IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,736,948
Granted Patent B2
US 11,736,948 · App. 17/147,410 · Granted Aug 22, 2023

Electronic subscriber identity module transfer eligibility checking

Inventors: Jean-Marc Padova (San Francisco, CA); Xiangying Yang (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04W12/72H04W8/20H04W12/069H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,736,948
App. No.
17/147,410
Granted
Aug 22, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to eligibility checking for transfer of one or more electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) between two mobile wireless devices. Eligibility to transfer an eSIM to an eUICC of a target device can depend on whether the eUICC of the target device satisfies certain security requirements for the eSIMs to be transferred. The mobile wireless devices can obtain a transfer eligibility result based on communication with one or more network-based servers that can determine compatibility for eSIM transfer.

Claims (41)

1. An apparatus configured for electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) transfer eligibility checking in a target device, the apparatus comprising:

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

providing, to a network server, i) a request for an eSIM transfer eligibility attestation and ii) trust configuration information of an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the target device;

obtaining, from the network server, an eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result and a network server generated signature;

receiving, from a source device, a request for eSIM transfer eligibility checking;

providing, to the source device, the eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result and the network server generated signature; and

upon successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility, performing an eSIM transfer of one or more eSIMs from an eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network server comprises a digital letter of approval (DLOA) server.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result includes an indication of a time period for which the eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result is valid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trust configuration information of the eUICC of the target device includes a white list of trusted entities and/or a black list of untrusted entities.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the eUICC of the target device includes one or more certificates and one or more public keys extracted from signed and verified certificates provided by one or more trusted entities included in the white list of trusted entities.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility includes a determination by the source device and/or by an eUICC included in the source device whether an eUICC certification configuration or a root of trust configuration of the target device is compatible with the one or more eSIMs to transfer from the eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility includes a determination that a trust configuration of the eUICC of the target device and a trust configuration of the one or more eSIMs to be transferred includes at least one common root of trust.

9. A source device configured for electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) transfer eligibility checking, the source device comprising:

wireless circuitry comprising one or more antennas; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the wireless circuitry and to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the source device to perform actions that include:

performing an authentication procedure with a target device;

obtaining, from the target device, trust configuration information of an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the target device;

providing, to a network server, the trust configuration information of the eUICC of the target device;

obtaining, from the network server, an eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result and a network generated signature;

determining eSIM transfer eligibility for transfer of one or more eSIMs from an eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device; and

upon successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility, performing an eSIM transfer of the one or more eSIMs from the eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device.

10. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the network server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server.

11. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the network server comprises a digital letter of approval (DLOA) server.

12. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result includes an indication of a time period for which the eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result is valid.

13. The source device of claim 12 , wherein determining the eSIM transfer eligibility includes determining whether transfer of the one or more eSIMs occurs within the time period for which the transfer eligibility attestation result is valid.

14. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the trust configuration information of the eUICC of the target device includes a white list of trusted entities and/or a black list of untrusted entities.

15. The source device of claim 14 , wherein the eUICC of the target device includes one or more certificates and one or more public keys extracted from signed and verified certificates provided by one or more trusted entities included in the white list of trusted entities.

16. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility includes a determination by the source device and/or by the eUICC of the source device whether an eUICC certification configuration or a root of trust configuration of the target device is compatible with the one or more eSIMs to transfer from the eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device.

17. The source device of claim 9 , wherein the successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility includes a determination that a trust configuration of the eUICC of the target device and a trust configuration of the one or more eSIMs to be transferred includes at least one common root of trust.

18. A method for electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) transfer eligibility checking by a source device, the method comprising:

by the source device:

performing an authentication procedure with a target device;

obtaining, from the target device, trust configuration information of an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the target device;

providing, to a network server, the trust configuration information of the eUICC of the target device;

obtaining, from the network server, an eSIM transfer eligibility attestation result and a network generated signature;

determining eSIM transfer eligibility for transfer of one or more eSIMs from an eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device; and

upon successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility, performing an eSIM transfer of the one or more eSIMs from the eUICC of the source device to the eUICC of the target device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the network server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server or a digital letter of approval (DLOA) server.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the successful authentication of eSIM transfer eligibility includes a determination that a trust configuration of the eUICC of the target device and a trust configuration of the one or more eSIMs to be transferred includes at least one common root of trust.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: PADOVA, JEAN-MARC; YANG, XIANGYING
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 054937/0178 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62960598 · Jan 13, 2020
Related Publication 20210219142A1 · Jul 15, 2021