Remote sim unlock (RSU) implementation using blockchain
AssigneeT-Mobile USA, Inc.
InventorAhmad Arash Obaidi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A permissioned blockchain can be a decentralized data store that maintains information indicating whether user equipment (UE) is SIM locked and/or should be disabled. A UE can access the blockchain during boot up to determine if it should be disabled and not booted into a normal operating environment, and/or whether it is SIM locked to a particular carrier. Authorized entities, such as carriers and UE manufacturers, can update the blockchain to indicate that certain UEs should be disabled, are SIM locked, are not SIM locked, and/or whether it is permissible to remove SIM locks from those UEs.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a computing device of a carrier, a subscriber identity module (SIM) unlock request associated with a user equipment (UE) that is SIM locked;
- determining, by the computing device, that the UE should be SIM unlocked;
- and
- updating, by the computing device, a blockchain with a SIM lock status identifier indicating that the UE is no longer SIM locked, wherein the updating of the blockchain with a SIM lock status identifier indicating that the UE is no longer SIM locked permits the UE to determine directly from the blockchain during boot up of the UE that the UE is not SIM locked,
- wherein the blockchain is accessible by a plurality of entities including one or more of:
- the carrier, other carriers, UE manufacturers, or the UE.
A computing device comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by a computing device of a carrier, a subscriber identity module (SIM) unlock request associated with a user equipment (UE) that is SIM locked;
- determining, by the computing device, that the UE should be SIM unlocked;
- and
- updating, by the computing device, a blockchain with a SIM lock status identifier indicating that the UE is no longer SIM locked, wherein the updating of the blockchain with a SIM lock status identifier indicating that the UE is no longer SIM locked permits the UE to determine directly from the blockchain during boot up of the UE that the UE is not SIM locked,
- wherein the blockchain is accessible by a plurality of entities including one or more of:
- the carrier, other carriers, UE manufacturers, or the UE.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by a computing device of a carrier, a subscriber identity module (SIM) unlock request associated with a user equipment (UE) that is SIM locked;
- determining, by the computing device, that the UE should be SIM unlocked;
- updating, by the computing device, a blockchain with a SIM lock status identifier indicating that the UE is no longer SIM locked;
- receiving a network registration request from the UE and determining a disabled status of the UE by accessing the blockchain;
- and
- determining a SIM lock status of the UE and authorizing network registration for the UE based at least in part on the disabled status and the SIM lock status,
- wherein the blockchain is accessible by a plurality of entities including one or more of:
- the carrier, other carriers, UE manufacturers, or the UE.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.