IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,356,200
Granted Patent B2
US 12,356,200 · App. 18/439,622 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

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 12,356,200
App. No.
18/439,622
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
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 (46)

1. 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, configure the source device to perform actions that include:

performing an authentication procedure with a mobile network operator (MNO) provisioning server associated with a target device;

receiving, from the MNO provisioning server, an eSIM transfer command signed by the MNO provisioning server for transfer of an eSIM from an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the source device to the MNO provisioning server;

verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server to receive the eSIM from the eUICC based on compatibility of the MNO provisioning server with a trust configuration of the eUICC of the source device and/or with the eSIM; and

transferring the one or more eSIMs to the MNO provisioning server, wherein:

the MNO provisioning server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server from which the eSIM was originally downloaded to the source device; and

the eSIM includes an indication that the MNO provisioning server is trusted for subsequent transfer back.

2. The source device of claim 1 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in a white list maintained at the source device.

3. The source device of claim 1 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is not included in a black list maintained at the source device.

4. The source device of claim 1 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the network server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information included in the eSIM.

5. The source device of claim 1 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information for the eUICC of the source device.

6. The source device of claim 1 , wherein the source device is further configured to:

determine eligibility to transfer the eSIM from the source device to the MNO provisioning server based on a validity time period.

7. The source device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of trust configuration information of the eUICC is included in a trusted certificate chain of the eUICC.

8. A method for electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) transfer eligibility checking, the method comprising:

by a source device:

performing an authentication procedure with a mobile network operator (MNO) provisioning server associated with a target device;

receiving, from the MNO provisioning server, an eSIM transfer command signed by the MNO provisioning server for transfer of an eSIM from an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the source device to the MNO provisioning server;

verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server to receive the eSIM from the eUICC based on compatibility of the MNO provisioning server with a trust configuration of the eUICC of the source device or with the eSIM; and

transferring the one or more eSIMs to the MNO provisioning server, wherein:

the MNO provisioning server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server from which the eSIM was originally downloaded to the source device; and

the eSIM includes an indication that the MNO provisioning server is trusted for subsequent transfer back.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in a white list maintained at the source device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is not included in a black list maintained at the source device.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information included in the eSIM.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein verifying eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information for the eUICC of the source device.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

by the source device:

determine eligibility to transfer the one or more eSIM from the source device to the MNO provisioning server based on a validity time period.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of trust configuration information of the eUICC is included in a trusted certificate chain of the eUICC.

15. An apparatus for electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) transfer eligibility checking, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions to:

perform an authentication procedure with a mobile network operator (MNO) provisioning server associated with a target device;

receive, from the MNO provisioning server, an eSIM transfer command signed by the MNO provisioning server for transfer of an eSIM from an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the source device to the MNO provisioning server;

verify eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server to receive the eSIM from the eUICC based on compatibility of the MNO provisioning server with a trust configuration of the eUICC of the source device or with the eSIM; and

transfer the one or more eSIMs to the MNO provisioning server, wherein:

the MNO provisioning server comprises a subscription manager data preparation (SM-DP+) server from which the eSIM was originally downloaded to the source device; and

the eSIM includes an indication that the MNO provisioning server is trusted for subsequent transfer back.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein verification of eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in a white list or is not included in a black list maintained at the source device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein verification of eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information included in the eSIM.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein verification of eSIM transfer eligibility of the MNO provisioning server further comprises determining whether the MNO provisioning server is included in trust configuration information for the eUICC of the source device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further include:

instructions to determine eligibility to transfer the one or more eSIMs from the source device to the MNO provisioning server based on a validity time period.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of trust configuration information of the eUICC is included in a trusted certificate chain of the eUICC.

Continuity (4)
Division 17934885 · Sep 23, 2022
Continuation 17147410 · Jan 12, 2021
Provisional Application 62960598 · Jan 13, 2020
Related Publication 20240187865A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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