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 establishing a communication session between a subscriber identification module (SIM) card and a wireless communication module (WCM), wherein the SIM card is in a communication apparatus and the WCM is in a cellular router, the method comprising:
at the communication apparatus:
(a) sending an activation message to the SIM card;
(b) receiving an answer to reset (ATR) from the SIM card;
(c) storing the ATR in a non-transitory storage medium of the communication apparatus; and
(d) when the activation message is received from the cellular router: retrieving the ATR from the non-transitory storage medium of the communication apparatus, and sending the ATR to the cellular router;
at the cellular router:
(e) when the ATR is received from a SIM bank, storing the ATR in a non-transitory storage medium of the cellular router;
(f) receiving a reset signal from the WCM;
(g) retrieving the ATR from the non-transitory storage medium of the cellular router, and sending the ATR to the WCM; and
(h) establishing the communication session between the SIM card and the WCM;
wherein the communication apparatus and the cellular router are connected through at least one connection.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the activation message is sent to the SIM card at the communication apparatus via an interface integrated circuit (IC) through a SIM socket;
the ATR is received from the SIM card at the communication apparatus via the interface IC through the SIM socket; and
the SIM card is plugged into the SIM socket.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the reset signal is received from the WCM at the cellular router via an interface circuit; and
the ATR is sent to the WCM at the cellular router via the interface circuit.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the interface circuit comprises a voltage shifter to receive the reset signal from the WCM and to send the ATR to the WCM.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at the communication apparatus:
before the activation message is sent to the SIM card, receiving the activation message from the cellular router.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the activation message includes an identification of the SIM card received from the cellular router; and
the SIM card is identified at the communication apparatus according to the identification of the SIM.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the activation message and the identification of the SIM card are encapsulated in a request message received from the cellular router.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at the cellular router:
when the reset signal is received from the WCM, storing an identification of the WCM in the non-transitory storage medium of the cellular router.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the reset signal includes the identification of the WCM sent by the cellular router to the communication apparatus; and
the ATR is sent to the WCM at the cellular router according to the identification of the WCM.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ATR and the identification of the WCM are encapsulated in a reply message sent by the communication apparatus to the cellular router.
11. A system of establishing a communication session between a subscriber identification module (SIM) card and a wireless communication module (WCM), the system comprising:
a communication apparatus; and
a cellular router;
wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
at least one first processing unit;
at least one first non-transitory storage medium; and
a plurality of SIM cards; the SIM card is in the plurality of SIM cards;
wherein the cellular router comprises:
at least one second processing unit;
at least one second non-transitory storage medium; and
a plurality of WCMs; the WCM is in the plurality of WCMs;
wherein the at least one first non-transitory storage medium stores program instructions executable by the at least one first processing unit for:
(a) sending an activation message to the SIM card;
(b) receiving an answer to reset (ATR) from the SIM card;
(c) storing the ATR in the at least one first non-transitory storage medium; and
(d) when the activation message is received from the cellular router: retrieving the ATR from the at least one first non-transitory storage medium, and sending the ATR to the cellular router;
wherein the at least one second non-transitory storage medium stores program instructions executable by the at least one second processing unit for:
(e) when the ATR is received from a SIM bank, storing the ATR in the at least one second non-transitory storage medium;
(f) receiving a reset signal from the WCM;
(g) retrieving the ATR from the at least one second non-transitory storage medium, and sending the ATR to the WCM; and
(h) establishing the communication session between the SIM card and the WCM;
wherein the communication apparatus and the cellular router are connected through at least one connection.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the activation message is sent to the SIM card at the communication apparatus via an interface integrated circuit (IC) through a SIM socket;
the ATR is received from the SIM card at the communication apparatus via the interface IC through the SIM socket; and
the SIM card is plugged into the SIM socket.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the reset signal is received from the WCM at the cellular router via an interface circuit; and
the ATR is sent to the WCM at the cellular router via the interface circuit.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the interface circuit comprises a voltage shifter to receive the reset signal from the WCM and to send the ATR to the WCM.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first non-transitory storage medium further stores program instructions executable by the at least one first processing unit for:
before the activation message is sent to the SIM card, receiving the activation message from the cellular router.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the activation message includes an identification of the SIM card received from the cellular router; and
the SIM card is identified at the communication apparatus according to the identification of the SIM.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the activation message and the identification of the SIM card are encapsulated in a request message received by the communication apparatus from the cellular router.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one second non-transitory storage medium further stores program instructions executable by the at least one second processing unit for:
when the reset signal is received from the WCM, storing an identification of the WCM in the at least one second non-transitory storage medium.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein:
the reset signal includes the identification of the WCM sent by the cellular router to the communication apparatus; and
the ATR is sent to the WCM at the cellular router according to the identification of the WCM.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the ATR and the identification of the WCM are encapsulated in a reply message sent by the communication apparatus to the cellular router.