Methods and apparatus to support access to services for multiple subscriber identity modules
Apparatus and methods to support parallel access to services of multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs) and/or electronic SIMs (eSIMs) by a wireless device are disclosed. The wireless device is a single-radio wireless device that includes wireless circuitry that supports an active voice or video connection via a single radio access network of a cellular wireless network at a time. To send or receive data for a second SIM/eSIM, when an active voice or video connection for a first SIM/eSIM uses the wireless circuitry, the single-radio wireless device can i) establish parallel, linked protocol data unit (PDU) sessions for different SIMs, ii) multiplex traffic for different SIMs over a common radio connection with SIM information embedded in protocol headers for routing by network equipment, and/or iii) use an additional dedicated bearer using a first, active SIM for each data network name (DNN) over which to route for a second, suspended SIM.
1. A wireless device comprising:
one or more antennas; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the one or more antennas and to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the wireless device to perform a method to access services of multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMS) and/or electronic SIMs (eSIMs) in communication with a cellular wireless network by at least:
establishing a connection with an access network of the cellular wireless network; and
communicating, via the connection, multiplexed data packets for a first SIM/eSIM and a second SIM/eSIM,
wherein:
the cellular wireless network separates the multiplexed data packets into separate streams based on unique identifiers for the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM included in protocol headers of the multiplexed data packets.
2. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifiers for the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM comprise fifth-generation global unique temporary identifier (5G-GUTI) values.
3. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifiers for the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM comprise a fifth-generation (5G) serving temporary mobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI).
4. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the protocol headers of the multiplexed data packets include a tunneling header bit indicating presence of tunneling information including the unique identifiers in the multiplexed data packets.
5. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further configure the wireless device to:
indicate that the wireless device supports a multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling capability during registration with the cellular wireless network; and
obtain from the cellular wireless network an indication of support for multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling during registration with the cellular wireless network.
6. The wireless device of claim 5 , wherein execution of the instructions further configure the wireless device to:
obtain from the cellular wireless network an indication of one or more services that are granted multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling capability during registration with the cellular wireless network.
7. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the connection with the access network of the cellular wireless network includes a data radio bearer associated with the second SIM/eSIM and used for data tunneling the multiplexed data packets of the first SIM/eSIM.
8. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the connection with the access network of the cellular wireless network is established using the second SIM/eSIM and carries data packets for the first SIM/eSIM via tunneling.
9. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the wireless device is configured to disallow establishment and use of a second active connection to the access network of the cellular wireless network using the first SIM/eSIM in parallel with the connection using the second SIM/eSIM.
10. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein:
the connection with the access network of the cellular wireless network is established using credentials of the second SIM; and
the connection includes a first data radio bearer to carry data packets for the second SIM/eSIM and a second data radio bearer to carry tunneled data packets for the first SIM/eSIM.
11. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM are associated with different mobile network operators (MNOs).
12. A cellular wireless network base station comprising:
wireless circuitry for transmitting and receive cellular wireless radio frequency signals; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the wireless circuitry and to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the cellular wireless network base station to:
establish a connection with a wireless device;
receive, via the connection from the wireless device, multiplexed data packets for a first SIM/eSIM and a second SIM/eSIM; and
separate the multiplexed data packets into separate streams based on unique identifiers for the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM included in protocol headers of the multiplexed data packets.
13. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 12 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the cellular wireless network base station to:
map data packets for the first SIM/eSIM to a first N3 tunnel to a user plane function (UPF); and
map data packets of the second SIM/eSIM to a second N3 tunnel to the UPF.
14. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 12 , wherein data packets for the first SIM/eSIM and data packets for the second SIM/eSIM are counted and billed separately to separate cellular wireless subscriptions associated with each SIM/eSIM respectively.
15. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 12 , wherein:
the connection with the wireless device is established using credentials of the second SIM; and
the connection includes a data tunnel used for data packets of the first SIM/eSIM.
16. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 15 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the cellular wireless network base station to:
route Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling for a connection request for the first SIM/eSIM via the data tunnel.
17. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 12 , wherein the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM are associated with different mobile network operators (MNOs).
18. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 12 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the cellular wireless network base station to:
receive, from the wireless device during registration, an indication that the wireless device supports a multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling capability; and
provide, to the wireless device during registration, an indication of support for multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling.
19. The cellular wireless network base station of claim 18 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the cellular wireless network base station to:
provide, to the wireless device during registration, an indication of one or more services that are granted multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling capability.
20. A method to access services of multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs) and/or electronic SIMS (eSIMs) by a wireless device in communication with a cellular wireless network, the method comprising:
by the wireless device:
indicating that the wireless device supports a multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling capability during registration with the cellular wireless network;
obtaining from the cellular wireless network an indication of support for multiple SIM/eSIM tunneling during registration with the cellular wireless network;
establishing a connection with an access network of the cellular wireless network; and
communicating, via the connection, multiplexed data packets for a first SIM/eSIM and a second SIM/eSIM,
wherein:
the cellular wireless network separates the multiplexed data packets into separate streams based on unique identifiers for the first SIM/eSIM and the second SIM/eSIM included in protocol headers of the multiplexed data packets.