SIM card signal conversion method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10142831-B2
Application number	US-201415022155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2014
Priority date	Sep 16, 2013
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The method of the present invention includes: obtaining an original signal outputted by a SIM card; converting the original signal into a target signal, where under an equal transmission condition and/or at an equal transmission distance, signal attenuation and/or distortion of the target signal are/is less than signal attenuation and/or distortion of the original signal; and sending the target signal to a terminal device, where the terminal device obtains the target signal by using a signal transmission line, and the SIM card exists independent of the terminal device. In the present invention, a SIM card may be separated from a terminal device, and a generated target signal may be transmitted over a relatively long distance by using a signal transmission line, which can satisfy an application that requires a SIM card to be placed far away from a terminal device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card signal conversion method, comprising:
obtaining an original signal output by a SIM card;
determining a type of target signal among a plurality of types of target signals based on a port type of a terminal device, wherein the plurality of types of target signals comprises an RS232 signal, a low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) signal, and a universal serial bus (USB) signal;
converting the original signal into a target signal of the determined type, wherein one or more conversion chips for converting the original signal are determined based on the type of the target signal, the one or more conversion chips comprising at least two of: a first dedicated conversion chip, a field programmable logic gate array (FPGA), a second dedicated conversion chip, and a detachable device, wherein under an equal transmission condition and at an equal transmission distance, signal attenuation or distortion of the target signal is less than signal attenuation or distortion of the original signal, wherein when the determined type of the target signal is an RS232 signal, converting the original signal into a target signal comprises:
converting the original signal into a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) signal using the first dedicated conversion chip or using the FPGA, and
converting the UART signal into the RS232 signal using the second dedicated conversion chip or using the detachable device; and

sending the target signal to the terminal device via a signal transmission line, wherein the SIM card is positioned external to the terminal device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the original signal comprises at least one of the following: a logic gate circuit transistor-transistor logic (TTL) signal, or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the determined type of the target signal is a LVDS signal:
the one or more conversion chips for converting the original signal comprise a third dedicated conversion chip;
converting the original signal into a target signal comprises: converting the original signal into the LVDS signal by using the third dedicated conversion chip; and
sending the target signal to a terminal device comprises: sending the LVDS signal to the terminal device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the determined type of the target signal is a USB signal:
the one or more conversion chips for converting the original signal comprise a fourth dedicated conversion chip;
converting the original signal into a target signal comprises: converting the original signal into the USB signal by using the fourth dedicated conversion chip; and
sending the target signal to a terminal device comprises: sending the USB signal to the terminal device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a requirement of the target signal for material of the signal transmission line, or a geometric structure of the signal transmission line, or technical processing of the signal transmission line is lower than a requirement of the original signal for the material of the signal transmission line, or the geometric structure of the signal transmission line, or the technical processing of the signal transmission line.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is configured to restore the original signal from the target signal.

7. A signal conversion apparatus, comprising:
an interface configured to obtain an original signal outputted by a subscriber identity module (SIM) card;
a processor configured to determine a type of target signal among a plurality of types of target signals based on a port type of a terminal device, wherein the plurality of types of target signals comprises an RS232 signal, a low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) signal, and a universal serial bus (USB) signal;
a converter configured to convert the original signal into a target signal of the determined type, wherein one or more conversion chips within the converter for converting the original signal are determined based on the type of the target signal, the one or more conversion chips comprising at least two of: a first dedicated conversion chip, a field programmable logic gate array (FPGA), a second dedicated conversion chip, and a detachable device, wherein under an equal transmission condition and at an equal transmission distance, signal attenuation or distortion of the target signal is less than signal attenuation or distortion of the original signal, wherein to convert the original signal into the target signal when the deteiinined type of the target signal is an RS232 signal, the converter is configured to:
convert the original signal into a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) signal using the first dedicated conversion chip or using the FPGA, and
convert the UART signal into the RS232 signal using the second dedicated conversion chip or using the detachable device; and

a second interface configured to send the target signal to the terminal device via a signal transmission line, wherein the SIM card is positioned external to the terminal device.

8. The signal conversion apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the original signal comprises at least one of the following: a logic gate circuit transistor-transistor logic (TTL) signal, or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) signal.

9. The signal conversion apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when the determined type of the target signal is a LVDS signal:
the one or more conversion chips for converting the original signal comprise a third dedicated conversion chip;
the converter is configured to convert the original signal into the LVDS signal by using the third dedicated conversion chip; and
the second interface is configured to send the LVDS signal to the terminal device.

10. The signal conversion apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when the determined type of the target signal is a USB signal:
the one or more conversion chips for converting the original signal comprise a fourth dedicated conversion chip;
the converter is configured to convert the original signal into the USB signal by using the fourth dedicated conversion chip; and
the second interface is configured to send the USB signal to the terminal device.

11. The signal conversion apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a requirement of the target signal for material of the signal transmission line, or a geometric structure of the signal transmission line, or technical processing of the signal transmission line is lower than a requirement of the original signal for the material of the signal transmission line, or the geometric structure of the signal transmission line, or the technical processing of the signal transmission line.

12. The signal conversion apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the terminal device is configured to restore the original signal from the target signal.

Assignees

• Huawei Device Co Ltd
• Huawei Device Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gao Chunyu

Classifications

• H04L67/2823

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/18 Primary

  Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals · CPC title

• H04W12/00

  Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity · CPC title

• H04W4/60

  Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits · CPC title

• H04W8/245 Primary

  from a network towards a terminal · CPC title