Flexible electronic subscriber identity module deployment

Abstract

The invention relates to flexible electronic subscriber identity module deployment. Techniques for flexible deployment of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) by a network server to a wireless device include generating a plurality of eSIMs using the same eSIM identifier value, such as the same integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) value, and then selecting an eSIM based on capabilities of the wireless device. A plurality of eSIMs corresponding to different groups of wireless device capabilities is generated without knowing wireless communication standards supported by the wireless device. The plurality of eSIMs includes a first eSIM and a second eSIM, the first eSIM includes fifth generation (5G) wireless communication protocol information, and the second eSIM does not include 5G wireless communication protocol information. The network server selects an eSIM from the plurality of eSIMs based on whether the wireless device has 5G capability. And after the configuration file package comprising the eSIM is selected and bound, the remaining eSIM using the same ICCID value is deleted so as to be used for safe execution aiming at clone.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of invention patent application 202080008096.X, filed on November 25, 2020, and entitled “Flexible Electronic User Identity Module Deployment”. Technical Field

[0002] The described embodiments set forth techniques for flexible deployment of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) for wireless devices by wireless network entities, including generating multiple eSIMs using the same eSIM identifier and a common set of eSIM configuration data, and subsequently selecting an eSIM based on the capabilities of the wireless device. Background Art

[0003] Wireless mobile network operators (MNOs) continue to upgrade wireless networks to support newer wireless communication standards, including fourth generation (4G) long term evolution (LTE) and long term evolution-advanced (LTE-A) technologies and fifth generation (5G) technologies. Wireless devices continue to evolve to incorporate newer configurable wireless credentials, such as an eSIM that can be loaded into an electronic universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of a wireless device and subsequently activated thereon. In order to support the newer 5G wireless communication standards, specifications for eSIMs for 5G-enabled wireless devices are being developed. Standards are proposed for 5G eSIMs and non-5G eSIMs, rather than for a universal eSIM that can be loaded into a wireless device with 5G capabilities or a wireless device with non-5G capabilities. Therefore, the MNO needs to determine the appropriate eSIM type to be loaded into a wireless device based on the wireless communication capabilities of the wireless device. Since these capabilities may be unknown when the eSIM is assigned to the wireless device, a flexible eSIM allocation and deployment is needed that takes into account different wireless device capabilities. Summary of the invention

[0004] Representative embodiments set forth techniques for flexibly deploying electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) to wireless devices by a wireless network entity, including generating multiple eSIMs using the same eSIM identifier and a set of common eSIM configuration data such as encryption keys, integrity keys, applets, base files, and / or dedicated files, and subsequently selecting an eSIM from the multiple eSIMs based on the capabilities of the wireless device. When an eSIM is assigned to a wireless device (or an eSIM is generated for future assignment), the capabilities of the wireless device to support different wireless communication standards may be unknown. To account for the different capabilities, multiple eSIMs corresponding to different sets of wireless device capabilities may be generated without knowing the wireless communication standards supported by the wireless device. In some embodiments, in response to a command from an MNO backend server, a wireless network entity, such as a configuration server, may generate multiple eSIMs for the wireless device. In some embodiments, the specific wireless devices are specified in an order. In some embodiments, the order includes a hardware identifier value of the wireless device, such as an eUICC identifier (EID) value. In some embodiments, the configuration server selects a unique eSIM identifier value, such as an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) value, to be associated with the eSIM, and uses the same unique eSIM identifier value to generate multiple eSIMs, each of which corresponds to a different wireless communication standard capability of the wireless device. Subsequently, the configuration server may select one of the multiple eSIMs to be downloaded to the wireless device based on the information obtained about the wireless communication capability of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs include a first eSIM with 5G information and a second eSIM that does not include 5G information. In some embodiments, the 5G information includes a file structure and / or applet specific to the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the configuration server selects an eSIM from the multiple eSIMs based at least in part on whether the wireless device has 5G capabilities. After selecting an eSIM using the ICCID value and binding a configuration file package including the eSIM for the wireless device, the configuration server deletes the remaining eSIMs in the multiple eSIMs using the same ICCID value.

[0005] The present invention is provided for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary embodiments only, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-mentioned features are only examples and should not be interpreted as narrowing the scope or essence of the subject matter described in the present invention in any way. Other features, aspects and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent through the following detailed description, drawings and claims.

[0006] Other aspects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the principles of the embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The included drawings are for illustrative purposes and are only used to provide examples of possible structures and arrangements of the disclosed apparatus and methods for providing wireless computing devices. These drawings in no way limit any changes in form and detail that may be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. The embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like structural elements.

[0008] Figure 1 A block diagram showing different components of an example system configured to implement the various techniques described herein, according to some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 2 According to some embodiments, Figure 1 A block diagram of a more detailed view of exemplary components of a system.

[0010] Figure 3 An example message exchange for configuring an eSIM to a wireless device is shown according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 4A and Figure 4B is an illustration of an example message exchange for flexible deployment of eSIMs to wireless devices according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary sequence of actions performed by a wireless device for flexibly configuring an eSIM to the wireless device according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 6 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary sequence of actions performed by a network entity for flexibly configuring an eSIM to a wireless device according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 7 Shown is a detailed view of a representative computing device that can be used to implement the various methods described herein, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Representative applications of the apparatus and methods according to the embodiments described in the present invention are provided in this section. These examples are provided only to add context and to help understand the described embodiments. It will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments currently described may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process steps are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments currently described. Other applications are possible, so that the following examples should not be considered restrictive.

[0016] Representative embodiments describe techniques for flexibly deploying electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) for wireless devices by wireless network entities, including generating multiple eSIMs using the same eSIM identifier and a set of common eSIM configuration data such as encryption keys, integrity keys, applets, basic files, and / or dedicated files, and then selecting an eSIM based on the capabilities of the wireless device. Wireless communication standards continue to evolve, including updated fifth generation (5G) wireless protocols. New versions of wireless protocols may specify features that may be incompatible with previous generations of wireless communication devices. Some wireless communication devices may support 5G capabilities, some wireless communication devices may require specific software versions to support 5G capabilities, and some wireless communication devices may not support 5G capabilities. However, when an eSIM is assigned to a wireless device, the ability of the wireless device to support different wireless communication standards may be unknown. An MNO may need to select an appropriate eSIM type for a target wireless device to avoid compatibility issues, such as avoiding installation failures or post-installation failures. Instead, different eSIM types may be generated and loaded to the wireless device based on the capabilities of the wireless device.

[0017] In order to take into account the different capabilities of different wireless devices, multiple eSIMs corresponding to different sets of wireless device capabilities may be generated for the wireless device without knowing the wireless communication standards supported by the wireless device. In some embodiments, in response to a command from an MNO backend server, a wireless network entity, such as a configuration server, generates multiple eSIMs for the wireless device. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs are specific to wireless devices identified in sequence. In some embodiments, the sequence includes a hardware identifier value of the wireless device, such as an eUICC identifier (EID) value. In some embodiments, the sequence includes a unique eSIM identifier value to be associated with the eSIM and used to identify the eSIM. In some embodiments, the sequence includes an eSIM profile type to be generated. In some embodiments, the configuration server selects a unique eSIM identifier value, such as an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) value, and uses the same unique eSIM identifier value to generate multiple eSIMs, each of which corresponds to a different wireless communication standard capability of the wireless device. In some embodiments, each eSIM in the multiple eSIMs includes a set of common eSIM configuration data, such as one or more of the following: a cryptographic key, an integrity key, an applet, a basic file, and / or a dedicated file. In some embodiments, when multiple eSIMs are generated, the ability of the wireless device to support a specific wireless communication protocol such as a 5G protocol is not available. Subsequently, the configuration server may select one of the multiple eSIMs to be downloaded to the wireless device based on the information obtained about the wireless communication capability of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs include a first eSIM with 5G information and a second eSIM that does not include 5G information. In some embodiments, the 5G information includes a file structure and / or applet specific to the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the configuration server selects an eSIM from multiple eSIMs based on whether the wireless device has 5G capability. The configuration server may select an eSIM that includes 5G information when the wireless device has 5G capability, and may select an eSIM that does not include 5G information when the wireless device does not have 5G capability. After selecting an eSIM using an ICCID value and binding a configuration file package including an eSIM for the wireless device, the configuration server deletes the remaining eSIMs in the multiple eSIMs that use the same ICCID value.

[0018] The following references Figures 1 to 7 These and other embodiments will be discussed in detail; however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

[0019] Figure 11 is a block diagram of various components of a system 100 configured to implement the various techniques described herein, according to some embodiments. More specifically, Figure 1 A simplified overview of a system 100 is shown, which includes a user equipment (UE) 102, a set of base stations 112-1 through 112-n managed by different mobile network operators (MNOs) 114, and a configuration server 116 in communication with the MNOs 114. The UE 102 may represent a mobile computing device (e.g., of or ), base stations 112-1 to 112-n may represent cellular wireless network entities configured to communicate with UE 102, including evolved NodeBs (eNBs) and / or next generation NodeBs (one or more gNBs), and MNO 114 may represent different wireless service providers that provide specific services (e.g., voice and data) that can be subscribed to by UE 102. UE 102 may also be referred to as a wireless device, a mobile device, a mobile wireless device, etc.

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, the UE 102 may include processing circuitry, an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) 108, and a baseband component 110, wherein the processing circuitry may include a memory 106 and one or more processors 104. In some embodiments, in addition to or in lieu of the eUICC, the UE 102 includes one or more physical UICC cards, also referred to as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards (not shown). These components of the UE 102 work together to enable the UE 102 to provide useful features to the user of the UE 102, such as local computing, location-based services, and Internet connectivity. The eUICC 108 may be configured to store multiple electronic SIMs (eSIMs) for accessing different services provided by one or more MNOs 114 through base stations 112-1 to 112-n. For example, the eUICC 108 may be configured to store and manage one or more eSIMs of one or more MNOs 114 for different subscriptions associated with the UE 102. In order to be able to access services provided by the MNOs, the eSIMs may be configured to the eUICC 108. In some embodiments, the eUICC 108 obtains one or more eSIMs (or updates to one or more eSIMs) from one or more associated provisioning servers 116. Note that the provisioning server 116 may be maintained by the manufacturer of the UE 102, the MNO 114, a third-party entity, etc. eSIM data communications between the provisioning server 116 and the eUICC 108 (or between the provisioning server 116 and processing circuitry of the UE 102 external to the eUICC 108, such as the processor 104) may use a secure communication channel. In some embodiments, the UE 102 provides information about the communication capabilities of the UE 102 to the provisioning server 116, which provides the UE 102 with one or more eSIMs selected based at least in part on the communication capabilities of the UE 102.

[0021] Figure 2 According to some embodiments, Figure 1 A block diagram of a more detailed view 200 of certain components of a UE 102 is provided. Figure 2 As shown, the processor 104 in conjunction with the memory 106 may implement a main operating system (OS) 202 configured to execute application programs 204 (eg, native OS applications and user applications). Figure 2As shown, the eUICC 108 may be configured to implement an eUICC OS 206 that is configured to manage the hardware resources of the eUICC 108 (e.g., a processor and memory embedded in the eUICC 108). The eUICC OS 206 may also be configured to manage an eSIM 208 stored by the eUICC 108, such as by installing, enabling, disabling, modifying, or otherwise performing management of the eSIM 208 within the eUICC 108 and providing access to the eSIM 208 to the baseband component 110 to provide access to wireless services for the UE 102. The eUICC 108 OS may include an eSIM manager 210 that may perform management functions for various eSIMs. Figure 2 As shown, each eSIM 208 may include a plurality of applets 212 that define the manner in which the eSIM 208 operates. For example, one or more of the applets 212, when implemented by the baseband component 110 and the eUICC 108, may be configured to enable the UE 102 to communicate with the MNO 114 and provide useful features to the user of the UE 102 (e.g., voice connectivity, instant messaging services, Internet access, etc.).

[0022] Likewise Figure 2 As shown, the baseband component 110 of the UE 102 may include a baseband OS 214 that is configured to manage the hardware resources (e.g., processor, memory, different radio components, etc.) of the baseband component 110. According to some embodiments, the baseband component 110 may implement a baseband manager 216 that is configured to interact with the eUICC 108 to establish a secure channel with the provisioning server 116 and obtain information (such as eSIM data) from the provisioning server 116 for managing the eSIM 208. The baseband manager 216 may be configured to implement services 218, which represents a collection of software modules that are instantiated by various applets 212 of enabled eSIMs 208 included in the eUICC 108. For example, the services 218 may be configured to manage different connections between the UE 102 and the MNO 114 according to different eSIMs 208 enabled within the eUICC 108.

[0023] Figure 3A block diagram 300 is shown of an exemplary message exchange for configuring an eSIM to a UE 102 in accordance with an established Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Association (GSMA) protocol, such as the SGP.22 Remote Service Provisioning (RSP) technical specification. At 310, a local profile assistant (LPA) 302 operable on the UE 102 and external to the eUICC 108 initiates an eSIM download by sending a GetEUICCInfo message to the eUICC 108 of the UE 102 to obtain information from the eUICC 108, such as eUICCinfo1 returned at 312, to perform a mutual authentication procedure with a network entity, such as a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server 304. At 314, the LPA 302 sends a GetEUICCush message to the eUICC 108 to obtain an eUICCush from the eUICC 108 for authentication with the SM-DP+ server 304. At 318, the LPA 302 of the UE 102 sends an InitiateAuthentication message to the SM-DP+ server 304 via a secure connection, the message including eUICCinfo1 and eUICCChallenge to initiate authentication with the SM-DP+ server 304. Upon successful verification of eUICCinfo1 by the SM-DP+ server 304, the LPA 302 receives information in response at 320 to verify the SM-DP+ server 304, wherein the information (and / or other parameters derived based on the received information) is sent to the eUICC 108 to verify the authenticity of the SM-DP+ server 304. At 324, upon successful verification of the information by the eUICC 108, the eUICC 108 provides additional information, such as a signing certificate and / or a signature, to the LPA 302 to send to the SM-DP+ at 326 to authenticate the eUICC 108 of the UE 102 to the SM-DP+ server 304, and may provide confirmation of successful authentication of the eUICC 108 to the SM-DP+ server 304 at 328. After mutual authentication, the UE 102 and the SM-DP+ server 304 perform a profile download procedure to obtain an eSIM from the SM-DP+ server 304 to load into the eUICC 108 of the UE 102. The LPA 302 initiates the download process by sending a PrepareDownload command to the eUICC 108 at 330 , the eUICC 108 verifies the information provided in the PrepareDownload command and returns the signed information to the LPA 302 at 332 , and the LPA 302 transmits the signed information in the GetBoundProfilePackage command to the SM-DP+ server 304 at 334 .After successfully verifying the signature information, the SM-DP+ server 304 returns a bound profile package including the eSIM (profile) for loading to the eUICC 108 at 336. At 338, the LPA 302 forwards the bound profile package to the eUICC 108 to load the eSIM, and the eUICC 108 provides confirmation of the successful loading of the eSIM to the LPA 302 at 340. In order to accommodate different wireless communication capabilities of the UE 102 and allow different eSIMs corresponding to different wireless communication capabilities,. Figure 3 The process shown can be modified, as in Figure 4A and Figure 4B The process shown is further described.

[0024] Figure 4AA diagram 400 of an exemplary message exchange for flexible deployment of eSIMs to a UE 102 is shown. At 410, an MNO network entity, such as a backend server 402, initiates a download process for an eSIM (profile) by sending a DownloadOrder message to the SM-DP+ server 304. The DownloadOrder message may include a unique hardware identifier value of the UE 102 to which the eSIM is to be downloaded, such as an eUICC 108 identifier (EID) value. In some embodiments, the DownloadOrder message does not include an EID value because the EID value of the UE 102 may not be known when the DownloadOrder message is submitted to the SM-DP+ 304. In some embodiments, the DownloadOrder message includes an eSIM identifier value, such as an ICCID value of the eSIM to be downloaded to the UE 102. In some embodiments, the DownloadOrder message does not include an ICCID value, and the SM-DP+ 304 selects an ICCID value to be associated with a set of eSIMs for the UE 102. The DownloadOrder message includes an eSIM type value indicating that multiple eSIMs should be generated for the UE 102. In some embodiments, the eSIM type value indicates that at least one of the multiple eSIMs should be compatible with the UE 102 having 5G capabilities. At 412, the SM-DP+ server 304 prepares multiple eSIMs, each of which uses the same ICCID value. The multiple eSIMs may correspond to different wireless communication capabilities of the UE 102. The multiple eSIMs may include a set of common eSIM configuration data, such as one or more of an encryption key, an integrity key, an applet, a basic file, and / or a dedicated file for each eSIM. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs include a first eSIM for a UE 102 that supports a 5G wireless communication protocol and a second eSIM for a UE 102 that does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, when the multiple eSIMs are generated by the SM-DP+ server 304, the ability of the UE 102 to support a specific wireless communication protocol such as a 5G protocol is not available. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs include a first eSIM with 5G information and a second eSIM that does not include 5G information. In some embodiments, the 5G information includes a file structure and / or applet specific to the 5G wireless communication protocol. At 414, the SM-DP+ server 304 provides a status message about generating multiple eSIMs to the backend server 402. At 416, the backend server 402 requests confirmation of the previously requested download command of the eSIM, and the SM-DP+ 304 confirms the download command at 418.Preparation of multiple eSIMs, each corresponding to the same ICCID value, for future download to a wireless device (eg, UE 102) may occur separate in time from the download process.

[0025] like Figure 3 As previously shown in , the eSIM download procedure begins with an authentication process between the eUICC 108 of the UE 102 and the SM-DP+ 304, facilitated by the LPA 302 at 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, and 320. The authentication process includes the LPA 302 providing the eUICC information, such as obtained at 312, to the SM-DP+ 304, such as in an InitiateAuthentication message at 318. In some embodiments, the SM-DP+ server 304 may select an eSIM from a plurality of previously generated eSIMs using the eUICC information (e.g., eUICCinfo1) at 420. In some embodiments, the eUICC information, such as eUICCinfo1, includes a specification version number (Svn) that may be used to indicate support for one or more wireless communication protocols. In some embodiments, the SM-DP+ server 304 may select an eSIM that supports the 5G wireless communication protocol based on the eUICC information including (directly or indirectly) an Svn value indicating support for 5G (or falling within a range of Svn values). In some embodiments, the SM-DP+ server 304 selects an eSIM based on the eUICC information according to whether the UE 102 supports or does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol. After selecting the eSIM based on the eUICC information at 420, for example, based on the Svn value in eUICCInfo1, the SM-DP+ server 304 may discard the unselected eSIM corresponding to the same ICCID value of the selected eSIM at 422. In some embodiments, after the bundled profile package including the selected eSIM for downloading to the UE 102 has been prepared, the SM-DP+ server 304 discards the unselected eSIM at 424. The download process is as follows Figure 3 The process continues as shown, including authentication of the UE 102 to the SM-DP+ server 304, authentication of the eUICC 108 by the SM-DP+ server 304, preparation for downloading the eSIM, and downloading the eSIM in the bound profile package from the SM-DP+ server 304 to the eUICC 108 of the UE 102.

[0026] Figure 4B Diagram 430 of another exemplary message exchange for flexible deployment of eSIM to UE 102 is shown. Figure 4B The process shown in Figure 4AThe process shown in 432 differs in that the selection of a SIM from a plurality of eSIMs occurs after (and / or during) the authentication of the eUICC 108. At 432, the SM-DP+ server 304 selects an eSIM for downloading to the eUICC 108 of the UE 102 based on the eUICC and device capability information reported in the AuthenticateClient message received at 326 (such as in eUICCinfo2, included in the AuthenticateClient message). In some embodiments, the eUICCinfo2 includes an Svn value that may indicate support for one or more wireless communication protocols. In some embodiments, the SM-DP+ server 304 may select an eSIM that supports the 5G wireless communication protocol based on the eUICC information that includes (directly or indirectly) an Svn value that indicates support for 5G (or falls within a range of Svn values). In some embodiments, the SM-DP+ server 304 selects an eSIM based on the eUICC information and the eUICCinfo2 according to whether the UE 102 supports or does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol. After selecting an eSIM based on the eUICC information (e.g., based on the Svn value in eUICCInfo2), the SM-DP+ server 304 discards the unselected eSIM, e.g., after the selection at 422 or after preparing a bound profile package including the selected eSIM at 424. For security reasons, the unselected eSIM may be discarded to prevent eSIM cloning.

[0027] Figure 5A flowchart 500 is shown of an exemplary sequence of actions performed by a UE 102 for flexibly configuring an eSIM to the UE 102. At 502, the UE 102 sends an authentication request to a server based on an MNO network, such as the SM-DP+ server 304, wherein the authentication request includes one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the UE 102. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for initiating mutual authentication between the UE 102 and the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the message includes information obtained from the eUICC 108 of the UE 102. In some embodiments, the information includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating supported capabilities of the eUICC 108 and / or the UE 102. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for authenticating the UE 102 and / or its eUICC 108 to the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the message includes eUICC 108 capability and / or device capability information, such as specification version number (Svn) values ​​and / or wireless communication protocol types supported by UE 102 and / or eUICC 108. In some embodiments, the message includes information indicating whether UE 102 and / or eUICC 108 support 5G wireless communication protocols. At 504, UE 102 receives an eSIM selected from a plurality of eSIMs generated by a server based on the MNO network based on the same eSIM identifier value, wherein the selection is based at least in part on one or more identifiers and / or capabilities included in the authentication request. In some embodiments, each eSIM in the plurality of eSIMs is generated based on the same ICCID value. In some embodiments, each eSIM in the plurality of eSIMs includes a set of common eSIM configuration data, such as one or more of the following: such as cryptographic keys, integrity keys, applets, basic files, and / or dedicated files. In some embodiments, the plurality of eSIMs include a first eSIM supporting a 5G wireless communication protocol and a second eSIM that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol. At 506 , the UE 102 loads the eSIM into the eUICC 108 of the UE 102 .

[0028] Figure 6A flowchart 600 is shown of an exemplary sequence of actions performed by an MNO network-based server for flexibly configuring an eSIM to a UE 102. At 602, an MNO network-based server (e.g., SM-DP+ server 304) receives a message from an MNO backend server, e.g., an authorization server, initiating a download command for an eSIM of UE 102. In some embodiments, the message includes a unique hardware identifier value of UE 102, such as an eUICC 108 identifier (EID) value. In some embodiments, the message does not include an identifier value of UE 102 and does not specify a specific UE 102. In some embodiments, the message includes a unique eSIM identifier value, such as an ICCID value. In some embodiments, the message includes an eSIM type indication, such as a value of an eSIM type supported by UE 102. In some embodiments, the eSIM type indication includes a value indicating whether UE 102 supports a specific wireless communication protocol or a range of wireless communication protocols. In some embodiments, the eSIM type indication includes a value indicating whether UE 102 supports a 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the eSIM type indication includes a value indicating that multiple eSIMs should be generated for the UE 102. At 604, the server based on the MNO network generates multiple eSIMs for the UE 102, wherein the multiple eSIMs are based on the same ICCID value, which is included in the download command message received from the backend server or generated separately by the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, each of the multiple eSIMs includes a set of common eSIM configuration data, such as one or more of the following: a cryptographic key, an integrity key, an applet, a basic file, and / or a dedicated file. In some embodiments, the multiple eSIMs include a first eSIM that supports a 5G wireless communication protocol and a second eSIM that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol. At 606, the server based on the MNO network receives an authentication request including one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the UE 102 from the UE 102. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for initiating mutual authentication between the UE 102 and the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the message includes information from the eUICC 108 of the UE 102. In some embodiments, the information includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating supported capabilities of the eUICC 108 and / or the UE 102. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for authenticating the UE 102 and / or its eUICC 108 to the MNO network-based server. In some embodiments, the message includes eUICC 108 capabilities and / or device capabilities information, such as specification version number (Svn) values ​​and / or wireless communication protocol types supported by the UE 102 and / or the eUICC 108.In some embodiments, the message includes information indicating whether the UE 102 and / or the eUICC 108 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. At 608, the MNO network-based server sends an eSIM selected from a plurality of eSIMs to the UE 102, wherein the selection is based at least in part on an identifier and / or capabilities of the UE 102 included in the authentication request. In some embodiments, based on an indication from the UE 102 that the UE 102 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol, the selected eSIM supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, based on an indication from the UE 102 that the UE 102 does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol, the selected eSIM does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol. At 610, the MNO network-based server discards the unselected eSIM previously generated for the UE 102. In some embodiments, after generating a bound profile package including the selected eSIM, the MNO network-based server discards the unselected eSIM.

[0029] Figure 7 A detailed view of a representative computing device 700 that can be used to implement the various methods described herein is shown in accordance with some embodiments. In particular, the detailed view shows that a computer system that can be included in Figure 1 The various components in the UE 102 are shown. Figure 7 As shown, the computing device 700 may include a processor 702 representing a microprocessor or a controller for controlling the overall operation of the computing device 700. The computing device 700 may also include a user input device 708 that allows a user of the computing device 700 to interact with the computing device 700. For example, the user input device 708 can take a variety of forms, such as buttons, keypads, dials, touch screens, audio input interfaces, visual / image capture input interfaces, inputs in the form of sensor data, etc. Further, the computing device 700 can include a display 710 that can be controlled by the processor 702 to display information to the user. The data bus 716 can facilitate data transmission between at least the storage device 740, the processor 702, and the controller 713. The controller 713 can be used to interact with and control different devices through the device control bus 714. The computing device 700 may also include a network / bus interface 711 coupled to the data link 712. In the case of a wireless connection, the network / bus interface 711 may include a wireless transceiver.

[0030] The computing device 700 also includes a storage device 740, which may include a single disk or multiple disks (e.g., a hard drive), and includes a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within the storage device 740. In some embodiments, the storage device 740 may include flash memory, semiconductor (solid-state) memory, etc. The computing device 700 may also include a random access memory (RAM) 720 and a read-only memory (ROM) 722. The ROM 722 may store programs, utilities, or processes to be executed in a non-volatile manner. The RAM 720 may provide volatile data storage and store instructions related to the operation of the computing device 700. The computing device 700 may also include a secure element (SE) 750, which may represent the eUICC 108 of the UE 102.

[0031] Representative Implementation Plans

[0032] In some embodiments, a method for flexibly deploying an eSIM 208 to a wireless device (e.g., UE 102) includes the wireless device: i) sending an authentication request including one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the wireless device to an MNO network-based server (e.g., an SM-DP+ 304 server); ii) receiving, from the MNO network-based server, an eSIM 208 selected from a plurality of eSIMs 208 based on the one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the wireless device, wherein the plurality of eSIMs 208 are generated by the MNO network-based server based on the same eSIM identifier value and include a set of common eSIM configuration data; and iii) loading the eSIM 208 into an eUICC 108 of the wireless device.

[0033] In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for initiating mutual authentication between the wireless device and the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the message includes information obtained from the eUICC 108 of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the information includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating the supported capabilities of the eUICC 108 and / or the wireless device. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a second message for authenticating the wireless device and / or the eUICC 108 to the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the second message includes eUICC 108 and / or wireless device capability information, which specifies one or more wireless communication protocols and / or protocol types supported by the eUICC 108 and / or the wireless device. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes information for indicating whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC 108 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the selection of the eSIM 208 is based at least in part on whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC 108 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the same eSIM 208 identifier value includes an ICCID value. In some embodiments, the plurality of eSIMs 208 include a first eSIM 208 that supports a 5G wireless communication protocol and a second eSIM 208 that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the MNO network-based server includes a SM-DP+ 304 server. In some embodiments, the set of public eSIM 208 configuration data includes one or more of the following: encryption keys, integrity keys, applets, basic files, and / or dedicated files.

[0034] In some embodiments, a method for flexibly deploying eSIM 208 to a wireless device, such as UE 102, includes a server, such as SM-DP+ 304, based on an MNO network: i) receiving a message for initiating a download command for an eSIM 208 of a wireless device from a backend server 402; ii) generating multiple eSIMs 208 for the wireless device based on the same eSIM 208 identifier value, wherein each of the multiple eSIMs 208 includes a set of common eSIM 208 configuration data; iii) receiving an authentication request including one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the wireless device from the wireless device; iv) sending to the wireless device an eSIM 208 selected from the multiple eSIMs 208 based on the one or more identifiers and / or capabilities of the wireless device; and v) discarding the remaining unselected eSIMs 208 in the multiple eSIMs 208 generated for the wireless device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the message includes one or more of the following: a unique hardware identifier value of the wireless device, a unique eSIM 208 identifier value, or an eSIM 208 type indication. In some embodiments, the unique hardware identifier value includes an EID value of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the unique eSIM 208 identifier value includes an ICCID value. In some embodiments, the eSIM 208 type indication includes a value indicating whether the wireless device supports a specific wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the specific wireless communication protocol includes a 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the eSIM 208 type indication includes a value indicating that multiple eSIMs 208 for the wireless device should be generated. In some embodiments, the same eSIM 208 identifier value includes an ICCID value included in the message received from the backend server 402. In some embodiments, the same eSIM 208 identifier value includes an ICCID value generated by a server based on an MNO network. In some embodiments, multiple eSIMs 208 include a first eSIM 208 that supports a 5G wireless communication protocol and a second eSIM 208 that does not support the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a message for initiating mutual authentication between the wireless device and the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the message includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating the supported capabilities of the eUICC 108 of the wireless device and / or the supported capabilities of the wireless device. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes a second message for authenticating the wireless device and / or the eUICC 108 to the server based on the MNO network. In some embodiments, the second message includes eUICC 108 and / or wireless device capability information, which specifies one or more wireless communication protocols and / or protocol types supported by the eUICC 108 and / or the wireless device. In some embodiments, the authentication request includes information for indicating whether the wireless device and / or eUICC 108 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the selection of the eSIM 208 is based at least in part on whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC 108 supports the 5G wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, the server based on the MNO network includes an SM-DP+304 server. In some embodiments, the set of common eSIM configuration data includes one or more of: encryption keys, integrity keys, applets, basic files, and / or dedicated files.

[0036] In some embodiments, a wireless device such as UE 102 includes one or more antennas and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is communicatively coupled to the one or more antennas and communicatively coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless device to perform a method as described herein.

[0037] In some embodiments, an apparatus configured to operate in a wireless device, such as UE 102, includes at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless device to perform a method as described herein.

[0038] In some embodiments, an MNO network-based server configured for flexibly deploying eSIM 208 to a wireless device (e.g., UE 102) includes at least one communication interface for communicating with the wireless device; and at least one processor, the at least one processor being communicatively coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the MNO network-based server to perform a method as described herein.

[0039] Wireless Technology

[0040] According to various embodiments described herein, the terms "wireless communication device", "wireless device", "mobile device", "mobile station" and "user equipment" (UE) may be used interchangeably herein to describe one or any number of common consumer electronic devices that may be capable of performing the processes associated with various embodiments of the present disclosure. According to various specific implementations, any of these consumer electronic devices may relate to: a cellular phone or smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop or notebook computer, a media player device, an e-book device, devices, wearable computing devices, and any other type of electronic computing device with fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Advanced LTE (LTE-A), fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR), or similar “later generation” cellular wireless access communication capabilities.

[0041] In addition, it should be understood that the UE described herein may be configured as a multi-mode wireless device capable of communicating via traditional third generation (3G) and / or second generation (2G) RATs in addition to being able to communicate using 4G wireless networks and using one or more different wireless local area networks. The multi-mode UE may include support for communicating according to one or more different wireless communication protocols developed by standard entities, such as 3GPP's Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), LTE, LTE-A, and 5G NR standards or 3GPP2's CDMA2000 (1xRTT, 2xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD) standards. The multi-mode UE may also support the use of wireless local area network protocols (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX)) and wireless personal area network protocols (e.g., ) communications. Multiple wireless communication protocols may provide complementary functions and / or different services for multi-mode UEs.

[0042] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly stated to users.

[0043] The various aspects, embodiments, specific implementations or features of the embodiments may be used individually or in any combination. In addition, some aspects of the embodiments may be implemented by software, hardware or by a combination of hardware and software. The embodiments may also be implemented as computer program codes stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be associated with any data storage device capable of storing data that may be read thereafter by a computer or computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, solid-state disk (SSD or flash memory), HDD, DVD, magnetic tape and optical data storage device. The computer-readable medium may also be distributed on a network-coupled computer system so that the computer program code may be executed in a distributed manner.

[0044] For the purpose of illustration, the foregoing description uses specific naming to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some of these specific details are not required to practice the embodiments. Therefore, the above description of specific embodiments herein is presented for the purpose of illustration and description. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive, all-inclusive, or to limit the described embodiments to the disclosed precise form or details. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, based on the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the essence and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) for a wireless device, the method comprising: By the wireless device: sending a message including an indication of the capabilities of the wireless device to a mobile network operator (MNO) server; receiving, from the MNO server, an eSIM selected from a plurality of eSIMs based on the indication of capabilities of the wireless device, wherein: The plurality of eSIMs are generated by the server in response to a download command message prior to receiving the message from the wireless device, the download command message comprising: an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC identifier (EID) value that uniquely identifies an eUICC of the wireless device; and eSIM type value, which specifies: The eUICC of the wireless device is to generate multiple eSIMs; Each eSIM of the plurality of eSIMs includes a same International Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID) value, and The plurality of eSIMs include at least one eSIM that supports a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication protocol and at least one eSIM that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol; and The eSIM is loaded into the eUICC of the wireless device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The message includes a request to initiate mutual authentication between the wireless device and / or the eUICC and the MNO server.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The message specifies one or more wireless communication protocols and / or protocol types supported by the eUICC and / or the wireless device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The message indicates whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC supports the 5G wireless communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the MNO server comprises a Subscription Manager Data Preparation (SM-DP+) server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the eSIM comprises a set of common eSIM configuration data, the set of common eSIM configuration data comprising one or more of: encryption keys, integrity keys, applets, basic files, and / or dedicated files.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The indication of the capabilities of the wireless device comprises eUICC information; and The MNO server selects the eSIM from the plurality of eSIMs based on the eUICC information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the eUICC information includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating support for one or more wireless communication protocols.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the Svn value falls within a range of Svn values ​​indicating support for 5G, the eSIM selected by the MNO server supports a 5G wireless communication protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein when the Svn value does not fall within a range of Svn values ​​indicating support for 5G, the eSIM selected by the MNO server does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol.

11. A method for flexibly deploying an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) to a wireless device, the method comprising: From the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) server: generating a plurality of eSIMs for the wireless device in response to a download command message, wherein: The download command message includes: an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC identifier (EID) value that uniquely identifies an eUICC of the wireless device; and eSIM type value, which specifies: The eUICC of the wireless device is to generate multiple eSIMs; Each of the plurality of eSIMs comprises a same integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) value, and The plurality of eSIMs include at least one eSIM that supports a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication protocol and at least one eSIM that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol; receiving a message including an indication of capabilities of the wireless device from the wireless device after generating the plurality of eSIMs; transmitting to the wireless device an eSIM selected from the plurality of eSIMs based on the indication of capabilities of the wireless device; and Remaining unselected SIMs in a plurality of eSIMs generated for the eUICC of the wireless device are discarded.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the message specifies one or more wireless communication protocols and / or protocol types supported by the eUICC and / or the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the message indicates whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC supports a 5G wireless communication protocol.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein: The indication of the capabilities of the wireless device comprises eUICC information; and The MNO server selects the eSIM from the plurality of eSIMs based on the eUICC information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the eUICC information includes a specification version number (Svn) indicating support for one or more wireless communication protocols.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when the Svn value falls within a range of Svn values ​​indicating support for 5G, the eSIM selected by the MNO server supports a 5G wireless communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein when the Svn value does not fall within a range of Svn values ​​indicating support for 5G, the eSIM selected by the MNO server does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol.

18. An apparatus configured to operate in a wireless device, the apparatus comprising: at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless device to perform a method comprising: sending a message including an indication of the capabilities of the wireless device to a mobile network operator (MNO) server; receiving, from the MNO server, an eSIM selected from a plurality of eSIMs based on the indication of capabilities of the wireless device, wherein: The plurality of eSIMs are generated by the server in response to a download command message prior to receiving the message from the wireless device, the download command message comprising: an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC identifier (EID) value that uniquely identifies an eUICC of the wireless device; and eSIM type value, which specifies: The eUICC of the wireless device is to generate multiple eSIMs; Each of the plurality of eSIMs comprises a same integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) value, and The plurality of eSIMs include at least one eSIM that supports a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication protocol and at least one eSIM that does not support a 5G wireless communication protocol; and The eSIM is loaded into the eUICC of the wireless device.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein: The indication of capability indicates whether the wireless device and / or the eUICC supports 5G wireless communication protocols; and The eSIM selected by the MNO server includes or does not include support for the 5G wireless communication protocol consistent with the indication.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein: The indication of the capabilities of the wireless device comprises eUICC information; and The MNO server selects the eSIM from the plurality of eSIMs based on the eUICC information.

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