Methods, systems, and devices for establishing an active subscription for services of a mobile network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022014890-A1
Application number	US-202117484290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Nov 4, 2019
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting an expiration of a subscription associated with a communication device, wherein the subscription is for services of a mobile network, and enabling an interim profile that provides the communication device with limited connectivity over the mobile network, wherein the limited connectivity facilitates communication with a subscription manager node of the mobile network. Various embodiments can include communicating with the subscription manager node to establish an active subscription for services of the mobile network and enabling an operational profile comprising subscription information associated with the active subscription. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communication device, comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
detecting an expiration of a subscription associated with the communication device, wherein the subscription is for services of a first mobile network;
responsive to the detecting the expiration of the subscription, triggering a fallback attribute in an operational profile to cause the operational profile to be inactive;
obtaining, by the processing system via an external network, an interim profile that provides limited connectivity via a cellular data connection over a second mobile network that is distinct from the external network;
enabling the interim profile that provides the limited connectivity over the second mobile network, wherein the limited connectivity facilitates communication with a subscription manager node of the second mobile network and a profile manager node of the second mobile network; and
communicating with the subscription manager node to establish an active subscription for services of the second mobile network.

2 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the limited connectivity over the second mobile network facilitates communication with a website of an operator of the second mobile network to select and forward subscription information to the subscription manager node of the second mobile network.

3 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the interim profile comprises mobile network operator data, credentials and applications that allow for the services over the second mobile network corresponding to the active subscription.

4 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the interim profile is provisioned on a subscriber identification module (SIM) of the communication device.

5 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the limited connectivity comprises controlled connectivity to network elements of a service provider of the second mobile network.

6 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of the interim profile causes installation at the communication device of a carrier application.

7 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the interim profile comprises a bootstrap profile.

8 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor of a communication device, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
detecting an expiration of a subscription associated with the communication device, wherein the subscription is for services of a first mobile network; responsive to the detecting the expiration of the subscription, triggering a fallback attribute in an operational profile to cause the operational profile to be inactive; obtaining, by the processing system via an external network, an interim profile that provides limited connectivity via a cellular data connection over a second mobile network that is distinct from the external network; enabling the interim profile that provides the limited connectivity over the second mobile network, wherein the limited connectivity facilitates communication with a subscription manager node of the second mobile network and a profile manager node of the second mobile network; and communicating with the subscription manager node to establish an active subscription for services of the second mobile network.

9 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
utilizing the services of the second mobile network for communication with a packet data network, via the second mobile network.

10 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the interim profile comprises a bootstrap profile.

11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the interim profile comprises mobile network operator data, credentials and applications that allow for the services over the second mobile network corresponding to the active subscription.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the interim profile comprises a second operational profile featuring bootstrapping capabilities.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise obtaining the interim profile from a profile manager node of the second mobile network.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise provisioning the interim profile on a subscriber identification module (SIM) of the communication device.

15 . A method, comprising:
detecting, by a processing system including a processor, an expiration of a subscription associated with the processing system, wherein the subscription is for services of a first mobile network; responsive to the detecting the expiration of the subscription, triggering, by the processing system, a fallback attribute in an operational profile to cause the operational profile to be inactive; obtaining, by the processing system via an external network, an interim profile that provides limited connectivity via a cellular data connection over a second mobile network that is distinct from the external network; enabling, by the processing system, the interim profile that provides the limited connectivity over the second mobile network, wherein the limited connectivity facilitates communication with a subscription manager node of the second mobile network and a profile manager node of the second mobile network; and communicating, by the processing system, with the subscription manager node to establish an active subscription for services of the second mobile network.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the interim profile comprises a bootstrap profile.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining of the interim profile causes installation at the processing system of a carrier application.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the interim profile comprises a second operational profile featuring bootstrapping capabilities.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the interim profile comprises mobile network operator data, credentials and applications that allow for the services over the second mobile network corresponding to the active subscription.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the interim profile is provisioned on a subscriber identification module (SIM) of the processing system.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Chastain Walter Cooper
• Hamilton James
• Chin Stephen Emille
• Sikes Jason

Classifications

• H04W4/60 Primary

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

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W60/005

  Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming · CPC title