115
`United States Patent
`6,141,563
`{11} Patent Number:
`
`[45] Date of Patent: Oct. 31, 2000
`Miller et al.
`
`US006141563A
`
`SIM CARD SECURED SUBSCRIBER UNIT
`$444,764=8/1995 GalecKi voc ceccessesesessees 455/558
`[54]
`5,687,216
`11/1997 Svensson .
`379/357
`5,875,404
`2/1999 Messict....
`455/558
`Inventors: Michael Addison Miller, Chandler;
`[75]
`
`5,884,168—3/1999 Kollevet al, ccecssecsssssesseesereseeee 455/551
`James Morris Tooker, Phoenix, both
`ofAriz.
`
`
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[73]
`
`Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg,III.
`
`Appl. No.: 08/991,580
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 16, 1997
`
`Tint, C0? oooeecccccceecscescseessersceeersenssereennessseres H04Q 7/20
`US Chiwieanicaeen 455/558; 455/411; 455/550;
`379/357
`Field of Search w..ccccccccceees 455/90, 403, 410,
`455/411, 418, 422, 550, 551, 558, 566,
`575; 379/357; 235/375, 380, 382, 384,
`385, 474, 492; 902/26; 340/825.3, 825.34;
`380/23, 25
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0607767A1
`
`7/1994
`
`European Pat. Off. .
`
`Primary Examiner—Dwayne D. Bost
`Assistant Examiner—Nay Maung
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Bradley J. Botsch
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Asubscriber unit (101) includes a SIM card reader (107) for
`receiving a SIM card (105). The subscriber unit (101) is
`serialized andhas stored therein an alphanumeric signature
`value which is associated with the specific serialized sub-
`scriber unit (101). The subscriberunit (101) is fully operable
`only with a SIM card (105) having stored therein the specific
`signature value corresponding to the serialized subscriber
`unit (101). A user having a SIM card (105) containing the
`specific signature value for that subscriber unit can select a
`mode ofuser operation which will permit multiple selected
`SIM card holding users to use the subscriber unit.
`
`5,404,580
`5,418,837
`
`....cseseseereeresee 455/558
`4/1995 Simpson et al.
`5/1995 Johansson et al. wesc, 379/357
`
`14 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`INSERT SIN CARD
`
`501
`
`NO
`
` IS SIN
`
`CARD VALID
`TES
`USER SELECTS "USER PROFILE" MENU
`
`PROMPT USER FOR PASSWORD
`
`USER ENTER PASSWORD
`
`”
`
`PASSHORD VALID
`
`IS
`
`YES
`
`NO ACTION
`
`POSSIBLE
`
`50
`
`5
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`513
`
`507
`
`508
`
`509
`
`512
`
`514
`
`515
`
`517
`
`1 of 10
`
`SAMSUNG EXHIBIT 1022
`
`

`

`U.S, Patent
`
`Oct, 31, 2000
`
`Sheet lofs
`
`6,141,5¢
`
`
`
`2 of 10
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 31, 2000
`
`Sheet 2 of 5
`
`6,141,563
`
`—
`
`TRANSCEIVER
`
`103
`
`| |
`
`|
`|
`|
`|
`USER]
`
`
`
`| INTERFACE||
`
`|
`|
`SIM
`
`| ||capMEMORY
`
`
`
`ms
`SIM CARD
`|
`)
`105
`
`MEMORY
`READER
`!
`!
`
`|
`|
`100
`Cee eee ee ee eaaeea |
`
`SU SERIAL NUMBER|SU SIGNATURE VALUE
`
`
`
`°07
`301
`00000001
`87396736A
`
`
`303
`00000002
`17639754C
`[304
`
`00000003
`98736514F
`
`305-1
`
`306
`
`
`
`USER MODE|ALLOWABLE SIM LIST
`
`SIM 87839676A
`
`
`MULTIPLE|SIM 87839676A
`SIM 17639754C|taoy
`
`SIM 98736514F
`
`
`SINGLE
`
`401~
`
`3 of 10
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 31, 2000
`
`Sheet 3 of 5
`
`6,141,563
`
`INSERT SIM CARD
`
`501
`
`
`
` IS SIM
`CARD VALID
`9
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`USER SELECTS "USER PROFILE" MENU
`
`f-507
`
`PROMPT USER FOR PASSWORD
`
`508
`
`USER ENTER PASSWORD
`
`509
`
` NO
`
`IS
`PASSWORD VALID
`?
`
`511
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`505
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`513
`
`YES
`
`DISPLAY MENU
`
`512
`
`USER SELECTS "CHANGE PASSWORD"
`
`f-514
`
`USER CHANGES PASSWORD
`
`O15
`
`USER EXITS MENU
`
`517
`
`FIG. 5
`
`4 of 10
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 31, 2000
`
`Sheet 4 of 5
`
`6,141,563
`
`INSERT SIM CARD
`
`501
`
`
` IS SIM
`
`CARD VALID NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`905
`
`USER SELECTS "USER PROFILE" MENU
`
`f-507
`
`PROMPT USER FOR PASSWORD
`
`508
`
`USER ENTER PASSWORD
`
`509
`
`511 NO
`9
`
`IS
`PASSWORD VALID
`
`YES
`
`DISPLAY MENU
`
`512
`
`USER "TOGGLE MODE" SELECTS
`
`514
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`513
`
`
`
`602
`
` IS
`
`
`USER A "PRIMARY USER"
`?
`
`YES
`
`USER SELECTS USER MODE
`
`USER EXITS MENU
`
`5 of 10
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`604
`
`NO
`
`601
`
`517
`
`FIG.
`
`6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 31, 2000
`
`Sheet 5 of5
`
`6,141,563
`
`INSERT SIM CARD
`
`501
`
` IS SIM
`
`CARD VALID
`?
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`USER SELECTS "USER PROFILE" MENU
`
`-507
`
`PROMPT USER FOR PASSWORD
`
`508
`
`USER ENTER PASSWORD
`
`509
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`505
`
`51 IS
`
`PASSWORD VALID
`
`?
`
`NO
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`513
`
`YES
`
`DISPLAY MENU
`
`512
`
`SELECT “EDIT ATHHORIZATION"
`
`701
`
`602 IS
`
`USER A "PRIMARY USER"
`?
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`EDIT SIM SIGNATURE AND
`PASSWORD OF EACH USER 10 BE
`ADDED/ DELETED
`
`703
`
`USER EXITS MENU
`
`517
`
`NO ACTION POSSIBLE
`
`604
`
`FIG.
`
`7
`
`6 of 10
`
`

`

`6,141,563
`
`
`
`
`1
`SIM CARD SECURED SUBSCRIBER UNIT
`
`
`
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`The present invention pertains to communication systems,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`in general, and to personal communication devices or sub-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`scriber units used in such communications systems and of a
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
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`type utilizing a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), in
`particular.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
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`
`
`In radiotelephone systems such as the Global System for
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`Mobile Communications (GSM)radiotelephone system in
`use in Europe, a SIM cardis inserted into a radiotelephone
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`for providing, subscriber identification, billing information
`
`
`
`
`
`
`and other information concerning the operation of the radio-
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`
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`
`
`telephone. The SIM is a key component of the GSM and
`
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`
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`typically comprises a card which is inserted into a GSM
`
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`
`
`phone in order to make the phone work.
`
`
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`In a typical cellular telephone communication system,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`each subscriber unit is assigned a mobile subscriber identi-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`fication (MSI) which uniquely identifies the subscriber unit
`from other subscriber units. In the European cellular com-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`munication system, one such identifier is the international
`
`
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`
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`
`
`
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`mobile subscriber identification number (IMSI).
`
`Itis highly desirable to provide a personal communication
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`system which utilizes a personal telecommunications device
`
`
`
`
`
`
`or subscriber unit which is operable in various available
`
`
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`
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`telecommunications systems across all available cellular
`
`
`
`
`
`
`frequencies and which is operable with satellite based com-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`munication systems such as the Iridium based communica-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`tions system from Motorola Inc.
`
`
`
`
`
`In the present
`telecommunications environment, SIM
`
`
`
`
`
`
`cards are used to allow the SIM card holder to have access
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
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`
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`to any telecommunications device such as a cellular tele-
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`
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`phone which will receive the SIM card. The SIM card is
`
`
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`
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`used primarily to provide a customerprofile from which the
`
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`
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`customer may be billed for usage of the telecommunications
`
`
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`
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`network. Thus,
`the SIM card is used to authenticate or
`
`
`
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`
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`
`
`authorize a user.
`
`
`
`With the advent of subscriber units which are useable in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`it
`satellite systems and across other systems as well,
`is
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`desirable to provide for limited use of subscriber units. In
`
`
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`
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`certain circumstances it is desirable to allow a subscriber
`
`
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`
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`unit to be used only by a single user. In other instances it is
`
`
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`
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`
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`desirable that a single user decides additional specific users
`
`
`
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`
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`who are permitted to use the subscriber unit. By providing
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`these security features, the incidence of theft or misappro-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`priation of subscriber units may be decreased.
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`
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`The invention will be better understood from a reading of
`
`
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`
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`the following detailed description in conjunction with the
`
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`drawing in which like reference designators are used to
`
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`designate like elements and in which:
`
`
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`
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates a subscriber unit in accordance with the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`invention;
`
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the subscriber unit of FIG.
`
`
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`
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`
`
`1;
`
`
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`FIG. 3 is a translation table of scrial numbersto signature
`
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`
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`
`
`
`values;
`
`FIG. 4 is a table of user modes for the device of FIG. 1;
`
`
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`
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`and
`
`FIGS. 5 through 7 are flowcharts illustrating the opera-
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`
`tion of the radiotelephone system of FIG. 1
`
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`7 of 10
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`2
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`
`The present invention associates each subscriber unit with
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`a preset and predetermined signature alphanumeric value.
`
`
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`The predetermined alphanumeric value is programmedinto
`
`
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`
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`the memory on a SIM card. The subscriber unit is thereafter
`
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`
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`uniquely associated with the particular SIM card. Full oper-
`
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`ability subscriber unit can only occur if the particular SIM
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`
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`
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`
`
`card associated with the subscriber unit is used in conjunc-
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`
`
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`
`tion with the subscriber unit. For purposesofclarity, thc SIM
`
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`
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`card containing the predetermined alphanumeric signature
`
`
`
`
`
`value associated with a specific subscriber unit is referred to
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`as a primary SIM card for that subscriber unit.
`
`
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`
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`In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a user
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`
`having a primary SIM card can access a menu in the
`
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`subscriber unit which permits the primary SIM card holder
`
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`to enter the signature values of other SIM cards authorized
`
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`to enable operation of the subscriber unit.
`
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`In accordance with another aspect of the invention a
`
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`subscriber unit is operable in a selectable single/multiple
`
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`
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`
`
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`user mode. When in the multiple user mode, the subscriber
`
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`unit will function with any SIM card which is formatted for
`
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`operation within the particular subscriber unit and which the
`
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`subscriber unit has been programmed with the predeter-
`
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`
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`mined alphanumeric values programmedinto the SIM cards.
`
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`Thus multiple users may use a single subscriber unit. When
`
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`
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`in the single user mode, the subscriber unit will function
`
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`with the primary SIM card which is formatted for operation
`
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`
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`within the particular subscriber unit. By providing these
`
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`modes of operation, a subscriber unit may be used for
`
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`
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`commercial use while also providing for personal users of
`
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`the same type of subscriber units to prevent unauthorized
`
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`
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`use of the subscriber unit. Additionally, single made opera-
`
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`
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`tion offers a form of theft deterrence for would be thieves of
`
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`
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`subscriber units without SIM cards. A subscriber unit set up
`
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`
`
`
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`
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`in the single user mode is rendered useless without a proper
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`primary SIM card.
`
`
`
`U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,615,260; 5,257,414 and 5,444,764 all
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Inc.,
`issued to Motorola,
`the assignee of the present
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`invention, are incorporated herein by reference.
`
`
`
`
`
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`FIG. 1 illustrates a subscriber unit in accordance with the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`principles of the invention. The subscriber unit of FIG. 1 is
`
`
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`
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`
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`a radiotelephone. Radiotelephones such as the one shownin
`
`
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`
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`
`
`
`
`FIG.
`1 are also known as cellular telephones, personal
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`communication devices and subscriber units. It is intended
`
`
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`
`
`
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`that the term “subscriber unit” as used herein encompasses
`
`
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`
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`all such devices and equivalents thereof. It is also intended
`
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`
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`that the term “subscriber unit” as used herein is not limited
`
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`
`
`to personal communication devices and subscriber units that
`
`
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`are wireless. A transceiver 103 transmits and receives radio
`
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`
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`frequency (rf) signals to and from mobile and portable
`subscriber units located within a geographic service area. In
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`the case where a conventional cellular telephone system is
`
`
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`
`
`the system being used,
`transceiver 103 is a fixed site
`
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`transceiver and the geographic service area is fixed as the
`
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`cell served by transceiver 103. In the instance of a satellite
`
`
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`
`
`
`type system, such as GSM orIridium?™, transceiver 103
`
`
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`
`
`
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`
`
`maybe a low earth orbiting satellite. Subscriber unit 101 is
`
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`
`
`
`one of a plurality of subscriber units served by transceiver
`
`
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`103. The rf signals transmitted between transceiver 103 and
`
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`
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`subscriber unit 101 include data or voice signals, subscriber
`
`
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`
`
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`identification and billing information. ‘The billing informa-
`
`
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`
`
`tion sent from subscriber unit 101 to transceiver 103 is
`
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`
`
`
`stored in a memory contained on SIM card 105. SIM card
`
`
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`
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`105 can be a full size card such as shownin FIG. 1 or can
`
`
`
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`
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`
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`
`
`be a chip sized card. Subscriber unit 101 contains a card
`
`
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`
`
`reader which reads the subscriber billing information from
`
`
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`
`
`wn
`
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`
`10
`
`
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`
`20
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`
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`as)m
`
`
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`40
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`50
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`55
`
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`60
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`7 of 10
`
`

`

`6,141,563
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`3
`
`SIM card 105. The card reader may be of a type described
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,260.
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 2 illustrates the system of FIG. 1 with subscriber unit
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`101 shown in block diagram form. SIM card 105 may be
`
`
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`inserted into SIM card reader 107 contained within the
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`subscriber unit 101. A typical subscriber unit 101 includes a
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`transceiver portion comprising a
`transmitter 115 and a
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`recciver 113 both coupled to an antenna 111 to provide
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`communication to the transceiver 103. Subscriber unit 101
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`includes a controller or processor unit 117. Controller 117
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`includes a microprocessor, such as a commercially available
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`processoridentified as an MC68332 whichis available from
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`Motorola, Inc., and memory which includes a program
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`memory 119 and a random access memory 118. Memories
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`118 and 119 are shown as separate memory modules. It will
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`be appreciated by those skilledin the art that the memories
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`118 and 119 canbe portions of a common memory. Program
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`memory 119 is non volatile memory which, for example, is
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`an EEPROM andincludes operational programs for oper-
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`ating subscriber unit 101. Mcmory 118 is a random access
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`memoryof the nonvolatile type. As will also be appreciated
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`by those skilled in the art, memory 118 can be any of a
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`number of commercially available memory types. Sub-
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`scriber unit 101 also includes a user interface 109. User
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`interface 109 is used to convey information between a user
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`and subscriber unit 101. In the illustrative embodiment of
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`the invention, user interface 109 includes a microphone, a
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`speaker, a data port, a display and a keypad none of which
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`is separately shown in the drawings for purposesofclarity.
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`As will be understood by those skilled in the art
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`the
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`display and keypad may be of any type used to input
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`information and the display maybe anyof the types avail-
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`able for use in subscriber units.
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`Io using, subscriber unit 101, information inputted at user
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`interface 109 as voice and/or data signals may be processed
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`by controller 117. The processed signals are provided to
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`transmitter 115 which converts the information into rf sig-
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`nals or modulates rf signals with the processed information
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`for transmission via antenna 111 to transceiver 103. ‘The rf
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`signals received at
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`extract the information which in the case of a cellular
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`telephone system is then transmitted over the terrestrial
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`based telephone network. In the case where the transceiver
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`103 is a satellite based transceiver, the rf signals will be
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`processed in accordance with the satellite system standards.
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`Similarly, receiver 113 receives signals from antenna 111
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`which were transmitted from transceiver 103. Controller 117
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`processes the signals and extracts voice and/or data [rom the
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`signals and provides the voice and/or data to user interface
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`109.
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`Subscriber unit 101 includes a “signature value” storedin
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`the memory 119 to uniquely identify the subscriber unit 101.
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`The signature value is assigned at
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`distributor subscriber unit. For purposesofthis disclosure,it
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`is intended that
`the term “manufacturing” includes the
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`assigning of the signature valuc to the subscriber unit 101
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`and as explaincd below to a SIM card 105. The signature
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`value is stored in the subscriber unit 101 as an alphanumeric
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`identity which correspondsto a particular serial number for
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`a subscriber unit 101. This mode is referred to herein as
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`“open” mode 405 which allows any numberto be dialed
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`whereby an emergency number may be dialed without a
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`SIM.
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`Turning to FIG. 3, an exemplary table of serial numbers
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`and the corresponding signature values are shownin tabular
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`form. The serial numbers 301, 303 and 305 are indicated in
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`the left column and the signature values 302, 304 and 306
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`20
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`8 of 10
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`4
`corresponding, to eachserialized subscriber unit is indicated
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`in the right column. Of particular interest to the present
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`invention, for each subscriber unit 101 a SIM card 105 is
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`also programmed with the signature value corresponding to
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`that subscriber unit 101. For each subscriber unit 101 a
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`primary SIM card 105 having the corresponding signature
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`valuc is required in order for the subscriber unit 101 to be
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`made operable. ‘hus, associated with each serialized radio-
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`telephone there is a corresponding serialized SIM card 105
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`whichacts as a key to enable operation of the subscriber unit
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`101. As shown in FIG. 3, there is a one to one correspon-
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`dence between the subscriber unit serial numbers and the
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`subscriber unit signature values. The signature values are
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`typically alphanumeric combinations, however,
`it will be
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`apparent that the signature values may be solely alphabetic
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`or numeric or may include specific characters. The term
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`“alphanumeric” as used herein is intended to include com-
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`binations which are numeric only, or alphabetic only or
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`which include unique characters.
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`In accordance with the principles of the invention, a
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`subscriber unit may be operable in one or more modes. The
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`illustrative embodiment of the inventionis operable in three
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`modes. The various modes of operability for a subscriber
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`unit are illustrated in F'IG. 4. Tor a particular subscriber unit
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`corresponding to the subscriber unit having the serial num-
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`ber 301 listed on the first line of the table of FIG. 3 the
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`corresponding signature value 302 is preprogrammed into
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`the subscriber unit. The signature value 302 is also prepro-
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`grammedinto a primary SIM card. Only if the primary SIM
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`card is inserted as SIM card 105 into the subscriber unit 101
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`of FIG. 1 will subscriber unit 101 be operable for any mode
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`of operation. The subscriber unit 101 is otherwise inoper-
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`able. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
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`subscriber unit can also be preprogrammedto permit access
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`to use without any SIM card for emergency number calls
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`such as to emergencyfire or police numbers. The forgoing
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`mode of operation is referred to herein as a “single” user
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`mode 401. A primary SIM card 105 enables a user to access
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`all modes of operation of subscriber unit 101.
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`A user with a primary SIM card 105 may program
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`subscriber unit 101 to be operated with multiple SIM cards
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`105. This is referred to hercin as the “multiple” uscr mode
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`403. In the multiple user mode, the SIM card signature
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`values for other SIM cards 105 permitted to have use of the
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`subscriber unit 101 are entered into the subscriber unit 101.
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`Thus the signature values 402 of allowable SIM cards 105
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`are stored in the subscriber unit 101. In addition, a subscriber
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`unit 101 may be programmed to permit any valid SIM card
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`to be used to activate a subscriber unit 101 for a limited
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`number of user modes such as access to emergencytele-
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`phone numbers suchaspolice or fire numbers. This modeis
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`referred to herein as the “open” mode 405.
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`FIG. 5 is a flow chart of operation of a subscriber unit 101
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`to change a passwordfor accessing features of the subscriber
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`unit. ASIM card 105 is first inserted into the subscriber unit
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`101 as indicated at step 501. Subscriber unit 101 makes a
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`determination of whether SIM card 105 is valid or norat step
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`503. The validity determination is made from information
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`stored on the SIM card 105. Morespecifically, the signature
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`value stored in the SIM card 105 is compared against the
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`signature value for a primary SIM card stored for the
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`subscriber unit and against a list of authorized signature
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`values also stored in memory 119 as shownin FIG. 2. If SIM
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`card 105 is not valid, no use of the subscriber unit 101 is
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`permitted and the subscriber unit 101 provides a display
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`indication that access to use of the subscriber unit 101 is
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`denied as indicated at 505. If SIM card 105 is valid, a menu
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`8 of 10
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`5
`is displayed using the user interface 109 of the subscriber
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`unit as shown in 'IG. 1. The user may select options from
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`the menu including the selection of a “user profile” selection
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`as indicated at step 507. The user profile selection option is
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`used to set specific user settings for the user. Examples of
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`such settings include ring options and volume, prepro-
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`grammed oumbers and similar operational options for the
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`subscriber unit 101. The selection of the operational options
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`is stored in memory 118. Before these options can be
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`changed, subscriber unit 101 prompts the user for a pass-
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`word as indicated at step 508. The user must cntcr a
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`password as indicated at step 509. ‘The password may be
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`alpha, numeric or alphanumeric depending upon the type
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`and capability of the subscriber unit. Subscriber unit 101
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`determines whether the password entered is valid or not at
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`step 511. If the password entered is not valid, no further
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`action is possible with the subscriber unit 101 as indicated
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`at step 513. If the passwordentered is a valid password for
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`the subscriber unit 101, a menu of operation choices is
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`displayed as indicated at step 512. The menu displayed
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`includes as one choice a “change password” option. If the
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`user selects the change password optionasindicated at step
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`514, the user can then change the password as indicated in
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`step 515. The user can only change the password for the SIM
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`card 105 inserted in the subscriber unit 105. After changing
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`the password, the user exits the change password menu as
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`indicated at step 517. The use of password protection in the
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`unit is to provide a second level of security in the event, for
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`example, that the subscriber unit and matching SIM card are
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`a)a
`stolen or lost. In addition, it is significant to note that in the 4
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`embodimentof the invention, a user can only change his or
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`her own password and cannot change the password of any
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`other authorized user.It is to be noted that the functionality
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`attributed above and below to the subscriber unit 101 is
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`provided by controller 117 utilizing programs and data
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`stored in the memories 118 and 119. It is to be noted that
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`each SIM card 105 includes a memory 1059 whichstores the
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`subscriber value for the SIM card 105.
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`FIG. 6 is a flow chart of operation of the subscriber unit
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`101 for toggling the operation of the subscriber unit such
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`that it is changed from the single user to the multiple user
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`mode or vice versa. The operation is the same as sct forth
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`above for steps 501 through 512. Onc of the menu choices
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`1s to select the “toggle” mode.If the user selects the “toggle”
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`mode in step 514, the subscriber unit will determine if the
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`SIM card is a primary SIM card in step 602. If the SIM card
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`105 is not a primary SIM card 105 further access to menu
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`functions is denied in step 604. If the SIM card 105 is
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`determined to be a primary SIM card, then the toggle mode
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`menuitem is entered into at step 601 and the user mode can
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`be toggled. When the user mode is toggled il is switched
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`from its present user mode which may be either one of the
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`single or multiple open mode to the other of the three modes.
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`Thus, a user having a primary SIM card 105 can determine
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`whetherthe subscriber unit 101 is to be useable only with the
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`prmary SIM card 105 or is uscable with other SIM cards.
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`FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of the operation of editing the
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`subscriber unit 101 list of authorized SIM cards. Operation
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`of the subscriber unit 101 is the same for steps 501 through
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`512 as described with respect to ['IG. 5. I'rom the menu
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`displayed in step 512, the user selects the “edit authorized
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`users” modein step 714. Prior to allowing the userto edit the
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`list of authorized SIM cards, the subscriber unit 101 will
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`determine whether the SIM card 105 is a primary SIM card
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`in step 602. If the SIM card 105 is not a primary SIM card,
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`further access is denied as indicated in step 604. If the SIM
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`card 105 is a primary SIM card, the user is permitted to edit
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`9 of 10
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`6
`the SIM signature value and password of each user to be
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`added or deleted froma list of authorized users in step 716.
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`After making the selections, the user exits the menu in step
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`517.
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`The invention has been described in terms of a specific
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`embodiment.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art
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`that various modifications and changes may be madeto the
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`illustrative embodiment of the invention without departing
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`from the spirit of scope of the invention. It is intended that
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`the invention not be limited by the embodiments shown and
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`described.It is intended that the inventionbe limited only by
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`the claims appended hereto.
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`Whatis claimed is:
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`1. A method of operating a subscriber unit having a
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`subscriber identification module SIM card reader, said
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`method comprising the steps of:
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`reading a first preprogrammed signature value from a
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`subscriber identification module (SIM)card;
`comparing said first preprogrammed signature value to a
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`preprogrammed signature value stored in said sub-
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`scriberunit, said preprogrammedsignature value being
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`singularly unique to said subscriber unit;
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`enabling communications functions of said subscriber
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`unit only if said preprogrammed signature value cor-
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`responds to said first preprogrammed signature value
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`prompting a user to enter a password;
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`comparing, said password with a predetermined password
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`stored in said subscriber unit; and
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`enabling predetermined operational features of said sub-
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`scriber unit that were not otherwise accessible via a
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`proper SIM card only if said password matches said
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`predetermined password.
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`2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:
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`said preprogrammed signature value is determined by a
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`provider of said subscriber unit.
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`3. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising:
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`disabling said communication functions if said SIM card
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`is removed from said card reader.
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`4. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined
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`operational features includes selecting a mode of operation
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`for said subscriber unit.
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`5. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined
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`operational features includes changing said predetermined
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`password stored in said subscriber unit.
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`6. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined
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`operational features includeseditinga list of authorized SIM
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`cards.
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`7. A subscriber unit uscable with a subscriber identifica-
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`tion module (SIM) card, comprising:
`a SIM cardreader for receiving and reading, information
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`stored on said SIM card;
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`a memory storing a specific predetermined signature
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`value, said specific predetermined signature value
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`being unique to said subscriber unit;
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`a controller for comparing a signature value stored on said
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`SIM card with said specific predetermined first signa-
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`ture value stored in said memory, said controller deny-
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`ing access to said subscriber unit if said SIM card
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`signature value does not match said specific predeter-
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`mined signature value, said controller allowing access
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`to substantially all functional op