Secure Element OS Update Notification for MNOs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack efficient mechanisms to notify mobile network operators (MNOs) of Secure Element (SE) operating system updates, which can affect SE capabilities and impact service performance, leading to potential disruptions and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system where the SE performs an operating system update and sends notifications to MNOs using a bearer-independent protocol (BIP) channel, comparing capability values to determine affected capabilities and creating notification entries for affected profiles, ensuring timely and accurate communication of changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the SE performs OS updates without notification mechanisms, then the update process is simple, but the MNO cannot manage services effectively leading to potential disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a notification system as an intermediary between the SE and MNO. The SE generates capability change notifications that are transmitted to the MNO through a standardized interface, enabling effective service management without direct complex interactions between SE and MNO systems
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system is segmented into distinct components: capability change detection modules within the SE, notification generation functions, and MNO receiving systems. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with well-defined interfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability
2Loss of information
If the SE sends notifications for all OS updates, then the MNO receives complete information, but unnecessary notifications increase network traffic and processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system applies local quality by sending notifications selectively based on the specific capability changes detected in the SE. Instead of uniform notification for all updates, the system generates notifications only for relevant capability changes, optimizing network traffic while preserving necessary information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by sending notifications only for specific capability changes rather than all OS updates. The SE compares capability values before and after updates, and generates notifications only when actual capability changes occur, reducing unnecessary network traffic while maintaining information completeness for relevant changes
3Measurement precision
If the SE compares capability values to determine affected capabilities, then notifications are accurate and targeted, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by comparing capability values and determining affected capabilities during the OS update process itself, before the update is fully applied. This allows the notification to be generated with high accuracy without adding post-update processing time, as the capability comparison is integrated into the update workflow
Data Source
AI summary
An operating system (OS) update to a secure element (SE) may be commanded, for example, in order to fix a security bug, upgrade a version of an OS, provide mobile network operator (MNO) specific extensions such as to an application programming interface (API) or to cause OS/profile switching. Many of these OS updates will affect one or more profiles present on the SE. An MNO associated with a given profile will benefit in some instances by being provided with a notification of the OS update, since the OS update may affect SE capabilities and thus affect what a given profile can or cannot do after the OS update occurs. Embodiments provided herein create notification entries that will appropriately inform the concerned MNO. In some embodiments, a capability linking variable (“linkedcapability”) is used to determine whether an SE capability change should trigger transmission of a notification to the concerned MNO.