GB2378098A

GB2378098A - Secure re-registartion of subscriber identity module (sim) cards

Info

Publication number: GB2378098A
Application number: GB0210383A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Edward Mayes
Original assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
Current assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
Priority date: 2001-07-27
Filing date: 2001-07-27
Publication date: 2003-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-27
Also published as: EP1413162B1; GB0118406D0; GB0120456D0; GB2378094A; GB0122712D0; EP1413162A1; GB2378095A; GB2378094B; DE60230043D1; WO2003013174A1; GB0210383D0; GB2378097A; GB2378096A; GB0130790D0; GB2378097B; ES2367785T3; GB2378095B; GB2378098B; ES2366675T3

Abstract

SIM cards in mobile terminals of a wireless radio communications network are initially registered with a Home network using information supplied by the SIM card supplier, either at the moment of terminal purchase or previously. The SIM cards of this invention may be re-registered with a different Home network, a predetermined number of times. All the data necessary for all registration configurations may be already stored on the SIM, thus reducing the likely hood of sensitive information being broad cast during the re-registration. The re-registration may be user enacted and may be due to a permanent change in the geographic are of the mobile terminal (e.g. of a device built into a car which has been sold abroad) or due to a desired change in tariff or payment plan (e.g. from pre- to post-call payment).

Description

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS AND SMART CAM)S FOR USE

THEREWITH

The invention relates to telecommunications systems and smart cards for use therewith.

Embodiments of the invention to be described in more detail below, by way of example only, are mobile telecommunications systems which use smart cards in the form of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) which carry identification and authenticating information by means of which a telecommunications network forming part of the system can identify a telecommunications terminal within the system and authorise it to function in the system. For example, a SIM may be personal to a particular individual, by means of which that individual can activate a telecommunications terminal (e.g. a telephone handset) and use it for telecommunications purposes within the system. In another example, however, a SIM may be used in a telematics application to identify a particular telematics terminal, source or node for use in the system.

According to the invention, there is provided a telecommunications system, comprising a plurality of terminals for use in the system, a plurality of smart cards, each terminal being usable in the telecommunications system in association with one of the smart cards when that smart card is registered with the system, and means for registering each smart card with the system in a plurality of different configurations, the smart card including data relating to each of said configurations.

According to the invention, there is further provided a smart card for use in a telecommunications system for association with a terminal to enable the terminal to he useable in the telecommunications system when the card is registered with the system the smart card having stored thereon data allowing the smart card to be registered with the system in a plurality of different configurations.

I'elecommunications systems embodying the invention, and smart cards embodying the invention for use in such systems. will now be described by way of example only. with ret'erence to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates operations in one of the systems; Figure 2 shows the data stored by a ISIS rnanagerment centre and by each operating corr.pan.,; and Figure 3 shows the "recycling" of'data that it is determined will not be usecl.

In mobile telecommunications systems such as of the GSM or UMTS (third generation or 3G type) transmitting and receiving terminals (telephone handsets, for example) are provided with individual smart cards or SIM cards which are used to activate the

terminals. In such a case, the SIM cards will be specific to the customers and will carry information particular to each customer such as the customer's IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identifier) together with authentication information. Using the SIM card, the customer can activate their handset or, in general, any other suitable handset.

The SIM card may also store other information such as the customer's list of memorised telephone numbers.

- In telematics applications, SIM cards are also used for analogous purposes - providing the relevant identification (IMSI) and authentication information for each telematics terminal. In each case, each SIM card will be specific to a particular network (the "home" network) - that is, it will have been issued under the control of the operator of that network and will be for use within that network. In many cases, of course, the SIM card may permit roaming of the associated terminal into other, pre-recognised, networks.

In known fashion, the network operator will order a SIM card (or, of course, a batch of such cards in practice) from a SIM supplier. The SIM supplier, who will be in the position of a trusted supplier to the network operator, will use information which it already holds to generate the SIM card bearing the necessary identification and authentication information and a particular IMSI. The SIM manufacturer will then supply the SIM card to a terminal manufacturer such as a manufacturer of a telephone handset,

a telematics terminal or some other terminal for use in the network. The SIM supplier will also advise the network operator of the data loaded onto the SIM card. In due course, the terminal will be supplied to a customer. At that stage, the network operator will activate the SIM cards making use of the information concerning the SIM cards already supplied to it by the SIM supplier.

The SIM card, and thus the terminal associated with it, are now active and can he used in the network.

However, in view of' developments in mobile telecommunications systems ncl particularly (though not only) in telematics applications such a known arrangement a.N no longer be completely satisfactory. For example, a telematics terminal with its SIM card may be incorporated into a product when located in one country (for example, during manufacture of the product) but the product may then be exported for use in another country. The eventual destination of the product may be unknown at the time when the terminal and its SIM card are iricol,orated into, the, roduct. For examAplc Gil telc natic.s terminal may be incorporated into a vehicle for usc not only for providing telephone and data services for an occupant of the vehicle but also for transmitting other inI'ormatic n relating to the operation of the vehicle such as, for example, concerning its maintenance or breakdown or relating to its positions. In such a cases the initial home network for the SIM card may be a network in the country where the vehicle is manufactured and where the telematics terminal is installed. Thus, it may be necessary to render the SIM card

active at this stage in order to enable testing and set-up to be carried out. However, the vehicle may then be exported to another country where it will actually be used or primarily used in which case it will be necessary for the SIM card to be registered to a different home network. Therefore, the known arrangement for activating SIM cards, as described above, would not be suitable or could not be used without considerable difficulty. - Similarly, if a telematics terminal with its associated SIM card is in use within a product and functioning within a particular operating company's network, problems will arise if the product is then moved permanently into a different geographical region not covered by the network with which it is registered. Although roaming of a terminal into a different network is possible, this is intended for short term movements of a terminal into the different network, not a substantially permanent or long term transfer.

In such cases, it would of course be possible to deal with the problem simply by issuing a new SIM card upon the transfer of the product including the telematics terminal into the area of a different network. However, this could be logistically difficult in practice, and, additionally, could have the result that useful information placed on the previous SIM card would be lost.

According to a feature of the invention now to be described, a SIM card registered with a particular network (its "home" network) can be reregistered with a different network

(or any one of several different networks) - which thus becomes its new home network.

The networks with which the SIM card can be registered form a group of predetermined networks and may, for example, be networks in different countries all owned or controlled in common.

One way in which this can be achieved is shown in the Figure.

As shown in Figure l, a SIM management centrc (SMC)] O is provided. This can lee located anywhere. For example. where the group 'l networks are all owned or controlled in common, the SIM management centre 10 can be located at the controlling entity Orders for the supply of a new batch of SIM cards are received by the SIM management centre 10 from an ordering source l 2. Such a source Knights for example, be any one of the group of networks. In response to such an order, the SIM management centre l0 places the order on a STM supplier 14 (or on a particular one of.several such suppliers).

The order will identify the particular network in the group of networks in which the SIM card is to be used initially (teat is? the first home ner -vork) operated h'>t a first operating company (OpCo l).

The SIM card supplier 14 now manufactures the SIM cards, placing all the necessary information on them. This information will of course be relevant to the particular home network for which the SIM card is intended. The information will thus include the IMSI and also a record providing all the secret information specific to the operator of that

particular network (ICCIDs, Kis, secret keys, OTA transport key, parameters for the particular operator's algorithm and others) which is required for authenticating the SIM card in use; the SIM supplier will obtain from this secret information from information which it already has and which, of course, it maintains in a secure fashion. In addition, a common SIM mask may be stored on the SIM card' for example, a mask particular to the entity owning or controlling the networks.

In accordance with a particular feature of the invention, and for a purpose to be explained, the SIM supplier also includes on the SIM card similar records for the operator-specific security secret information relating to all the other networks in the group, including an IMSI for each network. In other words, the SIM card includes a storage space containing multiple records relating to operator-specific secret information for each of the networks in the group. Additional records containing information for networks which may join the group in the future may also be provided. Each of these records is in principle separately activatable. Initially, however, only the record applicable to the operator of the network in which the SIM card is to be initially registered is activated.

The SIM card is now sent by the SIM supplier 14 to a terminal manufacturer 16 such as a manufacturer of telematics terminals. Details of the information which the SIM manufacturer has placed on the SIM card are sent back to the SIM management centre 10, where it is stored as a database 100. The database includes at least one free location for each network for storing MISISDNS after activation of the SIM with the relevant

network. Figure 2 shows the data stored in the SMC database 100 and the data associated with each of N OpCos (OpCo 1, OpCo 2...., OpCoN), each associated with a different network.

For example, OpCo 1 has facilities for having n SIMs using it as their home network. The first SIM has reserved for it an IMSI l a and ICCID I a. I he second SIM has reserved for it an IMST lb and ICCID lb, and so on.

Because each SIM can be used in any one of the N OpCos, each OpCo allocates an TMS1 and ICCID for each SIM. The SIM that was allocated IMSI 1 a find ICCID l a in the first OpCo (OUCH 1) is allocated IMSI 2a and ICCID 2a in the second OUCH (()pC 2) Similarly, the second SIM is allocated TMS1 lb and ICCID lb in Oreo 1. and IMSI 21: and lCCIV 2b in OpCo 2.

Thus, within the N OpCos the first SIM will nave me folio-wing IMSTs reseed: IMSI 1 a, IMSI 2a,..., TMSI Na. The following lCCIT)s will be reserved: ICC'ID la, lCCID 2a,...

ICCID Na.

The SMC database 100 includes a set of entries for each SIM: InfoSIM 1, InfoSIM 2,....

InfoSIM n. For each SIM the database stores all the reserved IMSIs, ICCIDs, Kis and MSISDNs for that SIM.

The SIM management centre 10 passes the details of the particular SIM card to the operating company (OpCo 1) 18 ofthe network in which the SIM card is to be initially used. When the terminal manufacturer has associated the SIM card with the telematics terminal, and the terminal is ready for use (for example, it has been incorporated into a particular product such as a vehicle as described above), the SIM card is now ready for activation.

The activation process will be carried out by OpCo 1 using OTA transmissions in the usual way. The SIM card, and thus the associated terminal, are now "live" in the network of OpCo 1 which is thus the home network for that SIM card.

It will now be assumed that it is necessary for the SIM card to be registered with a different network as its home network. Thus, such a reregistering request may be generated by an operating company 20, for example OpCo N being the operator of another one of the networks in the group of networks and in which the telematics terminal with which the particular SIM card is associated is now primarily located. This re-

registering request may be generated in various different ways. For example, it may be generated by a specific request made by the person in charge of the product containing the telematics terminal.

Re-registration is performed by an over the air (OTA) update, which is transmitted as a

short message SMS. The SMS will instruct the SIM to select a different home network from the network data stored on it at manufacture.

As mentioned above, the re-registration could be initiated by, for example, OpCo 1 sending an SMS instructing a change to the home network via the SMC.

Alternatively, also as mentioned above, the re-registration process could he activated by the terminal itself: This might be done, for example, when the terminal is a telematics terminal in a vehicle. 'lithe initial home network will have been set as the relevant network in the country of manut;acture of the vehicle When the vehicle is imported into a.seconcl country, as part of a the pre-delivery preparation of the vehicle, the home network will need to be changed to a network in the second country. The SIM within the tclematics terminal sends itself an SMS, this being the means by which the O'1'A update its peri'ormed. 'I'he instructions for the content of the SMS are written into the S1M at the time of its manufacture. At the time of sending the SMS talc original network refill he the hotne network. After receipt and processing of the SMS, the telematics terminal will communicate with the new home network to register that network as its home network The registration process is performed in a similar manner to the conventional initial registration of a terminal and SIM when they are first activated.

The system described above is advantageous because each SIM includes all the information required for it to operate with each of the networks of the operating

companies OpCo 1... OpCo N. In particular, the stored information includes an IMSI for each network. This is in contrast to UK: patent application No. 0118406.8 ("Variable SIM"), in which an OpCo that is to be re-registered as the home network informs the SMC of the IMSI for use with the new home network, the SMC communication the IMSI to the SIM. This is an inefficient process and requires the exchange of data between the components of the system that is performed in real-time.

The embodiment of present invention thus for described requires less transmission of data for re-registration of a SIM. However, the arrangement of the present embodiment requires a large number of IMSIs and other data to be reserved for each SIM (data for each OpCo).

Generally, it will only be desirable to re-register a SIM to a new home network once.

According to a further feature of the embodiment, each SIM is restricted to being permitted one re-registration. When the SIM has been reregistered once, front a first OpCo to a second OpCo, the data reserved for that SIM for all the other OpCos can be "recycled" - made available for re-use. The data that is not required can be passed by the SMC to the SIM supplier 14 when the next request is made for data for the manufacture of a new batch of SIMs.

An example is illustrated in Figure 3. In this example the initial home network of a SIM is that of OpCo 1. The SIM has activated IMSI la and ICCID la stored thereon. The

SMC registers that the following data is "active": IMSI 1 a, ICCID 1 a, Ki 1 a and MSISDN la. When the SIM is re-registered to the network of OpCo N. IMSI Na and ICCID Na are activated on the SIM and IMSI Na, ICCID Na, Ki Na and MSISCN Na are registered as "active" on the SMC. IMSI 1 a... IMSI (N-l)a, ICCID la... ICCID (N-1)a, Ki la... Ki (N- 1 a) and MSISDN I a... MSISND (N- I)a can be released for re-use.

Alternatively, more than two re-registrations may be permitted. If x rcregistrations are permitted, then the relevant data can be re-used when the xth re-registration occurs.

The SIM may also be permitted to return back to the original network with which it was first registered. There would be a requiremcut to maintain the first registered IMS1 and associated data available for use in the SMC.

Advantageously, the data on the SIM corresponding to the C)pCos with which it is now known that the SIM will not be used is also deleted or rendered unusable to prevent any later attcm,t to use this data.

Typically when a SIM is registered or re registerecl various data is exchanged with the SMC, including various secret keys to provide authentication. Alternatively, the information that is exchanged could include algorithms that will be used by the SIM.

An alternative application for the SIM described, which can store a plurality of IMSIs and

associated data is in the "migration" of a user from one type of account with an OpCo to another type of account with the same OpCo, where the IMSI within the OpCo is indicative of the type of account. For example pre-pay accounts are allocated IMSIs within a particular range, and standard post-pay accounts are allocated IMSIs in a different range.

When the SIM is manufactured, two IMSIs (and any associated data) are stored on the SIM- one IMSI being in the pre-pay range and one IMSI being in the post-pay range.

Corresponding entries are made in an SMC. The IMSI that is initially activated will depend on what type of account the user that purchases the SIM chooses. If the user subsequently wishes to change the type of account, this can be achieved by an OTA update to set the SIM to select the second IMSI stored thereon. When the SIM is activated in the network, the change in its status will be communicated to the SMC. The original IMSI and associated data stored in the SMC can be reused if the system is configured to allow only a single change of account type.

A similar arrangement could be used with the system described in the "Variable SIM" patent application mentioned above. However, in that system, the new IMSI is transmitted to the SIM from the SMC.

Because the secret and authentication information relating to each of the networks in the group of networks is already stored on the SIM card, so that the secret information

relating to a particular one of the networks merely has to be activated on the SIM card, there is optimum maintenance of security - because none of the secret information has to be transmitted to the SIM card and rewritten on the SIM card.

Claims

1. A smart card for use in a telecommunications system for association with a terminal to enable the terminal to be useable in the telecommunications system when the card is registered with the system, the smart card having stored thereon data allowing the smart card to be registered with the system in a plurality of different configurations.

2. A smart card according to claim 1, including a plurality of subscriber identifier storage locations.

3. A smart card according to claim 27 wherein the data stored on the smart card allows the smart card to be configured to be registered with one of a plurality of networks in the telecommunications system and to be re-registered with another of said plurality of networks, each subscriber identifier storage location storing a subscriber identifier for use with a different network.

4. A smart card according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the data stored on the smart card allows the smart card to be configured to be registered with the telecommunications system with a plurality of different tariff types,.

5. A smart card according to claim 4, wherein a first of said tariff type is a pre-pay

tariff and a second of said tariff type is a post-pay tariff.

6. A smart card according to claim 2 or 3, carrying separately addressable records each comprising secret information relating to a respective one of the networks, the record corresponding to the particular network with which the smart card is currently registered being activated and the record corresponding to another one of the networks being activated instead when the smart card is to be re- registered with that other network.

7. A smart card according to claim 2, 3 or 6 carrying an identifying address particular to the one of the networks with which the smart card is registered and identifying the smart card within that network to enable communication to be established to and fi om a terminal with which that smart card is associated via tliat network.

8. A smart card according to any one of claims I to 7 for use as a SIM in telecommunications system in which the networks are GSM or UM I S networks

9. A smart card according to any one of claim 1 to 8, including means for initiating re-registration thereof.

10. A smart card according to claim 9, wherein the means for reregistration includes means for generating a message transmittable over the telecommunications system for performing an over the air update of the smart card.

1 1. A smart card according to any one of claim l to l O. including means for allowing data corresponding to selected configurations to be rendered unusable by the smart card.

12. A smart card according to any one claim 1 to 11, wherein data corresponding to a particular one of the configurations is rendered unusable by the smart card after the smart card is re-registered from that configuration to another configuration.

13. A telecommunications system, comprising a plurality of terminals for use in the system, a plurality of smart cards, each terminal being usable in the telecommunications system in association with one of the smart cards when that smart card is registered with the system, and means for registering each smart card with the system in a plurality of different configurations, the smart card including data relating to each of said configurations.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the smart card includes a subscriber identifier storage location for each of said configurations.

15. A system according to claim 14, including a plurality of different networks, means for registering each smart card with one of the plurality of networks and for re-registering the smart card with a different one of the networks, each subscriber identifier storage location storing a subscriber identifier for use with a different network, and smart card

management means for storing data corresponding to each of said subscriber identifiers.

16. A system according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the smart card is configured to be registrable with the telecommunications system with a plurality of different tariff types.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein a first of said tariff types is a pre-pay tariff and a second of said tariff type is a post-pay tariff.

18. A system according to claim 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, wherein only a predetermined number of re-registrations of each of said smart cards in different ones of said configurations are allowed.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein when said predetermined number of registrations of a smart card has occurred, the system prohibits further registrations and makes available for use by other smart cards data relating to each of the configurations other than the subscriber identifier corresponding to the current configuration.

20. system according to any one of claim 15 to 19, in which the registration means is separate from and common to all the networks.

21. A system according to any one of claim 15 to 20, in which each smart card carries secret information specific to, and by means of which, the network with which the smart

card is registered can authenticate the smart card and allow use of the terminal with which that smart card is associated in that network.

22. A system according to any one of claim 15 to 21, in which each smart card also carries the secret information specific to all the other networks in the system, and in which the registration means activates the secret information relating to a particular one of the networks when registering or re-registering the smart card with that network.

23. A system according to any one of claims 13 to 22 in which the telecommunications system includes GSM or UMTS networks and the smart cards are SIM cards for use therein.

24. A telecommunications system, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A smart card substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. A system or smart card according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the subscriber identifiers are IMSIs.