IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,096,325
Granted Patent B2
US 12,096,325 · App. 17/804,291 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

SIM toolkit scheduling for multiple enabled eSIM profiles

Inventors: Li Li (Los Altos, CA); Rajeev Verma (San Jose, CA); Dennis D. Conway (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04W4/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,096,325
App. No.
17/804,291
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

This Application sets forth techniques for managing subscriber identity module (SIM) toolkit (STK) scheduling for multiple enabled electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) profiles on an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of a wireless device, including managing multiple STK sessions at a baseband processor external to the eUICC of the wireless device. To forestall STK communication for different eSIMs from interfering with execution of processes associated with the eSIMs, a baseband processor can schedule STK sessions to avoid overlap and reduce opportunities for errors in handling eSIM processes. The baseband processor can prioritize whether to queue commands for a second STK session for a second eSIM until a first STK session for a first eSIM ends or to terminate the first STK session to handle the second STK session.

Claims (81)

1. An apparatus configured for operation in a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor communicatively coupled a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive an input to perform an action associated with a first electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) on an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of the wireless device;

determine whether a proactive SIM toolkit (STK) session is ongoing for a second eSIM on the eUICC;

when there is no ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM, perform the action associated with the first eSIM; and

when there is an ongoing proactive STK session for the first eSIM:

determine whether the action has a priority that supersedes the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM;

when the action does not have superseding priority, add an entry to a queue to perform the action for the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM concludes; and

when the action does have superseding priority:

send a message to the eUICC to terminate the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM; and

perform the action associated with the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM terminates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the apparatus determines the proactive STK session is ongoing for the second eSIM based on receipt of a proactive command from the eUICC for the second eSIM to which a response from the apparatus to the eUICC has not been completed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the action comprises enabling the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session is associated with enabling the second eSIM; and

the action to enable the first eSIM does not have superseding priority over enabling the second eSIM.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the apparatus to:

determine the ongoing proactive STK session has ended; and

perform an action for the first eSIM or the second eSIM based on a next pending item in the queue.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the action comprises establishing a mobile originated call via the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session is associated with responding to a refresh command; and

the action to establish the mobile originated call via the first eSIM does have superseding priority over responding to the refresh command.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the message to the eUICC to terminate the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM comprises a terminal response message indicating to the eUICC that the wireless device is busy on the mobile originated call.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the action comprises updating a location area for the first eSIM based mobility of the wireless device;

the proactive STK session is associated with updating an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) value associated with the second eSIM; and

the action to update the location area for the first eSIM does not have superseding priority over updating the IMSI value for the second eSIM.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the action comprises establishing an internet protocol (IP) data session for the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session comprises an IP data session for the second eSIM; and

the action to establish the IP data session for the first eSIM does not have superseding priority to the IP data session for the second eSIM.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a baseband processor external to the eUICC of the wireless device.

10. A method for subscriber identity toolkit (STK) scheduling for a wireless device configured with multiple electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) profiles, the method comprising:

by a baseband processor external to an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of the wireless device:

receive an input to perform an action associated with a first electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) on the eUICC of the wireless device;

determine whether a proactive STK session is ongoing for a second eSIM on the eUICC;

when there is no ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM, perform the action associated with the first eSIM; and

when there is an ongoing proactive STK session for the first eSIM:

determine whether the action has a priority that supersedes the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM;

when the action does not have superseding priority, add an entry to a queue to perform the action for the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM concludes; and

when the action does have superseding priority:

send a message to the eUICC to terminate the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM; and

perform the action associated with the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM terminates.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the baseband processor determines the proactive STK session is ongoing for the second eSIM based on receipt of a proactive command from the eUICC for the second eSIM to which a response from the baseband processor to the eUICC has not been completed.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the action comprises enabling the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session is associated with enabling the second eSIM; and

the action to enable the first eSIM does not have superseding priority over enabling the second eSIM.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining the ongoing proactive STK session has ended; and

performing an action for the first eSIM or the second eSIM based on a next pending item in the queue.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the action comprises establishing a mobile originated call via the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session is associated with responding to a refresh command; and

the action to establish the mobile originated call via the first eSIM does have superseding priority over responding to the refresh command.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the message to the eUICC to terminate the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM comprises a terminal response message indicating to the eUICC that the wireless device is busy on the mobile originated call.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the action comprises updating a location area for the first eSIM based mobility of the wireless device;

the proactive STK session is associated with updating an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) value associated with the second eSIM; and

the action to update the location area for the first eSIM does not have superseding priority over updating the IMSI value for the second eSIM.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the action comprises establishing an internet protocol (IP) data session for the first eSIM;

the proactive STK session comprises an IP data session for the second eSIM; and

the action to establish the IP data session for the first eSIM does not have superseding priority to the IP data session for the second eSIM.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that configure a wireless device to:

receive an input to perform an action associated with a first electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) on an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of the wireless device;

determine whether a proactive SIM toolkit (STK) session is ongoing for a second eSIM on the eUICC;

when there is no ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM, perform the action associated with the first eSIM; and

when there is an ongoing proactive STK session for the first eSIM:

determine whether the action has a priority that supersedes the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM;

when the action does not have superseding priority, add an entry to a queue to perform the action for the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM concludes; and

when the action does have superseding priority:

send a message to the eUICC to terminate the ongoing proactive STK session for the second eSIM; and

perform the action associated with the first eSIM after the proactive STK session for the second eSIM terminates.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the wireless device determines the proactive STK session is ongoing for the second eSIM based on receipt of a proactive command from the eUICC for the second eSIM to which a response from the wireless device to the eUICC has not been completed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further configure the wireless device to:

determine the ongoing proactive STK session has ended; and

perform an action for the first eSIM or the second eSIM based on a next pending item in the queue.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2022
From: LI, LI; VERMA, RAJEEV; CONWAY, DENNIS D.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 060033/0299 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63197470 · Jun 6, 2021
Related Publication 20220394443A1 · Dec 8, 2022