Wireless Subscription Transfer and Fee Calculation for Shared UICC

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users with multiple wireless terminal devices face challenges in managing subscription authentication information, as attaching multiple UICCs incurs additional fees and sharing one UICC requires frequent detachment and reattachment, necessitating an efficient method to calculate and manage fees for shared subscription authentication information across devices.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device with a detecting unit to transfer subscription authentication information among wireless terminal devices and a calculating unit to accurately calculate fees based on transfer history, usage history, and billing information, allowing for appropriate fee calculation for shared subscription authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple UICCs are attached to multiple wireless terminal devices, then each device can access wireless services independently, but the user incurs additional fees for each UICC subscription

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewireless service availabilityVSAvoidsubscription fees
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple UICC subscriptions into a single shared subscription. One UICC is shared among multiple wireless terminal devices through wireless transfer of subscription authentication information, allowing multiple devices to access wireless services using a single subscription account, thereby reducing subscription fees while maintaining service availability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes a single UICC subscription universally accessible across multiple wireless terminal devices. By enabling the same subscription authentication information to be used by different devices sequentially, the subscription serves multiple functions and multiple devices simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate subscriptions for each device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If one UICC is shared among multiple wireless terminal devices, then subscription fees are reduced, but the UICC requires frequent detachment and reattachment which is troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubscription feesVSAvoidUICC management convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of physically detaching and reattaching UICC cards with a wireless information transfer system. Subscription authentication information is transferred wirelessly between devices, eliminating the need for manual UICC card handling while maintaining the ability to share subscriptions across multiple devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary mechanism to transfer subscription authentication information between the source device and target device. This intermediary process enables seamless sharing of the UICC subscription without requiring physical card removal or insertion, greatly improving operational convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If subscription authentication information is transferred wirelessly among multiple wireless terminal devices, then UICC sharing becomes convenient, but fees for devices with different communication functions cannot be appropriately calculated

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUICC sharing convenienceVSAvoidfee calculation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the fee calculation process into device-specific components. By storing and retrieving billing information specific to each wireless terminal device's communication functions and usage patterns, the system can calculate appropriate fees for each device even though they share the same subscription authentication information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system detects when subscription authentication information is transferred to a new device, retrieves the target device's specific billing information, and calculates fees accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that fee calculation accurately reflects the actual device being used and its communication capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2469895B1Information processing device, communication system, and billing method for wireless terminal device
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP2469895B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2469895B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2469895B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing device (600) includes: a detecting unit configure (630) to detect, with regard to a plurality of wireless terminal devices sharing a usage right of subscription authentication information relating to a mobile network operator which provides wireless connection services, transfer of the usage right among the wireless terminal devices; and a calculating unit (640) configured to, in the event that transfer of the usage right is detected, calculate fees relating to the subscription authentication information occurring after the transfer, based on billing information (610) set for the wireless terminal device to which the usage right has been transferred.