Multi-factor autonomous SIM lock
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsGinger Chien, Richard Zaffino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, initializing a secure timer in a wireless device, determining whether a subscriber identification module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device comprises a carrier identity that matches a carrier identity stored in the machine-readable medium, establishing a network connection with a trusted server, starting the secure timer if the SIM card and network connection are satisfactory, periodically checking the network connection and SIM card until expiry of the secure timer, penalizing the secure timer responsive to a failure of the network connection or SIM card check, and responsive to expiry of the secure timer, unlocking a SIM lock. Other embodiments are disclosed.
Claims20
A wireless device, comprising:
- a processing system including a processor;
- and
- a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
- determining whether a valid subscriber identification module (SIM) card is installed in the wireless device;
- detecting, from a location beacon of the wireless device, a location of the wireless device;
- starting a timer responsive to determining that the valid SIM card is installed in the wireless device and responsive to detecting the location to be within a permitted geographic region;
- and
- adjusting the timer responsive to a determination that the valid SIM card is no longer installed in the wireless device or a detection of the location being outside of the permitted geographic region, wherein expiry of the timer allows a SIM lock to be unlocked for the wireless device to provide service with a different installed SIM card.
A non-transitory machine-readable medium in a secure area of a wireless device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
- determining whether a carrier identity of a subscriber identification module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device matches carrier identity information stored in the secure area;
- detecting a location of the wireless device;
- starting a timer responsive to determining that the carrier identity matches the carrier identity information and responsive to detecting the location to be within a permitted geographic region;
- and
- adjusting the timer responsive to a determination that the SIM card is no longer installed in the wireless device or a detection of the location being outside of the permitted geographic region, wherein expiry of the timer allows a SIM lock embedded in the secure area to be unlocked for the wireless device to provide service with a different installed SIM card.
A method, comprising:
- determining, by a processing system of a wireless device including a processor, whether a valid subscriber identification module (SIM) card is installed in the wireless device;
- detecting, by the processing system, a location of the wireless device;
- starting, by the processing system, a timer responsive to determining that the valid SIM card is installed in the wireless device and responsive to detecting the location to be within a permitted geographic region;
- and
- adjusting, by the processing system, the timer responsive to a determination that the valid SIM card is no longer installed in the wireless device or a detection of the location being outside of the permitted geographic region, wherein expiry of the timer allows a SIM lock to be unlocked for the wireless device to provide service with a different installed SIM card.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.