Bootstrap eSIM Backup for Home Gateway Broadband Outages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Broadband service outages disrupt internet connectivity for customers, and existing solutions like integrated cellular modems in home gateways are costly and have limited utility due to rare usage, while smartphones with embedded eSIM capabilities are underutilized for backup purposes.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing the Bootstrap eSIM service in smartphones to establish a cellular network connection and provide temporary backup broadband services when the primary broadband connection is unavailable, leveraging existing cellular network infrastructure and devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If integrated cellular modems are installed in home gateways to provide backup connectivity, then reliability of internet access is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a smartphone as an intermediary device to provide backup cellular connectivity to the home gateway. Instead of integrating cellular modems directly into the home gateway, the solution leverages the smartphone's existing cellular capability to establish a backup connection, thereby avoiding increased device complexity in the home gateway while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the smartphone to serve dual purposes: its primary communication function and a secondary backup broadband function. The smartphone's embedded eSIM and cellular modem, originally designed for mobile communication, are utilized to provide backup internet access to the home gateway, eliminating the need for dedicated cellular hardware in the home gateway.
2Reliability
If dedicated cellular modems are added to home gateways for backup service, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by utilizing the smartphone's existing cellular capabilities to provide backup service without requiring additional hardware in the home gateway. The smartphone already contains the necessary eSIM and modem components, so no extra manufacturing costs are incurred for backup functionality in the home gateway itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the smartphone as a copy of the backup service function. Instead of physically installing cellular modem hardware in the home gateway, the solution creates a functional copy by leveraging the smartphone's cellular interface to establish equivalent backup connectivity, thereby avoiding additional manufacturing costs.
3Device complexity
If smartphones with embedded eSIM are used for backup connection, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the smartphone with an embedded eSIM profile during manufacturing. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for users to manually configure cellular parameters when establishing backup connectivity, as the eSIM profile is already in place and ready to be activated, thereby maintaining ease of operation despite the sophisticated underlying technology.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, establishing a local area connection with one or more devices including a home gateway, the home gateway configured to access data services over a broadband network, receiving an indication that the data services over the broadband network are unavailable, initiating a cellular network connection with a cellular network using a Bootstrap embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) service of the wireless device to access the cellular network, and providing backup data services to the one or more devices over the cellular network according to the Bootstrap eSIM service. Other embodiments are disclosed.