Subscriber identity module having a plurality of subscriber identities

Embodiments of apparatuses, articles, methods, and systems for utilizing a subscriber identity module having a plurality of subscriber identities for communications within wireless networks are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of wireless telephony networks, and more particularly to a subscriber identity module having a plurality of subscriber identities to be used in devices of said wireless networks.

BACKGROUND

Mobile telephony may provide for wireless voice communication by mobile equipment used in a public land mobile network (PLMN). A user may utilize a mobile station to communicate with other entities that belong to the PLMN or another network that is coupled to the PLMN. The PLMN may itself, contain a number of different network domains. As the station travels from one network domain to another, so must the call handling responsibilities. The number and types of existing network domains continually increase with each one having associated capabilities and standards of communicating designed to match the objectives of the particular domain. Roaming between these different domains and utilization of their particular capabilities and standards may present a variety of challenges for handling calls of a mobile station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention may provide a method, article of manufacture, apparatus, and system for utilization of a subscriber identity module (SIM) having a plurality of subscriber identities.

In providing some clarifying context to language that may be used in connection with various embodiments, the phrase “A/B” means “A or B.” The phrase “A and/or B” means “(A), (B), or (A and B).” The phrase “A, B, and/or C” means “(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C) or (A, B and C).” The phrase (A) B means “(B) or (A and B),” that is, A is optional.

As used herein, reference to a “component” may refer to a hardware, a software, and/or a firmware component employed to obtain a desired outcome. Although only a given number of discrete components may be illustrated and/or described, such components may nonetheless be represented by additional components or fewer components without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the invention. The term “element” may be used interchangeably with “component.”

FIG. 1illustrates a communication system100in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The mobile communication system100may include a mobile network device, e.g., a station104, coupled to a voice-call continuity (VCC) server108of a mobile telephony network112(hereinafter “network112”). VCC, as used herein, may refer to services that allow for a handover of an existing voice call from one network access domain to another without interrupting the call. A handover may also be referred to as a handoff.

The station104may include a network interface, e.g., a wireless network interface card (WNIC)116designed to use an antenna structure118to allow the station104to communicate with entities of the network112via wireless connection with a network access device120. The station104may also communicate with entities of other networks, e.g., Internet122and/or public switched telephone network (PSTN)126, that are coupled to the network112.

The station104may include a SIM124having an identity manager128to cooperate with the WNIC116to register one or more of a plurality of subscriber identities132with the VCC server108, more particularly, with a database136of the VCC server108. The VCC server108may also include a service manager140and a network interface144to communicatively couple the VCC server108to other network entities, e.g., network access device120. The VCC server108may provide functionality to receive and process mobile application part (MAP) transactions and messages among the entities of the network112.

The registered subscriber identities may be utilized to access various information on the station104stored in the database136. The service manager140may also use the registered subscriber identities as indicia of a requested level of service, which will be discussed in further detail below. In various embodiments the database136may be a home location register (HLR) and/or a home subscriber station (HSS).

The subscriber identities132, which may be, e.g., international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs), mobile identification numbers (MINs), etc., may be unique numbers that are associated with the station104. The subscriber identities132may each be mapped to the same mobile phone number, e.g., mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN). A subscriber identity may be, e.g., a 15-digit number with the first three digits indicating a country code, the next two or three digits indicating a network code, and the remaining digits indicating a unique subscriber number within the network's customer base.

In various embodiments, the station104may be any type of device capable of wirelessly communicating with entities of the network112. For example, the station104may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, mobile personal computer, personal digital assistant, or a smart phone. In various embodiments, the antenna structure118may include one or more directional antennas, which radiate or receive primarily in one direction (e.g., for 120 degrees), cooperatively coupled to one another to provide substantially omnidirectional coverage; or one or more omnidirectional antennas, which radiate or receive equally well in all directions.

The network112may be a network such as a public land mobile network (PLMN) with the entities communicating according to any of a variety of mobile communication standards such as those developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), e.g., the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) standard. The mobile telephony network112may include a variety of mobile access domains. For example, in an embodiment, the network112may include a packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) access domain to provide both mobile and fixed multimedia services for the station104. The mobile telephony network112may also include circuit-switched (CS) mobile access domain.

In an embodiment, the station104may have VCC capabilities that allow for a voice call to be handed-over between heterogeneous access domains, e.g., between an IMS domain and a CS domain. When the VCC enabled station104communicates over networks supporting a VCC call a seamless handover between these access domains may occur without a noticeable disruption to the voice call. A network domain providing VCC support may be referred to as an intelligent network (IN) utilizing, e.g., Customized Applications for Mobile Networks Enhanced Logic (CAMEL), operating on a GSM core network.

While VCC services may allow for seamless handover of a voice call, there may be instances in which a VCC call may not be desirable and/or possible. For example, when the call termination and origination points are both in a CS domain providing, or attempting to provide, a VCC call may introduce unnecessary inefficiencies. These inefficiencies may include a high number of control signals being transmitted if VCC support is not found in order to downgrade the service to a non-VCC call. This may be the case if, e.g., a VCC server in the home network domain (e.g., VCC server108) attempts to inform a non-IN, visited network domain using CAMEL procedures that a CS procedure is to be followed. These inefficiencies may result in a call-failure or service delay.

In an embodiment, selective registration of the one or more of the subscriber identities132by the identity manager128may indicate to the VCC server108a preference of the station104with respect to VCC services. For example, the station104may register a particular subscriber identity to indicate a request for VCC services, e.g., the station104can and wishes to receive VCC calls. This may be referred to as a VCC subscriber identity. The station104may register another subscriber identity to indicate that VCC services are not requested, e.g., the station104is not able to and/or does not wish to receive VCC calls. This may be referred to as a non-VCC subscriber identity.

In various embodiments, the identity manager128may determine call-continuity parameters to decide which of the subscriber identities to register. In various embodiments, call-continuity parameters may include any data relevant to determining whether or not a VCC call is possible and/or desirable. Examples of call-continuity parameters will be discussed in greater detail below with respect to various embodiments.

FIG. 2illustrates the station104in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, the station104may receive a SIM card200in a port204to implement the SIM124. The SIM card200may be a smart card, e.g., a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), designed to securely store information related to, e.g., identities, subscriptions, security mechanisms, user preferences, etc. The station104may include a host208communicatively coupled to the SIM card200and the WNIC116via input/output drivers212.

The identity manager128may include a SIM application toolkit (SAT) to provide a standardized execution environment to provide interoperability between the SIM card200and a large number of stations, regardless of the type or manufacturer of the station. The SAT may allow for the components on the SIM card200to utilize certain functions of the station104.

FIG. 3illustrates the SIM card200in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The SIM card200may include a processor304, memory308, storage312, and an input/output module316coupled to each other via a bus320, as shown. The SIM card200may also include an input/output module316to interface with the port204and I/O drivers212.

Memory308and storage312may include in particular, temporal and persistent copies of ID-manager logic324, respectively. The ID-manager logic324may include instructions that when accessed by the processor304result in the SIM card200performing operations or executions described in conjunction with the SIM124in accordance with embodiments of this invention. In particular, the accessing of the ID-manager logic324by the processor304may facilitate subscriber-identity selection and registration operations of the identity manager128as described herein in connection with various embodiments. The instructions implementing the ID-manager logic324may be provided to memory308and storage312from a machine-accessible medium.

The storage312may also include copies of the subscriber identities132and other subscriber information. In various embodiments, the storage312may store this information in flash memory or some other type of non-volatile storage medium.

In various embodiments, storage312may be a storage resource physically part of the SIM card200or it may be accessible by, but not necessarily a part of, the SIM card200. For example, the storage312may be accessed by the station104over the network112.

In various embodiments, the memory308may include RAM, dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), etc.

In various embodiments, SIM card200may have more or less elements, and/or different architectures.

FIG. 4illustrates a subscriber identity registration in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, the identity manager128may detect a registration event, block404. A registration event may be, e.g., a power-on of the station104, an initial connection to the network112, a location update event (e.g., when the station104detects a different area code), etc.

The identity manager128may then communicate with the host208and/or the network112to determine call-continuity parameters, block408. In various embodiments, this may include capabilities of the network112(and in particular the access domain to which the station104is connected), capabilities of the station104, and/or settings of the station104.

The identity manager128may then select one or more appropriate subscriber identities from the subscriber identities132, based at least in part on determined call-continuity parameters, and cooperate with the WNIC116, either directly or through the host208, to register the selected subscriber identities, block412.

FIG. 5illustrates a subscriber identity registration in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, similar to the above embodiment, the registration may be initiated with a detection of a registration event, block404. As discussed above, the SIM card200may be compatible with a wide variety of stations, including legacy stations. Therefore, the identity manager128may communicate with the host208to determine if the station104is VCC capable, block504. In an embodiment, this may be determined based at least in part on the type of identity request posted to the SIM card200from the host208. For example, if the VCC flag is set in the identity request from the host208, then the identity manager128may determine that the station104is VCC capable. If the station104is not VCC capable, the identity manager128may select and register the non-VCC subscriber identity, block508.

If the station104is VCC capable, the identity manager128may determine if the network112(and in particular, an access domain to which the station104is connected) can support a VCC call, block512. Whether the access domain can support a VCC call may be indeterminable by the station104. If this is the case, then the identity manager128may select and register both the VCC subscriber identity and the non-VCC subscriber identity, block516. If it is determined that the access domain cannot support a VCC call, the identity manager128may select and register the non-VCC subscriber identity, block508.

In some embodiments, the identity manager128may be able to determine if the access domain can support a VCC call. For example, if the access domain is the home domain, the identity manager128may conclude there is sufficient VCC support. If it is determined that the access domain can support a VCC call, the identity manager128may determine whether the station104desires VCC calls, block520. If the station104desires VCC calls, the identity manager128may select and register the VCC subscriber identity, block524.

The figures to be discussed below may present some examples of specific scenarios in which the station104may be deployed in accordance with embodiments of this invention. Other scenarios are within the scope of the teachings of embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 6illustrates the mobile communication system100in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the network112may be a (visited) home domain604. That is, the station104may be coupled to a home domain directly, or indirectly through a visited domain. The home domain may be the domain to which the station104subscribes and therefore has the primary responsibility for provisioning services to the station104and managing billing functions. If the station104is roaming in an area not serviced by the home domain it may still connect to the network112through a visited network domain that has a subscription agreement with the home domain.

In this embodiment, the identity manager128may determine that the station104is a legacy station without VCC capability. Therefore, the identity manager128may select and register the non-VCC subscriber identity with the VCC server108. Communication between the station104and other network entities may be transmitted through a router and/or switch608(hereinafter “mobile switching center (MSC)612”), which may be coupled to, or integrated with, the network access device120shown inFIG. 1.

An incoming call may be directed to the station104from the PSTN124through the use of a telephone number, e.g., an MSISDN. This call may be received at a gateway MSC (GMSC)612, of the (visited) home domain604. The GMSC612may transmit a query to the VCC server108to determine the location of the station104. Information about the station104associated with the registered subscriber identity may be returned to the GMSC612. This information may include routing information that includes directives consistent with a non-VCC call. The GMSC612may then connect a non-VCC call to the station104, e.g., by using standard CS call setup procedures.

If the (visited) home domain604includes a visited domain, a visiting MSC (VMSC) may be employed in the visited domain to facilitate communications between the station104and the home domain.

The VCC server108may also use the non-VCC subscriber identity for outgoing calls in this embodiment.

FIG. 7illustrates the mobile communication system100in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment the network112may include a visited domain704and a home domain708. The station104may be roaming and therefore may be connected to the mobile communication system100through a visited MSC (VMSC)712. The identity manager128may be unable to determine whether the visited domain704has VCC capabilities, e.g., does not know if the visited domain704is a CAMEL network. Therefore, the identity manager128may select and register both the VCC subscriber identity and the non-VCC subscriber identity.

The VCC server108may be able to determine the VCC capabilities of the visited domain704, e.g., determine if the visited domain704is a CAMEL network. Therefore, the VCC server108may be in a position to determine whether to use the VCC subscriber identity or the non-VCC subscriber identity for purposes of call routing. The VCC server108may respond with the appropriate subscriber identity when it receives an identity request from the GMSC612, in response to the GMSC612receiving an incoming call from the PSTN124. If the non-VCC subscriber identity is used, the GMSC612may use standard CS call setup procedures.

It may be noted that in this embodiment, the selection and registration of the VCC and the non-VCC subscriber identities may be done if the identity manager128is unaware of the VCC capabilities of the visited domain704and desires VCC services. If the identity manager128is unaware of the VCC capabilities of the visited domain704and does not desire VCC services, just the non-VCC subscriber identity may be selected and registered.

FIG. 8illustrates the mobile communication system100in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, the network112may include a home domain708and the station104may be coupled directly to the MSC608.

In an embodiment, the identity manager128may determine that the station104does not desire (e.g., for charging reasons) VCC service or cannot support VCC service (e.g., the station104is a legacy device). This determination may be based at least in part on settings of the host208, which may be configurable by a user of the station104. Therefore, in this embodiment the identity manager128may select and register its non-VCC subscriber identity. As a result, the VCC server108may return routing information associated with a non-VCC call to the GMSC612in response to an identity request. All calls may be routed without VCC service using normal CS call setup procedures.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of the above-illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention may be implemented in a very wide variety of embodiments. This description is intended to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on embodiments of the present invention.