Methods and systems of using remote subscriber identification modules at a device
The present invention discloses methods and systems for communicating at a cellular router between a first wireless communication module and a first subscriber identity module (SIM). The cellular router receives a first request from a first wireless communication module and encapsulates the first request in a first modified request. The cellular router then sends the first modified request to a first SIM card in a first communication apparatus and waits for a first modified reply. While waiting for the first modified reply the cellular router sends at least one halt message to the first wireless communication module after a first time threshold. After receiving the first modified reply, the cellular router decapsulates the first modified reply to retrieve a first reply and sends the first reply to the first wireless communication module where the first modified reply is a reply to the first modified request.
1. A method of communicating between a cellular router and a communication apparatus, comprising:
(a) at the cellular router, sending a request including cellular router information to the communication apparatus for SIM card information;
(b) at the communication apparatus, selecting a first SIM card based on at least one of a geographical coverage area, a connection bandwidth, a time, a network identity, a service provider, a usage price, and a signal quality;
(c) at the communication apparatus, sending the request to the first SIM card;
(d) at the communication apparatus, receiving a reply from the first SIM card, wherein the reply includes at least one of the SIM card information and an identity of the first SIM card;
(e) at the communication apparatus, sending the reply to the cellular router;
(f) at the cellular router, starting to use the first SIM card with a wireless communication module of the cellular router when the reply is received from the communication apparatus;
(g) at the cellular router, starting to use a second SIM card from the communication apparatus with a different wireless communication module of the cellular router;
(h) at the cellular router, stopping to use the first SIM card; and
(i) at the cellular router, starting to use a third SIM card from the communication apparatus with the wireless communication module;
wherein the first SIM card, second SIM card, and the third SIM card are from a plurality of SIM cards in the communication apparatus.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before starting to use the first SIM card with the wireless communication module:
(j) at the cellular router, sending the reply to the wireless communication module;
(k) at the cellular router, registering the wireless communication module with interconnected networks using at least part of the reply; and
(l) at the cellular router, connecting to the interconnected networks through the wireless communication module.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before performing step (f):
(j) at the cellular router, assigning the first SIM card to the wireless communication module;
wherein the request and the reply are sent through a cable or wirelessly.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the request further includes authentication information for authenticating that the request is sent by the cellular router; and
the wireless communication module is reset when the first SIM card is stopped to be used by the cellular router.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the request and the reply are sent through the Internet;
the cellular router establishes a plurality of data connections using more than one SIM card from the plurality of SIM cards; and
the plurality of data connections are aggregated by the cellular router to form one aggregated data connection.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the cellular router receives power from the communication apparatus;
the cellular router information includes at least one of an identity of the cellular router, an identity of an administrator of the cellular router, and a location of the cellular router; and
the identity of the cellular router includes at least one of a serial number of the cellular router and a media access control (MAC) address assigned to the cellular router.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the cellular router communicates with the communication apparatus via a SIM card directory server; and
the SIM card directory server relays the request and the reply between the cellular router and the communication apparatus.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the request includes a SIM card identification or a SIM card socket identification; and
the reply includes a wireless communication module identification.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the request and the reply are encapsulated in respective data packets; and
each of the cellular router, the communication apparatus, and the SIM card directory server comprises a plurality of network interfaces.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(j) at the cellular router, sending one or more halt messages to a wireless communication module before the reply is received by the cellular router;
wherein the cellular router information includes at least one of cellular networks that can be connected with the wireless communication module and an identity of a cellular network that is currently registered with the wireless communication module.
11. A system for communication, comprising a cellular router and a communication apparatus;
wherein the cellular router comprises:
at least one first main memory;
at least one first processing unit; and
at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one first processing unit for:
(a) sending a request including cellular router information to the communication apparatus for SIM card information;
(b) when a reply is received from the communication apparatus, starting to use a first SIM card with a wireless communication module of the cellular router;
(c) starting to use a second SIM card from the communication apparatus with a different wireless communication module of the cellular router;
(d) stopping to use the first SIM card; and
(e) starting to use a third SIM card from the communication apparatus with the wireless communication module;
wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
at least one second main memory;
at least one second processing unit; and
at least one second secondary non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processing unit for:
(f) selecting the first SIM card based on at least one of a geographical coverage area, a connection bandwidth, a time, a network identity, a service provider, a usage price, and a signal quality;
(g) sending the request to the first SIM card;
(h) receiving a reply from the first SIM card, wherein the reply includes at least one of the SIM card information and an identity of the first SIM card; and
(i) sending the reply to the cellular router;
wherein the first SIM card, second SIM card, and the third SIM card are from a plurality of SIM cards in the communication apparatus.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further stores program instructions for, before starting to use the first SIM card with the wireless communication module:
(j) sending the reply to the wireless communication module;
(k) registering the wireless communication module with interconnected networks using at least part of the reply; and
(l) connecting to the interconnected networks through the wireless communication module.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further stores program instructions for, before performing step (b):
(j) assigning the first SIM card to the wireless communication module;
wherein the request and the reply are sent through a cable or wirelessly.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the request further includes authentication information for authenticating that the request is sent by the cellular router; and
the wireless communication module is reset when the first SIM card is stopped to be used by the cellular router.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the request and the reply are sent through the Internet;
the cellular router establishes a plurality of data connections using more than one SIM card from the plurality of SIM cards; and
the plurality of data connections are aggregated by the cellular router to form one aggregated data connection.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the cellular router receives power from the communication apparatus;
the cellular router information includes at least one of an identity of the cellular router, an identity of an administrator of the cellular router, and a location of the cellular router; and
the identity of the cellular router includes at least one of a serial number of the
cellular router and a media access control (MAC) address assigned to the cellular router.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the cellular router communicates with the communication apparatus via a SIM card directory server; and
the SIM card directory server relays the request and the reply between the cellular router and the communication apparatus.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the request includes a SIM card identification or a SIM card socket identification; and
the reply includes a wireless communication module identification.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the request and the reply are encapsulated in respective data packets; and
each of the cellular router, the communication apparatus, and the SIM card directory server comprises a plurality of network interfaces.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further stores program instructions for:
(j) sending one or more halt messages to a wireless communication module before the reply is received by the cellular router;
wherein the cellular router information includes at least one of cellular networks that can be connected with the wireless communication module and an identity of a cellular network that is currently registered with the wireless communication module.