SIM Data Access and Hot-Swapping in Portable Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable terminals with multiple SIM cards face inefficiencies in data reading and SIM/Modem association, leading to slow access times and inconvenient switching between different network technologies without power cycles, with redundancy in data access and limited SIM Toolkit functionality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a processor that reads data from multiple SIM cards in a sequential manner, allowing immediate access to the first SIM's data while reading subsequent SIMs in the background, and enabling hot-swapping of SIM/Modem associations without power cycles through menu-driven operations, using a controller and SIM controller to manage SIM and Modem mappings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If data is read sequentially from multiple SIM cards, then data access time is reduced, but data completeness and reliability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access timeVSAvoiddata completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by reading and storing data from the first SIM card into working memory before accessing data from the second SIM card. This preliminary data loading enables faster access to frequently used data from the first SIM without compromising the ability to access data from the second SIM, thus reducing overall data access time while maintaining data completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If SIM/Modem associations are fixed at power up, then system stability is improved, but adaptability and ease of operation are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidSIM/Modem association flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic SIM/Modem associations that can be changed during operation through menu-driven operations. The processor enables users to reassociate SIM cards with different modems without requiring a power cycle, allowing the system to adapt to user needs while maintaining operational stability through controlled association changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If all SIM data is read into working memory simultaneously, then data access speed is improved, but memory usage and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access speedVSAvoidmemory management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the data reading process by handling data from multiple SIM cards in separate stages rather than simultaneously. The processor reads data from the first SIM card, stores it in working memory, then proceeds to read data from the second SIM card. This segmentation reduces peak memory usage and simplifies memory management while maintaining acceptable data access speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8688169B2Apparatus and method for detecting and storing data from subscriber identity module in a portable terminal

Publication Date: 2014.04.01 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A portable terminal comprising first and second identity modules, the first module serving as a master module, wherein a processor of the portable terminal is arranged: at power up of the portable terminal, to read data from the first module and to store it in a memory; and to access, in the memory, the data from the first module, before data from the second identity module is read into the memory.