Mobile communication device profound identity brokering framework

Abstract

A mobile communication device. The device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a processor, and a memory integral with the device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of partitions. The device further comprises a first wireless communication identity stored in a first partition of the memory and a second wireless communication identity stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity. The device further comprises an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, detects a triggering event and in response to the triggering event selects one of the wireless communication identities to be an active communication identity of the device, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity and a list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

Mobile communication devices may be configured for operating in different ways or in different network conditions by storing settings or values or files in the device. Some of the stored settings may be one or more kinds of roaming lists, e.g., a priority ordered list of wireless systems to select and attempt to attach a wireless link to. Mobile communication devices may be used by a user as a business device, for example in support of his role as an employee of a corporation, as a personal communication device, for example in support of his role as a private individual. Mobile communication devices may be configured or provisioned to perform machine-to-machine communication transactions, for example by a radio communication session between the mobile communication device and a door scanner such as to gain access to an office building or to a hotel room.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device is disclosed. The method comprises storing a first wireless communication identity in a first partition of a memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity associated with a first country, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. The method further comprises storing a second wireless communication identity in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity associated with a second country, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a table of device rules, wherein at least the first network access identity is different from the second network access identity, wherein only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time, and wherein the device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity. The method further comprises determining a country in which the device is located and, based on the country, one of deactivating the first wireless communication identity and activating the second wireless communication identity or deactivating the second wireless communication identity and activating the first wireless communication identity.

In another embodiment, a mobile communication device is disclosed. The mobile communication device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a processor, and a non-transitory memory integral with the mobile communication device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of partitions. The device further comprises a first wireless communication identity stored in a first partition of the memory, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity, a list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the list, and a table of device rules. The device further comprises a second wireless communication identity stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity. The device further comprises an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, detects a triggering event and in response to the triggering event selects one of the wireless communication identities stored in the partitions of the memory to be an active communication identity of the mobile communication device, where the mobile communication conducts wireless communication via the cellular radio transceiver based on the active communication identity.

In an embodiment, a method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device is disclosed. The method comprises storing a first wireless communication identity in a first partition of a memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. The method further comprises storing a second wireless communication identity in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a table of device rules, wherein at least the first wireless communication identity is different from the second wireless communication identity, wherein only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time, and wherein the device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity. The method further comprises receiving a trigger signal and, based on the trigger signal, one of deactivating the first wireless communication identity and activating the second wireless communication identity or deactivating the second wireless communication identity and activating the first wireless communication identity.

These and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of another method according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a communication handset according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a hardware architecture of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a block diagram of a software architecture of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a block diagram of another software architecture of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computer system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments are illustrated below, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not yet in existence. The disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

The present disclosure teaches a wireless communication identity brokering framework. A wireless communication identity is defined further hereinafter, but for a concise overview this identity may be considered to comprise a network access identity and wireless communication operational run-time parameters. This wireless communication identity provides a mobile communication device, such as a mobile phone, not just the authorization credentials to establish a wireless link to a base transceiver station and/or cell tower but also configures the device to engage in wireless communication efficiently. While formerly a single wireless communication identity may have been configured into a mobile communication device, new functionality and advantages may be obtained by configuring the mobile communication device to assume a number of different wireless communication identities.

Wireless communication identities may be activated to promote different user activities. For example, a first wireless communication identity may promote the work activity of the user, for example as an employee of a corporation, and a second wireless communication identity may promote the private life of the user, for example as a husband, father, and/or private person. A third wireless communication identity may promote convenience during a stay at a hotel, for example enabling electronic entry to a hotel room and electronic authorization of purchasing products from a vending machine or a mini-fridge and transferring the cost to the hotel bill. A plurality of different wireless communication identities may promote testing different operational modes of the mobile communication device at an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) factory and/or at a wireless service provider test facility. By changing the wireless communication identity of the mobile communication device, the device can be tested as a different device in some respects.

In an embodiment, at least some of the wireless communication identities are stored in distinct independently accessed portions of memory in the mobile communication device. For example, a trusted security zone may be established having a plurality of sub-zones or partitions, wherein access to each sub-zone or partition is provided based on a sub-key associated with the particular sub-zone or partition, each sub-zone or partition associated with a different and unrelated sub-key. In this case, it may be said that a wireless communication identity stored in a first sub-zone cannot see or interact with a different wireless communication identity stored in a second sub-zone or vice versa. This behavior may provide utility when competitors desire to provide confidential information to the mobile communication device for use in accessing or invoking their services, as the competitors may desire to keep their wireless communication identities confidential from each other.

In an embodiment, two or more of the partitions of the trusted security zone—or distinct independently accessed portions of memory—may be abstracted as providing the functionality of virtual subscriber identity modules (SIMs) such as are used in some mobile phones to provide an identity to the mobile phone and to provide credentials for accessing a radio access network. In an embodiment, the distinctly independently accessed portions or memory may be located on a removable SIM card or on a removable memory card, for example a removable secure data (SD) card. In an embodiment, the distinctly independently accessed portions of memory may be located in a secure element (SE) card of chip in the mobile communication device. It is understood that the wireless communication identities may be stored in the distinct independently accessed portions of memory—in a removable SIM card, in a removable memory card, or in a secure element.

A wireless communication identity broker may provide for building and transmitting wireless communication identities associated with a plurality of different and possibly unrelated entities to the mobile communication device. The identity broker may be a neutral party unassociated with any of the parties that provide wireless communication identities. This neutrality may increase the participation and/or the confidence of competing enterprises. Increased participation by enterprises may improve the utility and value of the wireless communication identity brokering framework.

A trusted security zone provides chipsets with a hardware root of trust, a secure execution environment for applications, and secure access to peripherals. A hardware root of trust means the chipset should only execute programs intended by the device manufacturer or vendor and resists software and physical attacks, and therefore remains trusted to provide the intended level of security. The chipset architecture is designed to promote a programmable environment that allows the confidentiality and integrity of assets to be protected from specific attacks. Trusted security zone capabilities are becoming features in both wireless and fixed hardware architecture designs. Providing the trusted security zone in the main mobile device chipset and protecting the hardware root of trust removes the need for separate secure hardware to authenticate the device or user. To ensure the integrity of the applications requiring trusted data, such as a mobile financial services application, the trusted security zone also provides the secure execution environment where only trusted applications can operate, safe from attacks. Security is further promoted by restricting access of non-trusted applications to peripherals, such as data inputs and data outputs, while a trusted application is running in the secure execution environment. In an embodiment, the trusted security zone may be conceptualized as hardware assisted security.

A complete trusted execution environment (TEE) may be implemented through the use of the trusted security zone hardware and software architecture. The trusted execution environment is an execution environment that is parallel to the execution environment of the main mobile device operating system. The trusted execution environment and/or the trusted security zone may provide a base layer of functionality and/or utilities for use of applications that may execute in the trusted security zone. For example, in an embodiment, trust tokens may be generated by the base layer of functionality and/or utilities of the trusted execution environment and/or trusted security zone for use in trusted end-to-end communication links to document a continuity of trust of the communications. For more details on establishing trusted end-to-end communication links relying on hardware assisted security, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/532,588, filed Jun. 25, 2012, entitled “End-to-end Trusted Communications Infrastructure,” by Leo Michael McRoberts, et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Through standardization of application programming interfaces (APIs), the trusted execution environment becomes a place to which scalable deployment of secure services can be targeted. A device which has a chipset that has a trusted execution environment on it may exist in a trusted services environment, where devices in the trusted services environment are trusted and protected against attacks. The trusted execution environment can be implemented on mobile phones and tablets as well as extending to other trusted devices such as personal computers, servers, sensors, medical devices, point-of-sale terminals, industrial automation, handheld terminals, automotive, etc.

The trusted security zone is implemented by partitioning all of the hardware and software resources of the mobile device into two partitions: a secure partition and a normal partition. Placing sensitive resources in the secure partition can protect against possible attacks on those resources. For example, resources such as trusted software applications may run in the secure partition and have access to hardware peripherals such as a touchscreen or a secure location in memory. Less secure peripherals such as wireless radios may be disabled completely while the secure partition is being accessed, while other peripherals may only be accessed from the secure partition. While the secure partition is being accessed through the trusted execution environment, the main mobile operating system in the normal partition is suspended, and applications in the normal partition are prevented from accessing the secure peripherals and data. This prevents corrupted applications or malware applications from breaking the trust of the device.

The trusted security zone is implemented by partitioning the hardware and software resources to exist in a secure subsystem which is not accessible to components outside the secure subsystem. The trusted security zone is built into the processor architecture at the time of manufacture through hardware logic present in the trusted security zone which enables a perimeter boundary between the secure partition and the normal partition. The trusted security zone may only be manipulated by those with the proper credential and, in an embodiment, may not be added to the chip after it is manufactured. Software architecture to support the secure partition may be provided through a dedicated secure kernel running trusted applications. Trusted applications are independent secure applications which can be accessed by normal applications through an application programming interface in the trusted execution environment on a chipset that utilizes the trusted security zone.

In an embodiment, the normal partition applications run on a first virtual processor, and the secure partition applications run on a second virtual processor. Both virtual processors may run on a single physical processor, executing in a time-sliced fashion, removing the need for a dedicated physical security processor. Time-sliced execution comprises switching contexts between the two virtual processors to share processor resources based on tightly controlled mechanisms such as secure software instructions or hardware exceptions. The context of the currently running virtual processor is saved, the context of the virtual processor being switched to is restored, and processing is restarted in the restored virtual processor. Time-sliced execution protects the trusted security zone by stopping the execution of the normal partition while the secure partition is executing.

The two virtual processors context switch via a processor mode called monitor mode when changing the currently running virtual processor. The mechanisms by which the processor can enter monitor mode from the normal partition are tightly controlled. The entry to monitor mode can be triggered by software executing a dedicated instruction, the Secure Monitor Call (SMC) instruction, or by a subset of the hardware exception mechanisms such as hardware interrupts, which can be configured to cause the processor to switch into monitor mode. The software that executes within monitor mode then saves the context of the running virtual processor and switches to the secure virtual processor.

The trusted security zone runs a separate operating system that is not accessible to the device users. For security purposes, the trusted security zone is not open to users for installing applications, which means users do not have access to install applications in the trusted security zone. This prevents corrupted applications or malware applications from executing powerful instructions reserved to the trusted security zone and thus preserves the trust of the device. The security of the system is achieved at least in part by partitioning the hardware and software resources of the mobile phone so they exist in one of two partitions, the secure partition for the security subsystem and the normal partition for everything else. Placing the trusted security zone in the secure partition and restricting access from the normal partition protects against software and basic hardware attacks. Hardware logic ensures that no secure partition resources can be accessed by the normal partition components or applications. A dedicated secure partition operating system runs in a virtual processor separate from the normal partition operating system that likewise executes in its own virtual processor. Users may install applications on the mobile device which may execute in the normal partition operating system described above. The trusted security zone runs a separate operating system for the secure partition that is installed by the mobile device manufacturer or vendor, and users are not able to install new applications in or alter the contents of the trusted security zone.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a system 100 is described. In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises a mobile communication device 102, a base transceiver station (BTS) 130, a network 132, a wireless identity broker 134 (hereinafter an ID broker 134), a first server 136, a second server 138, and a third server 140. In some contexts, the base transceiver station 130 may be referred to as a cell tower. The network 132 may comprise one or more private communication networks, one or more public communication networks, or a combination thereof. The ID broker 134 and the servers 136, 138, 140 may be implemented as computer systems. Computer systems are described further hereinafter. The mobile communication device 102 may be a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, or a wireless communication enabled portable computer such as a laptop computer, a notebook computer, or a tablet computer.

In an embodiment, the mobile communication device 102 comprises a cellular radio transceiver 104, a processor 106, and a memory 108. It is understood that the processor 106 may be implemented as one processor chip or by a plurality of processor chips. In an embodiment, the processor 106 may comprise a plurality of different processor chips, for example two or more of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processor unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and/or a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). The memory 108 may be implemented as a single memory chip or as a plurality of memory chips. In an embodiment, the memory 108 may comprise a plurality of different types of memory chips. An application 110 is stored in the memory 108 and executed by the processor 106 to store and activate wireless communication identities based on triggering events and/or based on user selection.

In an embodiment, the memory 108 comprises a trusted security zone 112. The trusted security zone 112 may comprise a plurality of trusted security zone partitions, for example a first trusted security zone partition 114, a second trusted security zone partition 118, and a third trusted security zone partition 122. It is understood that the trusted security zone 112 may comprise any number of trusted security zone partitions, either more than or fewer than three trusted security zone partitions. In an embodiment, the trusted security zone may be considered to comprise both an area of the memory 108 (e.g., the trusted security zone 112) and a portion of the processor 106, for example a separate trusted processor or a virtual processor, as described further above. Access to the trusted security zone 112 and/or partitions of the trusted security zone 112 may be mediated or controlled by a trusted application executing in the processor portion of the trusted security zone.

Access to the trusted security zone 112 may be contingent on providing a master trusted security zone key, for example access to configure or add trusted security zone partitions. Access to configured trusted security zone partitions 114, 118, 122 may be authorized by presenting a sub-zone key or a trusted security zone partition key associated with the subject trusted security zone partition. Said in other words, a first sub-zone key may be used to authorize access to the first trusted security zone partition 114, a second sub-zone key may be used to authorize access to the second trusted security zone partition 118, and a third sub-zone key may be used to authorize access to the third trusted security zone partition 122. The first sub-zone key, the second sub-zone key, and the third sub-zone key may each be different from each other.

In an embodiment, the first trusted security zone partition 114 may store a first wireless communication identity 116, the second trusted security zone partition 118 may store a second wireless communication identity 120, and the third trusted security zone partition 122 may store a third wireless communication identity 124. The wireless communication identities 116, 120, 124 may be referred to as the first ID 116, the second ID 120, and the third ID 124. While the description below is written based on an implementation using the trusted security zone 112, it is understood that the teachings of the present disclosure may also be used for wireless communication identities stored in partitions or in portions of memory 108 outside of a trusted security zone.

The cellular radio transceiver 104 may establish a wireless communication link with the base transceiver station 130 according to a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless communication protocol, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) wireless communication protocol, a long-term evolution (LTE) wireless communication protocol, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) wireless communication protocol, or another cellular wireless communication protocol. While FIG. 1 illustrates a single mobile communication device 102 and a single base transceiver station 130, it is understood that the system 100 may comprise any number of mobile communication devices 102 and any number of base transceiver stations 130. The base transceiver station 130 may provide access to the mobile communication device 102 to the network 132 and there through to the ID broker 134 and the servers 136, 138, 140.

The application 110 executes rules or functions to determine what wireless communication identity is active for conducting wireless communications. The mobile communication device 102 may present a user interface on a display that provides controls for a user to select from among the IDs 116, 120, and 124 which wireless communication identity the application 110 is to make active on the mobile communication device 102. Additionally, the application 110 may monitor operational conditions and/or environmental conditions to determine triggering events and may select an ID 116, 120, 124 to make active based on the triggering events. Triggering events may comprise user inputs, for example a user input in a user interface of the mobile communication device 102 that selects an ID 116, 120, 124.

The application 110 may activate an ID 116, 120, 124 based on a current location of the mobile communication device 102, for example a location that corresponds to a work location or employer location, a private residence location, a hotel location, or other location. The application 110 may provide a user interface promoting user definition of mapping or association of locations to IDs 116, 120, 124. The application 110 may activate an ID 116, 120, 124 based on time and a schedule, for example a work schedule. The application may provide a user interface promoting user definition of the schedule for activating IDs 116, 120, 124. The application 110 may activate an ID 116, 120, 124 based on analyzing a radio signal incident upon the mobile communication device 102, for example a WiFi signal received from a hotel hot spot or a cellular communication signal received from a picocell and/or a micro cellular base station.

When the application 110 activates a different wireless communication identity 116, 120, 124, the application 110 may recalculate or redetermine operational run-time parameters of the mobile communication device 102 based on the ID and store these operational run-time parameters in the memory 108 and/or one or more registers of the processor 106. After recalculating and storing the operational run-time parameters, the application 110 may cause a radio modem of the cellular radio transceiver 104 to reset, thereby bringing the recalculated operational run-time parameters into effect. It is understood that resetting a radio modem may not cause a user partition of the memory 108 to be erased and/or user data to be lost as may sometimes be the case if a full device reset were performed.

While in FIG. 1 the application 110 is illustrated as outside of the trusted security zone 112, in an embodiment, the application 110 may be stored in the trusted security zone 112 and/or invoke functions provided by instructions stored in and/or executing within the trusted security zone 112. In an embodiment, the application 110 may read the information associated with the active wireless communication identity (e.g., read one of the IDs 116, 120, 124, for example by invoking a mediating access function that executes and/or is stored in the trusted security zone 112) and store this information in an area of memory 108 that is used to conduct wireless communications. In an embodiment, the active wireless communication identity may be stored in a plurality of different locations in the memory 108, possibly in non-contiguous areas of the memory 108.

The wireless communication identity 116, 120, 124 comprises information that promotes conducting wireless communications. The wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity. The network access identity may take any form, but in an embodiment the network access identity comprises a code that identifies a country and a code that identifies a wireless network and/or a wireless service provider. For example, in a code division multiple access (CDMA) implementation, the network access identity may comprise a mobile network code (MNC) and a mobile country code (MCC). Alternatively, in a long-term evolution (LTE) implementation, the network access identity may comprise a public land mobile network identity (PLMN ID) that comprises a country code and a network code. The network access identity may be used to authorize access of the mobile communication device 102 to the wireless link provided by the base transceiver station 130 and/or to the network 132.

The wireless communication identity 116, 120, 124 further comprises information that may be used to generate operational run-time parameters for wireless communication. The information may comprise one or more lists of wireless communication networks that the mobile communication device 102 is authorized to attach to, a rule set for prioritizing among the networks identified in the one or more lists, and one or more tables of device rules.

The lists of wireless communication networks that the mobile communication device 102 is authorized to attach to may depend on the wireless communication protocol used by the mobile communication device 102 to establish a wireless link to the base transceiver station 130. Said in another way, the particular lists—the number of lists and the names of lists—of wireless communication networks may be different for mobile communication devices 102 communicating according to different wireless communication protocols. The lists of wireless communication networks may comprise one or more of a PRL, a PLMN list, an OPLMN list, an EHPLMN list, an HPLMN list, an MSPL table, and an MLPL table.

PRL stands for a preferred roaming list. The PRL may comprise information used in network and/or system selection and acquisition. The PRL may organize the information in prioritized order, for example defining what systems and/or service provider identities to scan and in what order to obtain radio access. PLMN stands for public land mobile network. The PLMN list may comprise a list of public land mobile networks and/or other lists, such as an EHPLMN list or an OPLMN list. The HPLMN list is a home PLMN file that may comprise a list of networks or communication systems identified by mobile country code (MCC). EHPLMN stands for an equivalent home PLMN. The EHPLMN list may comprise records of networks or communication systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC). OPLMN stands for operator controlled PLMN. The OPLMN list may comprise records of networks or communication systems identified by Mobile Network Code (MNC). MSPL stands for MMSS (multi-mode system selection) System Priority List. The MSPL table may be used with another system selection priority list (e.g., PLMN list, OPLMN list, HPLMN list, EHPLMN list, and the like). MLPL stands for MMSS Location Associated Priority List. The MLPL table may enable scaling a range of entries of a system selection priority list (e.g., PLMN list, OPLMN list, HPLMN list, EHPLMN list, and the like).

These lists and/or tables may be said to implement, define, and/or describe a coverage map. In an embodiment, the MSPL and the MLPL lists or tables may provide geocoding and preference information and may promote mapping between 3GPP and 3GPP2 protocols. The tables of device rules may comprise a band support table and a technology order table. The band support table may identify ranges of radio frequency that the mobile communication device 102 should scan for attaching to the radio access network (RAN), for example to attach to the base transceiver station 130. In an embodiment, the six lists and the two tables may be compiled and/or reformatted to efficiently combine the content as a list or table at run-time on the mobile communication device 102, for example on the event of a modem reset.

In an embodiment, the IDs 116, 120, 124 may comprise addresses of alternative domain name server (DNS) servers, media gateways, ports, and/or routing information. The IDs 116, 120, 124 may share information in common but do differ by at least one parameter value. One or more of the IDs 116, 120, 124 may be stored in a single memory chip or a plurality of memory chips. One or more of the IDs 116, 120, 124 may be stored in different virtual memories or in different segments of memory that are managed as separate virtual memories by an operating system and/or by a virtualization application on the mobile communication device 102. One or more of the IDs 116, 120, 124 may be stored in a removable memory card such as a secure digital (SD) card.

The IDs 116, 120, 124 may be sourced from different sources, for example the first ID 116 may be sourced or provided by the first server 136, the second ID 120 may be sourced by the second server 138, and the third ID 124 may be sourced by the third server 140. Alternatively, two or more IDs may be sourced from a single server. The ID broker 134 may interwork with the severs 136, 138, 140 to mediate the transport of the subject ID 116, 120, 124 to the mobile communication device 102. In an embodiment, the ID broker 134 may arrange transport of the subject ID 116, 120, 124 to the trusted security zone partition 114 of the mobile communication device 102 over a trusted end-to-end communication link. For more details on establishing trusted end-to-end communication links relying on hardware assisted security, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/532,588, filed Jun. 25, 2012, entitled “End-to-end Trusted Communications Infrastructure,” by Leo Michael McRoberts, et al., which was incorporated by reference above. In some contexts, the ID broker 134 may be said to implement multi-identity management brokering as a network service.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a method 200 is described. At block 202, a first wireless communication identity is stored in a first partition of a memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity associated with a first country, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. For example, the first ID 116 is stored in the first trusted security zone partition 114 of the mobile communication device 102.

At block 204, a second wireless communication identity is stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity associated with a second country, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. The first network access identity is different from the second network access identity, and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time. The device is configured to establish a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity. For example, the second ID 120 is stored in the second trusted security zone partition 118 of the mobile communication device 102.

At block 206, a country in which the device is located is determined. At block 208, based on the country, one of deactivate the first wireless communication identity and activate the second wireless communication identity or deactivate the second wireless communication identity and activate the first wireless communication identity.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a method 220 is described. At block 222, a first wireless communication identity is stored in a first partition of a memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. For example, the first ID 116 is stored in the first trusted security zone partition 114 of the mobile communication device 102.

At block 224, a second wireless communication identity is stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules. At least the first wireless communication identity is different from the second wireless communication identity, and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time. The device is configured to establish a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity. For example, the second ID 120 is stored in the second trusted security zone partition 118 of the mobile communication device 102.

At block 226, receive a trigger signal. For example, the application 110 receives a trigger signal transmitted to the mobile communication device 102 from the ID broker 134 via the network 132 and the base transceiver station 130. Alternatively, a trigger signal may be input into a user interface of the mobile communication device 102, for example a user may select an ID 116, 120, 124 presented on a display of the mobile communication device 102. Alternatively, the application 110 or another application executing on the mobile communication device 102 generates the trigger signal itself, based on events experienced by the mobile communication device 102. Events experienced by the mobile communication device 102 may be related to a clock maintained by the mobile communication device 102 passing a scheduled time. Events experienced by the mobile communication device 102 may be related to a changed location of the mobile communication device 102, for example the location of the mobile communication device entering or leaving a circumscribed area, for example a circumscribed area associated with a work location. A circumscribed area may be defined in some contexts as an area within a predefined radius of a geographical coordinate, for example a global positioning system coordinate. A work location may be defined as an area within 400 feet of a central point of the work location, within 800 feet of the central point of the work location, or some other predefined radius. At block 228, based on the trigger signal, one of deactivate the first wireless communication identity and activate the second wireless communication identity or deactivate the second wireless communication identity and activate the first wireless communication identity.

FIG. 4 depicts the mobile device 400, which is operable for implementing aspects of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure should not be limited to these implementations. Though illustrated as a mobile phone, the mobile device 400 may take various forms including a wireless handset, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming device, or a media player. The mobile device 400 includes a display 402 and a touch-sensitive surface and/or keys 404 for input by a user. The mobile device 400 may present options for the user to select, controls for the user to actuate, and/or cursors or other indicators for the user to direct. The mobile device 400 may further accept data entry from the user, including numbers to dial or various parameter values for configuring the operation of the handset. The mobile device 400 may further execute one or more software or firmware applications in response to user commands. These applications may configure the mobile device 400 to perform various customized functions in response to user interaction. Additionally, the mobile device 400 may be programmed and/or configured over-the-air, for example from a wireless base station, a wireless access point, or a peer mobile device 400. The mobile device 400 may execute a web browser application which enables the display 402 to show a web page. The web page may be obtained via wireless communications with a base transceiver station, a wireless network access node, a peer mobile device 400 or any other wireless communication network or system.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the mobile device 400. While a variety of known components of handsets are depicted, in an embodiment a subset of the listed components and/or additional components not listed may be included in the mobile device 400. The mobile device 400 includes a digital signal processor (DSP) 502 and a memory 504. As shown, the mobile device 400 may further include an antenna and front end unit 506, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 508, a baseband processing unit 510, a microphone 512, an earpiece speaker 514, a headset port 516, an input/output interface 518, a removable memory card 520, a universal serial bus (USB) port 522, an infrared port 524, a vibrator 526, a keypad 528, a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch sensitive surface 530, a touch screen/LCD controller 532, a camera 534, a camera controller 536, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 538. In an embodiment, the mobile device 400 may include another kind of display that does not provide a touch sensitive screen. In an embodiment, the DSP 502 may communicate directly with the memory 504 without passing through the input/output interface 518. Additionally, in an embodiment, the mobile device 400 may comprise other peripheral devices that provide other functionality.

The DSP 502 or some other form of controller or central processing unit operates to control the various components of the mobile device 400 in accordance with embedded software or firmware stored in memory 504 or stored in memory contained within the DSP 502 itself. In addition to the embedded software or firmware, the DSP 502 may execute other applications stored in the memory 504 or made available via information carrier media such as portable data storage media like the removable memory card 520 or via wired or wireless network communications. The application software may comprise a compiled set of machine-readable instructions that configure the DSP 502 to provide the desired functionality, or the application software may be high-level software instructions to be processed by an interpreter or compiler to indirectly configure the DSP 502.

The DSP 502 may communicate with a wireless network via the analog baseband processing unit 510. In some embodiments, the communication may provide Internet connectivity, enabling a user to gain access to content on the Internet and to send and receive e-mail or text messages. The input/output interface 518 interconnects the DSP 502 and various memories and interfaces. The memory 504 and the removable memory card 520 may provide software and data to configure the operation of the DSP 502. Among the interfaces may be the USB port 522 and the infrared port 524. The USB port 522 may enable the mobile device 400 to function as a peripheral device to exchange information with a personal computer or other computer system. The infrared port 524 and other optional ports such as a Bluetooth® interface or an IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless interface may enable the mobile device 400 to communicate wirelessly with other nearby handsets and/or wireless base stations.

The keypad 528 couples to the DSP 502 via the interface 518 to provide one mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, and otherwise provide input to the mobile device 400. Another input mechanism may be the touch screen LCD 530, which may also display text and/or graphics to the user. The touch screen LCD controller 532 couples the DSP 502 to the touch screen LCD 530. The GPS receiver 538 is coupled to the DSP 502 to decode global positioning system signals, thereby enabling the mobile device 400 to determine its position.

FIG. 6A illustrates a software environment 602 that may be implemented by the DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system software 604 that provides a platform from which the rest of the software operates. The operating system software 604 may provide a variety of drivers for the handset hardware with standardized interfaces that are accessible to application software. The operating system software 604 may be coupled to and interact with application management services (AMS) 606 that transfer control between applications running on the mobile device 400. Also shown in FIG. 6A are a web browser application 608, a media player application 610, and JAVA applets 612. The web browser application 608 may be executed by the mobile device 400 to browse content and/or the Internet, for example when the mobile device 400 is coupled to a network via a wireless link. The web browser application 608 may permit a user to enter information into forms and select links to retrieve and view web pages. The media player application 610 may be executed by the mobile device 400 to play audio or audiovisual media. The JAVA applets 612 may be executed by the mobile device 400 to provide a variety of functionality including games, utilities, and other functionality.

FIG. 6B illustrates an alternative software environment 620 that may be implemented by the DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system software 628 and an execution runtime 630. The DSP 502 executes applications 622 that may execute in the execution runtime 630 and may rely upon services provided by the application framework 624. Applications 622 and the application framework 624 may rely upon functionality provided via the libraries 626.

FIG. 7 illustrates a computer system 380 suitable for implementing one or more embodiments disclosed herein. The computer system 380 includes a processor 382 (which may be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondary storage 384, read only memory (ROM) 386, random access memory (RAM) 388, input/output (I/O) devices 390, and network connectivity devices 392. The processor 382 may be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

It is understood that by programming and/or loading executable instructions onto the computer system 380, at least one of the CPU 382, the RAM 388, and the ROM 386 are changed, transforming the computer system 380 in part into a particular machine or apparatus having the novel functionality taught by the present disclosure. It is fundamental to the electrical engineering and software engineering arts that functionality that can be implemented by loading executable software into a computer can be converted to a hardware implementation by well known design rules. Decisions between implementing a concept in software versus hardware typically hinge on considerations of stability of the design and numbers of units to be produced rather than any issues involved in translating from the software domain to the hardware domain. Generally, a design that is still subject to frequent change may be preferred to be implemented in software, because re-spinning a hardware implementation is more expensive than re-spinning a software design. Generally, a design that is stable that will be produced in large volume may be preferred to be implemented in hardware, for example in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), because for large production runs the hardware implementation may be less expensive than the software implementation. Often a design may be developed and tested in a software form and later transformed, by well known design rules, to an equivalent hardware implementation in an application specific integrated circuit that hardwires the instructions of the software. In the same manner as a machine controlled by a new ASIC is a particular machine or apparatus, likewise a computer that has been programmed and/or loaded with executable instructions may be viewed as a particular machine or apparatus.

The secondary storage 384 is typically comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data and as an over-flow data storage device if RAM 388 is not large enough to hold all working data. Secondary storage 384 may be used to store programs which are loaded into RAM 388 when such programs are selected for execution. The ROM 386 is used to store instructions and perhaps data which are read during program execution. ROM 386 is a non-volatile memory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative to the larger memory capacity of secondary storage 384. The RAM 388 is used to store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to both ROM 386 and RAM 388 is typically faster than to secondary storage 384. The secondary storage 384, the RAM 388, and/or the ROM 386 may be referred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and/or non-transitory computer readable media.

I/O devices 390 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches, dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tape readers, or other well-known input devices.

The network connectivity devices 392 may take the form of modems, modem banks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards, serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radio transceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), and/or other air interface protocol radio transceiver cards, and other well-known network devices. These network connectivity devices 392 may enable the processor 382 to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the processor 382 might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. Such information, which is often represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor 382, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executed using processor 382 for example, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signal or signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed, may be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and/or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be referred to in some contexts as a transitory signal.

The processor 382 executes instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk (these various disk based systems may all be considered secondary storage 384), ROM 386, RAM 388, or the network connectivity devices 392. While only one processor 382 is shown, multiple processors may be present. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by a processor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, or otherwise executed by one or multiple processors. Instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts, and/or data that may be accessed from the secondary storage 384, for example, hard drives, floppy disks, optical disks, and/or other device, the ROM 386, and/or the RAM 388 may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory instructions and/or non-transitory information.

In an embodiment, the computer system 380 may comprise two or more computers in communication with each other that collaborate to perform a task. For example, but not by way of limitation, an application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of the instructions of the application. Alternatively, the data processed by the application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of different portions of a data set by the two or more computers. In an embodiment, virtualization software may be employed by the computer system 380 to provide the functionality of a number of servers that is not directly bound to the number of computers in the computer system 380. For example, virtualization software may provide twenty virtual servers on four physical computers. In an embodiment, the functionality disclosed above may be provided by executing the application and/or applications in a cloud computing environment. Cloud computing may comprise providing computing services via a network connection using dynamically scalable computing resources. Cloud computing may be supported, at least in part, by virtualization software. A cloud computing environment may be established by an enterprise and/or may be hired on an as-needed basis from a third party provider. Some cloud computing environments may comprise cloud computing resources owned and operated by the enterprise as well as cloud computing resources hired and/or leased from a third party provider.

In an embodiment, some or all of the functionality disclosed above may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may comprise one or more computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein to implement the functionality disclosed above. The computer program product may comprise data structures, executable instructions, and other computer usable program code. The computer program product may be embodied in removable computer storage media and/or non-removable computer storage media. The removable computer readable storage medium may comprise, without limitation, a paper tape, a magnetic tape, magnetic disk, an optical disk, a solid state memory chip, for example analog magnetic tape, compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) disks, floppy disks, jump drives, digital cards, multimedia cards, and others. The computer program product may be suitable for loading, by the computer system 380, at least portions of the contents of the computer program product to the secondary storage 384, to the ROM 386, to the RAM 388, and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system 380. The processor 382 may process the executable instructions and/or data structures in part by directly accessing the computer program product, for example by reading from a CD-ROM disk inserted into a disk drive peripheral of the computer system 380. Alternatively, the processor 382 may process the executable instructions and/or data structures by remotely accessing the computer program product, for example by downloading the executable instructions and/or data structures from a remote server through the network connectivity devices 392. The computer program product may comprise instructions that promote the loading and/or copying of data, data structures, files, and/or executable instructions to the secondary storage 384, to the ROM 386, to the RAM 388, and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system 380.

In some contexts, the secondary storage 384, the ROM 386, and the RAM 388 may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium or a computer readable storage media. A dynamic RAM embodiment of the RAM 388, likewise, may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium in that while the dynamic RAM receives electrical power and is operated in accordance with its design, for example during a period of time during which the computer 380 is turned on and operational, the dynamic RAM stores information that is written to it. Similarly, the processor 382 may comprise an internal RAM, an internal ROM, a cache memory, and/or other internal non-transitory storage blocks, sections, or components that may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory computer readable media or computer readable storage media.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted or not implemented.

Also, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device, comprising: storing a first wireless communication identity in a first sub-partition of a non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity associated with a first country, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a first table of device rules;storing a second wireless communication identity in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity associated with a second country, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a second table of device rules, wherein at least the first network access identity is different from the second network access identity, and wherein the mobile communication device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the mobile communication device at one time;determining, by an application stored in the non-transitory memory and executable by a processor of the mobile communication device, a country in which the mobile communication device is located; and based on the country, one of deactivating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition and activating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition, or deactivating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition and activating, by the application the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition,wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key,wherein the first sub-partition is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, and wherein the second sub-partition is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising rebooting the mobile communication device to complete activating either the first wireless communication identity or the second wireless communication identity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication identity is provisioned by a first provisioning entity, wherein the second wireless communication identity is provisioned by a second provisioning entity, and wherein the first provisioning entity is different from the second provisioning entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-key partition of the trusted security zone is accessed based on a first trusted security zone key and the second sub-key partition of the trusted security zone is accessed based on a second trusted security zone key, and wherein the first trusted security zone key is different from the second trusted security zone key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second tables of device rules comprise at least one of a band select table and a technology order table.

6. A mobile communication device, comprising: a cellular radio transceiver;a non-transitory memory integral with the mobile communication device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of sub-partitions;a first wireless communication identity stored in a first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity, a list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the list, and a table of device rules;a second wireless communication identity stored in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity;a processor; andan application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor: detects a triggering event, andin response to the triggering event, selects the first wireless communication identity stored in the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory or the second wireless communication identity stored in the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory to be an active communication identity of the mobile communication device, wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key, and wherein the mobile communication device conducts wireless communication via the cellular radio transceiver based on the active communication identity, wherein the first sub-partition of memory is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, wherein the second sub-partition of memory is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the triggering event comprises detecting one of an electronic door scanner signal or a hotel identification wireless beacon signal.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the triggering event comprises detecting a network identifier signal transmitted by a cell tower.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the application comprises logic to work with a first provisioning system to wirelessly receive the first wireless communication identity and to work with a second provisioning system to wirelessly receive the second wireless communication identity, and wherein the first provisioning system is different from the second provisioning system.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the mobile communication device further comprises: a third wireless communication identity stored in a third sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity, a list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the list, and a table of device rules; anda fourth wireless communication identity stored in a fourth sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the third wireless communication identity is different from the first, second, and fourth wireless communication identities, and wherein the fourth wireless communication identity is different from the first, second, and third wireless communication identities.

11. A method of establishing a wireless communication link by a mobile communication device, comprising: storing a first wireless communication identity in a first sub-partition of a non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless communication identity comprises a first network access identity, a first list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a first rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the first list, and a table of device rules;storing a second wireless communication identity in a second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity comprises a second network access identity, a second list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a second rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the second list, and a table of device rules, wherein at least the first wireless communication identity is different from the second wireless communication identity, wherein only a single wireless communication identity is active on the device at one time, and wherein the mobile communication device establishes a wireless communication link based on an active wireless communication identity and only a single wireless communication identity is active on the mobile communication device at one time;receiving, by an application stored in the non-transitory memory and executable by a processor of the mobile communication device, a trigger signal; and based on the trigger signal, one of:deactivating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition and activating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition, or deactivating, by the application, the second wireless communication identity in the second sub-partition and activating, by the application, the first wireless communication identity in the first sub-partition, wherein the first sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a first sub-key and the second sub-partition of the non-transitory memory is accessed based on a second sub-key,wherein the first sub-partition is a first sub-partition of a trusted security zone, and wherein the second sub-partition is a second sub-partition of the trusted security zone, and wherein the trusted security zone provides hardware assisted security.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless communication identity corresponds to a business usage identity and the second wireless communication identity corresponds to a personal usage identity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first wireless communication identity is associated with a first wireless communication subscription account and the second wireless communication identity is associated with a second wireless communication subscription account.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless communication identity is associated with a production use environment and the second wireless communication identity is associated with a first test environment.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising storing a third wireless communication identity in a third sub-partition of the non-transitory memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the third wireless communication identity comprises a third network access identity, a third list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach, a third rule set for prioritizing among the wireless communication systems identified in the third list, and a table of device rules, and wherein the third wireless communication identity is associated with a second test environment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the list of wireless communication systems to which the mobile communication device is authorized to attach comprises a coverage map.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the coverage map comprises one or more of an MLPL file, an MSPL file, an EQPRL file, an OPLMN file, an EHPLMN file, and an HPLMN file.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the coverage map file comprises a compilation of an MLPL file, an MSPL file, an EQPRL file, an OPLMN file, an EHPLMN file, and an HPLMN file.