METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF USING REMOTE SUBSCRIBER IDENTIFICATION MODULES AT A DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods and systems for communicating at a cellular router between a first wireless communication module and a first subscriber identity module (SIM). The cellular router receives a first request from a first wireless communication module and encapsulates the first request in a first modified request. The cellular router then sends the first modified request to a first SIM card in a first communication apparatus and waits for a first modified reply. While waiting for the first modified reply the cellular router sends at least one halt message to the first wireless communication module after a first time threshold. After receiving the first modified reply, the cellular router decapsulates the first modified reply to retrieve a first reply and sends the first reply to the first wireless communication module where the first modified reply is a reply to the first.

Claims

1. A method of communicating at a cellular router between a first wireless communication module and a first subscriber identity module (SIM), comprising: a. receiving a first request from the first wireless communication module; b. encapsulating the first request in a first modified request; c. sending the first modified request to a first communication apparatus; d. while waiting for a first modified reply, sending at least one halt message to the first wireless communication module after a first time threshold; e. when receiving the first modified reply: i. decapsulating the first modified reply to retrieve a first reply; ii. sending the first reply to the first wireless communication module; wherein the first modified reply is a reply to the first modified request; wherein the first wireless communication module is housed inside the cellular router or coupled to the cellular router; and wherein the first SIM is not housed in the cellular router.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified request comprises a SIM identification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time threshold is between one hundred milliseconds to two seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising when a plurality of halt messages are sent to the first wireless communication module, time interval between two consecutive halt messages is no longer than two seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one halt message is sent only when first request comprises a five bytes header.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a break signal to the first wireless communication module when length of the first request is fewer than five bytes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the first reply.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising when receiving a second request and the second request is the same as the first request, retrieving the first reply and sending the first reply to the first wireless communication module when receiving a second request and the second request is the same as the first request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second modified request is received through aggregated end-to-end connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modified request is sent through an aggregated end-to-end connection.

11-20. (canceled)

21. A cellular router for communicating with a subscriber identity module (SIM), comprising: at least one wireless communication module; at least one processing unit; at least one memory; at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for: a. receiving a first request from a first wireless communication module; b. encapsulating the first request in a first modified request; c. sending the first modified request to a first communication apparatus; d. when waiting for a first modified reply, sending at least one halt message to the first wireless communication module after a first time threshold; e. when receiving the first modified reply: i. decapsulating the first modified reply to retrieve a first reply; ii. sending the first reply to the first wireless communication module; wherein the first modified reply is a reply to the first modified request; wherein the first wireless communication module is housed inside the cellular router or coupled to the cellular router; and wherein the SIM is not housed in the cellular router.

22. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the modified request comprises an SIM identification.

23. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the first time threshold is between one hundred milliseconds to two seconds.

24. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein time interval between two consecutive halt messages is no longer than two seconds, when a plurality of halt messages are sent to the first wireless communication module.

25. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the at least one halt message is sent only when first request comprises a five bytes header.

26. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the storage unit further storing program instructions executable by the processing unit for sending a break signal to the first wireless communication module when length of the first request is fewer than five bytes.

27. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the storage unit further storing program instructions executable by the processing unit for storing the first reply.

28. The cellular router of claim 27, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions executable for retrieving the first reply and sending the first reply to the first wireless communication module, when receiving a second request and the second request is the same as the first request.

29. The cellular router of claim 28, wherein the second modified request is received through aggregated end-to-end connection.

30. The cellular router of claim 21, wherein the first modified request is sent through an aggregated end-to-end connection.

31-100. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0175] FIG. 1A illustrates a scenario for a communication system according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0176] FIG. 1B illustrates a scenario for a communication system according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0177] FIG. 2A depicts a flowchart illustrating a process according to the communication system illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0178] FIG. 2B illustrates a format for a message encapsulated in payload of an IP packet according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0179] FIG. 3A illustrates a basic block diagram of a cellular router according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0180] FIG. 3B illustrates a basic block diagram of a communication apparatus or a SIM bank according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0181] FIG. 3C illustrates a basic block diagram of a cellular router identical to cellular router 101 illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0182] FIG. 4A depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

[0183] FIG. 4B depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

[0184] FIG. 5A depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

[0185] FIG. 5B depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

[0186] FIG. 6 depicts a sequence diagram illustrating various stages of a message being transmitted and received between an example wireless communication module and an example SIM card.

[0187] FIG. 7 illustrates the structure of a message when an Ethernet is used to transmit and receive data according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0188] FIG. 8 illustrates a network diagram according to one of the embodiments of the present invention

[0189] FIG. 9 illustrates sequences of a plurality of embodiments according to the present invention.

[0190] FIG. 10 illustrates a more detailed process of certain steps illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0191] FIG. 11 illustrates a more detailed process of certain steps illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0192] FIG. 12 illustrates a basic block diagram of an exemplary SIM directory server according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0193] FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of processes being performed according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.