Method for unlocking SIM card and mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10932126-B2
Application number	US-201816769602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2017
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A method for unlocking a SIM card includes: determining, by a mobile terminal, whether a currently inserted SIM card belongs to a preset SIM card in compliance with a specific operator; controlling the mobile terminal to access a network normally if yes; detecting lock information of an IMSI corresponding to the SIM card if no; limiting the SIM card to access the network when the lock information of the IMSI exists and a lock type of the IMSI is a lock state; and controlling the mobile terminal to access the network normally when the lock information of the IMSI exists and the lock type of the IMSI is an unlock state. A mobile terminal is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for unlocking a SIM (subscriber identity module) card, comprising steps of:
detecting and determining, by a mobile terminal, whether a currently inserted SIM card belongs to a preset SIM card in compliance with a specific operator;
controlling the mobile terminal to access a network normally if yes;
detecting lock information of an IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card if no;
limiting the currently inserted SIM card to access the network when the lock information of the IMSI exists and a lock type of the IMSI is a lock state;
controlling the mobile terminal to access the network normally when the lock information of the IMSI exists and the lock type of the IMSI is an unlock state;
initiating a function for locking the IMSI to generate a corresponding unlock code according to an IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) of the mobile terminal and the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card when the lock information of the IMSI does not exist; and
reminding a user to input the unlock code to control the mobile terminal to access the network normally when the mobile terminal detects that the currently inserted SIM card is locked.

2. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 1 , wherein before the step of, detecting and determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the currently inserted SIM card belongs to the preset SIM card in compliance with the specific operator, the method further comprises:
turning on the mobile terminal and reading the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card, a PLMN (public land mobile network), and the IMEI of the mobile terminal.

3. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 1 , wherein the step of, controlling the mobile terminal to access the network normally if yes; detecting the lock information of the IMSI corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card if no, comprises:
detecting and determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the lock information of the IMSI corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card is stored in the mobile terminal.

4. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 1 , wherein after the step of, initiating the function for locking the IMSI to generate the corresponding unlock code according to the IMEI of the mobile terminal and the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card when the lock information of the IMSI does not exist, the method further comprises:
obtaining, by the operator, the corresponding unlock code and providing the corresponding unlock code for the user.

5. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 1 , wherein after the step of, initiating the function for locking the IMSI to generate the corresponding unlock code according to the IMEI of the mobile terminal and the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card when the lock information of the IMSI does not exist, the method further comprises:
encrypting the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI and storing the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI which are encrypted in a specific area.

6. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 5 , wherein the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI are stored in an RPMB (replay protected memory block) area which is stored by a TEE system, and an encryption method is an AES (advanced encryption standard) algorithm.

7. The method for unlocking the SIM card of claim 1 , wherein the unlock code is calculated and obtained by a predetermined algorithm, and the predetermined algorithm is an MD5 algorithm (MD5 message digest algorithm) or an SHA-1 algorithm (secure hash algorithm 1).

8. A mobile terminal, comprising a processor and a storage device connected to the processor, the mobile terminal comprising a currently inserted SIM (subscriber identity module) card;
wherein the storage device stores programs configured to unlock the SIM card, and the programs are executed by the processor to carry out the following steps of:
detecting and determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the currently inserted SIM card belongs to a preset SIM card in compliance with a specific operator;
controlling the mobile terminal to access a network normally if yes;
detecting lock information of an IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card if no;
limiting the currently inserted SIM card to access the network when the lock information of the IMSI exists and a lock type of the IMSI is a lock state;
controlling the mobile terminal to access the network normally when the lock information of the IMSI exists and the lock type of the IMSI is an unlock state;
initiating a function for locking the IMSI to generate a corresponding unlock code according to an IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) of the mobile terminal and the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card when the lock information of the IMSI does not exist; and
reminding a user to input the unlock code to control the mobile terminal to access the network normally when the mobile terminal detects that the currently inserted SIM card is locked.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein before the step of, detecting and determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the currently inserted SIM card belongs to the preset SIM card in compliance with the specific operator, the programs are executed by the processor to carry out:
turning on the mobile terminal and reading the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card, a PLMN (public land mobile network), and the IMEI of the mobile terminal.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the step of, controlling the mobile terminal to access the network normally if yes; detecting the lock information of the IMSI corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card if no, comprises:
detecting and determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the lock information of the IMSI corresponding to the currently inserted SIM card is stored in the mobile terminal.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein after the step of, initiating the function for locking the IMSI to generate the corresponding unlock code according to the IMEI of the mobile terminal and the IMSI of the currently inserted SIM card when the lock information of the IMSI does not exist, the method further comprises:
encrypting the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI and storing the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI which are encrypted in a specific area; and
obtaining, by the operator, the corresponding unlock code and providing the corresponding unlock code for the user.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding unlock code and the lock type of the IMSI are stored in an RPMB (replay protected memory block) area which is stored by a TEE system, and an encryption method is an AES (advanced encryption standard) algorithm.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the unlock code is calculated and obtained by a predetermined algorithm, and the predetermined algorithm is an MD5 algorithm (MD5 message digest algorithm) or an SHA-1 algorithm (secure hash algorithm 1).

14. A method for unlocking a SIM (subscriber identity module) card, comprising steps of:
reading an IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) of a current SIM card and detecting whether the current SIM card of a mobile terminal is a preset SIM card;
detecting whether lock information of the IMSI exists if no;
initiating a function for locking the IMSI to generate a corresponding unlock code according to an IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) of the mobile terminal and the IMS

Assignees

• Jrd Communication Shenzhen Ltd
• Jkd Communication Shenzhen Ltd

Inventors

• Xie Hanwu
• Zhong Xiaofen

Classifications

• H04W8/22

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W12/068

  using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications · CPC title

• H04W8/183 Primary

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04W12/40 Primary

  Security arrangements using identity modules · CPC title