IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,363,449
Granted Patent B2
US 11,363,449 · App. 16/926,625 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Cellular wireless service preferences transfer

Inventors: Anish Kumar Goyal (Milpitas, CA); Li Li (Los Altos, CA); Raj S. Chaugule (Santa Clara, CA); Vladimir M. Appel (San Jose, CA)
H04W8/205H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,363,449
App. No.
16/926,625
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus and methods to transfer user preferences for cellular wireless service associated credentials transferred from a source device to a target device. Transfer of credentials can include physically moving a physical subscriber identity module (SIM) card between devices, transfer of cellular wireless service from a first SIM card at the source device to a second SIM card at the target device, and/or transfer of cellular wireless services for one or more electronic SIMs (eSIMs) from the source device to the target device. Preferences associated some or all of the transferred SIMs/eSIMs can be applied at the target device when certain matching criteria of the SIMs/eSIMs are satisfied. Exemplary matching criteria include matching identifiers, such as integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) values, mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) values, and/or mappings thereof. Transfer of preferences can occur via a local peer-to-peer connection, a secure cloud-based service, and/or a backup and restore process.

Claims (52)

1. A method for cellular wireless service preferences transfer, the method comprising, at a target device:

initiating transfer of cellular wireless services for a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) and/or electronic SIMs (eSIMs) from a source device to the target device;

determining whether values for each SIM or eSIM of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device match to corresponding values of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device;

when at least one value matches, applying a set of preferences for matching SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device to corresponding SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device during or after transfer of the cellular wireless services for the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs; and

when at least one value does not match, transferring preferences for at least one non-matching SIM and/or eSIM based on input obtained via an interface of the target device,

wherein matching is based at least on:

one or more of: i) integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) values for SIMs, ii) mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) values for SIMs and/or eSIMs, or iii) a mapping of MSISDN values of eSIMs of the source device to MSISDN values of eSIMs of the target device; and

an activation state of each transferred SIM and/or eSIM at the source device and the activation state of the corresponding SIM and/or eSIM at the target device, wherein the activation state for each SIM and/or eSIM comprises an active/on state or an inactive/off state.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

when at least one value does not match, obtaining, via the interface of the target device, a configuration of preferences for at least one non-matching SIM and/or eSIM of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein applying the set of preferences comprises applying an identical configuration for use of at least one of the matching SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device as used at the source device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the set of preferences includes at least a label assigned to each SIM and/or eSIM.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the set of preferences includes a mapping between one or more labels assigned to SIMs and/or eSIMs and a list of contacts.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the set of preferences includes a first selection of one of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs as preferred for voice application use and a second selection of one of the plurality of SIMS and/or eSIMs as preferred for data application use.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the set of preferences includes designation for at least one of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs as allowed or disallowed for use with a messaging application or a video calling application.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring the set of preferences for matching SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device to the target device via a local peer-to-peer connection.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring the set of preferences for matching SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device to the target device via a secure cloud-based service.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the target device and source device share a common user account at the secure cloud-based service.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring the set of preferences for matching SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device to the target device as part of a backup and restore process.

12. An apparatus configured for operation in a target device, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the target device to perform actions including:

initiating transfer of cellular wireless services for a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) and/or electronic SIMs (eSIMs) from a source device to the target device;

determining whether values for each SIM or eSIM of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device match to corresponding values of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device;

when at least one value matches, applying a set of preferences for matching SIMs and/or eSIMs from the source device to corresponding SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device during or after transfer of the cellular wireless services for the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs; and

when at least one value does not match, transferring preferences for at least one non-matching SIM and/or eSIM based on input obtained via an interface of the target device,

wherein matching is based at least on:

one or more of: i) integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) values for SIMs, ii) mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) values for SIMs and/or eSIMs, or iii) a mapping of MSISDN values of eSIMs from the source device to MSISDN values of eSIMs of the target device; and

an activation state of each transferred SIM and/or eSIM at the source device and the activation state of the corresponding SIM and/or eSIM at the target device, wherein the activation state for each SIM and/or eSIM comprises an active/on state or an inactive/off state.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the actions performed by the target device further include:

when at least one value does not match, obtaining, via the interface of the target device, configuration of preferences for at least one non-matching SIM and/or eSIM of the plurality of SIMS and/or eSIMs.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein applying the set of preferences comprises applying an identical configuration for use of at least one of the matching SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device as used at the source device.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the set of preferences includes at least a label assigned to each SIM and/or eSIM.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the set of preferences includes a mapping between one or more labels assigned to SIMs and/or eSIMs and a list of contacts.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the set of preferences includes a first selection of one of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs as preferred for voice application use and a second selection of one of the plurality of SIMS and/or eSIMs as preferred for data application use.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the set of preferences includes designation for at least one of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs as allowed or disallowed for use with a messaging application or a video calling application.

19. A target device configured for cellular wireless service preferences transfer, the target device comprising:

wireless circuitry comprising one or more antennas;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the wireless circuitry; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the target device to perform actions including:

initiating transfer of cellular wireless services for a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) and/or electronic SIMS (eSIMs) from a source device to the target device;

determining whether values for each SIM or eSIM of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs at the target device match to corresponding values of the plurality of SIMS and/or eSIMs from the source device;

when at least one value matches, applying a set of preferences for matching SIMS and/or eSIMs from the source device to corresponding SIMS and/or eSIMs at the target device during or after transfer of the cellular wireless services for the plurality of SIMS and/or eSIMs; and

when at least one value does not match, transferring preferences for at least one non-matching SIM and/or eSIM based on input obtained via an interface of the target device,

wherein matching is based at least on:

one or more of: i) integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) values for SIMs, ii) mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) values for SIMS and/or eSIMs, or iii) a mapping of MSISDN values of eSIMs from the source device to MSISDN values of eSIMs of the target device; and

an activation state of each transferred SIM and/or eSIM at the source device and the activation state of the corresponding SIM and/or eSIM at the target device, wherein the activation state for each SIM and/or eSIM comprises an active/on state or an inactive/off state.

20. The target device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the actions performed by the target device further include:

when at least one value does not match, obtaining, via the interface of the target device, configuration of preferences for at least one of the plurality of SIMs and/or eSIMs.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2020
From: GOYAL, ANISH KUMAR; LI, LI; CHAUGULE, RAJ S.; APPEL, VLADIMIR M.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 053222/0333 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62873683 · Jul 12, 2019
Related Publication 20210014669A1 · Jan 14, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,273,960