Method for assistance with the remote configuration of an eUICC card and system for implementing such a method

A terminal provided with an eUICC card having an incomplete provisioning profile. At least one missing datum essential to the establishment of a communication between the terminal and an access network of a first wireless communication system is not defined by default in the provisioning profile. In order to remotely configure the eUICC card, prior communication is established between the terminal and an access network of a second wireless communication system to transmit the missing data to complete the provisioning profile.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a § 371 application of PCT/EP2018/081956 filed Nov. 20, 2018, which claims priority from French Patent Application No. 17 61023 filed Nov. 21, 2017, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention belongs to the field of smart cards used in mobile telephony to store information specific to a subscription to a mobile telephone network. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for remote configuration of such a smart card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A SIM (acronym for “Subscriber Identity Module”) card is an electronic chip containing a microcontroller and memory used in mobile telephony to store and manage information relating to a subscription with a mobile telephone network operator such as for example GSM (acronym for “Global System for Mobile Communications”), UMTS (acronym for “Universal Mobile Telecommunications System”), LTE (acronym for “Long Term Evolution”) networks, etc.

Conventionally, a SIM card is intended to be inserted into a mobile phone by a user who has just taken out a subscription. If the user subsequently changes mobile telephone network operator and/or subscription, he can then replace it with a new SIM card which contains the information related to his new subscription. There are different SIM card formats that have evolved with the development and miniaturisation of mobile phones.

However, having to change the SIM card to modify a subscription or to adapt to a new model of mobile phone entails delays for the user and costs for the operator.

Furthermore, conventional SIM cards are poorly adapted to M2M (acronym for “Machine To Machine”) type terminals or to connected things of the “Internet of Things” (or IoT) type which are for example connected to the Internet through mobile telephone access networks (for example, it may be a remote reading or remote monitoring device, a wireless communication module of an autonomous car, a connected wireless sensor for “smart city”, etc.). The insertion and replacement of SIM cards for M2M or IoT type terminals indeed generate significant logistical costs which are a real obstacle for the economic model related to this type of product. In addition, these terminals often have mechanical constraints or miniaturisation requirements which make access to the SIM card particularly difficult, when it is not the terminals themselves which are not accessible.

This is why the GSMA (acronym for “GSM Association”, an international association of mobile phone operators) has developed standards introducing a non-removable SIM card known as eUICC (acronym for “Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card”) or eSIM (for “Embedded SIM”) as well as the solutions allowing to remotely modify the content and therefore the operation of said non-removable SIM card.

The standards related to the eUICC developed by the GSMA in particular define two different models. The first model is for devices intended for the general public, such as a mobile phone, a touch pad, a watch or a connected bracelet, etc. A feature of this model is that the remote configuration of the eUICC card is initiated by a user and is based on communication means provided by this user, such as for example a Wi-Fi connection. However, the second model is intended for M2M type devices for which the remote configuration of the eUICC card is carried out without the intervention of a user.

In the particular case of the model intended for M2M type terminals, the eUICC card must include the minimum information necessary for establishing wireless communication for a first remote configuration of the card. This minimum information is stored in the card memory in a “provisioning profile”. As for configuration information relating to a commercial subscription with a mobile telephone network operator, they are stored in an “operational profile”. A non-removable SIM card of the eUICC type then contains at least one active provisioning profile and optionally one or more operational profiles capable of being activated later. The provisioning profile is used to configure the eUICC card remotely during the first connection, and possibly during a backup connection in the event that an operational profile is suddenly no longer functional. An operational profile is in turn downloaded and/or activated remotely during a card configuration procedure, and it is then used to establish communications between the terminal and the mobile telephone network according to the subscription. Only one profile can be activated at a given time. An operational profile can act as a provisioning profile, but the opposite is not generally true.

Among the minimum necessary information contained in the provisioning profile there is in particular a unique number allowing a mobile telephone network to identify a user (this is IMSI, acronym for “International Mobile Subscriber Identity”), and an authentication key (known as Ki). These resources are recorded in the provisioning profile of the eUICC card at the time of its manufacture, and they are reserved by the mobile telephone network operator which is responsible for supporting the first connection and any backup connections during the entire life cycle of the eUICC card. However, it turns out that it is particularly expensive for a mobile telephone network operator to permanently provision this kind of resources while they are only used for short procedures and in infrequent situations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has the purpose of overcoming all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular those set out above.

To this end, and according to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a remotely configurable smart card intended to be non-removably integrated into a terminal, called an eUICC card, storing a provisioning profile including data used by said terminal to communicate with an access network of a first wireless communication system, called a provisioning network, in order to install and/or activate on said eUICC card an operational profile including data relating to a subscription taken out by a user of the terminal with an operator of another access network of said first wireless communication system, called operational network. Furthermore, the provisioning profile of said eUICC card is incomplete, in other words one or more missing data essential for establishing a communication between the terminal and the provisioning network are not defined by default in the provisioning profile initially saved on the eUICC card. The eUICC card is configured to complete the provisioning profile with the missing data obtained by the terminal by establishing a prior communication with an access network of a second wireless communication system, called assistance network, said second wireless communication system being distinct from said first wireless communication system.

In particular, such arrangements allow a provisioning network operator of the first wireless communication system to avoid having to reserve some expensive resources in equipment of its network during periods when they are not useful.

In particular embodiments, the invention may further include one or more of the following features, taken separately or in any technically possible combination.

In particular embodiments, the eUICC card further includes an assistance profile including data allowing said terminal to access said assistance network.

In particular embodiments, the data missing from the provisioning profile include the at least one of the following elements:

an indication that the provisioning profile is active,

at least part of a unique identifier, called IMSI, of the provisioning profile with the provisioning network,

an identifier of an authentication algorithm and/or an authentication key, called key Ki, of the provisioning profile,

an identifier of an access network of the first wireless communication system, called roaming network, linked to the provisioning network.

Such arrangements can in particular allow selecting a roaming network for which the agreements of roaming to the provisioning network are the most advantageous in terms of cost at the time when the remote configuration of the eUICC card takes place. This choice can for example be made according to the geographical position of the terminal if this information is available.

In particular embodiments, the provisioning profile includes a set of possible values preconfigured for at least one missing datum, and an identifier of a value of said set is obtained through said prior communication established between the terminal and the assistance network.

Such arrangements allow in particular reducing the size of the data transmitted by the assistance network to the terminal.

In particular embodiments, the eUICC card includes several incomplete provisioning profiles, and it is configured to determine a provisioning profile to be used from an identifier obtained through the prior communication established between the terminal and the assistance network.

Such arrangements can in particular allow selecting a particularly advantageous provisioning profile in terms of cost when the remote configuration of the eUICC card takes place. This choice can for example be made according to the geographical position of the terminal if this information is available.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a terminal including an eUICC card according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

In particular embodiments, the terminal is configured to determine an information on a current geographical position of the terminal and to transmit this information to the assistance network through said prior communication.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to an assistance network for a terminal according to any one of the preceding embodiments. Said assistance network is linked to a subscription management entity, and configured to obtain from said subscription management entity and to transmit to said terminal data missing from an incomplete provisioning profile of the eUICC card of the terminal.

In particular embodiments, the invention may further include one or more of the following features, taken separately or in any technically possible combination.

In particular embodiments, the assistance network is configured to provide an information on a current geographical position of the terminal to the subscription management entity.

In particular embodiments, the assistance network is a low power wide area wireless communication network. “Wide area network” and “low power” mean a network of the LPWAN type (acronym for “Low Power Wide Area Network”) whose bit rates are less than 100 kbits/s. Such networks generally have costs for an operator much lower than those of a mobile telephone network of the GSM, UMTS or LTE type.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a subscription management entity for an eUICC card of a terminal according to any one of the preceding embodiments. Said subscription management entity is linked to an assistance network according to any one of the preceding embodiments, and it is configured to provide said assistance network with data missing from an incomplete provisioning profile of the eUICC card of the terminal.

In particular embodiments, the subscription management entity is configured to determine at least one of the data missing from an incomplete provisioning profile of the eUICC card according to an information on a current geographical position of the terminal.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a system including a subscription management entity according to any one of the preceding embodiments, at least one terminal according to any one of the preceding embodiments, as well as a first and a second distinct wireless communication systems, said second wireless communication system including an assistance network according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to an assistance method for remotely configuring an eUICC card of a terminal, implemented by a system according to any one of the preceding embodiments, and including the following main steps:

sending a request by the terminal on the assistance network of the second wireless communication system to complete a provisioning profile of said eUICC card,

obtaining data missing from said provisioning profile by the assistance network from the subscription management entity,

sending the obtained information to the terminal on the assistance network,

updating, by the eUICC card, the provisioning profile with the obtained information,

remotely configuring the eUICC card through a provisioning network of said first wireless communication system using the completed provisioning profile.

In particular embodiments, at least part of the information obtained by the assistance network from the subscription management entity is defined according to an information on a current geographical position of the terminal.

In these figures, identical reference numerals from one figure to another designate identical or similar elements. For the sake of clarity, the elements shown are not to scale, unless otherwise stated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1schematically shows how an eUICC card10of a terminal1can be remotely configured according to procedures defined by the GSMA standards relating to non-removable SIM cards such as “Embedded SIM Remote Provisioning Architecture (Version 1.1, 17 Dec. 2013)” or “Remote Provisioning Architecture for Embedded UICC Technical Specification (Version 3.1, 27 May 2016)”. More particularly,FIG. 1describes as a non-limiting example the procedure by which a new operational profile12can be downloaded, installed and activated remotely on an eUICC card10.

An eUICC card10includes at least one provisioning profile11containing applications and data allowing a terminal1to communicate with an access network of a first wireless communication system2, called a provisioning network21.

In the following description, the case where said first wireless communication system2is a cellular mobile telephone network such as GSM, UMTS or LTE networks is considered as a non-limiting example.

In the following description, “access network21,22” means a sub-network of a wireless communication system2managed by an operator210,220. Such an access network21,22comprises all the telecommunication means used to link a terminal1to a switch of an infrastructure network such as the Internet for example. Such an access network21,22comprises, for example, base stations and other equipment of a cellular mobile telephone network used for routing and multiplexing data, for locating and roaming subscribers, etc.

To communicate with said first wireless communication system2, the terminal1includes a communication module120which conventionally includes a set of hardware and/or software means considered to be known to the person skilled in the art, to send and receive messages exchanged between the terminal1and an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2. The terminal1can for example be a mobile phone, a touch pad, or else a connected thing of the M2M or IoT type, intended to be connected to an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2.

The eUICC card10can further include one or more operational profiles12each containing applications and data relating to a subscription taken out by a user4of the terminal1with an operator220of an access network22of the first wireless communication system2, called operational network22.

The role of a provisioning profile11of an eUICC card10of a terminal1is exclusively to allow access of said terminal1to a provisioning network21for the purpose of establishing communications between the terminal1and a subscription management entity5aiming at remotely configuring said eUICC card10.

The role of an operational profile12of an eUICC card10of a terminal1, on the other hand, allows said terminal1to access an operational network22providing, according to the subscription associated with said operational profile12subscribed by the user4with the operator220of the operational network22, commercial services such as internet access, messaging or mobile telephone services, etc.

The subscription management entity5supports, for example, the preparation and transport functions over the air (OTA transport, from “Over The Air”) of the profiles11,12to be installed on the eUICC card10. These are in particular the roles of the SM-DP (“Subscription Manager Data Preparation”) and SM-SR (“Subscription Manager Secure Routing”) entities described by the GSMA standards. The subscription management entity5allows remotely configuring an eUICC card10through various procedures such as, for example, downloading and installing a new profile11,12, or activating, deactivating, erasing or updating some parameters of a particular profile11,12.

Among the applications and the data of a profile11,12of the eUICC card10allowing the terminal1to communicate with an access network21,22of the wireless communication system2there are in particular:

a unique number allowing the identification of the subscription of the user4with an operator210,220, called IMSI number,

an authentication key, called key Ki,

an application configured to allow the authentication of the user4when connecting to the access network21,22using the IMSI number and the key Ki.

These elements, defined for example by the standards ITU E.212, ETSI TS 102 221, 3GPP TS 21.111, TS 31.102, etc., are well known to the person skilled in the art.

In the scenario shown as a non-limiting example inFIG. 1, the eUICC card10of the terminal1initially includes only one provisioning profile11. In this scenario, it is assumed that a manufacturer6of the eUICC card10has previously made an agreement with the operator210of the provisioning network21so that the provisioning profile11allows establishing communication between the terminal1and said provisioning network21. In particular, an IMSI number and an authentication key Ki are allocated and reserved in equipment of the provisioning network21such as for example an HLR (from “Home Location Register”, a central database including the information related to any subscriber authorised to use the network21), or an AuC (from “Authentication Centre”, an authentication centre often associated with an HLR). The provisioning profile11including this data is installed by the manufacturer6on the eUICC card10during the production of the eUICC card10, then the eUICC card10is then provided to a terminal1manufacturer who then integrates said eUICC card10into the terminal1.

In a step1001, the manufacturer6records in the subscription management entity5all the data necessary for establishing a communication between the terminal1and the subscription management entity5through the provisioning network21, in particular: the IMSI number associated with the provisioning profile11, a unique identifier of the eUICC card10, called EID (eUICC-ID), and authentication data allowing to secure the communication between the eUICC card10of the terminal1and the subscription management entity5.

In a step1002, a user4who has acquired the terminal1takes out a subscription with an operator220of an operational network22. The operator220then provides the subscription management entity5with all the data necessary to create on the eUICC card10an operational profile12allowing the terminal1to access the operational network22.

In a step1003, the subscription management entity5establishes a secure communication with the eUICC card10of the terminal1through the provisioning network21to download and activate the operational profile12on the eUICC card10. As defined in the GSMA standards, the secure communication established between the subscription management entity5and the eUICC card10can, for example, be based on an HTTPS (acronym for “HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure”) session initiated by an SMS (acronym for “Short Message Service”) message.

In a step1004, the eUICC card10installs the operational profile12. Then, it deactivates the provisioning profile11and activates the operational profile12.

In a step1005, the eUICC card10is now capable of communicating with the operational network22.

It should be noted that inFIG. 1, the provisioning network21and the operational network22are two distinct access networks of the first wireless communication system2. However, in one variant, nothing prevents the provisioning network21and the operational network22from being a single access network of the first wireless communication system2.

The GSMA standards provide that several profiles11,12can be installed on the eUICC card10. However, only one profile11,12can be active at a given instant. On the other hand, an operational profile12can act as a provisioning profile11. Thus, for the scenario described with reference toFIG. 1, after step1005, it is the operational profile12which will act as a provisioning profile for a possible subsequent configuration of the eUICC card10. On the other hand, a provisioning profile11originally installed by a manufacturer6on an eUICC card generally provides only very limited services, and consequently it cannot act as an operational profile12. A manufacturer6can also install one or more operational profiles12on the eUICC card10as soon as the card is produced. Such an operational profile12can be remotely activated via a provisioning profile11which is also installed and activated by the manufacturer6during the production of the card. Alternatively, an operational profile12can also be activated as soon as the card is produced, and then it acts as a provisioning profile11for possible subsequent configurations of the eUICC card10.

FIG. 2schematically shows a second example of a procedure for remotely configuring an eUICC card10provided by the GSMA standards. More particularly,FIG. 2describes the procedure by which an operational profile12already installed on an eUICC card10can be remotely activated.

In the scenario shown as a non-limiting example inFIG. 2, the eUICC card10of the terminal1initially has a provisioning profile11and several operational profiles12installed by the manufacturer6during the production of the card. Initially, only the provisioning profile11is activated. In this scenario, it is assumed that the manufacturer6has previously made, for each profile11,12, an agreement with the operator210,220of the access network21,22associated with said profile11,12in order to allow, without prejudice, if necessary, to the activation of said profile11,12, to establish a communication between the terminal1and said access network21,22.

To simplify the figure, only two access networks21,22were shown. It should however be considered that an access network is associated with each profile11,12of the eUICC card10.

In a step2001, the manufacturer6provides the subscription management entity5with all the data associated with the different profiles11,12installed on the eUICC card10, as well as the EID and authentication data allowing to secure a communication between the eUICC card10of the terminal1and the subscription management entity5.

In a step2002, the user4of the terminal1indicates to an operator220of an operational network22that he wishes to activate the operational profile12associated with this operational network22. The operator220then provides this information to the subscription management entity5.

In a step2003, the subscription management entity5establishes a secure communication with the eUICC card10of the terminal1through the provisioning network21to order activation of the desired operational profile12.

In a step2004, the eUICC card10deactivates the provisioning profile11and activates the desired operational profile12.

In a step2005, the eUICC card10is now capable of communicating with the operational network22.

Again, it should be noted that the initial provisioning profile11can also be an operational profile12. Also, the provisioning network21and the operational network22can be a single access network. Finally, in the example described with reference toFIG. 2, it is considered that the operational profiles12present on the eUICC card10were installed by the manufacturer6at the time of production of the eUICC card10. However, nothing prevents, according to another example, that some or even all of these operational profiles12have been installed by a succession of download and installation procedures similar to that described with reference toFIG. 1.

The GSMA standards also provide that a provisioning profile11of the eUICC card10acts as a backup profile in the event that the connectivity of the terminal1with an activated profile12is permanently lost, that is to say for the case where the terminal1can no longer establish communication with an access network21,22associated with the activated profile12. In such a case, the eUICC card10can autonomously decide to deactivate the inoperative profile12and activate the backup profile.

The procedures for remotely configuring an eUICC card10defined by the GSMA standards, however, have the major disadvantage for an operator210of a provisioning network21of having to reserve particularly expensive resources for the provisioning profile11to be functional. For example, an IMSI number and an authentication key Ki must be reserved in equipment of the provisioning network21such as for example an HLR or an AuC.

These resources may be reserved for a very long time before being actually used. For example, for the scenario described with reference toFIG. 1, the IMSI number and the key Ki of the provisioning profile11installed and activated by the manufacturer6of the eUICC card10are reserved by the provisioning network21upon production of said eUICC card10, that is to say on a date which may be considerably earlier than the date on which the terminal1which integrates said eUICC card10is acquired and put into service by the user4.

Once the provisioning profile11has been used to download and/or activate an operational profile12, it is considerable to release the resources associated with the provisioning profile11, since the new operational profile12can in turn act as a provisioning profile. However, it may be advantageous to maintain a backup profile throughout the life cycle of the terminal1, to alleviate the case where the connectivity with the new operational profile12is no longer functional.

However, an operator210of a provisioning network21of the first wireless communication system2generally has to pay a license to reserve resources such as an IMSI number or a key Ki in equipment of the HLR or AuC type. It can therefore be very expensive for an operator210of a provisioning network21to reserve these resources permanently when they are only used for short procedures and in infrequent situations (for example for a first configuration of the eUICC card10, or an accidental loss of connectivity with the current profile).

On the other hand, the operator210of a provisioning network21cannot necessarily presuppose the location of a terminal1integrating an eUICC card10at the time when it will need to remotely configure said eUICC card10. In other words, it must provide coverage for its provisioning network21as wide as possible in order to allow establishing a communication between the terminal1and the provisioning network21regardless of the geographical position of the terminal1at the time when the eUICC card10of the terminal1must be configured remotely. This implies, for example, that the operator210of the provisioning network21makes numerous roaming agreements with other access networks, but such agreements are particularly expensive and can further evolve over time.

FIG. 3schematically illustrates how the present invention overcomes the disadvantages described above.

FIG. 3shows in particular a terminal1for which it is considered, as a non-limiting example, that it is a IoT or M2M-type terminal. The terminal1includes an eUICC card10which includes a provisioning profile11which has the particularity of being incomplete. This means that one or more missing data111essential for establishing a communication between the terminal1and a provisioning network21are not defined by default in the provisioning profile11. In other words, the missing data are not present in the provisioning profile11initially saved on the eUICC card by the manufacturer6during the production of the eUICC card.

In particular embodiments, the data111missing from the provisioning profile11may include, for example, one or more of the following elements:

the indication that profile11is active,

all or part of an IMSI number allowing to uniquely identify the provisioning profile11with the provisioning network21,

an identifier of an authentication algorithm and/or an authentication key Ki of the provisioning profile11,

an identifier of an access network of the first wireless communication system2, called roaming network, linked to the provisioning network21.

The eUICC card10further includes an assistance profile13including applications and data allowing access of said terminal1to an access network30of a second wireless communication system3, called assistance network30. The second wireless communication system3is distinct from the first wireless communication system2. In the following description, the case where said second wireless communication system3is a low power wide area and low consumption wireless (LPWAN for “Low Power Wide Area Network”) communication network of the ultra narrow band type, is considered as an example and in a non-limiting manner. “Ultra narrow band” (or UNB) means that the instantaneous frequency spectrum of the radio signals emitted by the terminals is of frequency width less than two kilohertz, or even less than one kilohertz. Such UNB wireless communication systems are particularly adapted for applications of the M2M or IoT type.

In such a wireless communication system3, the data exchanges are essentially one-way, in this case over an uplink between a terminal1and the assistance network30. The terminals1of such a communication system3generally emit messages which are collected by base stations31of the access network30, without having to be associated beforehand with one or more base stations31of the access network30. In other words, the messages emitted by a terminal1are not intended for a specific base station31of the access network30, and the terminal1emits its messages assuming that they can be received by at least one base station31. Such arrangements are advantageous in that the terminal1does not need to carry out regular measurements, which are demanding in particular from a power consumption point of view, to determine the most suitable base station31for receiving its messages. The complexity is based on the access network30, which must be capable of receiving messages that can be emitted at arbitrary instants, and on arbitrary central frequencies within a frequency band for multiplexing the various terminals1.

The cost to maintain a connectivity between a terminal1and the access network30of such a wireless communication system3is generally much lower than the cost to maintain a connectivity between a terminal1and an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2of the cellular mobile telephone network type. Furthermore, an access network30of such a wireless communication system3can propose very wide geographical coverage covering several countries or even several continents at low cost.

As the terminal1described with reference toFIG. 1, the terminal1represented inFIG. 3includes a communication module120configured to send and receive messages exchanged between the terminal1and an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2. Furthermore, the terminal1shown inFIG. 3includes a communication module130which conventionally includes a set of hardware and/or software means considered to be known to the person skilled in the art, for sending and receiving messages exchanged between the terminal1and the assistance network30of the second wireless communication system3.

In other words, the communication module120allows, using a provisioning profile11or an operational profile12, establishing communications between the terminal1and a provisioning network21or an operational network22of the first wireless communication system2, while the communication module130allows, using an assistance profile13, establishing communications between the terminal1and an assistance network30of the second wireless communication system3.

The assistance profile13includes applications and data allowing access of said terminal1to the assistance network30. It is for example a unique identifier of the terminal1or of the communication module130with the assistance network30, an algorithm and a secret key allowing the authentication of the terminal1with the assistance network130, etc. It should be noted that, according to a variant, this data can be located outside the eUICC card10, for example in the communication module130. In such a variant, the communication module130can nevertheless use encryption or decryption functions conventionally offered by the eUICC card10to encrypt or decrypt data which must be securely exchanged between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5.

The scenario described inFIG. 3describes as a non-limiting example the procedure by which a new operational profile12can be remotely downloaded, installed and activated on an eUICC card10according to the invention.

In this scenario, it is assumed that the manufacturer6of the eUICC card10has previously made an agreement with an operator of the assistance network30so that the assistance profile13allows establishing communication between the terminal1and the assistance network30. When producing the eUICC card10, the manufacturer6installs the assistance profile13on the eUICC card10, as well as an incomplete provisioning profile11, then the eUICC card10is then provided to a terminal1manufacturer who then integrates said eUICC card10into the terminal1. A prior agreement can be made between the manufacturer6of the eUICC card10and an operator210of a provisioning network21associated with the incomplete provisioning profile11, however, unlike scenarios of the prior art described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, some resources such as for example an IMSI number or a key Ki have not yet been allocated to the provisioning profile11nor reserved in equipment of the provisioning network21.

In a step3001, the manufacturer6provides the management entity5with the data from the assistance profile13and the data from the eUICC card10(for example the EID and/or a security key) necessary for establishing a secure communication between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5through the assistance network30.

In a step3002, a user4who has acquired the terminal1takes out a subscription with an operator220of an operational network22. The operator220then provides the subscription management entity5with all the data necessary to create an operational profile12on the eUICC card10allowing the terminal1to access the operational network22.

In a step3003a, a communication is established, using the assistance profile13and the communication module130, between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5through the assistance network30in order to obtain the data111missing from the incomplete provisioning profile11. For example, the terminal1can recurrently send a request to the assistance network30until connectivity is finally available between the terminal1and the provisioning network21.

It should be noted that the communication established in step3003abetween the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5can be secured by security protocols recommended by the GSMA standards similar to those used to secure the communication established between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5described with reference to step1003ofFIG. 1.

The data111missing from the provisioning profile11of the eUICC card10of the terminal1is then determined by the subscription management entity5, optionally using the provisioning network21. In a step3003b, before transmitting the missing data111to the terminal1via the assistance network30, the subscription management entity5communicates them to the operator210of the provisioning network21so that the associated network resources are reserved in the appropriate equipment.

According to a first example, the data111missing from the provisioning profile11include an IMSI number and a key Ki. These elements are then allocated by the subscription management entity5during step3003a(for example the subscription management entity5has a set of available IMSI numbers associated with the operator210, and it selects one of them in this set), then they are reserved in the HLR and AuC equipment of the provisioning network21during step3003b.

According to a second example, the incomplete provisioning profile11includes an IMSI and a Key Ki, but it is not active. The missing datum111then corresponds to the indication that the provisioning profile11is active. In this example, the IMSI number and the key Ki are allocated in advance by the operator210, but they are only reserved in the HLR and the AuC in step3003b, that is to say when the provisioning profile11becomes active. Such arrangements allow reducing the license costs of the operator210with the sellers of HLR and AuC equipment by limiting the period during which the IMSI number and the Key Ki are reserved in this equipment.

In a step3004, the eUICC card10updates the incomplete provisioning profile11with the obtained data111. The provisioning profile11now allows the terminal1to communicate with the provisioning network21. A procedure for remotely configuring the eUICC card10defined according to the GSMA standards can then take place, as described with reference toFIG. 1.

In a step3005, the subscription management entity5establishes secure communication with the eUICC card10of the terminal1through the provisioning network21to download and activate the operational profile12on the eUICC card10.

In a step3006, the eUICC card10installs the operational profile12. Then, it deactivates the provisioning profile11and activates the operational profile12.

In a step3007, the eUICC card10is now capable of communicating with the operational network22.

From step3007, it is the operational profile12which acts as a provisioning profile for a possible subsequent configuration of the eUICC card10. The network resources corresponding to the data111which have allowed completing the provisioning profile11(for example the IMSI number and the key Ki) can then be freed to reduce the license costs of the operator210with the sellers of the HLR and AuC equipment. The data111is then erased from the provisioning profile11of the eUICC card10. Thus, it becomes an incomplete provisioning profile11again. Such a profile can in particular act as a backup profile in the case where the connectivity between the terminal1and the operational network22is interrupted (for example if the associated subscription is terminated). In such a case, a scenario identical to that described with reference toFIG. 3is rolled out to remotely configure the eUICC card10, just as if it were a first configuration.

In the example considered, the second wireless communication system3is a low power network. It is therefore advisable to limit the amount of information to be transmitted over the assistance network30to provide the missing data111. Different solutions are possible to achieve this purpose.

In particular embodiments, part of the IMSI number allowing to identify the operator210(the MCC/MNC part “Mobile Country Code/Mobile telephone network Code” encoded in the form of 5 or 6 digits) is preconfigured in the incomplete profile11, and only a part corresponding to a subscriber identifier (the MSIN number “Mobile Subscriber Identification Number” of up to 10 digits) is missing.

In particular embodiments, a set of authentication keys Ki are preconfigured in the incomplete provisioning profile11and are successively used at each new configuration procedure for the eUICC card10. For example, it is possible to associate each key Ki of this set with an index so as to have to transmit in step3005only the value of the index (which can for example be encoded on only 5 bits if said set has 32 elements) to identify the Key Ki, and not the entire Key Ki (which is generally encoded on 128 bits).

Likewise, it is possible to preconfigure a set of authentication algorithms capable of being used, and to provide from the data111an index indicating which algorithm should be used.

In particular embodiments, the provisioning profile11can be almost blank, for example if an operator210is not a priori determined for the first configuration of the eUICC card10. In this case, the choice of a particular operator210can be determined during step3003b. Such arrangements allow in particular simplifying the production of eUICC cards10for a manufacturer6, because in this case all the eUICC cards10are identical.

In particular embodiments, the subscription management entity5uses an information on the current geographical position of the terminal1to determine the value of at least one of the missing data111. For example, the choice of a roaming network linked to the provisioning network21to be used preferentially can be determined according to the current geographical position of the terminal1. Such arrangements can in particular allow a roaming network to be selected for which the agreements of roaming to the provisioning network21are the most advantageous in terms of cost.

The information on the geographical position of the terminal1can for example correspond to the geographical coordinates (longitude, latitude) of said terminal1, or else, less precisely, to the identification of a region or a country wherein the terminal1is located.

According to a first example, the information on the current geographical position can be determined by the terminal1itself. For example, terminal1can integrate a receiver of a satellite positioning system (GNSS for “Global Navigation Satellite System”) which allows determining the current geographical coordinates (longitude, latitude). In one variant, the information on the geographical position of the terminal1can be determined using the communication module120. Indeed, the communication module120can identify the surrounding access networks of the first wireless communication system2. The MCC/MNC identifier of an access network is indeed broadcast on beacon channels emitted by the base stations of the access network. From this information, it is possible to determine the country (or at least a limited set of candidate countries) wherein terminal1is located.

According to a second example, the information on the current geographical position of the terminal1can be determined by the assistance network30, for example thanks to trilateration methods or machine learning methods based on radio power levels received by the base stations31of the assistance network30for the terminal1.

The information on the current geographical position of the terminal1is for example transmitted by the assistance network30to the subscription management entity5during step3003a(in the case where it is initially determined by the terminal1, the information on the current geographical position of the terminal1is transmitted beforehand to the assistance network30by the terminal1).

FIG. 4shows a particular embodiment of the eUICC card10for which several incomplete provisioning profiles11are initially installed by the manufacturer6. Each profile is for example associated with an operator210of a different provisioning network21(it should be noted that they have not all been shown inFIG. 4for the sake of simplification of the figure). The provisioning networks21associated with the provisioning profiles11can for example provide radio coverage in different countries. The provisioning profile11to be used, for example for a first remote configuration or else for a configuration in the context of a backup procedure, is then advantageously selected by the subscription management entity5, for example according to the current geographical position of terminal1and/or the current roaming rates.

The steps shown inFIG. 4are very similar to those described above with reference toFIG. 3.

In a step4001, the manufacturer6records with the management entity5the data of the eUICC card10and the assistance profile13necessary to establish a secure communication between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5through the assistance network30.

In a step4002, a user4who has acquired the terminal1takes out a subscription with an operator220of an operational network22. The operator220then provides the subscription management entity5with all the data necessary to create on the eUICC card10an operational profile12allowing the terminal1to access the operational network22.

In a step4003a, a communication is established, using the assistance profile13and the communication module130, between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5through the assistance network30in order to establish a functional provisioning profile11. An identifier of the provisioning profile11to be used as well as the data111missing from said provisioning profile11are determined by the subscription management entity5, optionally using the selected provisioning network21.

In a step4003b, before transmitting the identifier of the provisioning profile11to be used and the missing data111to the terminal1via the assistance network30, the subscription management entity5ensures with the network operator210of the provisioning network21that the associated network resources are reserved in the appropriate equipment (for example the HLR and the AuC).

In a step4004, the eUICC card10determines the provisioning profile11to be used from the obtained identifier, then updates it with the obtained data111and activates it. The provisioning profile11now allows the terminal1to communicate with the provisioning network21. A procedure for remotely configuring the eUICC card10defined according to the GSMA standards can then take place, as described with reference toFIG. 1.

In a step4005, the subscription management entity5establishes a secure communication with the eUICC card10of the terminal1through the provisioning network21to download the operational profile12on the eUICC card10.

In a step4006, the eUICC card10installs the operational profile12. Then, it deactivates the provisioning profile11and activates the operational profile12.

In a step4007, the eUICC card10is now capable of communicating with the operational network22.

FIG. 5schematically shows a system7including all the elements involved in the remote configuration of an eUICC card10of a terminal1according to the invention.

As described above with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, the terminal1includes an eUICC card10and it is adapted for communicating on the one hand with an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2, and on the other hand with the assistance network30of the second wireless communication system3. The assistance network30includes base stations31linked to a server32. Each access network30,21,22is adapted to communicate with a subscription management entity5. Such a subscription management entity5in particular comprises an SM-DP and an SM-SR as defined by the GSMA standards.

The following interfaces are considered to be known to the person skilled in the art:

radio communication interface72between the terminal1and an access network21,22of the first wireless communication system2(this interface is for example widely described by the 3GPP standards for cellular mobile telephone networks),

radio communication interface71between the terminal1and the assistance network30of the second wireless communication system3(such wireless communication systems for M2M or IoT things are already deployed in many countries),

communication interface74between an access network21,22and the subscription management entity5(the interfaces with the SM-SR and SM-DP entities are defined by the GSMA standards),

interface between communication module120of the terminal1and the eUICC card10(this interface is defined by the ETSI and GSMA standards).

The communication interface73between the server32of the assistance network30and the subscription management entity5can use protocols similar to those used by the communication interface74between an access network21,22and the subscription management entity5.

Likewise, the interface between the communication module130of the terminal1and the eUICC card10can use protocols similar to those used for the interface between the communication module120of the terminal1and the eUICC card10.

FIG. 6shows a sequence diagram illustrating in detail an assistance method100implemented by the system7for remotely configuring an eUICC card10of a terminal1. Such a method100is in particular applicable for the first remote configuration of the eUICC card10of the terminal1or for a configuration following a loss of connectivity of the terminal1(backup procedure).

The main steps of the assistance method100are defined below.

In a first step6010, the manufacturer6of the eUICC card10provides the management entity5with the data of the eUICC card10and the assistance profile13necessary for establishing a secure communication between the eUICC card10and the subscription management entity5through the assistance network30.

In a step6020, the user4possessing the terminal1takes out a subscription with an operator220of an operational network22.

In a step6021, the operator220then provides the subscription management entity5with all the data necessary to create on the eUICC card10an operational profile12allowing the terminal1to access the operational network22.

In the considered example shown inFIG. 6, when put into service for the first time, or else if a loss of connectivity with the first wireless communication system2is detected, the terminal1recurrently sends a request6030to the access network30for the purpose of completing a provisioning profile11of the eUICC card10. This request6030can be repeated regularly, for example several times a day, until a provisioning profile11is functional in the eUICC card10, that is to say until a provisioning profile11of said eUICC card10allows establishing communication with a provisioning network21of the first wireless communication system2. In one variant, if the assistance network30is capable of communicating with the terminal1on a downlink, after step6021, a request can be emitted by the subscription management entity5to the terminal1through the assistance network30.

Optionally, in a step6031, the terminal1can determine information on its current geographical position to be transmitted in the request6030. As previously indicated, this information on the current geographical position of the terminal can for example correspond to geographical coordinates (longitude, latitude) obtained from a receiver of a satellite positioning system integrated into the terminal1, or else to the identification of a region or a country wherein the terminal1is located obtained from one or more identifiers of the surrounding access networks broadcast on beacon channels.

In a step6047, the assistance network30authenticates the terminal1using for example an authentication key identical to that contained in the assistance profile13of the eUICC card10of the terminal1. Then, it identifies the subscription management entity5which manages the eUICC card10. For example, it is considered here that a one-to-one relationship between a unique identifier (EID) of the eUICC card10transmitted in the request6030and the subscription management entity5managing said eUICC card10has been previously recorded in the server32of the assistance network30after an agreement made between the manufacturer6of the eUICC card10and the operator of the assistance network30.

Optionally, the step6047can also include determining by the assistance network30an information on the current geographical position of the terminal1, for example if this information cannot be determined by the terminal1itself. As indicated previously, this information on the current geographical position of the terminal1can for example be determined at the server32by trilateration methods or machine learning algorithms based on radio power levels received by the base stations31of the assistance network30for the terminal1.

In a step6041, the assistance network30transfers the request, accompanied, where appropriate, with information on the geographical position of the terminal1, to the subscription management entity5.

In a step6042, the subscription management entity5determines, in agreement with the operator210of the provisioning network21and optionally using the information on the geographical position of the terminal1, the provisioning profile11of the eUICC card10to be used and/or data111missing from the provisioning profile11. Then, in a step6043, the subscription management entity5communicates this data111to the provisioning network21so that the latter reserves them, in a step6044, with the appropriate equipment (for example the IMSI number is reserved in an HLR, and the key Ki is reserved in an AuC), then in a step6045, a confirmation is emitted to the subscription management entity5.

In a step6046, the identifier of the provisioning profile11to be used and/or the data111missing from the provisioning profile11are sent to the server32of the assistance network30.

Thus, a global step6040including the sub-steps6041to6047corresponds to obtaining an identifier of the provisioning profile11to be used and/or of the data111missing from the provisioning profile11by the assistance network30with the subscription management entity5.

In a step6050, the information thus obtained are sent to the terminal1on the assistance network30.

In a step6060, the provisioning profile11to be used is updated by the eUICC card10from the obtained information. This step6060can in particular include, according to the examples described above, determining the provisioning profile11to be used from the obtained identifier, assigning the value of all or part of an IMSI number to the provisioning profile11, assigning a key Ki or determining, using an obtained identifier, a key Ki to be used from a set of preconfigured Keys Ki, assigning the value of an identifier of a preferred roaming network, etc.

From there, the provisioning profile11allows establishing communication between the terminal1and the provisioning network21. In a step6071, the eUICC card10sends a confirmation through the provisioning network21to the subscription management entity5that its provisioning profile11is functional. This confirmation is then transmitted by the provisioning network21to the subscription management entity5in a step6072. It should be noted that in one variant, this confirmation can also be emitted through the assistance network30.

A step6080of remotely configuring the eUICC card10, as defined by the GSMA standards, can then take place through the provisioning network21. Such a step6080may in particular include, in a conventional manner, steps of authenticating the eUICC card10with the subscription management entity5, establishing a secure communication link between the subscription management entity5and the eUICC card10by procedures for establishing security keys, downloading and/or activating an operational profile12on the eUICC card10, etc.

Once the operational profile12is functional and active on the eUICC card10, a confirmation that the remote configuration procedure carried out in step6080has been successful is emitted by the terminal1to the subscription management entity5through the operational network22(steps6091and6092).

The operational profile12now acts as a provisioning profile. The resources which had been reserved for the provisioning profile11to be functional can therefore be released in a step6090which includes the steps6093to6095described below.

In a step6093, the eUICC card10erases the data111from the provisioning profile11.

In a step6094, the provisioning network21is in turn informed by the subscription management entity5that it can release the network resources which had been reserved so that the provisioning profile11is functional. For example, in a step6095, the IMSI number which had been allocated to the provisioning profile11is released in the HLR, and the same is true for the key Ki in the AuC.

In the event of accidental loss of connectivity between the terminal1and the operational network22, a backup method consisting in restoring a provisioning profile11can take place. Such a method is then similar to method100described with reference toFIG. 6.

It should be noted that, according to another example, an incomplete provisioning profile11can possibly also be an operational profile12, and the user4can simply seek to activate this profile. In this case the steps6080and the following ones are not necessarily carried out.

The above description clearly illustrates that, by its various features and their advantages, the present invention achieves the objectives set.

Particularly, the fact of being able to provide some missing data to a provisioning profile11at the time when the configuration of the eUICC card10must take place allows an operator210of a provisioning network21to avoid having to reserve some resources (such as for example an IMSI number or an authentication key Ki) in equipment of its network (such as an HLR or an AuC) during periods when they are not useful. Thus, this allows reducing costs relating to the reservation of these resources.

Furthermore, the invention allows selecting an optional network of roaming to the provisioning network21for which the roaming agreements are the most advantageous in terms of cost at the time when the remote configuration of the eUICC card10takes place. This choice can be made according to the geographical position of the terminal if this information is available.

Similarly, the invention allows selecting a particular profile11from several provisioning profiles11installed on the eUICC card10according to the geographical position of the terminal at the time when the remote configuration of the eUICC card10takes place. Thus, the most advantageous profile in terms of cost can be selected.

Generally, it should be noted that the embodiments considered above have been described as non-limiting examples, and that other variants are consequently possible.

In particular, the described examples of data missing from a provisioning profile11should not be considered as exhaustive.

Also, the invention has been described by considering a terminal1of the IoT or M2M type and a second wireless communication system3of the low power wide area network and low consumption ultra narrow band type. However, nothing excludes, according to other examples, from considering other types of terminals or other types of wireless communication systems. The second wireless communication system3is nevertheless preferably selected so that it allows maintaining a connectivity between an assistance network30and the terminal1for costs much lower than the costs necessary to maintain connectivity between the terminal1and an access network21of the first wireless communication system2.