# US 9,438,600 B2 · Apparatus and methods for distributing and storing electronic access clients

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- Number: US 9,438,600 B2
- Document ID: US9438600B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/257,971
- Filed: 2014-04-21
- Published: 2014-10-02
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-05
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: David T. Haggerty; Jerrold Von Hauck; Kevin McLaughlin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438600B2

## CPC

- H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources}
- H04L 9/30: Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
- H04W 4/60: Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
- H04W 8/265: {for initial activation of new user}
- H04W 12/35: {Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning}
- H04W 12/48: using secure binding, e.g. securely binding identity modules to devices, services or applications
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- H04L 63/062: {for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819)}
- H04L 63/0853: {using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234)}
- H04L 2209/24: Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
- H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information
- H04W 12/02: Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Apparatus and methods for efficiently distributing and storing access control clients within a network. In one embodiment, the access clients include electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs), and an eSIM distribution network infrastructure is described which enforces eSIM uniqueness and conservation, distributes network traffic to prevent “bottle necking” congestion, and provides reasonable disaster recovery capabilities. In one variant, eSIMs are securely stored at electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) appliances which ensure eSIM uniqueness and conservation. Access to the eUICC appliances is made via multiple eSIM depots, which ensure that network load is distributed. Persistent storage is additionally described, for among other activities, archiving and backup.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for distributing access control clients to client devices, the method comprising:
at an access control client appliance that manages a plurality of access control clients:
receiving, from a client device, a request for an access control client of the plurality of access control clients;
encrypting the access control client for the client device using a public key associated with the client device;
providing the access control client to at least one access control client depot for storage; and
directing the client device to download the access control client from the at least one access control client depot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the access control client comprises an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the access control client appliance:
authenticating the client device prior to encrypting and providing the access control client to the at least one control client depot for storage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the public key is associated with an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the client device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one access control client depot comprises two or more access control client depots, and the access control client is provided to each of the two or more access control client depots for storage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising, at the access control client appliance:
identifying that the client device receives the access control client from one of the two or more access control client depots; and
removing the access control client from each of the two or more access control client depots.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising, at the access control client appliance, and subsequent to providing the access control client to each of the two or more access control client depots for storage:
updating a status indicator associated with the access control client to indicate that the access control client is stored at each of the two or more access control client depots.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in an access control client depot, cause the access control client depot to carry out steps that include:
receiving an access control client from an access control client appliance that manages a plurality of access control clients, wherein the access control client is encrypted for a client device using a public key associated with the client device;
storing the access control client in a storage device, wherein the access control client is also stored by at least one other access control client depot;
receiving, from the client device, a request to provide the access control client to the client device; and
providing, to the client device, the access control client.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further include:
receiving, from a different access control client depot, a request for the access control client; and
providing the access control client to the different access control client depot.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the public key is associated with an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) included in the client device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further include:
receiving, from the client device, an indication that the access control client has been received; and
providing the indication to the access control client appliance to cause the access control client to be removed from the at least one other access control client depot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further include:
receiving, from the access control client appliance, a challenge variable associated with the access control client; and
storing the challenge variable in the storage device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the steps further include, in response to the request, and prior to providing the access control client to the client device:
verifying the client device based on the challenge variable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein verifying the client device comprises comparing attributes of the client device against metadata associated with the access control client.

### Claim 15

An access control client appliance, comprising:
a processor;
a storage device configured to store a plurality of access control clients; and
a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the access control client appliance to carry out steps that include:
receiving, from a client device, a request for an access control client of the plurality of access control clients;
encrypting the access control client for the client device using a public key associated with the client device;
providing the access control client to at least one access control client depot for storage; and
directing the client device to download the access control client from the at least one access control client depot.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The access control client appliance of claim 15, wherein the steps further include:
authenticating the client device at the access control client appliance prior to encrypting and providing the access control client to the at least one control client depot for storage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The access control client appliance of claim 16, wherein the public key is associated with an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of the client device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The access control client appliance of claim 15, wherein the at least one access control client depot comprises two or more access control client depots, and the access control client is provided to each of the two or more access control client depots for storage.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The access control client appliance of claim 18, wherein the steps further include:
identifying that the client device receives the access control client from one of the two or more access control client depots; and
removing the access control client from each of the two or more access control client depots.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The access control client appliance of claim 18, wherein the steps further include, subsequent to providing the access control client to each of the two or more access control client depots for storage:
updating a status indicator associated with the access control client to indicate that the access control client is stored at each of the two or more access control client depots.