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

1-40. (canceled)

41. A method of connecting a wireless communication device with a SIM card, where the wireless communication device and the SIM card are at different locations, comprising: a. at the wireless communication device, sending a first request for a SIM card to a SIM card directory server; 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 wireless communication device; and g. at the wireless communication device, receiving the response and establishing a wireless connection based on the response.

42. The method of claim 41, 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.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising, at the wireless communication device, aggregation connections established through the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module to form one aggregated connection.

44. The method of claim 41, 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.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the SIM card directory server maintains a database, wherein the database is used for the first SIM card selection.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the database is updated periodically.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the database is updated when one or more SIM cards are added or removed from one or more SIM banks.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising: at the wireless communication device, sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after the second request is sent and before the response is received.

49. The method of claim 41, further comprising: at the wireless communication device, sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after a time threshold after the second request is sent.

50. The method of claim 41, wherein the SIM card directory server, the wireless communication device and the SIM bank are at different locations.

51. A system of connecting a wireless communication device with a SIM card, where the wireless communication device and the SIM card 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; at least one first network interface; wherein the SIM card directory server comprises of: at least one second processing unit; at least one second non-transitory computer readable storage medium; at least one second network interface; wherein each of the plurality of SIM banks comprises of: at least one first subscriber identification module (SIM) card; 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; sending a second request to the SIM bank for a response from the SIM card; receiving the response and establishing a wireless connection based on the response; 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 non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one third processing unit for: forwarding the second request to the SIM card; and forwarding the response to the wireless communication device.

52. The system of claim 51, 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.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for aggregating the connections established through the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module to form one aggregated connection.

54. The system of claim 51, 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.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein the SIM card directory server maintains a database, wherein the database is used for the first SIM card selection.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the database is updated periodically.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the database is updated when one or more SIM cards are added or removed from one or more SIM banks.

58. The system of claim 51, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after the second request is sent and before the response is received.

59. The system of claim 51, wherein the at least one first non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for sending at least one halt message to a first wireless communication module after a time threshold after the second request is sent.

60. The system of claim 51, wherein the SIM card directory server, the wireless communication device and the SIM bank are at different locations.

61-100. (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.