# US 10,120,696 B2 · Method and device for controlling usability of a communication device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,696 B2 - Document ID: US10120696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/662,596 - Filed: 2015-03-19 - Published: 2016-09-22 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-19 - Assignees: Sony Corporation; Sony Mobile Communications Inc. - Applicants: Sony Mobile Communications Inc. - Inventors: David Berthet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120696B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/4408: {Boot device selection} - G06F 9/4416: {Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]} - G06F 21/305: {by remotely controlling device operation} - G06F 21/575: {Secure boot} - G06F 21/88: Detecting or preventing theft or loss - H04W 12/12: Detection or prevention of fraud - H04W 12/126: Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning - G06F 2221/2105: Dual mode as a secondary aspect - G06F 2221/2147: Locking files - H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and a device for controlling usability of a communication device having a processing unit including a memory for storing computer code, a modem, an access circuit connected to the modem for cellular network authentication and access, and a secure element connected to the access circuit. A boot of the processing unit and the secure element can be initiated at power up of the device. A boot service in the secure element can be executed, and a current state of a state machine in the secure element can be determined. Thereafter, a partition of an operating system can be booted, where the partition is selected dependent on said current state of the state machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, carried out by a communication device, for controlling usability of the communication device, comprising: initiating, at power-up of the communication device, a boot of an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) in the communication device, wherein the eUICC comprises circuits and memory for storing and executing operating software, a root security domain including executable applications and registers that manage and maintain a state of the communication device, and a boot service that determines the maintained state of the communication device, and wherein the eUICC further includes an access circuit connected to a modem, and wherein the eUICC is connected to the access circuit for cellular authentication and access; initiating, at power-up of the communication device, a boot of a processing unit of the communication device; executing the boot service in a secure element in response to an instruction in a boot code of the processing unit; suspending the initiated boot of the processing unit while executing the boot service in the secure element; determining, by the boot service in the secure element, the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC; and booting a partition of either a primary operating system or a secondary operating system, wherein the primary or secondary operating system partition is booted dependent on the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein boot of the primary operating system partition is carried out in response to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being a normal state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein boot of the secondary operating system partition is carried out in response to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being an alert state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising the step of: booting the modem from a file system comprising the boot code, after the step of booting either the primary or secondary operating system partition; and attempting to connect, via the modem, to the cellular network to initiate online state control of the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising the step of: powering down the device responsive to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being an alert state, and the modem not being able to connect to the cellular network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising the step of: initiating tracking of the device by means of a positioning unit in the device, and transmitting position data to the network, responsive to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being an alert state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising the steps of: updating the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC via online state control; and restarting the device after the updating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said updating is self-triggered dependent on one of time, position, or according to a default startup rule. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said updating comprises receipt of a signal from the cellular network representing an instruction to set the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC to an alert state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: booting the modem from a stand-alone memory before or parallel to booting the primary or secondary operating system partition. ### Claim 11 A communication device comprising: a modem; an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) comprising circuits and memory for storing and executing operating software, a root security domain including executable applications and registers that manage and maintain a state of the communication device, and a boot service that determines the maintained state of the communication device, wherein the eUICC further includes an access circuit connected to the modem, and wherein the eUICC is connected to the access circuit for cellular authentication and access; a processing unit including a memory for storing computer code including boot code; and wherein the communication device is configured to: initiate a boot of the processing unit and the eUICC at power up of the device, including executing the boot code of the processing unit; execute the boot service in a secure element in response to an instruction in the boot code of the processing unit; suspend the initiated boot of the processing unit while executing the boot service in the secure element; determining, by the boot service in the secure element, the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC; and boot a partition of either a primary operating system or a secondary operating system, wherein the primary or secondary operating system partition is booted dependent on the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the boot code comprises instructions to boot the primary operating system partition in response to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being a normal state, and instructions to boot a secondary operating system partition in response to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being an alert state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the boot code comprises instructions to boot the modem from a file system after booting either the primary or secondary operating system partition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the boot code comprises instructions to boot the modem from a stand-alone memory before or parallel to booting the primary or secondary operating system partition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the boot code comprises instructions to power down the device responsive to the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC being an alert state, and the modem not being able to connect to the cellular network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the modem is configured to connect to the cellular network to initiate online state control. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The communication device of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is configured to update the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC via online state control and to restart the device, responsive to the update, wherein said update is self-triggered and dependent on one of time, position, or receipt of a signal from the network, representing an instruction to set the state of the communication device maintained in the eUICC to an alert state.