automatically effects a smooth transition from said subscription that is actively being used for communication to the strongest available signal; a “cost minimization mode” that monitors location and all features of all subscriptions installed via SIM cards, including cost, and minimizes cost to the user based on the features being used at that time by automatically switching services used for all communications to the subscription with the lowest marginal cost; a “single-subscription mode” that operates on only a single subscription at a time, said subscription being selected a priori by the user, said telephone monitoring all channels but not switching among channels for optimization of cost, signal strength, or any other characteristic of the installed subscriptions; said telephone also accepting the installation of a SIM card with a temporary subscription from a cellular service provider that is not represented on any of the SIMs that are currently installed on said telephone and connecting said SIM card with temporary subscription to said microprocessor; said telephone also monitoring all incoming communication activity from all installed subscriptions even when one subscription is actively being used for communication, said telephone then offering the user of said handset options by which he/she many choose to disconnect from current communication and accept incoming communication, to place current communication on hold and accept incoming communication, or to ignore incoming communication; said telephone coordinating wireless communications via multiple wireless service subscriptions including full two-way duplex radio telecommunications, said subscriptions being identified by unique International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) numbers, each IMSI number being assigned a unique mobile service telephone number.