WO2014005324A1

WO2014005324A1 - Apparatus and method for enabling multiple virtual sims

Info

Publication number: WO2014005324A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/078297
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fei YIN; Haifeng Wang; Zhenhong Li; Kenan Xu; Xianjun FENG
Original assignee: Renesas Mobile Corporation
Priority date: 2012-07-06
Filing date: 2012-07-06
Publication date: 2014-01-09

Abstract

An access point (VSIM-AP) facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module (VSIM) information and stores VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices. The VSIM-AP arbitrates among communication requests by mobile user devices using priority information stored with their VSIM information. Then the VSIM-AP enables communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information. In non-limiting embodiments the arbitrating is also among an ongoing communication with another of the mobile user devices. At least arbitrating among the communication requests follows priority rules: first by user priority then by service priority then by the order in which the VSIM-AP received the communication requests. The enabled communications are with a cellular base station with which the selected mobile user device uses its VSIM. The VSIM-AP enables quick switching by providing cellular network operation information stored with the VSIM information.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENABLING MULTIPLE VIRTUAL SIMS

TECHNICAL FIELD:

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to wireless communication technology and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for handling multiple virtual subscriber identity modules (SIMs) for enabling wireless communications with devices authorized to utilize such virtual SIMs.

BACKGROUND:

[0002] Co-owned PCT application No. PCT/CN2011/076179 (filed on June 23, 2011) details how a first mobile device with a conventional SIM can request and arrange with a base station or other network access node for a second device to obtain and utilize a virtual SIM, at least temporarily. The virtual SIM does not carry exactly all of the same information as to actual SIM in the first device, but enough to enable communications to and from the second device through the participating (cellular) base station. In this manner the high level of security for the actual SIM is preserved while still ensuring security for the more limited information of the virtual SIM that is transferred to the second device. Further details on setting up a virtual SIM which sustains the same quality of service (QoS) as the actual SIM can be seen in that co-owned application.

[0003] These teachings extend the general concept of a virtual SIM to the case where there are multiple ones of those second devices each utilizing its own virtual SIM, and detail how to enable communications in that scenario. Respecting these teachings, the virtual SIM may be obtained by the second device as detailed in the above-referenced application, or by some other means. These teachings begin with the assumption that at least some of the devices wishing to communicate over the network access node, which is generically te med below as a virtual SIM access point (VSIM-AP), have already established their virtual SIM.

[0004] As detailed in that co-owned application, a SIM is an integrated circuit which securely stores network-specific information used to authenticate and identify subscribers on the cellular network. The SIM also stores operator-specific data used to indicate the services the user may access, and the user's private information such as phone book entries and short messages (SMS). The SIM provides a strong authentication token which can be managed securely over the cellular channel, and thus, provides a powerful platform which binds the user subscription, handset and network together. A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which is equipped in a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone or other telecommunications device, and can be physically transferred between different mobile terminals. At times the user may want to use another device instead of the mobile terminal that includes the actual SIM card. This may arise for example if the user's mobile terminal has a dead battery and no charger is available; or the mobile terminal is suffering severe interference; or the user is driving a vehicle and chooses to utilize a hands free communication system (HFCS) which may be mandatory in some countries; or even if the user is not mobile and prefers to use a fixed communication device such as an office or home telephone to save battery energy in the mobile terminal. Whatever the underlying reason, there are instances where direct usage of the SIM card may not be desired or allowed.

[0005] Modern radio communications increasingly include wireless local area networks (WLANs) and personal area networks (for example, Bluetooth®) which operate in the license exempt band, and in fact some cellular systems such as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced versions of Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) may formally incorporate communications in the license exempt band in future releases. These teachings concern how to enable a WLAN AP or a master device of a personal area network or other such network access node (VSIM-AP as used herein) to simultaneously support communications among several devices which may be utilizing a virtual SIM.

SUMMARY:

[0006] According to a first exemplary embodiment of these teachings there is a method for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, the method comprising: storing in a local memory virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices; arbitrating among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and enabling communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information. [0007] According to a second exemplary embodiment of these teachings there is an apparatus for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information. In this embodiment the apparatus comprises a processing system, which processing system comprises at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code. The processing system is configured to cause the access point to at least store in the at least one memory virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices; to arbitrate among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and to enable communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information.

[0008] According to a third exemplary embodiment of these teachings there is a computer readable memory comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an access point that facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, causes the access point to perform steps comprising: a) storing in a local memory of the access point virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices; b) arbitrating among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and c) enabling communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information. [0009] According to a fourth exemplary embodiment of these teachings there is an apparatus for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information. In this embodiment the apparatus comprises computer memory means, logic means and wireless communication means. The computer memoiy means is for storing virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices, and may for example be implemented as any type of a computer readable memory of the access point. The logic means is for arbitrating among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information, and for example the logic means may be implemented as at least one processor and at least one computer program stored on the computer readable memory which is executable by the at least one processor. And the wireless communication means is for enabling communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information. In another non-limiting example the wireless communication means may be implemented as a transmitter and a receiver, for operation in one of a wireless local area network and a personal area network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

[0001] Figure 1 is one prior art radio environment in which users can utilize VoIP from a publicly available WLAN using an operator-specific adapter and application.

[0002] Figure 2 is another prior art radio environment in which a hotspot-at-home network is used when available to continue a VoIP call that is handed over from and then again to a cellular connection.

[0003] Figure 3 is a process flow diagram according to an exemplary embodiment of these teachings for a VSIM-AP to enable multiple VSIM users.

[0004] Figure 4 is a signaling diagram showing portions of Figure 3 for the case in which there is no ongoing communications on the VSIM-AP when it processes multiple new requests from VSIM users.

[0005] Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 but for the case where the request VSIMs have a higher priority than an ongoing communication with the VSIM-AP.

[0006] Figure 6 is similar to Figure 4 but for the case where the ongoing communication with the VSIM-AP has a higher priority than the request VSIMs.

[0007] Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram illustrating the operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a computer readable memory, for operating a VSIM-AP device according to the exemplary embodiments of these teachings.

[0008] Figure 8 is a simplified block diagram of a user mobile device in communication with a VSIM-AP, which are non-limiting exemplary electronic devices suitable for use in practicing the exemplary embodiments of these teachings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

[ooio] The specific embodiments of these teachings which are detailed further below are better appreciated with reference to some specific environments in which these teachings may be used to advantage. In general there are multiple users who wish to use their virtual SIMs to simultaneously communicate on the same mobile access point, which as noted above is herein generically termed as a VSIM-AP. For example, on a high speed railway car the conventional wireless communication is not stable and the connection is frequently broken. Passengers may prefer to use another device with a more powerful antenna and higher transmit power to achieve reliable communication and improve their user experience. These passengers can also put their mobile phones into an idle state so to preserve battery power. In this case, there may be many users who transfer their VSIMs on the train-mounted VSIM-AP for communication. As another example, users in a home or office environment may want to conserve battery power consumption on their conventional mobile handset and use another device for communication while still using their own phone number. In this case also multiple users may transfer their VSIMs on the VSIM-AP that is disposed in the home or office for communication. [0ΟΠ] There are certain challenges with such simultaneous usage of multiple VSIMs, particularly if the VSIM-AP has only one hardware radiofrequency (RF) circuitry chain. Specifically, the VSIMs may belong to different operators so that the VSIM-AP may need to quickly and efficiently switch the communication among operators based on the VSIM which is next to communicate. With multiple devices using VSIMs there may be numerous requests for communication from different users of the different VSIM devices simultaneously, in which case the VSIM-AP may need an optimal and efficient mechanism to manage the VSIMs usage of the communication channel(s). As will be detailed below, these teachings address the above need for methods, systems and signaling for management of multiple VSIMs so as to overcome the aforementioned problems and achieve a quick communication set-up, without degradation of QoS, and also secure mobile communications once it is set-up. [00) 2] Figures 1-2 give examples of conventional systems that can be improved by these teachings. Figure 1 illustrates a voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) arrangement in a public place such as a cafe which offers free wireless fidelity (WiFi) access over which users can make VoIP phone calls. Typically the users would access the WiFi hotspot via their mobile phone, sign in the VoIP application (client) installed on their mobile phone and start calling directly from their phone's internal contact list (which is typically stored in the SIM). The users can make a call when they want, when it's convenient for them. As shown in Figure 1, in general, the users use mobile phones to connect to a VoIP adapter provided by the service provider and using the downloaded VoIP mobile application for VoIP calls. In such a scenario, numerous users may connect to the VoIP adapter via WiFi to simultaneously make VoIP calls with their VoIP accounts.

[0013] The arrangement of Figure 1 incurs a few shortfalls. The user may need an internet connection to make VoIP phone calls. Additional hardware such as VoIP adapters and routers should be installed at these places to connect the internet modem and phone. The users must have an account of the VoIP service and should install related VoIP application into the mobile phone, but not all the mobile phones are supported to by the VoIP applications. Some VoIP service providers support different protocols, for example, Skype ® supports P2P while Vonage ® supports SIP. Hence, a Skype- equipped mobile phone cannot be used in a Vonage VoIP network. Some mobile phones do not support logging in to a WiFi hotspot via web authorization, which is obligatory in many public places like cafes that offer WiFi service, so those mobile phones cannot be used there for VoIP calls. The users' existing phone number cannot be transferred to the VoIP network, but a new number is assigned by the VoIP service provider. And finally emergency calls made using a VoIP phone service may not automatically transmit the location and phone number to emergency operators, and in some cases when they do the location will be where the cafe's VoIP phone service is registered rather than the true location of the caller at the time the emergency call is made.

[0014] Figure 2 illustrates another conventional environment which is less than optimal. In this hotspot- at-home scenario the mobile phone is dual-mode (Wi-Fi and cellular) but has a single number for both cellular and Wi-Fi networks. It automatically hands over to Wi-Fi for VoIP when the phone detects good reception from a suitable access point, and returns to cellular when the device loses a usable Wi-Fi signal. In this hotpot- at-home service, guest users and home users can be authenticated to login to the WLAN for VoIP service. However, this hotspot-at-home service via WLAN has the same problems as aforementioned for Figure 1 , In the Figure 2 scenario, the phone's connections are sequential from left to right. The mobile phone begins with a cellular connection while outside the WiFi coverage area, and when a suitable WLAN signal is detected the handset automatically authenticates, tunnels all its signaling and media traffic over IP, and reaches the cellular core network over the Internet. Thereafter, once the WLAN signal is lost the handset changes back to a cellular connection.

[0015] As a further example of the limits of prior art approaches, there are also dual SIM- card mobile terminals which may use two SIM cards simultaneously. Such a dual SIM card terminal enables a user to use two telephone numbers with one mobile terminal, as a convenience to the user. In the conventional dual SIM card terminal, a different card socket is necessary for carrying each SIM card. This makes multiple SIM communication in one terminal impractical due to limitations of mobile phone size and cost. Additionally, conventional dual SIM card terminals have a single RF unit which is alternately shared by the dual SIM cards. This dual SIM card terminal will perform frequency scanning/measurement and neighbor cell scanning/measurement for each SIM card, which consumes quite a large amount of battery power. And further, switching between calls on the different SIM cards leads to a large latency and thus diminishes the user experience. [0016] These teachings provide an efficient and low-latency multiple virtual SIMs management mechanism which overcomes the aforementioned problems, and which can achieve an almost-seamless and quick communication set-up and secure mobile communications without degradation of the QoS. These embodiments do so by supporting multiple VSIM communications on a VSIM-AP, which is valuable in case directly using the mobile devices with the actual SIMs is not desired or is prohibited.

[0017] Recall that the VSIM-AP may be embodied as a WLAN-AP or a master device of a personal area network, as non-limiting examples. The VSIM-AP can in these teachings simultaneously maintain multiple VSIMs for multiple communications without any additional infrastructure support. Each user can transfer the VSIM from the device with the actual SIM to the VSIM-AP (for example, as detailed in the co-owned application referenced in the background section above) and use the VSIM stored on the VSIM-AP for communication. Mechanisms to manage the VSIMs as detailed below then can efficiently control the multiple simultaneous VSIM communications.

[00 ! S] According to an exemplary embodiment of these teachings, the VSIM-AP maintains what is termed herein as a general information table (GIT) which stores the operation profile, user priority and service priority for each VSIM. It is convenient but not essential that this GIF lists this information for each VSIM by a unique index, such as a number or number-letter combination. Table 1 below gives exemplary but non- limiting fields for such a GIF; of course a more detailed GIF can store more information under more fields, but Table 1 illustrates the general principle.

Table 1. General Information Table

[0019] The operation profile includes the operational parameters which are used to establish a cellular link between the VSIM-AP and the operator's base station/access node by using one VSIM. Recall that different users may be subscribers to different cellular service providers. The operation profile in the GIF enables the VSIM-AP to quickly find the connection parameters for a given user which is utilizing its VSIM through the VSIM-AP. These operation profiles are based on the cellular operators/service providers to which the VSIMs belong, for example, the operation profiles for AT&T ® , T-Mobile ® , Verizon ® , etc. These operation profiles are dynamically updated by the VSIM-AP, for example by the VSIM-AP periodically sensing the communication environment during some free period when it is not actively porting uplink or downlink data to a user. The VSIM-AP can therefore quickly set up a cellular link between the VSIM-AP and the appropriate base station when communication switches from one VSIM to some second VSIM by invoking the operation profile of the second VSIM.

[0020] The user priority is assigned for the respective VSIMs based on some objective criteria. For example, battery life may be one of several factors for determining the overall user priority, where a battery level below a threshold raises the user priority to better assure that user will get a connection with fewer attempts.

[0021] The service priority is assigned for each communication request of a VSIM, and is also based on some objective criteria. For example, such a criteria may be service latency, so that a user which has been denied access in the recent past will have its service priority raised to bias its next connection attempt more toward the request being granted so as to be more fair to the multiple users involved.

[0022] Figure 3 shows one exemplary embodiment of the overall process which the VSIM-AP follows when a device utilizing a VSIM makes a request for communications via the VSIM-AP. There is some signaling required between the mobile phone and the VSIM-AP when there are multiple VSIM devices which may be communicating or trying to communicate, which is detailed below with respect to Figures 4-6 that each provide further details for portions of the overall process at Figure 3 for setting up, switching, and terminating communications among multiple VSIMs.

[0023] There are a few assumptions behind Figure 3 that we note here for completeness. Firstly, the mobile user device utilizing the VSIM equips the WLAN or personal area network (PAN) or other communications interface with the VSIM-AP. Secondly, the mobile user device utilizing the VSIM connects to and communicates with the VSIM-AP using the equipped WLAN/PAN interface. And thirdly as will be detailed more particularly with respect to Figure 3, the VSIM-AP utilizes certain rules for providing services to the mobile user devices utilizing their respective VSIMs based on priority defined in the GIF which the VSIM-AP has stored in its memory already. In general the higher user priority goes first; if two users are the same priority the higher service priority then goes first; if two users have the same user and the same service priority then the user who first requested service goes first; and if the user priority and service priority and request time are all the same then the VSIM having an operation profile that is the same as the operation profile of the VSIM that the VSIM-AP most recently used will be served first. This latter rule simply allows the VSIM-AP to more quickly connect otherwise- identical requests to their respective cellular base station. [0024] As noted in the background section, co-owned PCT application PCT/CN2011/076179 details that the mobile user device will obtain the VSIM it will use from the cellular network base station, though that application also provides that the mobile user device can obtain it directly from the mobile terminal which has the actual SIM via device-to-device communications for example. The mobile user device which will use the VSIM may itself be a mobile terminal with its own actual SIM card, but for example in this instance will be using a VSIM it obtained from the user's other mobile phone for example. However the mobile user device obtains the VSIM it will use, the VSIM-AP will also get a copy of the VSIM. In many but not all cases the VSIM-AP will obtain the VSIM from the mobile user device that will itself be utilizing the VSIM directly, and any cellular circuitry in the mobile user device can be depowered to an idle mode to conserve battery power while the WLAN/PAN connection with the VSIM-AP is kept open/active.

[0025] Having received all of the respective VSIMs from the various multiple mobile user devices, the VSIM-AP first checks the mobile network code (MNC) in the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of the VSIMs to recognize who are the cellular network operators. The VSIM-AP then updates the GIT and replies the VSIM index to the related users. The index is used in this case similar to a temporary network identity, to uniquely identify the current users from one another in a way that reduces the overall signaling overhead.

[0026] During the whole operation described at Figure 3, the VSIM-AP will in an embodiment periodically sense the communication environment to the operators listed in the GIT at the VSIM-AP 's free periods and dynamically update the parameters of the operation profile in the operation profile table portion of the GIF, In this manner the VSIM-AP keeps the operation profile in the GIT up-to-date to enable invoking it quickly for setting up a cellular link to the base station. Once the communication switching happens, this cellular link may be directly with the mobile user device, or it may be with the VSIM-AP which in this case passes data between the base station and the mobile user device.

[0027] Having these background details in mind, now proceed specifically to the overall process flow for multiple VSIM communications management by the VSIM-AP shown at Figure 3. The end result is that a requesting mobile user device using its VSIM is either granted or denied a cellular link. As noted above that cellular link may be directly between the base station and the mobile user device using the VSIM, or the cellular link may be between the base station and the VSIM-AP which passes data between the base station and the mobile user device using the VSIM by using both the WLAN/PAN connection and the cellular connection. [0028] The flow at Figure 3 begins at block 302 at which the users send their REQUEST messages to VSIM-AP via mobile phone's WLAN/PAN connection. The user message should in an embodiment include the VSIM index and the type of service the user wants to initialize via VSIM. Based on the received VSIM indices and service types, the VSIM-AP assigns at block 304 a service priority to each request VSIM according to the priority criteria noted by non-limiting example above, and updates the GIT. Then at block 306 the VSIM-AP detects whether there is an ongoing communication on the VSIM-AP. Based on the detection results, the VSIM-AP implements the actions of block 308 (no ongoing communications) which is detailed further at Figure 4, or of block 316 (there is an ongoing communication) which are detailed further at Figures 5-6.

[0029] If the decision by the VSIM-AP at block 306 is that there is no ongoing communication the flow moves to block 308 where the VSIM-AP decides which of the requesting users it will serve based on the priority rules, such as those noted above (user priority, then service priority, then first request received, then same operation profile as was used previously by the VSIM-AP). The VSIM-AP then at block 310 invokes the operation profile of the selected requesting user VSIM to quickly set up a cellular link to the base station, sends to the selected user at block 312 an acknowledgement (ACK) message and at 314 the selected user begins its communications on the VSIM-AP using its VSIM.

[0030] Figure 4 is a signaling diagram giving the specific details of the flow from block 302 through 314 for only the case in which there is no ongoing communications on the VSIM-AP. Like reference numbers indicate the same steps as shown at Figure 3 There are shown two requesting users, each of which sends to the VSIM-AP a request 302 A, 302B (with VSIM index and service type). Using the service type the VSIM-AP assigns a service priority at block 304, selects which request to serve at block 308 and invokes the profile from of the selected user at block 310 by looking it up in the GIF using the VSIM index and updates the GIF tables. The ACK is at message 312 and the selected user begins its communications with the VSIM-AP using its own VSIM at block 314.

[0031] Returning to Figure 3, if the decision at block 306 is that there is an ongoing communication with the VSIM-AP then block 316 tells that the VSIM-AP compares the priorities of the VSIM of the ongoing communication with those of the various requests. The VSIM-AP can in an embodiment use different priority rules than the rules used to prioritize the current requests when deciding whether some request or an ongoing communication is higher priority. The decision from that comparison is at block 318 and if one or more of the requests have a higher priority than the ongoing VSIM communication then the flow proceeds to block 320 at which the VSIM-AP sends a QUIT message to the ongoing user and deactivates the ongoing VSIM at block 322. In this case where a request takes priority over an ongoing communication, the overall flow from Figure 3 is isolated at the signaling diagram of Figure 5, where again like reference numbers refer to the same steps or message being exchanged.

[0032] Quitting the ongoing communication and initializing communication for the priority requesting user includes the VSIM-AP sending to the ongoing user a QUIT message at block 320, which includes also the operation profile for the VSIM communications being quit. The VSIM-AP at block 322 deactivates the related VSIM of the ongoing communication. The ongoing user activates its mobile phone from idle status and quickly sets up a new cellular link between the newly activated mobile phone and the base station by using the received operation profile at block 330. The ongoing user starts the communication over the activated mobile phone, and when that's finished the ongoing user sends a FIN or FINISH message 332, including the VSIM index, to the VSIM-AP via the WLAN/PAN connection once finishing the communication on the activated mobile phone. From this message the VSIM-AP knows it can reactivate at block 334 the VSIM of the ongoing user that was de-activated at block 322.

[0033] Now to switch the ongoing communication from that of the ongoing user to the higher priority requesting user, the VSIM-AP repeats the comparison of request priorities to make a determination at block 308 which requesting user will get the communication channel, and for that selected requesting user the VSIM-AP invokes at block 310 that user's profile from the GIF and updates the GIF tables, sends an ACK 312 to the priority requesting user which then begins communications using the VSIM with the VSIM-AP Invoking the up-to-date operation profile of request VSIM enables a quick switching from the ongoing VSIM communication to the request VSIM communication.

[0034] If the ongoing VSIM has higher priority at block 318, then the process of Figure 3 proceeds to block 336 where the VSIM-AP sends an OCCUPIED message to the request users' mobile phones. This flow from Figure 3 is shown in isolation at the signaling diagram of Figure 6, where again like reference numbers refer to the same elements from Figure 3. The request users then have to decide whether to wait for the termination of ongoing communication (338 A in Figure 6) or to use their mobile phone for communication (338B of Figure 6).

[0035] If the decision is to wait for the termination of ongoing communication, the request users sends a WAIT message to the VSIM-AP at block 340. The VSIM-AP eventually detects the termination of the ongoing communication at block 342, such as via the FIN message similar to block 332. At that time the VSIM-AP implements blocks 310, 312 and 314 as detailed above to select and initialize a request communication.

[0036] If the request users want to directly use their mobile phone for the communication rather than wait for the VSIM-AP, that/those users send a RELEASE message to the VSIM-AP at block 324. In response the VSIM-AP at block 326 deactivates the related VSIMs of those request users and sends an ACK message to that/those request users at block 328, including the related operation profile of their VSIMs. Those request users activate their mobile phones from idle status, quickly set up a cellular link between the activated mobile phones and the base station by using the received operation profile at block 330, and start the communication over the mobile phone. The non-waiting request users then send a FIN message, including the VSIM Index, to VSIM-AP via WLAN/PAN at block 334 once finishing the communication on the mobile phone. At that time the VSIM-AP can re-activate those user's related VSIMs at block 334. [0037] Any time after finishing the communication of one VSIM, the VSIM-AP will detect whether there are any remaining requests and repeats the process of Figure 3 beginning at block 306 again to select one VSIM request to serve.

[0038] From the above it can be seen that certain embodiments of these teachings provide an efficient communication mechanism by using multiple VSIMs on a VSIM-AP. Compared with the conventional wireless communication methods presented at Figures 1-2, certain embodiments of these teachings provide the following technical effects.

• The opportunistic solution presented herein offers the users the flexibility of communication methods. The users can request to make use of VSIM for communication and can also turn back to use their mobile phone for communication if VSIM communication is impossible or not timely.

The ongoing communication can be continued by quickly setting up cellular connection on the mobile phone after quitting from the VSIM-AP.

• The battery power consumption could be significantly reduced. The mobile phone only needs to maintain a WLAN/PAN connection with the VSIM-AP during the communication, the cellular RF circuitry could be in idle. WLANs/PANs consume much less power than cellular.

• Incognizant communication switching is based on the pre-defined mechanism.

The communication switching between two VSIMs is incognizable for the users, the users only need to send the request and wait to start the communication via VSIM. • The user can keep the phone number for communication, and the communication charge will only happen to the user. No additional charge happens to the VSIM- AP, all the communication charges are generated based on the VSIM used by the user.

• Quick communication set-up for the switching of two VSIM communications.

The invoking of operation profile can help the VSIM-AP quickly set up the communication for the second VSIM, and can also help the mobile phone quickly set up the communication once quit from VSIM-AP.

• No additional hardware/infrastructure need to be installed.

• Support multiple cellular communications efficiently.

[0039] These teachings also introduce some signaling to initialize, maintain and quit the VSIM communication on the VSIM-AP, which results in a bit of extra signaling overhead. Additionally, it is preferred that the VSIM-AP periodically sense the communication environment and maintain the GIT, but compared with the significant advantages summarized above these will have only a minor impact on the user's experience.

[0040] Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram which may be considered to illustrate the operation of a method, and a result of execution of a computer program stored in a computer readable memoiy, and a specific manner in which components of an electronic device such as a VSIM-AP or one or more components thereof are configured to cause that electronic device to operate according to exemplary embodiments of these teachings. The various blocks shown in Figure 7 may also be considered as a plurality of coupled logic circuit elements constructed to carry out the associated function(s), or specific result of strings of computer program code stored in a memory. [0041 ] Such blocks and the functions they represent are non-limiting examples, and may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit chips and modules, and that the exemplary embodiments of this invention may be realized in an apparatus that is embodied as an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit, or circuits, may comprise circuitry (as well as possibly firmware) for embodying at least one or more of a data processor or data processors, a digital signal processor or processors, baseband circuitry and radio frequency circuitry that are configurable so as to operate in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this invention.

[0042] The method for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information (the VSIM-AP) that is summarized at Figure 7 begins at block 702, where the access point/VSIM-AP stores in its local memory virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices. At block 704 the access point VSIM-AP arbitrates among communication requests by the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information. And finally at block 706 the access point/VSIM-AP enables communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information. [0043] In one particular embodiment, arbitrating among the communication requests further comprises arbitrating among the communication requests and an ongoing communication by another of the plurality of mobile user devices which has an ongoing communication with the access point/VSI -AP using VSIM information of the mobile user device which has the ongoing communication. As detailed above with respect to Figure 5, for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to one of the communication requests, the method comprises disabling the ongoing communication. And as noted above with respect to Figure 6, for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to the ongoing communication, the access point/VSIM-AP allows the mobile user devices associated with the communication requests to choose between waiting for the ongoing communication to finish and utilizing a mobile terminal for direct cellular communications with a base station. [0044] In another example embodiment, arbitrating among the communication requests is according to priority rules comprising at least: a) select the communication request having a highest user priority in the respective VSIM information; b) else if all communication requests have a same user priority, select the communication request which has a highest service priority in the respective VSIM information; and c) else if all communication requests have the same user priority and a same service priority, select the communication request which was received first. Above was also detailed a fourth rule. [0045] In a still further example embodiment, the communications which are enabled at block 706 of Figure 7 with the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM is cellular communications with a base station of an operator network identified in the VSIM information of the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices.

[0046] In another example embodiment detailed above, the virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information is stored in the local memory with operation information for each of the user mobile devices subscriber network, and the access point/VSIM-AP also periodically updates the operation information.

[0047] In another example embodiment the access point VSIM-AP adds to the VSIM information stored in the data base a service priority derived from a service type provided in the communication requests.

[0048] Reference is now made to Figure 8 for illustrating a simplified block diagram of various electronic devices and apparatus that are suitable for use in practicing the exemplary embodiments of this invention. In Figure 8 there is a VSIM-AP 20 which is adapted for communication over a wireless link 15A which may be WLAN or Bluetooth or Zigbee or the like with an apparatus 10 such as a mobile user device such as a mobile terminal or user equipment UE which uses a VSIM. The illustrated wireless link 15A (and also the wireless cellular link 15B) may represent more than one logical and or physical channels/bearers. The VSIM-AP 20 may be further communicatively coupled via a data and control link 30, which may be wired or wireless, to a cellular network access node such as a base station or Node B or eNodeB 22 depending on the operating system of the selected VSIM mobile user device 20. [0049] While the VSIM-AP 20 is shown as having one RX 20E and one TX 20D, it is understood the VSIM-AP may include multiple radios for communications over different radio access technologies such as WLAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and the like for wireless communications on link 15A with the mobile user devices 10, and for communications on link 30 over one or more cellular technologies for wireless communications with the various base stations 22 of the different mobile user device subscriber networks/radio access technologies (if any of those links 30 with the base stations are wireless, and/or if the VSIM-AP wirelessly senses the cellular radio environment). In the above non- limiting examples the links 15A between the mobile user devices 10 and the VSIM-AP 20 were in the license exempt radio spectrum (such as for example the industrial/scientific/medical ISM band or on one or more television whitespace TVWS bands), whereas the links 15B between the base station 22 and the selected mobile user device 10 whose communications were enabled by the VSIM-AP 20 were cellular and so were in the licensed radio spectrum. [0050] The mobile user device 10 includes processing means such as at least one data processor (DP) 10A, storing means such as at least one computer-readable memory (MEM) 10B storing at least one computer program (PROG) IOC, communicating means such as a transmitter TX 10D and a receiver RX 10E for bidirectional wireless communications with the VSIM-AP 20 over wireless link 15A and with the base station 22 over wireless cellular link 15B via one or more antennas 10F. Similar to the VSIM- AP, while the mobile user device 10 is shown as having one RX 10E and one TX 10D, it is understood there may be multiple radios for communications over different radio access technologies such as WLAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and the like for the link 15A with the VXIM-AP and one or more cellular technologies for the link 15B with the base station 22. Within the memory 10B of the UE 10 but shown separately as reference number 10G is also the VSIM which the mobile user device obtains from the base station 22 separately.

[0051] The VSIM-AP 20 also includes processing means such as at least one data processor (DP) 20A, storing means such as at least one computer-readable memory (MEM) 20B storing at least one computer program (PROG) 20C, and communicating means such as a transmitter TX 20D and a receiver RX 20E for bidirectional wireless communications with the various mobile user devices 10 that make the communication requests via one or more antennas 20F. The VSIM-AP 20 also has stored in its memory at 20 G a computer program for applying priority rules to arbitrate among the various requests, and also among the requests and any ongoing communication, for granting communications according to these teachings as was detailed for fully by the non-limiting examples at Figures 3-6 above.

[0052] For completeness the base station 22 is also shown to include a DP 22A, and a MEM 22B storing a PROG 22C, and additionally a transmitter 22D and receiver 22E for communicating with at least the VSIM-AP 20 and the mobile user device 10. There is illustrated for the UE 10 and the VSIM-AP 20 and the base station 22 as part of their wireless communicating means a modem which in the non limiting embodiment of Figure 8 is inbuilt on an RF front end chip so as to carry the respective TX 10D/20D/22D and RX 10E/20E/22E. In other embodiments the modem may be a separate component from the TX and/or the RX circuitry in any one or more of those devices 10/20/22.

[0053] At least one of the PROGs IOC, 20C in the VSIM-AP 20 and/or in the mobile user device 10 is assumed to include program instructions that, when executed by the associated DP 10A, 20A, enable the device to operate in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this invention as detailed more fully above. In this regard the exemplary embodiments of this invention may be implemented at least in part by computer software stored on the MEM 10B, 20B which is executable by the DP 10A, 20A of the respective devices 10, 20; or by hardware; or by a combination of tangibly stored software and hardware (and tangibly stored firmware). Electronic devices implementing these aspects of the invention need not be the entire mobile user device 10 or VSIM-AP 20, but exemplary embodiments may be implemented by one or more components of same such as the above described tangibly stored software, hardware, firmware and DP, or a system on a chip SOC such as a RF front end chip. Other implementations include an application specific integrated circuit ASIC or a digital signal processor DSP or a modem.

[0054] Various embodiments of the mobile user device 10 can include, but are not limited to: cellular telephones/terminals with dual radio capability; data cards, USB dongles, laptop computers, personal portable digital devices having wireless communication capabilities including but not limited to laptop/palmtop/tablet computers, digital cameras and music devices, and Internet appliances. [0055] Various embodiments of the computer readable MEM 10B, 20B include any data storage technology type which is suitable to the local technical environment, including but not limited to semiconductor based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, removable memory, disc memory, flash memory, DRAM, SRAM, EEPROM and the like. Various embodiments of the DP 10A, 20A include but are not limited to general purpose computers, special puipose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and multi-core processors.

[0056] Various modifications and adaptations to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this invention may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments of this invention are not limited for use with only the particular types of wireless communication systems used in the examples above. [0057] Some of the various features of the above non-limiting embodiments may be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other described features. The foregoing description should therefore be considered as merely illustrative of the principles, teachings and exemplary embodiments of this invention, and not in limitation thereof.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, the method comprising:

storing in a local memory virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices;

arbitrating among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and

enabling communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which arbitrating among the communication requests further comprises arbitrating among the communication requests and an ongoing communication by another of the plurality of mobile user devices which has an ongoing communication with the access point using VSIM information of the mobile user device which has the ongoing communication.

3. The method according to claim 2, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to one of the communication requests, the method comprises disabling the ongoing communication.

4. The method according to claim 2, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to the ongoing communication, the method comprises the access point allowing the mobile user devices associated with the communication requests to choose between waiting for the ongoing communication to finish and utilizing a mobile terminal for direct cellular communications with a base station.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 through 4, in which arbitrating among the communication requests is according to priority rules comprising at least: select the communication request having a highest user priority in the respective VSIM information;

else if all communication requests have a same user priority, select the communication request which has a highest service priority in the respective VSIM information;

else if all communication requests have the same user priority and a same service priority, select the communication request which was received first.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 through 5, in which the communications which are enabled with the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM is cellular communications with a base station of an operator network identified in the VSIM information of the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 through 6, in which the virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information is stored in the local memory with operation information for each of the user mobile device's subscriber network, and the method further comprises the access point periodically updating the operation information.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 through 7, in which the method comprises the access point adding to the VSIM information stored in the local memory a service priority derived from a service type provided in the communication requests.

9. An apparatus for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, the apparatus comprising:

a processing system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, in which the processing system is configured to cause the access point to at least:

store in the at least one memory virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices;

arbitrate among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and

enable communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, in which the processing system is configured to cause the access point to arbitrate among the communication requests and further to arbitrate among the communication requests and an ongoing communication by another of the plurality of mobile user devices which has an ongoing communication with the access point using VSIM information of the mobile user device which has the ongoing communication.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to one of the communication requests, the processing system is further configured to cause the access point to disable the ongoing communication.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to the ongoing communication, the processing system is further configured to cause the access point to allow the mobile user devices associated with the communication requests to choose between waiting for the ongoing communication to finish and utilizing a mobile terminal for direct cellular communications with a base station.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 through 12, in which the processing system is configured to cause the access point to arbitrate among the communication requests according to priority rules stored in the at least one memory, the priority rules comprising at least:

select the communication request having a highest user priority in the respective VSIM information; else if all communication requests have a same user priority, select the communication request which has a highest service priority in the respective VSIM information;

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 through 13, in which the communications which are enabled with the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM is cellular communications with a base station of an operator network identified in the VSIM information of the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 through 14, in which the virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information is stored in the at least one memory with operation information for each of the user mobile device's subscriber network, and the processing system is further configured to cause the access point to periodically update the operation information.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 through 15, in which the processing system is further configured to cause the access point to add to the VSIM information stored in the at least one memory a service priority derived from a service type provided in the communication requests.

17. A computer readable memory comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, causes the access point to perform steps comprising:

storing in a local memory of the access point virtual subscriber identity module

VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices;

18. The computer readable memory according to claim 17, in which arbitrating among the communication requests further comprises arbitrating among the communication requests and an ongoing communication by another of the plurality of mobile user devices which has an ongoing communication with the access point using VSIM information of the mobile user device which has the ongoing communication.

19. The computer readable memory according to claim 18, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to one of the communication requests, the steps further comprise disabling the ongoing communication.

20. The computer readable memory according to claim 18, where for the case in which the arbitrating gives priority for the communications to the ongoing communication, the steps further comprise the access point allowing the mobile user devices associated with the communication requests to choose between waiting for the ongoing communication to finish and utilizing a mobile terminal for direct cellular communications with a base station.

21. The computer readable memory according to any one of claims 17 through 20, in which arbitrating among the communication requests is according to priority rules comprising at least:

select the communication request having a highest user priority in the respective VSIM information;

22. The computer readable memory according to any one of claims 17 through 21, in which the communications which are enabled with the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM is cellular communications with a base station of an operator network identified in the VSIM information of the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices.

23. The computer readable memory according to any one of claims 17 through 22, in which the virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information is stored in the local memory with operation information for each of the user mobile device's subscriber network, and the steps further comprise the access point periodically updating the operation information.

24. The computer readable memory according to any one of claims 17 through 23, in which the steps further comprise the access point adding to the VSIM information stored in the local memory a service priority derived from a service type provided in the communication requests.

25. An apparatus for operating an access point which facilitates user communications using virtual subscriber identity module information, the apparatus comprising:

computer memory means for storing virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information for each of a plurality of mobile user devices;

logic means for arbitrating among communication requests by at least some of the plurality of mobile user devices using priority information stored with the respective VSIM information; and

wireless communication means for enabling communications with a selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM information.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, in which the logic means is for arbitrating among the communication requests and further for arbitrating among the communication requests and an ongoing communication by another of the plurality of mobile user devices which has an ongoing communication with the access point using VSIM information of the mobile user device which has the ongoing communication.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, where for the case in which the logic means for arbitrating gives priority for the communications to one of the communication requests, the wireless communication means is further for disabling the ongoing communication.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, where for the case in which the logic means for arbitrating gives priority for the communications to the ongoing communication, the wireless communication means is further for allowing the mobile user devices associated with the communication requests to choose between waiting for the ongoing communication to finish and utilizing a mobile terminal for direct cellular communications with a base station.

29. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25 through 28, in which the logic means for arbitrating among the communication requests utilizes priority rules stored in the computer memory means, the priority rules comprising at least:

30. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25 through 29, in which the communications which are enabled with the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices utilizing the respective VSIM is cellular communications with a base station of an operator network identified in the VSIM information of the selected one of the plurality of mobile user devices.

31. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25 through 30, in which the virtual subscriber identity module VSIM information is stored in computer memory means with operation information for each of the user mobile device's subscriber network, and the wireless communication means is further for periodically updating the operation information.

32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25 through 31, in which the logic means is further for adding to the VSIM information stored in the computer memory means a service priority derived from a service type provided in the communication requests.

33. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25 through 32, in which:

the computer memory means is a computer readable memory of the access point; the logic means comprises at least one processor and at least one computer program stored on the computer readable memory which is executable by the at least one processor; and

the wireless communication means comprises a transmitter and a receiver for one of a wireless local area network and a personal area network.