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GoogleGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 4/10

Google patents phone fix for when SIM card fails to hide your identity

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a method for smartphones to handle errors when the SIM card fails to generate a hidden ID needed to connect to a cellular network. If the SIM card cannot create this identifier, the phone runs a backup process to try and reconnect to the same or a different network. This ensures the device does not get stuck offline because of an authentication error.

Why it mattersIt improves the reliability of cellular connections by preventing phones from losing service due to specific SIM card software errors.

In the filing’s own words

In a mobile cellular network, a mobile network operator (MNO) or other entity can specify whether a user equipment (UE) is to utilize either a concealed identifier (e.g., a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI)) calculated by a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) or a concealed identifier calculated by mobile equipment (ME) of the UE that is separate from the UICC and USIM. In the event that a USIM-calculated concealed identifier is specified for use but the USIM fails in generation of a concealed identifier, the UE can utilize one or more failure recovery procedures to attempt completion of attachment of the UE to the same network or a different network to help ensure that the UE does not remain attached to a network without access to services of the network due to authentication failure.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method in a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: responsive to a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) of the UE returning an error during an attempt to provide a USIM-calculated concealed identifier for the UE during an attach procedure to wirelessly connect the UE to a first network, implementing at least one failure recovery process to attempt to complete attachment of the UE to a network.

Facts

Company
Google (GOOGLE LLC)
Official title
USIM-calculated concealed identifier failure handling
Patent number
US12764523B2
Application number
18019947
Filed
Aug 6, 2021
Granted
Oct 13, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

H04W 12/02 Electricity & electronicsH04W 12/06 Electricity & electronicsH04W 12/72 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.