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

1-60. (canceled)

61. A method of connecting a plurality of wireless communication modules with a plurality of SIM cards respectively, wherein the plurality of wireless communication modules and the plurality of SIM cards are at different locations, wherein the plurality of wireless communication modules are in a wireless communication device, comprising: a. at the first wireless communication device, sending a first request of a SIM card to a SIM card directory server through a first wireless communication module, b. at the SIM card directory server, selecting a first SIM card; c. at the SIM card directory server, sending a reply corresponding to the first request, wherein the reply is comprised of identity of the SIM card and identity of a SIM bank, wherein the SIM bank holds the SIM card; d. at the wireless communication device, sending a second request to the SIM bank for a response from the SIM card; e. at the SIM bank, forwarding the second request to the SIM card; f. at the SIM bank, forwarding the response to the first wireless communication device; and g. at the first wireless communication device, establishing a wireless connection based on the response through a second wireless communication module.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the first request is sent through a first wireless communication module, wherein the response is received through the first wireless communication module and to be used by a second wireless communication module; wherein the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module are in the first wireless communication device.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising, at the first wireless communication device, aggregation connections established through at least two wireless communication modules of the plurality of wireless communication modules to form one aggregated connection.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the first SIM card is selected according to at least one criterion; wherein the at least one criterion is selected from a group consisting of location of the first wireless communication device, tariff, and SIM card availability.

65. The method of claim 61, wherein the SIM card directory server maintains a database, wherein the database is used for the first SIM card selection.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the database is updated periodically.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the database is updated when one or more SIM cards are added or removed from one or more SIM banks.

68. The method of claim 61, further comprising: at the first wireless communication device, sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after the request is sent and before the response is received.

69. The method of claim 61, further comprising: at the first wireless communication device, sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after a time threshold after the request is sent.

70. The method of claim 61, wherein the SIM card directory server, the wireless communication device and the SIM bank are at different locations.

71. A system of connecting a plurality of wireless communication modules with a plurality of SIM cards respectively, wherein the plurality of wireless communication modules and the plurality of SIM cards are at different locations, comprising: a wireless communication device; a SIM card directory server; a plurality of SIM banks; wherein the wireless communication device comprises of: at least one first processing unit; at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium; a first plurality of network interfaces; a plurality of wireless communication modules; wherein the SIM card directory server comprises of: at least one second processing unit; at least one second non-transitory computer readable storage medium; a second plurality of network interfaces; wherein each of the plurality of SIM banks comprises of: a plurality of subscriber identification module (SIM) cards; at least one third processing unit; at least one third network interface; at least one third non-transitory computer readable storage medium; wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one first processing unit for: sending a first request for a SIM card to a SIM card directory server through a first wireless communication module; sending a second request to the SIM bank for a response from the SIM card; establishing a wireless connection based on the response through a second wireless communication module; wherein the at least one second non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processing unit for: selecting a first SIM card; sending a reply corresponding to the first request, wherein the reply is comprised of identity of the SIM card and identity of a SIM bank, wherein the SIM bank holds the SIM card; wherein the at least one third processing unit for executing program instruction in the at least one third non-transitory computer readable storage medium for: forwarding the second request to the SIM card; and forwarding the response corresponding to the second request from the SIM card to the wireless communication device.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the first request is sent through a first wireless communication module, wherein the response is received through the first wireless communication module and to be used by a second wireless communication module; wherein the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module are in the first wireless communication device.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions executable for aggregating the connections established through at least two wireless communication modules of the plurality of wireless communication modules to form one aggregated connection.

74. The system of claim 71, wherein the first SIM card is selected according to at least one criterion; wherein the at least one criterion is selected from a group consisting of location of the first wireless communication device, tariff, and SIM card availability.

75. The system of claim 71, wherein the SIM card directory server maintains a database, wherein the database is used for the first SIM card selection.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein the database is updated periodically.

77. The system of claim 75, wherein the database is updated when one or more SIM cards are added or removed from one or more SIM banks.

78. The system of claim 71, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions executable for sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after the request is sent and before the response is received.

79. The system of claim 71, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions executable for sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after a time threshold after the request is sent.

80. The system of claim 71, wherein the SIM card directory server, the wireless communication device and the SIM bank are at different locations.

81-100. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0174] FIG. 1A illustrates a scenario for a communication system according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

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

[0176] FIG. 2A depicts a flowchart illustrating a process according to the communication system illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0177] 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.

[0178] FIG. 3A illustrates a basic block diagram of a cellular router according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0179] 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.

[0180] FIG. 3C illustrates a basic block diagram of a cellular router identical to cellular router 101 illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0181] FIG. 4A depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

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

[0183] FIG. 5A depicts an example sequence diagram illustrating steps and events for a particular scenario associated with the present invention.

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

[0185] 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.

[0186] 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.

[0187] FIG. 8 illustrates a network diagram according to one of the embodiments of the present invention

[0188] FIG. 9 illustrates sequences of a plurality of embodiments according to the present invention.

[0189] FIG. 10 illustrates a more detailed process of certain steps illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0190] FIG. 11 illustrates a more detailed process of certain steps illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0191] FIG. 12 illustrates a basic block diagram of an exemplary SIM directory server according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0192] FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of processes being performed according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.