Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/822,250, filed Aug. 14, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     This patent application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/768,910 of the same inventor, which is entitled “METHOD FOR SHARING CREDENTIALS” and filed on the same day as the present application. That patent application, also claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/822,250, is incorporated in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to systems for sharing user credentials in mobile phones, in particular in mobile phones that use SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards. 
     Mobile phones have become a ubiquitous part of society. A mobile phone is typically owned by a user who makes and receives calls for which the user is billed. In recent years, many additional services have been added to mobile phones. Such services include additional communication options (e.g. text messaging, internet access, broadcast reception, and computer connectivity). 
     Other services use the communication channel to access and transact with remote service providers (e.g. banks, merchants, and content providers offering music, video, ring tones, and news, for example). There are also services confined to the handset unit (e.g. listening to music, viewing video, playing games, and managing contacts and calendar schedules). Some services use short-range communication (e.g. infrared, Bluetooth, or NFC (Near-Field Communication)) for making payments. 
     Many of the services that are acquired or consumed with a mobile phone require subscription and identification of the user and/or the user rights. A SIM card is an exemplary standard module that maintains data used to determine the identity and rights of a user. Often a SIM card also carries other user-related data (e.g. contact and calendar databases, and downloaded content). Thus, the SIM card converts a general-purpose appliance into a personalized device by maintaining user credentials (i.e. data identifying the user and/or user rights) and/or content owned by the user and stored in the SIM card. 
       FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic block diagram of a typical mobile appliance, according to the prior art. A mobile appliance  100  (e.g. a smart mobile phone) is shown in  FIG. 1 . A credentials module  110  (e.g. SIM card) is a module that identifies the user, his/her billing account, and optionally other access rights the user may have. Credentials module  110  can also store other personal data (e.g. contact list, calendar, internet favorites, sent/received text messages, and content owned by the user). Credentials module  110  interfaces, via an appliance interface  120  and a module interface  130 , with appliance services  140 . Appliance services  140  represent a services module that includes the hardware and software components of appliance  100  that provide voice and non-voice services. Appliance interface  120  and module interface  130  are typically conventional electrical contacts for operationally connecting appliance services  140 , which require the appropriate user credentials, with credentials module  110 . 
     Often a mobile appliance can be connected to another device to extend the functionality of the appliance. For example, a mobile phone can be connected to a car adapter to offer safer driving via hands-free communication; to a desk cradle to offer better sound quality and a more convenient handset; to a personal computer for synchronizing contacts, calendars, and files; or to a Bluetooth headset for hands-free mobile communication. 
       FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic block diagram of a typical mobile appliance connected to an accessory, according to the prior art. A mobile appliance  100 ′ includes an accessory interface  150  for operationally connecting to an accessory  160  via an appliance interface  162 . Accessory  160  offers improved or additional services that are represented by accessory services  164 . Accessory interface  150  and appliance interface  162  are logical, electrical, and/or physical interfaces (e.g. a socket-receptacle connection, a cradle, and a Bluetooth link) that operationally connect appliance  100 ′ to accessory  160 . Current accessories are limited to utilizing the SIM-related services available on the appliance that contains the SIM card, which may be restricted by the features or performance of the appliance. 
     The user of a mobile appliance can often move the SIM card from one appliance to another appliance, thereby personalizing and activating the second appliance while depersonalizing and deactivating the first appliance.  FIG. 3A  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two typical mobile appliances, according to the prior art. A first appliance  100 A and a second appliance  100 B, offering similar or different appliance services  140 A and appliance services  140 B, are shown in  FIG. 3A . A module transfer-operation A is a manual procedure that allows the user to selectively insert credentials module  110  into either first appliance  100 A or second appliance  100 B, thereby selectively personalizing and activating the current appliance white deactivating the other appliance. Moving credentials module  110 , via module transfer-operation A, from first appliance  100 A to second appliance  100 B is considered to be an inconvenient task. 
     Prior art systems such as that taught by Carlsson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,282 (hereinafter referred to as Carlsson &#39;282), hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, teach methods for a first appliance to read user credentials from a SIM card residing in the appliance, and to transmit the user credentials to a second appliance in which the user credentials are used for obtaining mobile services.  FIG. 3B  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two typical mobile appliances, adapted from FIG. 3 of Carlsson &#39;282. 
       FIG. 3B  shows how the two mobile appliances (i.e. an MS A and an MS B) communicate with each other to access whichever SIM card (i.e. a SIM card A and a SIM card B). The methods taught by Carlsson &#39;282 are limited by requiring mediation by the main CPU (CPU/MEM of  FIG. 3B ) of MS A and/or MS B in order to handle a secure exchange of user credentials stored in SIM card A and/or SIM card B, and by requiring both appliances to be operative in order to allow one appliance to use the user credentials of the other appliance. 
     It would be desirable for users who carry a first appliance, housing a credentials module, to operate a second appliance by coupling the credentials module of the first appliance to the second appliance without having to remove the credentials module from the first appliance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the purpose of the present invention to provide systems for sharing user credentials in mobile phones, in particular in mobile phones that use SIM cards. 
     For the purpose of clarity, the term “appliance” is specifically defined for use herein to refer to a device that serves a user, and is owned by the user or another individual. Thus, a first appliance can be, for example, a cellular handset owned by a user, while the second appliance can be, for example, a car phone owned by the user, or a public phone accessible to the user. 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide systems for physically engaging a first appliance with a second appliance, and then operationally connecting the second appliance to a credentials module residing in the first appliance, without having to physically remove the credentials module from the first appliance. 
     Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided for the first time a system for sharing credentials, the system including: (a) a primary appliance including a credentials module, the primary appliance operative to make and receive phone calls utilizing the credentials module; and (b) at least one secondary appliance configured to: (i) physically engage with the primary appliance, thereby establishing an interface with the credentials module; and (ii) provide a service upon utilizing the credentials module via the interface. 
     Preferably, the interface is electrically conductive. 
     Preferably, the interface is a short-range contactless interface. 
     Most preferably, the short-range contactless interface utilizes at least one communication technology selected from the group consisting of: ISO 14443 technology, NFC technology, Bluetooth technology, infrared technology, and acoustic-interface technology. 
     Preferably, the service includes at least one service selected from the group consisting of: enabling a phone call, transmitting a text message, providing an identity of a user, providing an identity of a subscription record in an operator&#39;s database, providing data allowing the user to access a credit account; providing data allowing the user to access a bank account, providing access to an electronic purse, providing access to contact databases of the user; providing access to calendar databases of the user, providing access to content owned by the user, providing access to ring tones, providing access to music, providing access to video, and providing DRM access codes. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided for the first time a primary appliance reversibly engageable with a secondary appliance for sharing credentials, the primary appliance including: (a) a credentials module configured to enable the primary appliance to make and receive phone calls; and (b) an interface with the secondary appliance, the interface including: (i) a physical interface for physically reversibly engaging the primary appliance and the secondary appliance; and (ii) a conductive electrical interface operative to enable the secondary appliance to communicate with the credentials module upon being physically engaged. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided for the first time a secondary appliance, for sharing credentials, reversibly engageable with a primary appliance, the primary appliance having a credentials module enabling the primary appliance to make and receive phone calls, the secondary appliance including: (a) a service module configured to be enabled by the credentials module; and (b) an interface for the primary appliance, the interface including: (i) a physical interface for physically reversibly engaging the secondary appliance with the primary appliance; and (ii) a conductive electrical interface operative to enable communication of the secondary appliance with the credentials module upon the secondary appliance being physically engaged with the primary appliance. 
     Preferably, the service module includes at least one service selected from the group consisting of: enabling a phone call, transmitting a text message, providing an identity of a user, providing an identity of a subscription record in an operator&#39;s database, providing data allowing the user to access a credit account; providing data allowing the user to access a bank account, providing access to an electronic purse, providing access to contact databases of the user; providing access to calendar databases of the user, providing access to content owned by the user, providing access to ring tones, providing access to music, providing access to video, and providing DRM access codes. 
     These and further embodiments will be apparent from the detailed description and examples that follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic block diagram of a typical mobile appliance, according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic block diagram of a typical mobile appliance connected to an accessory, according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 3A  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two typical mobile appliances, according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 3B  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two typical mobile appliances, adapted from FIG. 3 of Carlsson &#39;282; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two mobile appliances, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative for implementing connections B and C of  FIG. 4 , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative for implementing connections B and C of  FIG. 4 , according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5C  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 5B , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5D  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 5C , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a simplified flowchart of the operation of a credential-sharing system, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention relates to systems for sharing user credentials in mobile phones, in particular in mobile phones that use SIM cards. The principles and operation for sharing user credentials in mobile phones, according to the present invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying description and the drawings. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic block diagram of two mobile appliances, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. A first appliance  200 A (e.g. a cellular phone) is physically engaged with a second appliance  200 B. The expression “physically engaged” is used herein to mean that the body of first appliance  200 A is inserted within, or mechanically connected to, the body of second appliance  200 B so that first appliance  200 A and second appliance  200 B temporarily function as a single integrated unit. For example, first appliance  200 A can be inserted into a slot of second appliance  200 B, or into a cradle that forms part of, or connects to, second appliance  200 B. 
     User credentials stored in a credentials module  210  include, for example: user-specific data (e.g. the identity of the user, and the identity of a subscription record in an operator&#39;s database); data allowing the user to access a credit or bank account; an “electronic purse”; contact and calendar databases of the user; content owned by the user (e.g. downloaded ring tones, music, and video); and codes needed for accessing digitally-protected content under a digital rights-management (DRM) scheme. 
     Credentials module  210  is preferably a secure chip (e.g. a SIM card) that protects content via a tamper-proof physical construction and digital cryptography, Credentials module  210  uses techniques known in the art for enabling operation of appliance  200 A. Operation of appliance  200 A is enabled by providing identities, codes, and operational parameter. Credentials module  210  may include a microprocessor for executing cryptographic operations (e.g. an encryption scheme, a challenge-response routine, a digital signature, and a password-generation procedure). 
     Credentials module  210  is operationally connected, via an appliance interface  220  and a module interface  230 A, to appliance services  240 A. Appliance interface  220  and module interface  230 A include mechanical, electrical, and logical connections as mentioned above. Appliance interface  220  and module interface  230 A can be based, for example, on the card and reader interfaces, respectively, defined under the ISO 7816 standard. First appliance  200 A includes hardware and software for providing appliance services  240 A (e.g. a service module for enabling telephony, text messaging, storage, and multimedia). At least some of appliance services  240 A require access and use of user credentials in credentials module  210 . 
     In a similar manner, second appliance  200 B includes a credentials module  210 ′, an appliance interface  220 ′, a module interface  230 B, and appliance services  240 B. Appliance services  240 B can be similar and/or different from appliance services  240 A. For example, second appliance  200 B can be a high-powered, hands-free car phone integrated with a digital radio receiver for subscription-based broadcasts. In such a example, appliance services  240 B include the hardware and software for both cellular telephony and digital radio reception, both of which require the presence of credentials module  210 ′ for operation. 
     According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, first appliance  200 A can be physically engaged with second appliance  200 B, enabling appliance services  240 B to utilize credentials module  210  of first appliance  200 A. The physical engagement can be made through direct connection of module interface  230 B to either appliance interface  220  via a connection B, or to module interface  230 A via a connection C. This will be described in greater detail with regard to  FIGS. 5A-D  below. Thus, when first appliance  200 A is physically engaged with second appliance  200 B, second appliance  200 B utilizes credentials module  210  of first appliance  200 A for operation. 
     In contrast to the prior art of  FIG. 3A , first appliance  200 A is preferably off (i.e. inoperative) when second appliance  200 B is utilizing credentials module  210 . Thus, connection is made between second appliance  200 B and credentials module  210 , and not between second appliance  200 B and first appliance  200 A. 
     The operational mode described above with respect to first appliance  200 A and second appliance  200 B, in which second appliance  200 B utilizes the user credentials from credentials module  210  of first appliance  200 A, does not necessarily exclude the conventional mode of operation of the prior art (i.e. module transfer-operation A of  FIG. 3A ). In such a prior-art operational mode, credentials module  210 ′ is removed from first appliance  200 A, and inserted into second appliance  200 B, instead of attaching first appliance  200 A to second appliance  200 B. 
       FIG. 5A  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative for implementing connections B and C of  FIG. 4 , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. In  FIG. 5A , a credentials module  210 ′ includes a chip/body  210 C sandwiched between an upper contact surface  220 C and a lower contact surface  220 C′. Such a configuration enables credentials module  210 ′ to be accessed either via connection C to module interface  230 A for operation of first appliance  200 A, or via connection B to module interface  230 B for operation of second appliance  200 B, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The bodies of first appliance  200 A and second appliance  200 B are configured to allow physical contact between contact surface  220 C′ and module interface  230 B upon engagement of first appliance  200 A with second appliance  200 B. 
       FIG. 5B  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative for implementing connections B and C of  FIG. 4 , according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5B , a credentials module  210 ″ has only a single contact surface  220 C″ for chip/body  210 C. Contact surface  220 C″ physically connects to a first module interface  230 A′, enabling access of credentials module  210 ″ with appliance services  240 A. First module interface  230 A′ is electrically connected to a second module interface  230 A″, which is configured to interface with module interface  230 B of second appliance  200 B when physically engaged with a first appliance  200 A′, allowing credentials module  210 ″ to be accessed by appliance services  240 B via contact surface  220 C″, first module interface  230 A′, second module interface  230 A″, and module interface  230 B. 
       FIG. 5C  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 5B , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. In  FIG. 5C , a dual-sided module interface  230 A′″ connects credentials module  210 ″, of a first appliance  200 A″, to appliance services  240 A and to appliance services  240 B (via contact with module interface  230 B). 
       FIG. 5D  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an exemplary alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 5C , according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. In  FIG. 5D , a module interface  230 A′″ and module interface  230 B′″ employ a contactless-communication mechanism when connecting credentials module  210 ″ of a first appliance  200 A′″ to a second appliance  200 B′″. Since the amount of data typically exchanged between credentials module  210 ″ and second appliance  200 B″ is very small, and since both first appliance  200 A′″ and second appliance  200 B′″ are autonomously powered by independent power sources, the contactless-communication mechanism can utilize any wireless communication technology known in the art (e.g. ISO 14443, NFC, Bluetooth, infrared, and acoustic interface). 
       FIG. 6  is a simplified flowchart of the operation of a credential-sharing system, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. The components (and reference numerals) of  FIG. 4  are included in the description for better clarity. First appliance  200 A, housing credentials module  210 , is utilized to access the user credentials required for operation (Step  400 ). Operation of first appliance  200 A is then terminated (Step  410 ). First appliance  200 A is then physically engaged with second appliance  200 B (e.g. by inserting first appliance  200 A into a slot or cradle of second appliance  200 B) (Step  420 ). 
     The physical connection of first appliance  200 A with second appliance  200 B (Step  420 ) establishes a direct contact between credentials module  210  and second appliance  200 B (Step  430 ), as in the embodiment of  FIG. 5A . Alternatively, the physical connection of first appliance  200 A with second appliance  200 B (Step  420 ) establishes an indirect contact between credentials module  210  and second appliance  200 B via module interface  230 A of first appliance  200 A (Step  440 ), as in the embodiments of  FIGS. 5B-D . Steps  430  and  440  both enable second appliance  200 B to communicate with credentials module  210  (residing in first appliance  200 A) in order to receive the user credentials required for operation of second appliance  200 B (Step  460 ). 
     It is noted that communication between second appliance  200 B and credentials module  210  is preferably made by using standard appliance/credentials-module protocols, and is preferably made without involvement or mediation by any processor, or communication functionality, that forms part of first appliance  200 A. It will be appreciated that the user credentials accessed by first appliance  200 A from credentials module  210  in Step  400  may be the same or different than the user credentials accessed by second appliance  200 B from credentials module  210  in Step  460 . In both cases (i.e. Steps  400  and  460 ), such user credentials may be responsive to specific operations selected by the user (e.g. making phone calls, listening to a digital radio broadcast, and initiating electronic banking transactions). 
     It should be emphasized that while first appliance  200 A, housing credentials module  210 , is typically a mobile appliance (preferably a cellular phone), second appliance  200 B can be a mobile or stationary device (e.g. another cellular phone, car-phone handset, a desk accessory, and a personal computer). It should be further emphasized that second appliance  200 B can include an independent credentials module (i.e. credentials module  210 ′), and/or be configured to receive credential module  210  of first appliance  200 A after removal from first appliance  200 A. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications, and other applications of the invention may be made.

Technology Category: 5