Use of ESIM profiles

Use of embedded subscriber identity modules, eSIM, profiles: compiling a list of geographical locations for a predetermined period in future, and communicating wirelessly the list and the predetermined period to a service provider before the predetermined period; detecting a home wireless network, and downloading wirelessly a set of eSIM profiles into one or more eSIM chips of a mobile from the service provider before the predetermined period; using the set of the eSIM profiles for wireless service in one or more geographical locations of the list during the predetermined period; and detecting the home wireless network after the predetermined period, and removing the set of the eSIM profiles from the one or more eSIM chips.

FIELD

The invention relates to a mobile subscriber apparatus, which uses embedded subscriber identity modules, eSIM, profiles, and to computer program code for the mobile subscriber apparatus.

BACKGROUND

eSIM is a global specification by the GSMA which enables remote SIM provisioning (over the air, OTA, provisioning) of a mobile device. Multiple eSIM profiles can be loaded to the eSIM chip of the user. Any loaded profile will cause costs to the service provider (prepaid or normal eSIM). Profile loading is critical and needs a reliable connection to be successful. Currently, the profiles are often loaded just when arriving to the target country or new area. The wireless network is not of high quality in the change area: the border area of different countries, or on an airport when a plane has just landed, or in an airport terminal where the network is very busy and reserved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

According to an aspect, there is provided subject matter of independent claims. Dependent claims define some example embodiments.

One or more examples of implementations are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the description of embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference numbers, both in the description of the example embodiments and in the claims, serve to illustrate the example embodiments with reference to the drawings, without limiting it to these examples only.

Let us study simultaneously bothFIG. 1, which illustrates example embodiments of a mobile subscriber apparatus100, andFIG. 2, which illustrates example embodiments of a method for using eSIM profiles130in the mobile subscriber apparatus100.

The mobile subscriber apparatus100, or mobile100for short, may be any mobile user apparatus, which requires the use of the eSIM profiles130for obtaining wireless service from the networks, including, but not limited to the following: a mobile phone, a smart phone, a smartwatch, or any other type of a portable ICT (Information and communication technology) user apparatus (such as a portable computer, a tablet computer, a connected Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc.).

The mobile100comprises one or more radio transceivers104,106, and one or more eSIM chips112capable of storing eSIM profiles130.

The mobile100may comprise a cellular radio transceiver106configured to communicate with a cellular radio network such as a mobile phone system. Additionally, or alternatively, the mobile100may comprise a WLAN radio transceiver104configured to communicate with a wireless local area network, WLAN. The wireless communication is therefore implemented with a suitable cellular communication technology such as GSM, GPRS, EGPRS, WCDMA, UMTS, 3GPP, IMT, LTE, LTE-A, 3G, 4G, 5G etc. and/or with a suitable non-cellular communication technology such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, WLAN, Zigbee, etc.

The one or more eSIM chips112are either soldered as a secure data storage in a circuit board of the mobile100or as a part of a silicon (=an integrated circuit) of the mobile100. This means that the eSIM chips112are in principle non-replaceable. However, as the eSIM technology is still evolving, the eSIM chips112may in some future use cases be less embedded, meaning that the eSIM chips112are embedded in the mobile100removably.

The mobile100also comprises one or more processing units102, coupled with the one or more radio transceivers104,106and the one or more eSIM chips112.

The processing unit102may be implemented with one or more processors (such as a microprocessor) and software, and/or as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or as any other way of implementing a device that is capable of processing data.

The processing unit102is configured to cause the execution of the method ofFIG. 2.

A computer-readable medium180comprises computer program code182, which, when loaded into the one or more processing units102and executed by the one or more processing units102, causes the execution of the method.

The computer-readable medium180may comprise at least the following: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to the mobile100, a record medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory, an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunications signal, and a software distribution medium. In some jurisdictions, depending on the legislation and the patent practice, the computer-readable medium180may not be the telecommunications signal. The computer-readable medium180may be a computer-readable storage medium, or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

In202, a list142of geographical locations is compiled for a predetermined period144in future.

FIG. 1illustrates four different example embodiments of obtaining the list142. One or more (in any combination) of these different ways may be applied for obtaining the list142.

In an example embodiment, a user interface110is communicatively coupled with the one or more processing units102. The mobile100may comprise the user interface110, or the user interface110may be a part of a remote apparatus communicatively coupled with the mobile100. The one or more processing102units are configured to cause: obtaining the list142and/or the predetermined period144from the user of the mobile100with the user interface110. The user interface110implements the user interaction and may comprise various elements: a touch screen, a display, a keyboard, a keypad, a speech-recognition system, etc. The user may select areas or countries for the list142by clicking a map shown in the user interface110for the next trip. The user may select or input the time periods related to areas/countries of the list142by the user interface110for the predetermined period144.

In an example embodiment, the mobile100comprises an electronic calendar application150of the user of the mobile100coupled with the one or more processing units102. The one or more processing units102are configured to cause: obtaining the list142and/or the predetermined period144from the electronic calendar application150.

In an example embodiment, the mobile100comprises an electronic mail application152of the user of the mobile100coupled with the one or more processing units102. The one or more processing units102are configured to cause: obtaining the list142and/or the predetermined period144from the electronic mail application152.

In an example embodiment, the mobile100comprises an electronic travel booking application154of the user of the mobile100coupled with the one or more processing units102. The one or more processing units102are configured to cause: obtaining the list142and/or the predetermined period144from the electronic travel booking application154.

In204, the list142and the predetermined period144is communicated wirelessly to a service provider170before the predetermined period144.

In206, a home wireless network160is detected.

In an example embodiment, the home wireless160network is secure and reliable. Traffic in the home wireless network160may be encrypted to be secure, for example. The traffic in the home wireless network160may be of sufficient speed and of sufficient signal strength to be reliable, for example. There are many ways to test the reliability and speed. For example: www.speedtest.net and www.speedtest.att.com. The test may report the connection quality, download and upload speed for data. The sufficient speed may be for example 10-50 Mbit/s for download, and 2-20 Mbit/s for upload. The sufficient signal strength may be −60 dBm-−85 dBm, for example.

FIG. 1illustrates three different example embodiments of the home wireless network160, of which one or more may apply, depending also whether the mobile100comprises the cellular radio transceiver106and/or the WLAN radio transceiver104.

In an example embodiment, the home wireless network160comprises a wireless access point164in a home or a workplace of a user of the mobile100.

In an example embodiment, the home wireless network170comprises a cellular radio system166accessed with a subscriber identity module120(such as a default SIM or an eSIM profile120stored in the eSIM chip112) installed in the mobile100.

In an example embodiment, the home wireless network160comprises a public wireless network162accessible in a permanent residence (such as home town or home country) of the user of the mobile100. The public wireless network162may be located in a railway station, airport, harbour area or other such public place in the residence of the user.

In208, a set of eSIM profiles130is downloaded wirelessly into the one or more eSIM chips112from the service provider170before the predetermined period144.

In210, the set of the eSIM profiles130is used for wireless service in one or more geographical locations of the list142during the predetermined period144. In an example embodiment, the set of the eSIM profiles130enables only data transfer220as the wireless service. As shown inFIG. 1, the mobile100may be provided with a default SIM or an eSIM profile120stored in the eSIM chip112, which provides voice calls and text messaging both home and away, and possibly also data transfer at home. During roaming (from the point of view of the default SIM or eSIM profile120), the set of the eSIM profiles130may thus provide the wireless data transfer service.

In212, the home wireless network160is detected after the predetermined period. In214, the set of the eSIM profiles130is removed from the one or more eSIM chips112.

Note that a location of the mobile100may be determined during the operation sequence202-204-206-208-210-212-214so that the various operations take place in an orderly and a planned manner. The location determination may be made with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver108of the mobile, such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver108. Other location methods may also be used, such as a radio network positioning (based on the triangulation method or cell camping, for example). If the location determination detects deviations as compared to the list142, the list142may be dynamically adapted, whereby also the set of the eSIM profiles130may be updated by importing further eSIM profiles, for example.

The method ends in216after the processing is finished.

As an example of the above sequence, consider the following use case 1. A user is planning his business trip from Helsinki to Germany, Belgium and France. He has booked flight and train tickets on-line and received the tickets into his email152. The flights have been linked and saved to his Google calendar150automatically. The train tickets are in his email152, but not linked to his calendar150. The trip from Belgium to France is planned to be done by a car. The schedule looks like this:Helsinki-Frankfurt, Finnair AY111, 2016-02-01 7:40-9:20 am (information in email152and calendar150);Frankfurt-Strasbourg; train 2016-02-03 6:58-8:50 am (email);Strasbourg—Paris, car 2016-02-05 about 14:00-19:00 (calendar: meeting in Paris 2016-02-06 9-11 am (local time));Paris-Helsinki, Finnair AY 222, 2016-02-08 15:10-19:00 (email, calendar).

As the business trip is approaching, an application140in the mobile100collects information about the data related to the trip; it finds the schedule as listed above.

The application140analyzes from the data that the user will travel as follows:Helsinki from present to 2016-02-01 7:40 (departure time due to a flight);Frankfurt from 2016-02-01 9:20 am to 2016-02-03 8:00 (estimated time between Frankfurt-Strasbourg due to a train);Strasbourg 2016-02-03 8:00 am to (NOT KNOWN);Paris (NOT KNOWN)—2016-02-06 9-11 am (meeting scheduled) to 2016-02-08 15:10 (departure time due to a flight);Helsinki 2016-02-08 19:00→.

The application140will show the plan to the user and ask for input.

The user updated that he is leaving from the Strasbourg 2016-02-05 about 2 pm by a car and arriving to Paris at 19:00.

The application140updates the trip plan as follows:Helsinki from present to 2016-02-01 7:40 (departure time due to a flight);Frankfurt from 2016-02-01 9:20 am to 2016-02-03 8:00 (estimated time between Frankfurt-Strasbourg due to a train);Strasbourg 2016-02-03 8:00 am to 2016-02-05 03:00 (estimated due to a car);Paris 2016-02-05 03:00 to 2016-02-08 15:10 (departure time due to a flight);Helsinki 2016-02-08 19:00→.

When the trip starts, the application140follows the user's location and time: 2016-02-01 about 7:00 the application140checks that the user is in the Helsinki airport as scheduled.

The application140prepares to load the eSIM profile applicable in Frankfurt (profile F) and loads its before the flight is departing.

The application140may check flight schedules for ensuring delays, cancellations or other changes.

When the user arrives to Frankfurt and connects to the network, the eSIM profile is ready to be used.

2016-02-03 06:30 the application140checks if the user is in the railway station. If so, the application140loads the eSIM profile S applicable in Strasbourg to the eSIM.

2016-02-05 14:00 the application140checks if the user is in a car. If so, the application140loads the eSIM profile P applicable in Paris to the eSIM.

2016-02-08 14:30 the application140checks if the user is in the Paris airport. If so, the application140rechecks that the home SIM or eSIM profile is ready to be used in Helsinki again.

2016-02-08 19:00 the application140checks if the user has returned to Helsinki and is connected to the home network. If so, the application140may remove profiles F, S and P from the eSIM. The trip is done, the application140may report the usage and invoice accordingly.

In an alternative use case 2, the user plans the same trip as in use case 1. The application140will get the data of places and schedules as follows.

The application140analyzes the data and detects that the user will be located as follows:Helsinki from present to 2016-02-01 7:40 (departure time due to a flight);Frankfurt from 2016-02-01 9:20 am to 2016-02-03 8:00 (estimated time between Frankfurt-Strasbourg due to a train);Strasbourg 2016-02-03 8:00 am to (NOT KNOWN);Paris (NOT KNOWN)—2016-02-06 9-11 am (meeting scheduled) to 2016-02-08 15:10 (departure time due to a flight);Helsinki 2016-02-08 19:00→.

The application140detects that profiles F, S and P are needed during the trip starting 2016-02-01 and ending 2016-02-08.

The application140will check when the user is at home or in the office for example two days before the trip (2016-01-30-2016-01-31). When the user is at home or at office and the network is ok, the profiles are loaded to the eSIM. The application140detects when the user returns to the home network. When the user is back, and the home network is ok and in use, the application140will remove the profiles F, S and P from the eSIM.

Let us study some further example embodiments enhancing the above-described basic example embodiments.

In an example embodiment, the one or more processing units102are configured to cause: receive a charge222for the use210of the set of the eSIM profiles130while downloading the set of the eSIM profiles130. In this way, the user of the mobile100may obtain information with the user interface110of the mobile100about the costs of using210the set of the eSIM profiles130.

In an example embodiment, the one or more processing units102are configured to cause: record a download date224of downloading208the set of the eSIM profiles130and a removal date226of removing214the set of the eSIM profiles130and, after detecting212the home wireless network160after the predetermined period144, reporting wirelessly the download date224and the removal date226to the service provider170using the home wireless network160. In this way, the use of the set of the eSIM profiles130may be controlled in a precise fashion. The eSIM profiles belonging to the set of the eSIM profiles130may, for example, be used by another user before and after the period determined by the download date224and the removal date226.

In an example embodiment, the set of the eSIM profiles130comprises prepaid eSIM profiles228owned by the service provider170. The one or more processing units102may be configured to cause: receive a right to use210the set of the prepaid eSIM profiles130,228while downloading the set of the eSIM profiles130for the predetermined period144or between the downloading208and the removing214.

The service provider170may be an operator-independent supplier of the eSIM profiles130, i.e., the service provider170may obtain the eSIM profiles130from a plurality of competing network operators and thereby cover a specific geographic area (a country, a continent, or even the whole globe, for example). As shown inFIG. 1, the mobile100may be provided with a control application140, which communicates with a management application172of the service provider170to implement the described example embodiments enabling the flexible, secure and user-friendly use of the eSIM profiles130by a plurality of various users in a serial way.

It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the example embodiments described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.