Electronic access client distribution apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9419970-B2
Application number	US-201414512137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 26, 2011
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for distributing access control clients. In one exemplary embodiment, a network infrastructure is disclosed that enables delivery of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) to secure elements (e.g., electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (eUICCs), etc.) The network architecture includes one or more of: (i) eSIM appliances, (ii) secure eSIM storages, (iii) eSIM managers, (iv) eUICC appliances, (v) eUICC managers, (vi) service provider consoles, (vii) account managers, (viii) Mobile Network Operator (MNO) systems, (ix) eUICCs that are local to one or more devices, and (x) depots. Moreover, each depot may include: (xi) eSIM inventory managers, (xii) system directory services, (xiii) communications managers, and/or (xiv) pending eSIM storages. Functions of the disclosed infrastructure can be flexibly partitioned and/or adapted such that individual parties can host portions of the infrastructure. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can provide redundancy, thus ensuring maximal uptime for the overall network (or the portion thereof).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for distributing electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) to destination devices, the method comprising:
by an eSIM server:
receiving a request to allocate eSIMs for a plurality of destination devices, wherein the request includes associated identifying information for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices; and
in response to the request, and for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices;
identifying an available eSIM to allocate to the destination device based on the associated identifying information,
allocating the available eSIM to the destination device,
encrypting the available eSIM to yield an encrypted eSIM for the destination device, and
transmitting the encrypted eSIM to one or more eSIM depots to enable the encrypted eSIM to be provided to the destination device by way of at least one of the one or more eSIM depots.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying information comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) or an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) card serial number (CSN).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is issued in response to a change in a wireless network service associated with the plurality of destination devices.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, for each destination of the plurality of destination devices:
maintaining metadata for the encrypted eSIM for tracking the encrypted eSIM.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deleting the encrypted eSIM from the eSIM server.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deactivating the encrypted eSIM prior to distributing the encrypted eSIM to the corresponding destination device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining state information associated with the encrypted eSIM.

8. An electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) server, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the eSIM server to:
receive a request to allocate eSIMs for a plurality of destination devices, wherein the request includes associated identifying information for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices; and
in response to the request, and for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices:
identify an available eSIM to allocate to the destination device based on the associated identifying information,

allocate the available eSIM to the destination device,
encrypt the available eSIM to yield an encrypted eSIM for the destination device, and
transmit the encrypted eSIM to one or more eSIM depots to enable the encrypted eSIM to be provided to the destination device by way of at least one of the one or more eSIM depots.

9. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the identifying information comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) or an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) card serial number (CSN).

10. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the request is issued in response to a change in a wireless network service associated with the plurality of destination devices.

11. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further causes the eSIM server to:
delete the encrypted eSIM from the eSIM server.

12. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further causes the eSIM server to:
deactivate the encrypted eSIM prior to distributing the encrypted eSIM to the corresponding destination device.

13. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further causes the eSIM server to:
maintain state information associated with the encrypted eSIM.

14. The eSIM server of claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further causes the eSIM server to:
maintain metadata for the encrypted eSIM for tracking the encrypted eSIM.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors included in an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) server, cause the eSIM server to carry out steps that include:
receiving a request to allocate eSIMs for a plurality of destination devices, wherein the request includes associated identifying information for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices; and
in response to the request, and for each destination device of the plurality of destination devices:
identifying an available eSIM to allocate to the destination device based on the associated identifying information,
allocating the available eSIM to the destination device,
encrypting the available eSIM to yield an encrypted eSIM for the destination device, and
transmitting the encrypted eSIM to one or more eSIM depots to enable the encrypted eSIM to be provided to the destination device by way of at least one of the one or more eSIM depots.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the identifying information comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) or an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) card serial number (CSN).

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the request is issued in response to a change in a wireless network service associated with the plurality of destination devices.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the steps further include:
deleting the encrypted eSIM from the eSIM server.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the steps further include:
deactivating the encrypted eSIM prior to distributing the encrypted eSIM to the corresponding destination device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the steps further include:
maintaining state information associated with the encrypted eSIM.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Haggerty David T
• Mclaughlin Kevin P
• Hauck Jerrold Von
• Mathias Arun

Classifications

• H04B1/3816

  Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices · CPC title

• H04W12/12

  Detection or prevention of fraud · CPC title

• H04W4/003

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W12/04

  Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] · CPC title

• H04L63/0272 Primary

  Virtual private networks · CPC title