Activation of one of the maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for providing a communication function, comprising: receiving, at a mobile network operator MNO, an activation request for enabling a communication profile in a first user terminal UE, the communication profile being associated with a user and being able to provide a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user at the same time; determining, by the MNO, the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled; and if the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles: disabling the communication profile associated with the user in a second UE; and enabling the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for providing communication functions, a server of a mobile network operator, and a management server for a user terminal. Embodiments of the present disclosure particularly relate to implementation of a communication profile, such as an eSIM profile, in a user terminal, particularly in a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The use of wireless communication systems is growing rapidly. In particular, users may have a variety of devices that should be equipped with communication capabilities. Such devices may be smartphones, tablets, smart watches and cars. Due to certain restrictions imposed by mobile network operators, it may be difficult or even impossible to provide communication capabilities to all user devices.

[0003] In view of the foregoing, a new method of providing communication functionality, a server of a mobile network operator, and a management server of a user terminal that overcomes at least some of the problems in the art would be beneficial. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above situation, a method for providing a communication function, a server of a mobile network operator, and a management server for a user terminal are provided.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to enable communication functionality of a user terminal. In particular, one object of the present disclosure is to enable communication functionality of a user terminal with reduced resource and / or energy consumption.

[0006] These objects are achieved by the features according to the invention.

[0007] According to an independent aspect of the present disclosure, a method for providing a communication function is provided. The method includes receiving, at a mobile network operator MNO, an activation request for enabling or activating a communication profile in a first user terminal UE, the communication profile being associated with a user, and a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user can be provided (e.g., enabled or activated) at the same time; and determining, by the MNO, the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated.

[0008] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), if the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles, the method further includes disabling or deactivating the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE; and enabling or activating the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

[0009] The term "enable" as used throughout this disclosure refers to activating a communication profile. Likewise, the term "disable" as used throughout this disclosure refers to deactivating a communication profile. The term "disable" may be similar to an airplane mode of a mobile device.

[0010] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), if the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently provided (e.g., enabled or activated) is less than the maximum number of communication profiles, the method also includes enabling or activating the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE, while not disabling or deactivating the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE.

[0011] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the method further comprises providing, by the MNO, to the first UE or a management server of the first UE, an indication of whether the communication profile of the second UE has been disabled or deactivated.

[0012] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), when the indication indicates that the communication profile of the second UE has been disabled or deactivated by the MNO, disabling or deactivating the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE further includes: deleting the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE through the management server of the first UE and the second UE.

[0013] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the activation request is sent to the MNO by the management server of the first UE and the second UE.

[0014] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the activation request includes an identifier of a communication profile associated with the user and currently enabled or activated. In particular, the management server of the first UE may indicate the communication profiles that may be deactivated and deleted. This indication may be included in each activation request regardless of whether the MNO uses an identifier to disable the profile. This is because the management server may not know the maximum number of communication profiles.

[0015] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the identifier indicates a communication profile of the second UE, for example by means of an integrated circuit card identifier ICCID.

[0016] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the MNO disables or deactivates the communication profile of the second UE based on the identifier.

[0017] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the identifier is an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier ICCID.

[0018] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), enabling or activating a communication profile associated with a user in a first UE includes: providing an activation response to the first UE or a management server of the first UE through the MNO, the activation response including an activation code for the communication profile.

[0019] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), enabling or activating a communication profile associated with a user in a first UE includes: starting to download the communication profile from an MNO through the first UE or a management server of the first UE; and installing the communication profile into the first UE.

[0020] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the communication profile is an embedded subscription identity module eSIM profile. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and a traditional SIM or other non-SIM communication profile may be used.

[0021] eSIM (embedded subscription identity module) is a standardized procedure for securely embedding subscription information into a module of a telecommunication device. For communications via the eSIM, security or data confidentiality is essential. To this end, the module contains a standardized digital certificate. Globally, there are a large number of different certificates, where a specific type of eSIM only works with a specific type of certificate.

[0022] According to some embodiments (which may be combined with other embodiments described herein), the first UE and the second UE are selected from the group consisting of: a mobile terminal, a communication module, a communication module of a vehicle, and a vehicle, but not limited thereto.

[0023] The term "user terminal" includes computing devices that are mobile (e.g., vehicles) and / or portable (e.g., smartphones) and are configured to communicate wirelessly. Examples of UE devices include mobile phones or smartphones, portable gaming devices, laptops, wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart glasses), PDAs, portable Internet devices, music players, data storage devices or other handheld devices, etc. In general, the term "UE" or "UE device" can be broadly defined to cover any electronic, computing and / or telecommunication device (or combination of devices) capable of wireless communication.

[0024] The term "vehicle" includes passenger cars, trucks, buses, campers, motorcycles, etc. used to transport people, goods, etc. In particular, the term includes motor vehicles used to transport people.

[0025] The term "mobile terminal" particularly includes smartphones, but also other mobile or cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, smart watches, smart glasses and all current and future electronic devices equipped with communication technology.

[0026] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium includes instructions, which, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of providing a communication function of the present disclosure.

[0027] The term "computer-readable storage medium" includes various types of non-transitory memory devices or storage devices. The term "storage medium" is intended to include computer system memory or random access memory, such as DRAM, DDR RAM, SRAM, EDORAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, magnetic media, such as hard drives or optical storage devices; registers or other similar types of memory elements, etc. The storage medium may also include other types of non-volatile memory or combinations thereof.

[0028] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, a server of a mobile network operator MNO is provided. The server includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to: receive an activation request for enabling or activating a communication profile in a first user terminal UE, the communication profile being associated with a user, and the maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user can be provided (e.g., enabled or activated) at the same time; and determine the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated. If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles, the one or more processors are also configured to: disable or deactivate the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE; and enable or activate the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

[0029] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, a management server for a user terminal UE is provided. The management server includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to: send an activation request for enabling or activating a communication profile in a first user terminal managed by the management server to a mobile network operator MNO, the communication profile being associated with a user, and the activation request including an identifier of another communication profile associated with the user and currently enabled or activated in another UE managed by the management server.

[0030] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, a management server for a user terminal UE is provided. The management server includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to: send an activation request to a mobile network operator MNO to enable or activate a communication profile in a first user terminal, wherein the communication profile is associated with a user. If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles, the one or more processors are configured to disable or deactivate the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE; and enable or activate the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

[0031] Other aspects, advantages and features of the disclosure will appear from the description and accompanying drawings.

[0032] Embodiments are also directed to devices for implementing the disclosed methods and include device components for implementing each described method aspect. These method aspects can be implemented by hardware components, computers programmed with appropriate software, any combination of the two, or in any other manner. In addition, embodiments according to the present invention are also directed to methods for operating the described servers and user terminals. It includes method aspects for implementing each function of the server and user terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to be able to understand in detail the manner in which the above-mentioned features of the present disclosure are achieved, a more particular description of the above brief summary of the present disclosure may be obtained by reference to the various embodiments.

[0034] The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the present disclosure and are described as follows:

[0035] Figure 1 A flowchart showing a method of providing communication functionality according to an embodiment described herein;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a server and a vehicle according to embodiments described herein;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a configuration file exchange for providing communication functionality according to an embodiment described herein; and

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating message transmission for providing communication functionality according to embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same components. Generally, only the differences with respect to the various embodiments are described. Each example is provided as an explanation of the present disclosure and is not meant as a limitation of the present disclosure. In addition, features shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used in other embodiments or used in combination with other embodiments to produce additional embodiments. The description is intended to include such modifications and variations.

[0040] A user may have multiple devices that should be equipped with communication capabilities. Such devices may be smartphones, tablets, smart watches, and cars. Due to certain restrictions imposed by mobile network operators, it may be difficult or even impossible to provide communication capabilities to all of a user's devices.

[0041] The present disclosure overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages by enabling communication functions in a user terminal even when the number of communication profiles that can be used simultaneously is limited.

[0042] Although embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to a vehicle, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto and that the embodiments described herein may be implemented in and / or used with many different types of UE devices, including but not limited to cellular telephones, tablet computers, wearable computing devices, portable media players, vehicles, and any other various computing devices.

[0043] Figure 1 A flow chart of a method 100 of providing communication functionality according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0044] According to the embodiments described herein, the method 100 for providing communication functions may be performed by a computer program, software, a computer software product and related controllers, which may have a CPU, a memory, a user interface, and input and output devices.

[0045] The method 100 includes: in block 110, receiving an activation request for enabling or activating a communication profile in a first user terminal UE at a mobile network operator MNO, wherein the communication profile is associated with a user and a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user can be provided (e.g., enabled or activated) at the same time; and in block 120, determining, by the MNO, the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated. The method 100 also includes: in block 130, if the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles, disabling or deactivating the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE; and enabling or activating the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

[0046] In one embodiment, the management server of the first UE and the second UE requests a new activation code for the first UE, which may be a vehicle. In particular, when a user enters a vehicle that does not yet have an eSIM profile for the user, the management server may request a new activation code. The activation code provided by the MNO is then used to download the communication profile to the vehicle in which the user has logged in. For example, if the user uses three different vehicles, three profiles will be downloaded (one profile in each vehicle).

[0047] However, a user subscription with an MNO in a mobile subscription may have a limited number of eSIM slots. In this case, the eSIM slot is the user's ability to add an eSIM profile to the user's subscription. When a user has, for example, ten eSIM slots, the user can download up to ten eSIM profiles.

[0048] With this limited number of eSIM slots, the user can download an eSIM profile to ten different vehicles. When the limit is reached, the user experience changes because before the limit is reached, the customer gets a profile for each new vehicle the customer logs in, and after the limit is reached, the customer will not be able to get any new profiles without further effort and / or expense.

[0049] To overcome the above disadvantages when the limit is reached, embodiments of the present disclosure introduce a profile swap concept that enables seamless request for a new profile even when the eSIM profile reaches the maximum number in the subscription.

[0050] Figure 2 A schematic diagram is shown of servers 210 , 220 and a vehicle / UE 10 according to embodiments described herein.

[0051] In this example, the UE is a vehicle or a communication module of the vehicle 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the embodiments may be implemented in and / or used with a variety of different types of UE devices, including but not limited to cellular phones, tablet computers, wearable computing devices, portable media players, and any of a variety of other computing devices.

[0052] Furthermore, a management server 210 for user terminals and a server 220 of a mobile network operator MNO are shown.

[0053] An MNO may also be referred to as a wireless service provider, wireless carrier, cellular company, or mobile network operator, and is a provider of wireless communication services that owns or controls all elements required to sell and deliver the services to users. In particular, an MNO owns or controls the network infrastructure elements required to provide services to subscribers (users) over a licensed spectrum.

[0054] The management server 210 is configured to manage a plurality of user terminal devices. For example, the management server 210 may be a server of a car manufacturer that manages cars or the communication capabilities of cars.

[0055] The UE, the MNO and the management server 210 communicate via a transmission medium, such as a network. In a preferred embodiment, the network is a mobile network managed by the MNO. The transmission medium may use any different wireless communication technology or telecommunication standards, such as GSM, UMTS, ETE, Advanced LTE (LTE-A), 5G, HSPA, etc. Communication may also be performed via future telecommunication standards.

[0056] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating an exchange of configuration files providing communication functionality according to embodiments described herein. Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating message transmission for providing communication functionality according to embodiments described herein.

[0057] Hereinafter, configuration file exchange according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is explained.

[0058] The server of the MNO includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to: receive a profile for enabling or activating communication in a first user terminal UE, wherein the communication profile is associated with a user, and a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user can be enabled or activated at the same time; and determine the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled or activated. If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles, the one or more processors are further configured to: disable or deactivate the communication profile associated with the user in the second UE; and enable or activate the communication profile associated with the user in the first UE.

[0059] Furthermore, the management server comprises one or more processors configured to send an activation request to the mobile network operator MNO for enabling or activating a communication profile in the first user terminal, wherein the communication profile is associated with a user.

[0060] In some embodiments, the activation request may include an identifier of a communication profile associated with the user and currently enabled or activated. The identifier, for example, indicates a communication profile of the second UE, wherein the MNO disables or deactivates the communication profile of the second UE based on the identifier. In some embodiments, the identifier may be an integrated circuit card identifier ICCID.

[0061] In view of the above, the activation request may indicate a communication profile (in the second UE) that may be deleted or replaced with another communication profile in the first UE. In other words, if this is necessary because the maximum number of communication profiles to which the user has subscribed has been reached, the management server may use an activation request to indicate a user communication profile that may be deleted or replaced (e.g., via a parameter "replaceICCID" in the activation request).

[0062] In more detail, the following scenarios can be distinguished (n represents the number of communication profiles enabled in those UEs managed by the UE Management Server):

[0063] 1. n=0: The user enters the first vehicle and no communication profile is downloaded for the user in any vehicle managed by the UE Management Server (eg, after initial boarding).

[0064] 2. n=1: The user enters the second vehicle, ie, there is another vehicle managed by the UE management server that has downloaded a communication profile for the user.

[0065] 3. n>1: The user has multiple communication profiles downloaded in multiple vehicles managed by the UE management server.

[0066] In the first scenario (n=0), the management server will not send the parameter "Replace ICCID" in the activation request.

[0067] In the second scenario (n=1), the management server will send the ICCID of the other vehicle (first vehicle / second UE) in which the communication profile is enabled in the activation request. Thus, the UE management server indicates to the MNO that the communication profile of the first vehicle / second UE may be disabled if necessary in order to allow the communication profile to be downloaded and activated in the second vehicle (first UE).

[0068] In the third scenario (n>1), the management server determines the ICCID of the communication profile of one of the vehicles managed by the UE management server (i.e. the vehicle with the downloaded communication profile) and sends this ICCID to the MNO in the activation request. This may be, for example, the ICCID of the least used communication profile.

[0069] In view of the above, a new parameter "Replace ICCID" can be added, for example when the management server uses the API "Request Activation Code": the management server will send the ICCID of the communication profile downloaded for the user in another vehicle. When no profile has been downloaded for the user, the management server does not send the parameter "Replace ICCID".

[0070] Now turn to Figure 4 , the management server sends an activation request ("Request Activation Code") including "Replace ICCID", and the MNO responds as shown.

[0071] In more detail, the MNO checks whether the user has reached the maximum number of his / her subscribed eSIM profiles. Because the user can no longer download more eSIM profiles, if the user has reached the maximum number of his / her subscribed eSIM profiles, this means that the activation request cannot be answered with an activation code.

[0072] If the user has not reached the maximum number of eSIM profiles for his / her subscription, the MNO returns an activation code and indicates that no communication profiles were exchanged. The activation code may be included in the response to the activation request, or the MNO may use the API "send activation code" (e.g. in synchronous or asynchronous response mode). The indication that the MNO did not exchange the eSIM profiles is done by the MNO, for example by setting the parameter "profileReplaced" to "false".

[0073] If the MNO indicates that the communication profile has not been exchanged, the management server may initiate downloading of the communication profile in the vehicle requesting the activation code.

[0074] If the user has reached the maximum number of eSIM profiles for his / her subscription, the MNO can return an activation code and indicate that the profile is swapped. This means that the MNO has removed the ICCID specified by the management server in "Replacement ICCID" from the user's subscription and replaced this old communication profile with the communication profile belonging to the newly issued activation code.

[0075] The indication of the MNO to exchange eSIM profiles can be done by setting the parameter "profile replacement" to "true". When the management server receives this indication together with the new activation code, the management server will delete the communication profile specified in "Replace ICCID" from the corresponding UE.

[0076] Using the profile exchange principles of the present disclosure, even when the user subscribes to a maximum number of eSIM slots, the user seamlessly obtains a new eSIM profile on each UE the customer logs in. Thus, more efficient communications are created and less computing resources are used to enable communication profiles.

[0077] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be envisaged without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the disclosure is to be determined by this invention.

Claims

1. A method for providing a communication function, the method comprising: receiving, by a server of a mobile network operator (MNO), an activation request for enabling a communication profile in a first user terminal, the communication profile being associated with the user and being capable of simultaneously providing a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user; determining, by a server of the mobile network operator (MNO), a number of currently enabled communication profiles associated with the user; and If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles: then disabling the communication profile associated with the user in the second user terminal; and A communication profile associated with the user is enabled in the first user terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled is less than the maximum number of communication profiles: The communication profile associated with the user is then enabled in the first user terminal and the communication profile associated with the user is not disabled in the second user terminal.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: An indication of whether the communication profile of the second user terminal has been disabled is provided to the first user terminal or a management server of the first user terminal by the mobile network operator (MNO).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: When the indication indicates that the communication profile of the second user terminal has been disabled by a mobile network operator (MNO), disabling the communication profile associated with the user in the second user terminal further comprises: The communication profile associated with the user in the second user terminal is deleted through the management server.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The activation request is sent to the mobile network operator (MNO) through a management server.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The activation request includes an identifier of a communication profile associated with the user and currently enabled.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The identifier indicates a communication profile of a second user terminal, and the mobile network operator (MNO) disables the communication profile of the second user terminal based on the identifier.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The identifier is an integrated circuit card identifier ICCID.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Enabling, in the first user terminal, a communication profile associated with the user includes: An activation response including an activation code for the communication profile is provided to a management server by the mobile network operator (MNO).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Enabling, in the first user terminal, a communication profile associated with the user includes: Initiating downloading of a communication configuration file from the mobile network operator (MNO) by the first user terminal or a management server of the first user terminal; and The communication configuration file is installed in the first user terminal.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The communication profile is a subscription identity module (SIM) profile or an embedded subscription identity module (eSIM) profile.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The first user terminal is a mobile terminal, a communication module or a vehicle; and / or the second user terminal is a mobile terminal, a communication module or a vehicle.

13. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A server of a mobile network operator (MNO), the server comprising one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to: receiving an activation request for enabling a communication profile in a first user terminal, the communication profile being associated with the user and being capable of simultaneously providing a maximum number of communication profiles associated with the user; determining a number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled; as well as If the number of communication profiles associated with the user and currently enabled is equal to the maximum number of communication profiles: then disabling the communication profile associated with the user in the second user terminal; and A communication profile associated with the user is enabled in the first user terminal.

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