Using a plurality of SIM cards at an electronic device
Apparatus with I/O modules such as a networked security camera with a plurality of wireless connections to continue to use at least one network connection is presented. The apparatus, comprising a plurality of RF units, a plurality of SIM card interfaces, at least one processing unit, at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium and at least on input/output module, is able to continue sending and receiving data through one or more wireless networks using a plurality of RF units. Further, when more bandwidth and/or higher reliability is required, the apparatus aggregates data connections established with different wireless networks.
1. A method for using a plurality of radio frequency (RF) units at a wireless communication device, comprising:
(a) establishing a first wireless connection using a first RF unit with a first Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card housed in a SIM card interface;
(b) establishing a second wireless connection using a second RF unit with a second SIM card;
(c) configuring a selector to connect to a third RF unit; and
(d) establishing a third wireless connection using the third RF unit with the first SIM card remaining housed in the SIM card interface;
wherein:
each of the first RF unit and the second RF unit is connected to the SIM card interface through the selector;
the wireless communication device establishes a plurality of tunnels through a plurality of wireless connections;
the first wireless connection, the second wireless connection, and the third wireless connection are in the plurality of wireless connections;
the plurality of tunnels are established with a remote network device; and
the plurality of tunnels are aggregated to form one aggregated tunnel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless connection is terminated when step (c) is performed.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before performing step (b), retrieving SIM card information of the second SIM card from a remote server.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second SIM card is a remote SIM card housed in the remote server.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the SIM card information is retrieved via the first wireless connection.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second SIM card is selected substantially based on at least one of: time, duration of usage, and billing cycle information.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selector is connected to a plurality of SIM card interfaces.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before performing step (a), controlling the third RF unit to observe received signal quality of base stations.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first SIM card is selected substantially based on at least one of: time, duration of usage, and billing cycle information.
10. A method for using a plurality of radio frequency (RF) units at a wireless communication device, comprising:
(a) establishing a first wireless connection using a first RF unit with a first SIM card housed in a SIM card interface;
(b) establishing a second wireless connection using a second RF unit with a second SIM card;
(c) retrieving SIM card information from a remote server;
(d) configuring a selector to connect to a third RF unit;
(e) establishing a third wireless connection using the third RF unit with the first SIM card remaining housed in the SIM card interface;
(f) establishing a plurality of tunnels through the second wireless connection and the third wireless connection; and
(g) aggregating the plurality of tunnels;
wherein:
each of the first RF unit and the third RF unit is connected to the SIM card interface through the selector; and
the second SIM card is a remote SIM card housed in a remote server.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the plurality of tunnels are established with a remote network device; and
the plurality of tunnels are aggregated to form one aggregated tunnel.
12. A system for using a plurality of radio frequency (RF) units at a wireless communication device, comprising:
the plurality of RF units;
at least one selector;
a plurality of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card interfaces;
at least one processing unit;
at least one memory;
at least one storage unit storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:
(a) establishing a first wireless connection using a first RF unit with a first SIM card housed in a SIM card interface;
(b) establishing a second wireless connection using a second RF unit with a second SIM card;
(c) configuring the at least one selector to connect to a third RF unit; and
(d) establishing a third wireless connection using the third RF unit with the first SIM card remaining housed in the SIM card interface;
wherein:
each of the first RF unit and the second RF unit is connected to the SIM card interface through the at least one selector;
the wireless communication device establishes a plurality of tunnels through a plurality of wireless connections;
the first wireless connection, the second wireless connection, and the third wireless connection are in the plurality of wireless connections;
the plurality of tunnels are established with a remote network device; and
the plurality of tunnels are aggregated to form one aggregated tunnel.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first wireless connection is terminated when step (c) is performed.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one storage unit further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:
before performing step (b), retrieving SIM card information of the second SIM card from a remote server.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second SIM card is a remote SIM card housed in the remote server.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the SIM card information is retrieved via the first wireless connection.
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second SIM card is selected substantially based on at least one of: time, duration of usage, and billing cycle information.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one selector is connected to the plurality of SIM card interfaces.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one storage unit further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:
before performing step (a), controlling the third RF unit to observe received signal quality of base stations.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first SIM card is selected substantially based on at least one of: time, duration of usage, and billing cycle information.