Electronic subscriber identity module application identifier handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9439062-B2
Application number	US-201414503048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments are described for identifying and accessing an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) and associated content of the eSIM in a multiple eSIM configuration. An embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) can include multiple eSIMs, where each eSIM can include its own file structures and applications. Some embodiments include a processor of a mobile device transmitting a special command to the eUICC, including an identification that uniquely identifies an eSIM in the eUICC. After selecting the eSIM, the processor can access file structures and applications of the selected eSIM. The processor can then use existing commands to access content in the selected eSIM. The special command can direct the eUICC to activate or deactivate content associated with the selected eSIM. Other embodiments include an eUICC platform operating system interacting with eSIMs associated with logical channels to facilitate identification and access to file structures and applications of the eSIMs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for accessing applications of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) managed by an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), the method comprising:
at the eUICC:
receiving, from a baseband processor, a request to access an application of a first eSIM managed by the eUICC, wherein the application is associated with an application identifier (AID) that is shared by an application of a second eSIM; and

in response to the request:
assigning, to the first eSIM, a logical channel that corresponds to both:
an eSIM identifier (eSIM ID) associated with the first eSIM, and
the AID; and

enabling the baseband processor to access the application of the first eSIM via the logical channel.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein each application of the first eSIM is associated with a unique AID.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein each eSIM managed by the eUICC is associated with a unique eSIM ID.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein, to access the application of the first eSIM, the baseband processor issues, via the logical channel, a SELECT (eSIM ID, AID) command that includes an Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) header, and the APDU header comprises P1 and P2 fields that determine an element to be selected.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least two eSIMs are active within the eUICC simultaneously.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the baseband processor simultaneously accesses applications of different active eSIMs within the eUICC using different logical channels.

7. A mobile device, comprising:
an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) that manages electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs);
a baseband processor;
at least one memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the baseband processor, cause the baseband processor to carry out steps that include:
directing the eUICC to assign a first logical channel to a first eSIM and to assign a second logical channel to a second eSIM, wherein each of the first eSIM and the second eSIM include an application that is associated with a same application identifier (AID);
issuing to the eUICC a command that includes both:
an eSIM identifier (eSIM ID) associated with the first eSIM, and
the AID; and

accessing, using the first logical channel, the application included in the first eSIM.

8. The mobile device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the AID is unique among other AIDs associated with different applications of each of the first eSIM and the second eSIM.

9. The mobile device as recited in claim 7 , wherein each eSIM managed by the eUICC is associated with a unique eSIM ID.

10. The mobile device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the command comprises a SELECT (eSIM ID, AID) command.

11. The mobile device as recited in claim 10 , wherein the SELECT (eSIM ID, AID) command includes an Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) header that comprises P1 and P2 fields that determine an element within the eUICC to be selected.

12. The mobile device as recited in claim 7 , wherein at least two eSIMs are active within the eUICC simultaneously.

13. The mobile device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the baseband processor simultaneously accesses applications of different active eSIMs within the eUICC using different logical channels.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a baseband processor included in a mobile device, cause commands issued by the baseband processor to be routed to specific electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) managed by an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) included in the mobile device, by carrying out steps that include:
directing the eUICC to assign a first logical channel to a first eSIM and to assign a second logical channel to a second eSIM, wherein each of the first eSIM and the second eSIM include an application that is associated with a same application identifier (AID);
issuing to the eUICC a command that includes both:
an eSIM identifier (eSIM ID) associated with the first eSIM, and
the AID; and

accessing, using the first logical channel, the application included in the first eSIM.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein the AID is unique among other AIDs associated with different applications of each of the first eSIM and the second eSIM.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein each eSIM managed by the eUICC is associated with a unique eSIM ID.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein the command comprises a SELECT (eSIM ID, AID) command.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the command SELECT (eSIM ID, AID) includes an Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) header that comprises P1 and P2 fields that determine an element within the eUICC to be selected.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein at least two eSIMs are active within the eUICC simultaneously.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein the baseband processor simultaneously accesses applications of different eSIMs using different logical channels.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Li Li
• Yang Xiangying

Classifications

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W8/183 Primary

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04W8/205

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

• H04W12/72

  Subscriber identity · CPC title

• H04W12/48

  using secure binding, e.g. securely binding identity modules to devices, services or applications · CPC title