Method for managing multiple profiles in an embedded UICC, and embedded UICC and terminal therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414220-B2
Application number	US-201214356089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2012
Priority date	Nov 4, 2011
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technology for managing profiles in an eUICC embedded in a terminal, and more particularly, to a method for efficiently managing profiles in an eUICC in consideration of a case in which multiple profiles are able to be stored in the eUICC, as well as to an embedded eUICC and terminal therefor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) which is embedded in a terminal and interworks with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO),
wherein the eUICC includes a common profile which retains common data that is mutually accessible by each of a plurality of profiles;
wherein for a specific profile from among the plurality of profiles, the eUICC is configured to control access to the common profile based on registering a corresponding profile ID to the common profile and providing, to the specific profile from the common profile, an access parameter; and
wherein the common profile is in a form of at least one from among an application and a data set.

2. The eUICC of claim 1 , wherein the common data include at least one of eUICC identity information and user data.

3. The eUICC of claim 2 , wherein the user data include data about at least one of a phonebook and messages.

4. The eUICC of claim 1 , wherein the common data include data obtained from a terminal system.

5. A method for managing a plurality of profiles in an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) which is embedded in a terminal and interworks with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO), the method comprising:
a step of loading, by the eUICC, a common profile which retains common data that is mutually accessible by each of a plurality of profiles in the eUICC; and
a step of updating the common data retained by the common profile when an active profile is loaded; and
a step of registering a specific profile from among the plurality of profiles as a profile which is authorized to access the common profile by registering a corresponding profile ID to the common profile and providing, to the specific profile from the common profile, an access parameter,
wherein the common profile is in a form of at least one from among an application and a data set.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the common data include eUICC identity information.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein, in the step of updating, when the active profile is loaded, the common data retained by the common profile are updated based on at least one of data obtained from a terminal system and user data according to inputs of a user.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the user data include data about at least one of a phonebook and messages, and the data obtained from the terminal system include location information.

9. The method of claim 5 , prior to the step of updating, further comprising:
a step of loading an active profile changed according to a change of the active profile; and
a step of updating the common data retained by the common profile based on the data obtained from the terminal system, and maintaining data which can be used after the change of the active profile among the common data existing before the change of the active profile.

10. A method for managing a plurality of profiles in an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) which is embedded in a terminal and interworks with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO), the method comprising:
a step of storing, by the eUICC, a common profile which retains common data that is mutually accessible by each of a plurality of profiles in the eUICC;
a step of registering a specific profile from among the plurality of profiles as a profile which is authorized to access the common profile by registering a corresponding profile ID to the common profile and providing, to the specific profile from the common profile, an access parameter; and
a step of accessing, by the eUICC, the common profile in order for the specific profile to use the common data,
wherein the common profile is in a form of at least one from among an application and a data set.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the eUICC controls whether the specific profile can access the common profile or not according to the preregistered profile ID in the step of accessing.

12. A terminal providing a communication service by interworking with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO),
wherein the terminal is configured to embed an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) which is configured to store a common profile which retains common data that is mutually accessible by each of a plurality of profiles;
wherein for a specific profile from among the plurality of profiles, the eUICC is further configured to control access to the common profile based on registering a corresponding profile ID to the common profile and providing, to the specific profile from the common profile, of an access parameter; and
wherein the common profile is in a form of at least one from among an application and a data set.

13. The terminal of claim 12 , wherein the common data include at least one of eUICC identity information and user data.

Assignees

• Kt Corp

Inventors

• Lee Jin Hyoung
• Yoon Yeu Min
• Jeung Youn Pil

Classifications

• H04W4/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W8/18 Primary

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

• H04W8/183

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04W8/205

  Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04W8/20 Primary

  Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title