Apple Inc.

Tropian, Inc.

Other

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Ultrabit Communications LLC

University of California

Amalfi Semiconductor Corporation

Bitzmo, Inc.

Stephan Vincent Schell

Ruben Caballero

Anthony Michael Fadell

Stephen Paul Zadesky

Emery Artemus Sanford

Jesse Lee Dorogusker

Jerrold Von Hauck

David T Haggerty

Andrew Bart Hodge

Arun Godfrey Mathias

Wendell B Sander

Li Li

Li Su

Sami M Almalfouh

Robert J Bayruns

Ronald A Meck

Kevin P McLaughlin

Andrew Bert Hodge

Ben-Heng Juang

Jianxiong Shi

Mohit Narang

Timothy John Millet

Richard W D Booth

Thomas E Biedka

Paul Cheng-Po Liang

Binu K Mathew

William A Gardner

Srinivasan Nimmala

Venkateswara Rao Manepalli

Srinivas Burugupalli

Vijay Kumar Ramamurthi

Achim Pantfoerder

Clive Edward Rodgers

Jesse Lee Doroguskar

Michael M Lee

Erik P Machnicki

Brian G Agee

Brian Sander

Earl W McCune

Christopher D McKillop

John F Sevic

Hua Wang

Matthew Anthony Mow

This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).

Embedded authentication systems in an electronic device

A user equipment device (UE) may implement improved communication methods which include radio resource time multiplexing, dynamic sub-frame allocation, and UE transmit duty cycle control. The UE may communicate with base stations using radio frames that include multiple sub-frames, transmit information regarding allocation of a portion of the sub-frames of a respective radio frame for each of a plurality of the radio frames, and transmit and receive data using allocated sub-frames and not using unallocated sub-frames. Additionally, the UE may operate according to a sub-frame allocation based on its current power state. The UE may transmit information to the base station and receive the sub-frame allocation based on at least the information and switch transmit duty cycles based on an occurrence of a condition at the UE. The UE may inform the network of the switch.

User equipment transmit duty cycle control

Methods and apparatus for managing multiple user access control entities or clients. For example, in one embodiment, a 'wallet' of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) may be stored and used at a user device and/or distributed to other devices for use thereon. In another embodiment, a networked server may store and distribute eSIM to a plurality of user devices in communication therewith. A database of available eSIM is maintained at the wallet entity and/or at the network which enables request for a particular eSIM to be processed and various rules for the distribution thereof to be implemented. Security precautions are implemented to protect both user and network carrier specific data as the data is transmitted between networked entities. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.

Management systems for multiple access control entities

Methods and apparatus for activating a purchased or previously deployed device by a subscriber. In one embodiment, activation includes authenticating the device to a service provider or carrier, and providing the device with data necessary for enabling the service to the device. In one variant, a user device is activated at a retail store, with the assistance of a carrier representative. In another variant, user equipment is activated via a communications network without the assistance of a representative. In yet another variant, the user equipment is activated via the Internet without the assistance of a representative. The provision of access data includes pre-assigning eSIM from a population of unassigned eSIMs to certain devices for various carrier networks. Alternatively, the eSIM may be assigned on an as-needed basis. Unassigned and/or unused eSIMs can be released (or sold back to the vendor) and/or reused. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.

Access data provisioning apparatus and methods

In some embodiments, a user equipment device (UE) implements improved communication methods which include radio resource time multiplexing, dynamic sub-frame allocation, and UE transmit duty cycle control. In some embodiments, the UE may communicate with base stations using radio frames that include multiple sub-frames, transmit information regarding allocation of a portion of the sub-frames of a respective radio frame for each of a plurality of the radio frames, and transmit and receive data using allocated sub-frames and not using unallocated sub-frames. In some embodiments, the UE may operate according to a sub-frame allocation based on its current power state. The UE may transmit information to the base station and receive the sub-frame allocation based on at least the information. In some embodiments, the UE may switch transmit duty cycles based on an occurrence of a condition at the UE. The UE may inform the network of the switch.

Various mechanisms for paging link-budget-limited (LBL) devices are disclosed, including: (1) transmitting paging message with non-conventional paging identifier; (2) transmitting paging message(s) with increased power; (3) repeating transmission of paging message to support combining at receiver. Various mechanisms for UE device to signal LBL status are disclosed, including, transmitting status flag or special value of DRX cycle to network node as part of tracking area update and/or attach request. The network node informs a base station of the device's LBL status as part of a paging message. (The network node may, e.g., assign an S-RNTI to the LBL device from a reserved subset of S-RNTI space.) The base station invokes a paging enhancement mechanism when paging an LBL device. Alternatively, the base station may page UE devices without knowledge of LBL status, e.g., by counting paging attempts for a given UE, and boosting power after the Npaging attempt.

Paging mechanisms for link-budget-limited user devices

Methods and apparatus for detecting fraudulent device operation. In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a device is issued a user access control client that is uniquely associated with a shared secret that is securely stored within the network and the access control client. Subsequent efforts to activate or deactivate the access control client require verification of the shared secret. Each change in state includes a change to the shared secret. Consequently, requests for a change to state which do not have the proper shared secret will be disregarded, and/or flagged as fraudulent.

Network assisted fraud detection apparatus and methods

Methods and apparatus enabling programming of electronic identification information of a wireless apparatus. In one embodiment, a previously purchased or deployed wireless apparatus is activated by a cellular network. The wireless apparatus connects to the cellular network using an access module to download operating system components and/or access control client components. The described methods and apparatus enable updates, additions and replacement of various components including Electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) data, OS components. One exemplary implementation of the invention utilizes a trusted key exchange between the device and the cellular network to maintain security.

Methods and apparatus for delivering electronic identification components over a wireless network

Described herein is a simulacrum security device and methods. In one embodiment, a simulacrum or likeness of a physical security device is provided for use in conjunction with a software emulation of the security device. In one implementation, a 'faux SIM card' is provided that does not contain Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) information itself, but instead enables a user to download Electronic SIM (eSIM) information (e.g., from a network or eSIM server) which is loaded into a software emulation of a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) device. The faux card is printed with an activation code, scan pattern, or other activation or access information. The subscriber purchases the faux card, and enters the activation code into a device; the entered activation code enables the device to log onto a network, and download the appropriate eSIM data. Delivery of eSIM information as enabled by the faux card addresses deficiencies in existing SIM distribution schemes, provides users with an enhanced perception of security, and further addresses various legal requirements.

Simulacrum of physical security device and methods

Growing community of inventors

San Mateo, CA, United States of America

Stephan Vincent Schell