US 12,356,502 B2
On-device physical SIM to eSIM conversion
Raj S. Chaugule, Santa Clara, CA (US); Zexing Shi, San Jose, CA (US); and Li Li, Los Altos, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on May 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/664,038.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/194,868, filed on May 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0386104 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H04W 8/18 (2009.01); H04W 8/20 (2009.01); H04W 12/02 (2009.01); H04W 60/04 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 8/183 (2013.01) [H04W 8/205 (2013.01); H04W 12/02 (2013.01); H04W 60/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wireless device configured for cellular service plan transfer, the wireless device comprising:
wireless circuitry comprising one or more antennas;
an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) configured to store at least one electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM);
at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory, to the eUICC, and to the wireless circuitry, the memory storing instructions to configure the wireless device to:
detect presence of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) storing a physical SIM (pSIM) in the wireless device, wherein the pSIM includes credentials for access to cellular service of a mobile network operator (MNO) in accordance with a cellular service plan;
determine at least one criterion is satisfied for transfer of the cellular service plan from the pSIM stored in the UICC to an eSIM to be installed on the eUICC of the wireless device, wherein the eSIM includes corresponding credentials for access to the cellular service of the MNO in accordance with the cellular service plan;
while wireless connectivity is available to the wireless device via a wireless connection other than via the pSIM:
obtain, from an entitlement server of the MNO via the wireless connection, transfer credentials authorizing transfer of the cellular service plan from the pSIM stored in the UICC to the eSIM to be installed on the eUICC; and
obtain, from a provisioning server of the MNO via the wireless connection, the eSIM;
install the eSIM on the eUICC;
disable the pSIM on the UICC; and
use the eSIM to attach the wireless device to a cellular wireless network of the MNO.