Patent ID: 8467531

Claim:
A mobile terminal with a network lock functionality for a network, comprising: a subscriber identity module (SIM) slot configured to host a SIM card and an unlocking device through multiplexing the SIM card and the unlocking device; a control chip coupled to the SIM slot through a first interface; an encryption chip coupled to the SIM slot through the first interface to communicate with a module inserted into the SIM slot; a network locking module coupled to the encryption chip through a second interface and configured to perform the network lock functionality, the network locking module having an “open” state supporting a network unlocking operational mode and a “close” state supporting a network locking operational mode; wherein the encryption chip is configured to: determine whether the module inserted into the SIM slot is the SIM card or the unlocking device by: monitoring communication information between the control chip and the module inserted in the SIM slot within a specified time period; obtaining the communication information from the inserted module; comparing the obtained communication information with information stored in the data/program memory; and determining whether the inserted module is the SIM card or the unlocking device based on the comparison; and when the encryption chip determines that the inserted module is the SIM card, set the “open” state or the “close” state of the network locking module to control the mobile terminal to enter in the network unlocking operational mode or the network locking operational mode, respectively, based on network-lock access information setting forth requirements of the network lock functionality pre-stored in the encryption chip updatable through the unlocking device but not the SIM card.