Flexible eUICC Profile Provisioning via EID-Bound Secure Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eUICC profile provisioning methods, particularly in-factory provisioning, face issues with unreliable binding of profiles to specific eUICCs, leading to the risk of profiles being downloaded to the wrong eUICC or multiple eUICCs, and lack flexibility in installation and enablement processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and eUICC with a Secure Channel Protocol keyset establish a Secure Channel Protocol Session based on the eUICC's hardware identifier, ensuring each profile is encrypted and downloaded securely to the intended eUICC, allowing late binding and preventing cloning, while enabling flexible and reliable profile installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If profiles are downloaded to eUICCs without establishing a Secure Channel Protocol Session based on hardware identifier, then the provisioning process is faster and simpler, but the binding of profiles to specific eUICCs becomes unreliable, leading to risk of profiles being downloaded to the wrong eUICC or multiple eUICCs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a Secure Channel Protocol Session between the profile management system and the eUICC before the actual profile download. The session is initialized with the eUICC's hardware identifier (EID) to create a secure, dedicated communication channel. This preliminary secure channel establishment ensures that subsequent profile downloads are reliably bound to the correct eUICC, preventing profile misbinding while maintaining a streamlined process through automated session management.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If profiles are encrypted and bound to specific eUICCs using secure protocols, then profile security and correct binding are improved, but the profile provisioning and download process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a dedicated Secure Channel Protocol Session as a mediator between the profile management system and the eUICC. This session, established using the eUICC's hardware identifier, acts as a secure intermediary layer that handles encryption and binding operations. The intermediary session manages the complexity of secure profile binding, encryption key generation, and authentication processes, while presenting a simplified interface for profile downloads, thus enhancing security without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If late binding of profiles to eUICCs is maintained for flexibility, then adaptability in profile installation is improved, but the risk of profile misbinding and cloning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying preliminary action through the early establishment of a Secure Channel Protocol Session that is bound to the eUICC's hardware identifier. This session is created before the profile download, ensuring that the binding relationship is securely established in advance. The late binding flexibility is maintained in terms of when the actual profile content is delivered, but the security foundation is laid early through the hardware-identifier-based session, thus maintaining both adaptability and reliability.
4Reliability
If Secure Channel Protocol Session is established for each profile download based on eUICC hardware identifier, then profile cloning is prevented and binding accuracy is improved, but the provisioning time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by maintaining the Secure Channel Protocol Session throughout the entire profile download and installation process. Rather than establishing separate secure connections for each step, the session is continuously active from initialization through profile transfer and binding. This continuous secure session reduces the overhead of repeatedly establishing and tearing down secure connections, thereby minimizing time loss while ensuring consistent binding accuracy and preventing profile cloning throughout the provisioning workflow.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for installing at least one target profile (P1) to at least one eUICC (10), the eUICC (10) comprising an eUICC hardware identifier (EID), the method comprising steps: 1), 2) at a profile storage (30) connected to or integrated into an OEM production machine (40), located preferably in an IFPP environment, provide a batch comprising at least one Batch Bound Profile Package, BBPP, preferably several Batch Bound Profile Packages, BBPPs, each said BBPP comprising said target profile (P1) to be installed to the eUICC (10); 3), 4) by the OEM production machine (40), for at least one eUICC (10), preferably to a batch of eUICCs corresponding to said batch of profiles, f) download the BBPP comprising the target profile (P1) from the profile storage (30) to the eUICC (10) and g) install the target profile (P1) in the eUICC (10); characterized by - the eUICC further comprising a Secure Channel Protocol keyset (SCP03-K); before step 4) to download the target profile (P1): 2*) at a profile storage (30), based on the eUICC hardware identifier (EID), establish a Secure Channel Protocol Session with the eUICC; in step 4) download the BBPP comprising the target profile (P1) from the profile storage (30) to the eUICC (10) over said Secure Channel Protocol Session.