Mobile communications

摘要

An identification module (such as a SIM card) for securely providing a mobile identity to a mobile data network for use in identifying mobile equipment in which that identification module is installed comprises a mobile identity memory which securely stores data defining two or more different mobile identities; a selector for selecting a mobile identity from the two or more mobile identities; a network interface for generating data derived from the selected mobile identity for transmission to a mobile network during a network authorization procedure, and for receiving acknowledgement data back from the mobile network indicating whether authorization was successful based on that selected mobile identity; and a detector for detecting whether the acknowledgement data indicates an unsuccessful authorization with the mobile network and, if so, for initiating a further network authorization procedure in which the selector selects a different one of the two or more mobile identities.

主权项

1. Identification circuitry for securely providing a mobile identity to a mobile data network for use in identifying mobile equipment in which the identification circuitry is installed, the identification circuitry comprising:
a mobile identity storage controller configured to access memory which securely stores data defining two or more different mobile identities; a selector configured to select the mobile identity from the two or more different mobile identities; a network interface configured to generate data derived from the selected mobile identity for transmission to a mobile network during a network authorization procedure, and to receive acknowledgement data back from the mobile network indicating whether authorization was successful based on the selected mobile identity; a detector configured to detect whether the acknowledgement data indicates an unsuccessful authorization with the mobile network and, if so, to initiate a further network authorization procedure in which the selector selects a different one of the two or more different mobile identities, wherein
at least two of the different mobile identities are temporary-use mobile identities, the temporary-use mobile identities being stored in the identifying mobile equipment prior to the network authorization procedure; and a time controller configured to control use of the temporary-use mobile identities to no longer than a first predetermined period, such that the temporary-use mobile identities are not useable for the network authorization after the first predetermined period, wherein: the time controller defines the first predetermined period with reference to a first use of the identification circuitry; the selector is configured to select only a single stored mobile identity for use after an expiry of the first predetermined period; the time controller is configured to inhibit the selector from selecting the single stored mobile identity until the expiry of the predetermined period; and the selector is configured to randomly select from amongst the available mobile identities.