Apparatuses, methods and systems for implementing a system-on-chip with integrated reprogrammable cellular network connectivity
View Patent ↗Apparatuses, methods, and systems are provided for configuring a “SIM-less” System-on-Chip (S2oC) with integrated reprogrammable cellular network connectivity. Digitally issued Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards may be digitally issued by a remote server and downloaded and managed by the S2oC. A virtual SIM card container may be packaged in the S2oC and hosts an identity manager used by a plurality of applications residing in the multi-core processor of the S2oC. A virtual modem with a custom communication protocol allows the multi-core processor applications to exchange data with the virtual SIM card container.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a multi-core processor;
a software-based embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) that does not include a dedicated physical element; and
one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the multi-core processor, configure the apparatus to communicate with a plurality of cellular networks using (i) a cellular modem comprising a software-based modulator-demodulator device which allows communication by the connected device over a cellular network and (ii) one or more virtual subscriber identity module (SIM) cards stored in the software-based eUICC.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the software-based eUICC comprises an on-die eUICC.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a virtual bus system configured to transmit communications between a plurality of multi-core processor applications using a high-level programming interface.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memories further store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the multi-core processor, cause the apparatus to self-provision virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the multi-core processor, cause the apparatus to self-provision virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators using a local certificate stored in the software-based eUICC.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is assigned a unique random cryptographic key only known by a remote server upon registration of said chip.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memories further store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the multi-core processor, cause the apparatus to dynamically switch cellular networks without human intervention.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cellular modem is configured to receive commands using an interface defined in a VCM communication protocol.
9. A method performed by a device including a multi-core processor, a cellular modem comprising a software-based modulator-demodulator device which allows communication by the connected device over a cellular network, a software-based embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), and one or more memories, the method including:
communicating, using the cellular modem, with a plurality of cellular networks using one or more virtual subscriber identity module (SIM) cards stored in the software-based eUICC, wherein the software-based eUICC does not include a dedicated physical element.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the software-based eUICC comprises an on-die eUICC.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting, by a virtual bus system, communications between a plurality of multi-core processor applications using a high-level programming interface.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
self-provisioning virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the self-provisioning of the virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators uses a local certificate stored in the software-based eUICC.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the device is assigned a unique random cryptographic key only known by a remote server upon registration of said chip.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
dynamically switching between cellular networks without human intervention via activation of a corresponding virtual SIM card of the one or more virtual SIM cards stored in the software-based eUICC.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cellular modem is configured to receive commands using an interface defined in a VCM communication protocol.
17. An apparatus having an integrated circuit chip including a multi-core processor, a cellular modem comprising a software-based modulator-demodulator device which allows communication by the connected device over a cellular network a software-based embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) that does not include a dedicated physical element, and one or more memories, the apparatus including:
means for communicating with a plurality of cellular networks using (i) the cellular modem and (ii) one or more virtual subscriber identity module (SIM) cards stored in the software-based eUICC.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the software-based eUICC comprises an on-die eUICC.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for transmitting communications between a plurality of multi-core processor applications using a high-level programming interface.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for self-provisioning virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the means for self-provisioning the virtual SIM cards accessible over-the-air by cellular network operators uses a local certificate stored in the software-based eUICC.
22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said integrated circuit chip is assigned a unique random cryptographic key only known by a remote server upon registration of said chip.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for dynamically switching between cellular networks without human intervention via activation of a corresponding virtual SIM card of the one or more virtual SIM cards stored in the software-based eUICC.
24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the cellular modem is configured to receive commands using an interface defined in a VCM communication protocol.