Secure Element Profile Preloading With Placeholder Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The loading of initial profiles into secure elements, such as eUICCs, in factory processes is time-consuming, significantly impacting the efficiency of production processes, even with parallel production lines producing millions of devices per month.
Innovation Solution
A pre-loaded data structure containing common data and placeholders for unique data is stored in the secure element during production, allowing for quick initial profile loading, followed by insertion of unique data by the manufacturer, minimizing the impact on production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete profiles including unique data (secret keys, identifiers) are loaded into secure elements during factory production, then the profiles are ready for immediate use, but the production process becomes extremely time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The profile data is segmented into two parts: common data (applet code, file structures) that can be pre-loaded during production, and unique data (secret keys, identifiers) that are loaded later. This segmentation allows the production process to complete quickly with essential framework data while the time-intensive unique data loading occurs after production, resolving the contradiction between profile completeness and production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The common profile data structure, file systems, and applet codes are prepared and loaded in advance during the factory production process. This preliminary action establishes the complete profile framework without requiring the time-consuming generation and loading of unique cryptographic keys and identifiers, which are generated and loaded after production completes.
2Reliability
If extensive memory updates are performed to load complete profiles during production, then all profile data is available immediately, but the memory update process significantly increases production time
Solution Approach 1:
The memory update process is segmented into two phases: a fast initial update during production that loads only common profile data and data structure frameworks, and a subsequent update after production that loads the unique cryptographic data. This eliminates the need for a single lengthy memory update operation during production, significantly reducing production time while ensuring eventual profile availability.
3Productivity
If placeholders with dummy data are used in pre-loaded structures, then production speed increases, but additional processing is required to substitute real data later
Solution Approach 1:
Placeholder structures with dummy data are prepared in advance during production to establish the complete data structure framework quickly. The complexity of substituting real unique data into these placeholders is minimal compared to generating and loading complete unique data sets, and this preliminary structuring enables much faster production while the substitution step remains a simple data replacement operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a secure element is provided, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a pre-loaded data structure for a profile, wherein the pre-loaded data structure comprises first data and one or more placeholders for second data, wherein said first data are common data, and said second data are data which are specific to the profile; a processing unit configured to insert, upon or after receiving said profile including the second data from an external entity, said second data into the placeholders. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of configuring a secure element is conceived.