U.S. patent application number 16/357149 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-11 for electronic device including euicc and method for operating the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Jeong Don Kang, Sung Oh Kim, Sang Hwi Lee, Sang Soo Lee.
Application Number | 20190215680 16/357149 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59257983 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-11 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190215680 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Sung Oh ; et
al. |
July 11, 2019 |
ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING EUICC AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE
SAME
Abstract
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes
at least one processor and an embedded universal integrated circuit
card (eUICC) configured to be electrically connected with the at
least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to
implement a management module configured to manage a profile stored
in the eUICC. The management module is configured to, when there is
an enabled profile in the eUICC, perform a communication function
based on the enabled profile and, when there is no the enabled
profile in the eUICC, disable at least one of a periodic eUICC
verification function and a network search function.
Inventors: |
Kim; Sung Oh; (Incheon,
KR) ; Kang; Jeong Don; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Lee;
Sang Soo; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Lee; Sang Hwi;
(Suwon-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
59257983 |
Appl. No.: |
16/357149 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15629598 |
Jun 21, 2017 |
10285043 |
|
|
16357149 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 52/0264 20130101;
Y02D 70/168 20180101; H04W 48/16 20130101; Y02D 70/1242 20180101;
Y02D 70/1262 20180101; Y02D 70/1264 20180101; Y02D 70/122 20180101;
Y02D 70/26 20180101; H04W 8/183 20130101; Y02D 70/164 20180101;
H04W 8/18 20130101; H04W 28/0215 20130101; Y02D 70/166 20180101;
Y02D 70/142 20180101; H04W 88/02 20130101; Y02D 70/144 20180101;
Y02D 30/70 20200801 |
International
Class: |
H04W 8/18 20060101
H04W008/18; H04W 48/16 20060101 H04W048/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 21, 2016 |
KR |
10-2016-0077429 |
Claims
1. An electronic device, comprising: at least one processor; and an
embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) configured to be
electrically connected with the at least one processor, wherein the
at least one processor is configured to implement a management
module configured to manage a profile stored in the eUICC, and
wherein the management module is configured to: when there is an
enabled profile in the eUICC, perform a communication function
based on the enabled profile; and when there is no the enabled
profile in the eUICC, disable at least one of a periodic eUICC
verification function and a network search function.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the eUICC is further
configured to provide a file system to the management module, and
when information included in the file system meets a condition, the
management module is further configured to determine that there is
no the enabled profile in the eUICC.
3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein, when EF_ICCID
information of the file system meets the condition, the management
module is further configured to determine the file system as a
default file system provided when there is no the enabled profile
in the eUICC.
4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the information
included in the file system corresponds to an international mobile
subscriber identify (IMSI) value.
5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein: the management module
is configured to transmit a command to the eUICC, the eUICC is
further configured to transmit a profile list for a profile
installed in the eUICC to the management module in response to the
command, and the management module is further configured to
determine whether there is the enabled profile in the eUICC based
on the profile list.
6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the profile list
comprises a profile installed in the eUICC and information about an
enabled/disabled state of the profile.
7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein, when all profiles in
the profile list are disabled, the management module is further
configured to determine that there is no the enabled profile in the
eUICC.
8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein, when only one profile
is not included in the profile list, the management module is
further configured to determine that there is no the enabled
profile in the eUICC.
9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a memory
configured to be electrically connected with the at least one
processor, wherein the management module is configured to: store a
profile list database for a profile installed in the eUICC in the
memory and determine whether there is the enabled profile in the
eUICC based on the profile list database.
10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the eUICC is further
configured to, when there is no the enabled profile in the eUICC,
transmit a status word indicating that there is no the enabled
profile in the eUICC to the management module, and the management
module is configured to, when receiving the status word, disable at
least one of the periodic eUICC verification function and the
network search function.
11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the at least one
processor further comprises an application processor and a
communication processor, the management module further comprises a
local profile assistant (LPA) and a subscriber identity module
(SIM) manager, and the LPA is implemented by the application
processor and the communication processor and the SIM manager is
implemented by the communication processor.
12. A method for operating a terminal having an eUICC, the method
comprising: determining whether there is an enabled profile in the
eUICC; when there is the enabled profile in the eUICC, performing a
communication function based on the enabled profile; and when there
is no the enabled profile in the eUICC, disabling at least one
function.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining whether there
is the enabled profile in the eUICC comprises: obtaining a file
system from the eUICC; and determining whether information included
in the file system meets a condition.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the disabling of the at least
one function comprises at least one of disabling a periodic eUICC
verification function and disabling a network search function.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the disabling of the network
search function comprises: disabling a function of searching for
radio access technology (RAT) available in a state where the
terminal receives a communication service limited due to limited
camping.
16. An electronic device, comprising: an application processor; a
communication processor; a radio frequency (RF) circuit configured
to be electrically connected with the communication processor; and
an eUICC configured to be electrically connected with the
communication processor and store at least one profile received
from a server via the RF circuit, wherein the communication
processor is configured to, when there is no enabled profile in the
eUICC, disable at least one of a periodic eUICC verification
function and a network search function.
17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein: the eUICC is
further configured to provide a file system of an enabled profile
among the at least one profile stored in the eUICC to the
communication processor, and the communication processor is
configured to perform a communication function via the RF circuit
based on information stored in the file system.
18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein: the eUICC is
configured to, when there is no the enabled profile in the eUICC,
provide a default file system to the communication processor, and
the communication processor is configured to, when information
included in the default file system meets a condition, disable at
least one of the periodic eUICC verification function and the
network search function.
19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the information
included in the default file system corresponds to a public land
mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID).
20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the information
included in the default file system corresponds to EF_ICCID
information.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/629,598 filed on Jun. 21, 2017, which is
based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to Korean
Patent Application No. 10-2016-0077429 filed on Jun. 21, 2016, the
disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to technologies for
controlling operations associated with enabling profiles of an
electronic device into which an embedded universal integrated
circuit card (eUICC) is loaded.
2. Description of Related Art
[0003] A user terminal such as a smartphone may support wireless
communication. The user terminal may include a subscriber identity
module (SIM) for identifying a user in a network. In general, the
SIM may be inserted into a terminal or may be separated from the
terminal. If the SIM is separated from the terminal (i.e., if there
is no SIM inserted into the terminal), the terminal may be in a "NO
SIM" state. The terminal in the "NO SIM" state may provide only a
limited service such as an emergency call.
[0004] Meanwhile, in addition to the SIM or alternatively, an
embedded SIM (eSIM) which is soldered onto the terminal and is
impossible to be inserted/separated into/from the terminal may be
used. A terminal having the eSIM may download a profile of a mobile
network operator (MNO) using over-the-air (OTA) to use a mobile
communication service of the MNO and may enable the profile. The
SIM/eSIM may be referred to as a universal integrated circuit card
(UICC)/eUICC.
[0005] Since the eSIM is soldered onto a terminal contrary to a
conventional SIM, the terminal into which the eSIM is loaded may
fail to be in the "NO SIM" state in view of hardware. However,
since the eSIM uses a manner of downloading a profile, installing
the profile in the eSIM, and enabling the profile, only one profile
may fail to be installed in the eSIM or installed all profiles may
be disabled.
[0006] According to currently related standards, if there is an
enabled profile in the eSIM, the eSIM should ensure to provide a
default file system to a terminal (refer to a section 3.4.3 eUICC
file structure of an SGP.22--RSP technical specification v.1.0
document). If receiving the default file system, the terminal may
determine that there is a valid SIM. In this case, the terminal may
perform an operation of transmitting a polling command to the eSIM
on a periodic basis and verifying whether there is an available SIM
(e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) value)
and an operation of searching for an available network.
[0007] According to the related art, since the terminal having the
eSIM performs an operation of transmitting a polling command or
searching for a network although it is in the "NO SIM state"
actually, unnecessary power consumption may occur. Further, in view
of an MNO, unnecessary load may occur in a network due to a network
search operation of the terminal.
SUMMARY
[0008] To address the above-discussed deficiencies, it is a primary
object to provide at least the advantages described below.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide
technologies for processing a NO SIM state of a terminal into which
an eSIM is loaded.
[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an
electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include at
least one processor and an embedded universal integrated circuit
card (eUICC) configured to be electrically connected with the at
least one processor. The at least one processor may configured to
implement a management module configured to manage a profile stored
in the eUICC. The management module may be configured to, if there
is an enabled profile in the eUICC, perform a communication
function based on the enabled profile and, if there is no the
enabled profile in the eUICC, disable at least one of a periodic
eUICC verification function and a network search function.
[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure,
a method for operating a terminal having an embedded universal
integrated circuit card (eUICC) is provided. The method may include
determining whether there is an enabled profile in the eUICC, if
there is the enabled profile in the eUICC, performing a
communication function based on the enabled profile, and, if there
is no the enabled profile in the eUICC, disabling at least one
function.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure,
an electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include
an application processor, a communication processor, a radio
frequency (RF) circuit configured to be electrically connected with
the communication processor, and an eUICC configured to be
electrically connected with the communication processor and store
at least one profile received from a server via the RF circuit. The
communication processor may be configured to, if there is no
enabled profile in the eUICC, disable at least one of a periodic
eUICC verification function and a network search function.
[0012] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the
disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction
with the annexed drawings, discloses various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0013] Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may be
advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases
used throughout this patent document: the terms "include" and
"comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without
limitation; the term "or," is inclusive, meaning and/or; the
phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith," as well as
derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within,
interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or
with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with,
interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have,
have a property of, or the like; and the term "controller" means
any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one
operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware
or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It
should be noted that the functionality associated with any
particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether
locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are
provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill
in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances,
such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such
defined words and phrases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure
and its advantages, reference is now made to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals represent like parts:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating hardware and software
modules of an electronic device according to an embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a file system of a profile
installed in an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC)
according to an embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating an
electronic device according to an embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a signal sequence diagram illustrating an
operation performed when all of profiles of the electronic device
are disabled, according to an embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device
in a network environment, according to various embodiments.
[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device,
according to various embodiments; and
[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a program module,
according to various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] FIGS. 1 through 7, discussed below, and the various
embodiments used to describe the principles of the present
disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only
and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the
disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the
principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any
suitably arranged system or device.
[0023] In this disclosure, the expressions "have", "may have",
"include" and "comprise", or "may include" and "may comprise"
indicate existence of corresponding features (e.g., elements such
as numeric values, functions, operations, or components) but do not
exclude presence of additional features.
[0024] In this disclosure, the expressions "A or B", "at least one
of A or/and B", or "one or more of A or/and B", and the like may
include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated
listed items. For example, the term "A or B", "at least one of A
and B", or "at least one of A or B" may refer to all of the case
(1) where at least one A is included, the case (2) where at least
one B is included, or the case (3) where both of at least one A and
at least one B are included.
[0025] The terms, such as "first", "second", and the like used in
this disclosure may be used to refer to various elements regardless
of the order and/or the priority and to distinguish the relevant
elements from other elements, but do not limit the elements. For
example, "a first user device" and "a second user device" indicate
different user devices regardless of the order or the priority. For
example, without departing the scope of the present disclosure, a
first element may be referred to as a second element, and
similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first
element.
[0026] It will be understood that when an element (e.g., a first
element) is referred to as being "(operatively or communicatively)
coupled with/to" or "connected to" another element (e.g., a second
element), it may be directly coupled with/to or connected to the
other element or an intervening element (e.g., a third element) may
be present. In contrast, when an element (e.g., a first element) is
referred to as being "directly coupled with/to" or "directly
connected to" another element (e.g., a second element), it should
be understood that there are no intervening element (e.g., a third
element).
[0027] According to the situation, the expression "configured to"
used in this disclosure may be used as, for example, the expression
"suitable for", "having the capacity to", "designed to", "adapted
to", "made to", or "capable of". The term "configured to" must not
mean only "specifically designed to" in hardware. Instead, the
expression "a device configured to" may mean that the device is
"capable of" operating together with another device or other
components. For example, a "processor configured to (or set to)
perform A, B, and C" may mean a dedicated processor (e.g., an
embedded processor) for performing a corresponding operation or a
generic-purpose processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or
an application processor) which performs corresponding operations
by executing one or more software programs which are stored in a
memory device.
[0028] Terms used in this disclosure are used to describe specified
embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure. The terms of a singular form may include plural forms
unless otherwise specified. All the terms used herein, which
include technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning
that is generally understood by those skilled in the art. It will
be further understood that terms, which are defined in a dictionary
and commonly used, should also be interpreted as being customary in
the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal unless
expressly so defined in various embodiments of this disclosure. In
some cases, even if terms are terms which are defined in this
disclosure, they may not be interpreted to exclude embodiments of
this disclosure.
[0029] An electronic device according to various embodiments of
this disclosure may include at least one of, for example,
smartphones, tablet personal computers (PCs), mobile phones, video
telephones, electronic book readers, desktop PCs, laptop PCs,
netbook computers, workstations, servers, personal digital
assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), Motion
Picture Experts Group (MPEG-1 or MPEG-2) Audio Layer 3 (MP3)
players, mobile medical devices, cameras, or wearable devices.
According to various embodiments, the wearable device may include
at least one of an accessory type (e.g., watches, rings, bracelets,
anklets, necklaces, glasses, contact lens, or head-mounted-devices
(HMDs)), a fabric or garment-integrated type (e.g., an electronic
apparel), a body-attached type (e.g., a skin pad or tattoos), or a
bio-implantable type (e.g., an implantable circuit).
[0030] According to various embodiments, the electronic device may
be a home appliance. The home appliances may include at least one
of, for example, televisions (TVs), digital versatile disc (DVD)
players, audios, refrigerators, air conditioners, cleaners, ovens,
microwave ovens, washing machines, air cleaners, set-top boxes,
home automation control panels, security control panels, TV boxes
(e.g., Samsung HomeSync.TM., Apple TV.TM., and Google TV.TM.), game
consoles (e.g., Xbox.TM. and PlayStation.TM.), electronic
dictionaries, electronic keys, camcorders, electronic picture
frames, and the like.
[0031] According to another embodiment, an electronic device may
include at least one of various medical devices (e.g., various
portable medical measurement devices (e.g., a blood glucose
monitoring device, a heartbeat measuring device, a blood pressure
measuring device, a body temperature measuring device, and the
like), a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), a magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI), a computed tomography (CT), scanners, and ultrasonic
devices), navigation devices, Global Navigation Satellite System
(GNSS), event data recorders (EDRs), flight data recorders (FDRs),
vehicle infotainment devices, electronic equipment for vessels
(e.g., navigation systems and gyrocompasses), avionics, security
devices, head units for vehicles, industrial or home robots,
automatic teller's machines (ATMs), points of sales (POSs) of
stores, or internet of things (e.g., light bulbs, various sensors,
electric or gas meters, sprinkler devices, fire alarms,
thermostats, street lamps, toasters, exercise equipment, hot water
tanks, heaters, boilers, and the like).
[0032] According to an embodiment, the electronic device may
include at least one of parts of furniture or buildings/structures,
electronic boards, electronic signature receiving devices,
projectors, or various measuring instruments (e.g., water meters,
electricity meters, gas meters, or wave meters, and the like).
According to various embodiments, the electronic device may be one
of the above-described devices or a combination thereof. An
electronic device according to an embodiment may be a flexible
electronic device. Furthermore, an electronic device according to
an embodiment of this disclosure may not be limited to the
above-described electronic devices and may include other electronic
devices and new electronic devices according to the development of
technologies.
[0033] Hereinafter, electronic devices according to various
embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings. In this disclosure, the term "user" may refer to a person
who uses an electronic device or may refer to a device (e.g., an
artificial intelligence electronic device) that uses the electronic
device.
[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating hardware and software
modules of an electronic device according to an embodiment.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic device 100 may include an
application processor (AP) 110, a communication processor (CP) 120,
an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) 130, a memory
150, a radio frequency (RF) circuit 160, and a global positioning
system (GPS) circuit 170. The electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1
may be an example of a terminal for implementing various
embodiments, and some of the elements of the electronic device 100
may be omitted to configure the terminal, or other elements may be
further included in the electronic device 100 to configure the
terminal.
[0036] The electronic device 100 may be understood as a user
terminal, a user device, user equipment (UE), a terminal, or the
like. The electronic device 100 may communicate with a server 200
over a network 10. The network 10 may correspond to a wireless
network such as a cellular network or wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi).
The server 200 may correspond to at least one server operated by a
mobile network operator (MNO) which provides a profile to be
installed in the eUICC 130. However, if the electronic device 100
uses a general communication function (e.g., the Internet), the
server 200 may be understood as a server which provides the
function, a webpage, or the like.
[0037] The electronic device 100 may include at least one
processor. For example, the electronic device 100 may include the
AP 110 and the CP 120. The AP 110 and the CP 120 may be
electrically connected with each other. In an embodiment, the AP
110 and the CP 120 may be implemented as one integrated chip, for
example, a system on chip (SoC) or the like. The AP 110 and/or the
CP 120 may implement a software module for implementing a method
for operating the electronic device 100 according to an embodiment.
For example, the AP 110 and the CP 120 may implement a local
profile assistant (LPA) 140. Further, the CP 120 may implement a
subscriber identity module (SIM) manager 121 which controls a
function associated with the eUICC 130. In other words, the at
least one processor may implement a management module for storing a
profile in the eUICC 130 or managing the stored profile.
[0038] The electronic device 100 may include the eUICC 130. The
eUICC 130 may correspond to a SIM which is impossible to be
separated from the electronic device 100. The eUICC 130 may be
understood as an embedded SIM (eSIM), an embedded secure element
(eSE), or the like. The eUICC 130 may be electrically connected
with the CP 120.
[0039] The eUICC 130 may include a controller and a storage. One or
more profiles may be installed in the storage of the eUICC 130. For
example, a profile of a first MNO, a profile of a second MNO, a
profile of a third MNO, and the like may be installed in the eUICC
130. The controller of the eUICC 130 may control the eUICC 130 such
that the CP 120 (or the SIM manager 121) accesses a profile enabled
among a plurality of profiles. For example, the eUICC 130 may
include an eUICC operating system (OS), an issuer security domain
root (ISD-R), and an ISD profile (ISD-P). The ISD-R may generate a
new ISD-P and may manage a lifecycle of all ISD-Ps. The ISD-P may
be a kind of a secure container and may be used to download and
install a profile. In other words, a profile package downloaded
from the server 200 may be stored/installed in an ISD-P domain.
[0040] The electronic device 100 may include the memory 150.
Instructions and data may be stored in the memory 150. For example,
an instruction (e.g., a program code) for the at least one
processor to implement a software module may be stored in the
memory 150. Further, a profile list database (DB) 151 may be stored
in the memory 150. For example, the LPA 140 may obtain a list of
installed profiles, a state (e.g., an enabled/disabled state) of
each of the profiles, and use information of each of the profiles
(e.g., a remaining amount of voice call, a remaining amount of
data, a tariff, or the like) from the eUICC 130 and may store the
profile list DB 151 including the obtained information in the
memory 150.
[0041] The electronic device 100 may include at least one
communication circuit for performing a communication function. The
GPS circuit 170 for ascertaining a location of the electronic
device 100 may be included in the electronic device 100. The
communication circuit may be electrically connected with the AP 110
or the CP 120. The GPS circuit 170 may be directly connected with
the AP 110. The electronic device 100 may include the RF circuit
160. The RF circuit 160 may generally refer to a cellular RF block
for communicating with a cellular network based on a profile stored
in an eUICC in the present disclosure, but may include a Wi-Fi RF
block for communicating with a Wi-Fi network based on a profile
stored in an eUICC and/or an RF block for supporting various
communication modes (e.g., Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE),
near field communication (NFC), magnetic stripe transmission (MST),
a wireless charging circuit, and the like) supported by the
electronic device 100. It may be understood that the RF block
includes an antenna radiator, a filter, a switch, an amplifier such
as a low noise amplifier (LNA) or a power amplifier (PA), and the
like.
[0042] In FIG. 1, elements implemented with hardware may be
represented by solid lines, and elements implemented or
implementable with software may be represented by dotted lines. For
example, the LPA 140, the SIM manager 121, and the profile list DB
151 may be implemented with software. Instructions for implementing
software may be stored in the memory 150 or may be hard-coded in
the processor (e.g., the AP 110 or the CP 120). In other words, in
the present disclosure, an operation described as being performed
by a software module may be understood as being performed by a
processor which drives the software module.
[0043] Further, elements connected by arrows in FIG. 1 may exchange
data or instructions with each other. However, an association of
FIG. 1 may be an example for helping convenience of description,
and there may be a connection reasonable to those skilled in the
art between elements which are not connected by arrows in FIG. 1.
It is obvious that the AP 110 may directly access the memory
150.
[0044] The LPA 140 may include a local profile download (LPD) 141
and a local user interface (LUI) 142. Each of the LPD 141 and the
LUI 142 may be understood as a sub-software module included in the
LPA 140. The LPA 140 may further include additional sub-software
module, but only the LPD 141 and the LUI 142 may be described in
the present disclosure for preventing the scope and spirit of the
inventive concept from being blurred.
[0045] The LPD 141 may perform a function of downloading a profile
from the server 200. For example, for the electronic device 100 to
access a cellular network provided from an MNO, a profile
corresponding to the MNO should be installed in the eUICC 130. The
LPD 141 may download a profile package from the server 200 using
over-the-air (OTA) and may provide the profile package to the eUICC
130 through an interface (e.g., ES10b) between the LPD 141 and the
eUICC 130.
[0046] The LUI 142 may perform a function of providing a user
interface (UI) such that a user (e.g., an end-user) manages a
profile managed in the eUICC 130 and transmitting an input provided
from the user through the UI to the eUICC 130. A user input
obtained on a touch display or the like of the electronic device
100 may be processed by the AP 110 and may be transmitted to the
LUI 142 through an interface (e.g., ESeu) between the AP 110 and
the LUI 142. The LUI 142 may transmit a user input associated with
managing a profile (e.g., downloading the profile, enabling the
profile, disabling the profile, deleting the profile, listing
profiles, adding the profile, adding/updating a profile nickname,
or the like) to the eUICC 130 through an interface (e.g., ES10c)
between the LUI 142 and the eUICC 130. In an embodiment, an
instruction/message transmitted from the LPA 140 to the eUICC 130
may be processed by the SIM manager 121 or may bypass the SIM
manager 121.
[0047] The SIM manager 121 may transmit the instruction/message to
the eUICC 130 and may read elementary file (EF) information from
the eUICC 130. Herein, the EF may correspond to a file including
access conditions and the like of an application stored in the
eUICC 130 (e.g., a specific ISD-P of the eUICC 130). A description
associated with this will be given below with reference to FIG.
2.
[0048] In an embodiment, the SIM manager 121 may include the LPA
140 or may operate to be independent of the LPA 140. For example,
as shown in FIG. 1, if the SIM manager 121 and the LPA 140 are
separated from each other, an instruction associated with managing
a profile transmitted from the LPA 140 may be transmitted to the
eUICC 130 via the SIM manager 121.
[0049] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a file system of a profile
installed in an eUICC according to an embodiment.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 2, a file system of a profile installed in
an eUICC 130 of FIG. 1 may include files such as a master file (MF)
131, an EF (e.g., an EF.sub.DIR 132, an EF.sub.ICCID 133, an
EF.sub.ARR, an EF.sub.IMSI, or the like), a dedicated file (DF)
(e.g., a DF.sub.TELECOM or the like), and an application DF (ADF)
(e.g., an ADF1 134, an ADF2 135, or the like). The file system may
be understood as a UICC application structure.
[0051] At least some of items included in the file system of the
profile may be mandatory. For example, the EFDIR 132, an EF.sub.PL
(not shown), an EF.sub.ICCID 133, and the like may be defined as
items which should be included in the file system. Further, such
items may be defined as directly under items of the MF 131.
[0052] At least some of the items included in the file system of
the profile may be optional. For example, there may be no item such
as the DF.sub.TELECOM in the file system.
[0053] If the eUICC 130 is recognized, an electronic device 100 of
FIG. 1, for example, an LPA 140 of FIG. 1 may verify ADF
information stored in the EF.sub.DIR 132 of the profile. For
example, the LPA 140 may select a proper application based on an
application identifier (AID) included in the ADF information. For
example, if an ADF defined in the EFDIR 132 indicates the ADF1 134,
the LPA 140 may use information stored in the ADF1 134. If the ADF
defined in the EF.sub.DIR 132 indicates the ADF2 135, the LPA 140
may use information stored in the ADF2 135.
[0054] If there is no profile installed in the eUICC 130 or if
installed all profiles are disabled, the eUICC 130 may provide a
default file system to the LPA 140. According to an embodiment, the
default file system may have the same or similar structure to the
file system of FIG. 2. The LPA 140 may determine whether
information included in the default file system provided from the
eUICC 130 meets a specified condition. For example, the LPA 140 may
use a value of specific information included in the file system to
determine whether the file system provided from the eUICC 130 is a
file system of an enabled profile or the default file system. For
example, if a value included in the EF_ICCID 133 corresponds to a
predefined value, the LPA 140 may determine that a provided file
system is a default file system provided when there is no enabled
profile in the eUICC 130. In addition to examples disclosed in the
present disclosure, a value of specific information of a predefined
EF may be used to determine a default file system.
[0055] Further, the file system may include subscriber
identification information such as an international mobile
subscriber identity (IMSI). The IMSI include a public land mobile
network (PLMN) ID and a mobile subscription identification number
(MSIN). If a PLMN ID of an IMSI of the provided file system meets a
predefined value (e.g., 00101) (e.g., a PLMN ID value corresponding
to a default file system), the LPA 140 may determine that there is
no enabled profile. Additionally or alternatively, if a combination
of the PLMN ID and/or an MSIN of the IMSI of the provided file
system meets a predefined value or if the IMSI meets the predefined
value, the LPA 140 may determine that there is no enabled
profile.
[0056] In addition, according to another embodiment, the LPA 140
may recognize the fact that there is no enabled profile in the
eUICC 130 using various methods. Hereinafter, a description will be
given of a method for determining whether there is an enabled
profile and an operation performed by the electronic device 100
when the electronic device 100 recognizes the fact that there is no
enabled profile in the eUICC 130.
[0057] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating an
electronic device according to an embodiment.
[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 301, a management module
(e.g., an LPA 140) of an electronic device 100 of FIG. 1 may verify
an eUICC 130 of FIG. 1. For example, if a profile is installed or
deleted from the eUICC 130, if the profile is enabled or disabled,
if the electronic device 100 is changed from a power-off state to a
power-on state, if an airplane mode is released, if the electronic
device 100 departs from a shadow area, if the electronic device 100
departs from an out of service (OOS), or if a user input for
allowing the electronic device 100 to verify the eUICC 130 is
generated via, for example, an LUI 142 of FIG. 1, the electronic
device 100 may verify a profile installed in the eUICC 130.
[0059] In operation 303, the management module may determine
whether there is an enabled profile in the eUICC 130. In an
embodiment, the management module may determine whether there is an
enabled profile in the eUICC 130, based on whether information
included in a file system provided from the eUICC 130 meets a
specified condition.
[0060] In another embodiment, the management module may obtain
information about a profile stored in the eUICC 130 using a
specific command. For example, the LPA 140 may obtain a list of
profiles installed in the eUICC 130 and information about a current
state (e.g., an enabled or disabled state) of each of the
profiles.
[0061] In the above embodiment, the management module may obtain
information about a profile stored in the eUICC 130 to form a
profile list DB 151 of FIG. 1. For example, if a management event
in which a profile is installed, enabled, deleted, or disabled in
the eUICC 130 is generated, the management module may update state
information about the profile in the profile list DB 151. The
management module may communicate with a memory 150 of FIG. 1 and
may verify a current state of each of profiles installed in the
eUICC 130.
[0062] If all profiles included in a profile list are disabled or
if there is no profile installed in the eUICC 130 (i.e., if only
one profile is not included in the profile list), the management
module may determine that there is no enabled profile in the eUICC
130.
[0063] In another embodiment, if there is no enabled profile in the
eUICC 130, the eUICC 130 may transmit a status word indicating that
there is no the enabled profile in the eUICC 130 to the management
module. If receiving the status word, the management module may
determine that there is the no enabled profile.
[0064] If it is determined that there is no the enabled profile in
the eUICC 130, in operation 305, the electronic device 100 may
disable a specified function. For example, a conventional user
terminal may determine a current state as an available SIM state in
a state where a SIM is inserted into its electronic device, and may
search for each radio access technology (RAT) using registered PLMN
information. Thereafter, the electronic device 100 may search for
each RAT using home PLMN (HPLMN) information obtained from the SIM
and may perform a network search by an order of a PLMN list
generated by combining a plurality of information of EF_HPLMN
selector with access technology (EF_HPLMNwAcT), EF_user controlled
PLMNwAcT (EF_PLMNwAcT), EF_operator controlled PLMNwAcT
(EF_OPLMNwAcT), and the like. When a normal service is unavailable
as a result of the network search (e.g., if there is no profile
installed in the SIM although the SIM is inserted or if an
installed profile is unavailable), the user terminal may perform
limited camping and may provide a limited service (e.g., an
emergency call or the like). In this state, the user terminal may
attempt to continue performing a network search on a periodic basis
to provide a normal service. However, according to an embodiment
disclosed in the present disclosure, if it is determined that there
is no enabled profile in the eUICC 130, the electronic device 100
may disable a network search function in a limited camping state.
If the electronic device 100 does not access a network of a normal
MNO although it performs a network search if there is no enabled
profile in the eUICC 130, it may save power consumption depending
on an unnecessary network search operation by disabling a network
(available RAT) search function. Further, in view of an MNO,
network load generated when the electronic device 100 attempts to
continue performing network registration may be reduced by
disabling a network search function.
[0065] Further, the conventional user terminal may transmit a
control message (e.g., a polling command) for continuously
verifying an operation state of the SIM in a state where the SIM is
inserted into the electronic device, thus resulting in unnecessary
power consumption. However, according an embodiment, it is
determined that there is no enabled profile in the eUICC 130, the
electronic device 100 may disable a control message transmission
function. Therefore, the electronic device 100 may save power
consumption by an unnecessary operation.
[0066] If there is the enabled profile, in operation 307, the
electronic device 100 may perform a communication function based on
the enabled profile. For example, the electronic device 100 may
access a network of an MNO depending on an IMS value corresponding
to the profile.
[0067] FIG. 4 is a signal sequence diagram illustrating an
operation performed when all of profiles of the electronic device
are disabled, according to an embodiment.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 401, an LPA 140 may
receive an input for disabling a profile. This input may be input
from an end-user. For example, the user may provide an input for
disabling a currently enabled profile on a setup screen displayed
on a display of an electronic device 100 of FIG. 1. For convenience
of description, it is assumed that only one profile is currently
enabled in the electronic device 100.
[0069] If receiving the user input, in operation 403, an LUI 142 of
the LPA 140 may transmit the user input or a command generated
based on the user input to an eUICC 130. This command may be
processed by a SIM manager 121 and may then be transmitted to the
eUICC 130, or may bypass the SIM manager 121 and may then be
transmitted to the eUICC 130.
[0070] In operation 405, the eUICC 130 may disable the enabled
profile. For example, a controller or an ISD-R of the eUICC 130 may
disable an ISD-P corresponding to the profile. Now, all profiles
installed in the eUICC 130 may correspond to a disabled state.
[0071] In operation 407, the eUICC 130 may transmit a refresh
command to the SIM manager 121 to refresh. Receiving the refresh
command, the SIM manager 121 or a CP 120 of FIG. 1 may be a
hardware/software module associated with the profile and may update
information indicating that the profile is disabled.
[0072] In operation 409, the SIM manager 121 may query the eUICC
130 whether there is an enabled profile to use a network service.
Since there is no enabled profile currently in the eUICC 130, the
SIM manager 121 may read a default file system from the eUICC
130.
[0073] In operation 411, the SIM manager 121 may verify an EF_ICCID
value of the default file system. In general, the SIM manager 121
may verify information predefined in a file system and may
determine whether the file system read in operation 409 is a file
system of an enabled profile or a default file system provided from
the eUICC 130, depending on a value of the predefined information.
In an example of operation 411, the EF_ICCID value may be replaced
with another information described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
In an example of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the EF_ICCID value has
a value corresponding to the default file system.
[0074] In operation 413, the SIM manager 121 may determine that
there is no enabled profile in the eUICC 130 and may notify a "NO
profile" state indicating that there is not currently enabled
profile to the a non-access stratum (NAS) layer 400 which performs
a network search function in a protocol stack of a cellular module.
The NAS layer 400 may be controlled by the CP 120. Since there is
no enabled profile, the NAS layer 400 may be changed to a "No IMSI
state" and may attempt to perform limited camping. Herein, the "No
IMSI state" may correspond to a No IMSI state defined in the ETSI
TS--124 008 specification. In the "No IMSI state", the NAS layer
400 may provide only a limited service such as an emergency call
while camping on a cell accessible from a location of the
electronic device 100. Herein, as described in operation 305 of
FIG. 3, a network available in this state may fail to be searched
for.
[0075] In operation 415, the SIM manager 121 may limit a polling
command for verifying a state of the eUICC 130 (e.g., whether there
is an enabled profile). Herein, the meaning of limiting the polling
command may include an operation of turning off the polling
function itself or an operation of changing a polling interval time
through a polling interval command to be relatively longer. At
least one processor (or the LPA 140) may transmit the polling
command to the eUICC 130 at a predefined interval time and may
verify a profile, thus reduce current consumption by not
transmitting the polling command or lengthening an interval time
when the polling command is transmitted.
[0076] FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate expansion for a hardware/software
element applicable to the above-mentioned electronic device
100.
[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device
in a network environment, according to various embodiments.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, according to various embodiments, an
electronic device 501, a first electronic device 502, a second
electronic device 504 or a server 506 may be connected with each
other over a network 562 or a short range communication 564. The
electronic device 501 may include a bus 510, a processor 520, a
memory 530, an input/output interface 550, a display 560, and a
communication interface 570. According to an embodiment, the
electronic device 501 may not include at least one of the
above-described elements or may further include other
element(s).
[0079] For example, the bus 510 may interconnect the
above-described elements 510 to 570 and may include a circuit for
conveying communications (e.g., a control message and/or data)
among the above-described elements.
[0080] The processor 520 may include one or more of a Central
Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), or a
Communication Processor (CP). For example, the processor 520 may
perform an arithmetic operation or data processing associated with
control and/or communication of at least one other element(s) of
the electronic device 501.
[0081] The memory 530 may include a volatile and/or nonvolatile
memory. For example, the memory 530 may store instructions or data
associated with at least one other element(s) of the electronic
device 501. According to an embodiment, the memory 530 may store
software and/or a program 540. The program 540 may include, for
example, a kernel 541, a middleware 543, an application programming
interface (API) 545, and/or an application program (or "an
application") 547. At least a part of the kernel 541, the
middleware 543, or the API 545 may be referred to as an "operating
system (OS)".
[0082] For example, the kernel 541 may control or manage system
resources (e.g., the bus 510, the processor 520, the memory 530,
and the like) that are used to execute operations or functions of
other programs (e.g., the middleware 543, the API 545, and the
application program 547). Furthermore, the kernel 541 may provide
an interface that allows the middleware 543, the API 545, or the
application program 547 to access discrete elements of the
electronic device 501 so as to control or manage system
resources.
[0083] The middleware 543 may perform, for example, a mediation
role such that the API 545 or the application program 547
communicates with the kernel 541 to exchange data.
[0084] Furthermore, the middleware 543 may process one or more task
requests received from the application program 547 according to a
priority. For example, the middleware 543 may assign the priority,
which makes it possible to use a system resource (e.g., the bus
510, the processor 520, the memory 530, or the like) of the
electronic device 501, to at least one of the application program
547. For example, the middleware 543 may process the one or more
task requests according to the priority assigned to the at least
one of the application program 547, which makes it possible to
perform scheduling or load balancing on the one or more task
requests.
[0085] The API 545 may be, for example, an interface through which
the application program 547 controls a function provided by the
kernel 541 or the middleware 543, and may include, for example, at
least one interface or function (e.g., an instruction) for a file
control, a window control, image processing, a character control,
or the like.
[0086] The input/output interface 550 may play a role, for example,
of an interface which transmits an instruction or data input from a
user or another external device, to other element(s) of the
electronic device 501. Furthermore, the input/output interface 550
may output an instruction or data, received from other element(s)
of the electronic device 501, to a user or another external
device.
[0087] The display 560 may include, for example, a Liquid Crystal
Display (LCD), a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) display, an Organic LED
(OLED) display, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) display, or
an electronic paper display. The display 560 may display, for
example, various contents (e.g., a text, an image, a video, an
icon, a symbol, and the like) to a user. The display 560 may
include a touch screen and may receive, for example, a touch,
gesture, proximity, or hovering input using an electronic pen or a
part of a user's body.
[0088] For example, the communication interface 570 may establish
communication between the electronic device 501 and an external
device (e.g., the first electronic device 502, the second
electronic device 504, or the server 506). For example, the
communication interface 570 may be connected to the network 562
over wireless communication or wired communication to communicate
with an external device (e.g., the second electronic device 504 or
the server 506).
[0089] The wireless communication may use at least one of, for
example, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wireless Broadband
(WiBro), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), or the
like, as cellular communication protocol. Furthermore, the wireless
communication may include, for example, the short range
communication 564. The short range communication 564 may include,
for example, at least one of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth,
Near Field Communication (NFC), Magnetic Stripe Transmission (MST),
and GNSS.
[0090] The MST may generate a pulse in response to transmission
data using an electromagnetic signal, and the pulse may generate a
magnetic field signal. The electronic device 501 may transfer the
magnetic field signal to point of sale (POS), and the POS may
detect the magnetic field signal using a MST reader. The POS may
recover the data by converting the detected magnetic field signal
to an electrical signal.
[0091] The GNSS may include at least one of, for example, a global
positioning system (GPS), a global navigation satellite system
(Glonass), a Beidou navigation satellite system (hereinafter
referred to as "Beidou"), or an European global satellite-based
navigation system (hereinafter referred to as "Galileo") based on
an available region, a bandwidth, or the like. Hereinafter, in this
disclosure, "GPS" and "GNSS" may be interchangeably used. The wired
communication may include at least one of, for example, a universal
serial bus (USB), a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a
recommended standard-232 (RS-232), a plain old telephone service
(POTS), or the like. The network 562 may include at least one of
telecommunications networks, for example, a computer network (e.g.,
LAN or WAN), an Internet, or a telephone network.
[0092] Each of the first and second electronic devices 502 and 504
may be a device of which the type is different from or the same as
that of the electronic device 501. According to an embodiment, the
server 506 may include a group of one or more servers. According to
various embodiments, all or a portion of operations that the
electronic device 501 will perform may be executed by another or
plural electronic devices (e.g., the first electronic device 502,
the second electronic device 504, or the server 506). According to
an embodiment, in the case where the electronic device 501 executes
any function or service automatically or in response to a request,
the electronic device 501 may not perform the function or the
service internally, but, alternatively additionally, it may request
at least a portion of a function associated with the electronic
device 501 at other electronic device (e.g., the first electronic
device 502, the second electronic device 504, or the server 506).
The other electronic device may execute the requested function or
additional function and may transmit the execution result to the
electronic device 501. The electronic device 501 may provide the
requested function or service using the received result or may
additionally process the received result to provide the requested
function or service. To this end, for example, cloud computing,
distributed computing, or client-server computing may be used.
[0093] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device,
according to various embodiments.
[0094] Referring to FIG. 6, an electronic device 601 may include,
for example, all or a part of the electronic device 501 illustrated
in FIG. 5. The electronic device 601 may include one or more
processors (e.g., an application processor; AP) 610, a
communication module 620, a subscriber identification module 629, a
memory 630, a sensor module 640, an input device 650, a display
660, an interface 670, an audio module 680, a camera module 691, a
power management module 695, a battery 696, an indicator 697, and a
motor 698.
[0095] The processor 610 may drive, for example, an operating
system (OS) or an application to control a plurality of hardware or
software elements connected to the processor 610 and may process
and compute a variety of data. For example, the processor 610 may
be implemented with a System on Chip (SoC). According to an
embodiment, the processor 610 may further include a graphic
processing unit (GPU) and/or an image signal processor. The
processor 610 may include at least a part (e.g., a cellular module
621) of elements illustrated in FIG. 6. The processor 610 may load
an instruction or data, which is received from at least one of
other elements (e.g., a nonvolatile memory), into a volatile memory
and process the loaded instruction or data. The processor 610 may
store a variety of data in the nonvolatile memory.
[0096] The communication module 620 may be configured the same as
or similar to the communication interface 570 of FIG. 5. The
communication module 620 may include the cellular module 621, a
Wi-Fi module 622, a Bluetooth (BT) module 623, a GNSS module 624
(e.g., a GPS module, a Glonass module, a Beidou module, or a
Galileo module), a near field communication (NFC) module 625, a MST
module 626, and a radio frequency (RF) module 627.
[0097] The cellular module 621 may provide, for example, voice
communication, video communication, a character service, an
Internet service, or the like over a communication network.
According to an embodiment, the cellular module 621 may perform
discrimination and authentication of the electronic device 601
within a communication network by using the subscriber
identification module (e.g., a SIM card) 629. According to an
embodiment, the cellular module 621 may perform at least a portion
of functions that the processor 610 provides. According to an
embodiment, the cellular module 621 may include a communication
processor (CP).
[0098] Each of the Wi-Fi module 622, the BT module 623, the GNSS
module 624, the NFC module 625, or the MST module 626 may include a
processor for processing data exchanged through a corresponding
module, for example. According to an embodiment, at least a part
(e.g., two or more) of the cellular module 621, the Wi-Fi module
622, the BT module 623, the GNSS module 624, the NFC module 625, or
the MST module 626 may be included within one Integrated Circuit
(IC) or an IC package.
[0099] For example, the RF module 627 may transmit and receive a
communication signal (e.g., an RF signal). For example, the RF
module 627 may include a transceiver, a power amplifier module
(PAM), a frequency filter, a low noise amplifier (LNA), an antenna,
or the like. According to another embodiment, at least one of the
cellular module 621, the Wi-Fi module 622, the BT module 623, the
GNSS module 624, the NFC module 625, or the MST module 626 may
transmit and receive an RF signal through a separate RF module.
[0100] The subscriber identification module 629 may include, for
example, a SIM card and/or embedded SIM that includes a subscriber
identification module and may include unique identify information
(e.g., integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID)) or subscriber
information (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity
(IMSI)).
[0101] The memory 630 (e.g., the memory 530) may include an
internal memory 632 or an external memory 634. For example, the
internal memory 632 may include at least one of a volatile memory
(e.g., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static RAM (SRAM),
a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), or the like), a nonvolatile memory
(e.g., a one-time programmable read only memory (OTPROM), a
programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM),
an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), a mask ROM,
a flash ROM, a flash memory (e.g., a NAND flash memory or a NOR
flash memory), or the like), a hard drive, or a solid state drive
(SSD).
[0102] The external memory 634 may further include a flash drive
such as compact flash (CF), secure digital (SD), micro secure
digital (Micro-SD), mini secure digital (Mini-SD), extreme digital
(xD), a multimedia card (MMC), a memory stick, or the like. The
external memory 634 may be operatively and/or physically connected
to the electronic device 601 through various interfaces.
[0103] A security module 636 may be a module that includes a
storage space of which a security level is higher than that of the
memory 630 and may be a circuit that guarantees safe data storage
and a protected execution environment. The security module 636 may
be implemented with a separate circuit and may include a separate
processor. For example, the security module 636 may be in a smart
chip or a secure digital (SD) card, which is removable, or may
include an embedded secure element (eSE) embedded in a fixed chip
of the electronic device 601. Furthermore, the security module 636
may operate based on an operating system (OS) that is different
from the OS of the electronic device 601. For example, the security
module 636 may operate based on java card open platform (JCOP)
OS.
[0104] The sensor module 640 may measure, for example, a physical
quantity or may detect an operation state of the electronic device
601. The sensor module 640 may convert the measured or detected
information to an electric signal. For example, the sensor module
640 may include at least one of a gesture sensor 640A, a gyro
sensor 640B, a barometric pressure sensor 640C, a magnetic sensor
640D, an acceleration sensor 640E, a grip sensor 640F, the
proximity sensor 640G, a color sensor 640H (e.g., red, green, blue
(RGB) sensor), a biometric sensor 640I, a temperature/humidity
sensor 640J, an illuminance sensor 640K, or an UV sensor 640M.
Although not illustrated, additionally or generally, the sensor
module 640 may further include, for example, an E-nose sensor, an
electromyography (EMG) sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG)
sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor,
an iris sensor, and/or a fingerprint sensor. The sensor module 640
may further include a control circuit for controlling at least one
or more sensors included therein. According to an embodiment, the
electronic device 601 may further include a processor that is a
part of the processor 610 or independent of the processor 610 and
is configured to control the sensor module 640. The processor may
control the sensor module 640 while the processor 610 remains at a
sleep state.
[0105] The input device 650 may include, for example, a touch panel
652, a (digital) pen sensor 654, a key 656, or an ultrasonic input
unit 658. For example, the touch panel 652 may use at least one of
capacitive, resistive, infrared and ultrasonic detecting methods.
Also, the touch panel 652 may further include a control circuit.
The touch panel 652 may further include a tactile layer to provide
a tactile reaction to a user.
[0106] The (digital) pen sensor 654 may be, for example, a part of
a touch panel or may include an additional sheet for recognition.
The key 656 may include, for example, a physical button, an optical
key, or a keypad. The ultrasonic input device 658 may detect (or
sense) an ultrasonic signal, which is generated from an input
device, through a microphone (e.g., a microphone 688) and may check
data corresponding to the detected ultrasonic signal.
[0107] The display 660 (e.g., the display 560) may include a panel
662, a hologram device 664, or a projector 666. The panel 662 may
be the same as or similar to the display 560 illustrated in FIG. 5.
The panel 662 may be implemented, for example, to be flexible,
transparent or wearable. The panel 662 and the touch panel 652 may
be integrated into a single module. The hologram device 664 may
display a stereoscopic image in a space using a light interference
phenomenon. The projector 666 may project light onto a screen so as
to display an image. For example, the screen may be arranged in the
inside or the outside of the electronic device 601. According to an
embodiment, the display 660 may further include a control circuit
for controlling the panel 662, the hologram device 664, or the
projector 666.
[0108] The interface 670 may include, for example, a
high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) 672, a universal serial
bus (USB) 674, an optical interface 676, or a D-subminiature
(D-sub) 678. The interface 670 may be included, for example, in the
communication interface 570 illustrated in FIG. 5. Additionally or
generally, the interface 670 may include, for example, a mobile
high definition link (MHL) interface, a SD card/multi-media card
(MMC) interface, or an infrared data association (IrDA) standard
interface.
[0109] The audio module 680 may convert a sound and an electric
signal in dual directions. At least a part of the audio module 680
may be included, for example, in the input/output interface 550
illustrated in FIG. 5. The audio module 680 may process, for
example, sound information that is input or output through a
speaker 682, a receiver 684, an earphone 686, or the microphone
688.
[0110] For example, the camera module 691 may shoot a still image
or a video. According to an embodiment, the camera module 691 may
include at least one or more image sensors (e.g., a front sensor or
a rear sensor), a lens, an image signal processor (ISP), or a flash
(e.g., an LED or a xenon lamp).
[0111] The power management module 695 may manage, for example,
power of the electronic device 601. According to an embodiment, a
power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a charger IC, or a
battery or fuel gauge may be included in the power management
module 695. The PMIC may have a wired charging method and/or a
wireless charging method. The wireless charging method may include,
for example, a magnetic resonance method, a magnetic induction
method or an electromagnetic method and may further include an
additional circuit, for example, a coil loop, a resonant circuit, a
rectifier, or the like. The battery gauge may measure, for example,
a remaining capacity of the battery 696 and a voltage, current or
temperature thereof while the battery is charged. The battery 696
may include, for example, a rechargeable battery and/or a solar
battery.
[0112] The indicator 697 may display a specific state of the
electronic device 601 or a part thereof (e.g., the processor 610),
such as a booting state, a message state, a charging state, and the
like. The motor 698 may convert an electrical signal into a
mechanical vibration and may generate the following effects:
vibration, haptic, and the like. Although not illustrated, a
processing device (e.g., a GPU) for supporting a mobile TV may be
included in the electronic device 601. The processing device for
supporting the mobile TV may process media data according to the
standards of digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB), digital video
broadcasting (DVB), MediaFlo.TM., or the like.
[0113] Each of the above-mentioned elements of the electronic
device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure
may be configured with one or more components, and the names of the
elements may be changed according to the type of the electronic
device. In various embodiments, the electronic device may include
at least one of the above-mentioned elements, and some elements may
be omitted or other additional elements may be added. Furthermore,
some of the elements of the electronic device according to various
embodiments may be combined with each other so as to form one
entity, so that the functions of the elements may be performed in
the same manner as before the combination.
[0114] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a program module,
according to various embodiments.
[0115] According to an embodiment, a program module 710 (e.g., the
program 540) may include an operating system (OS) to control
resources associated with an electronic device (e.g., the
electronic device 501), and/or diverse applications (e.g., the
application program 547) driven on the OS. The OS may be, for
example, Android, iOS, Windows, Symbian, or Tizen.
[0116] The program module 710 may include a kernel 720, a
middleware 730, an application programming interface (API) 760,
and/or an application 770. At least a portion of the program module
710 may be preloaded on an electronic device or may be downloadable
from an external electronic device (e.g., the first electronic
device 502, the second electronic device 504, the server 506, or
the like).
[0117] The kernel 720 (e.g., the kernel 541) may include, for
example, a system resource manager 721 or a device driver 723. The
system resource manager 721 may control, allocate, or retrieve
system resources. According to an embodiment, the system resource
manager 721 may include a process managing unit, a memory managing
unit, a file system managing unit, or the like. The device driver
723 may include, for example, a display driver, a camera driver, a
Bluetooth driver, a shared memory driver, a USB driver, a keypad
driver, a Wi-Fi driver, an audio driver, or an inter-process
communication (IPC) driver.
[0118] The middleware 730 may provide, for example, a function that
the application 770 needs in common, or may provide diverse
functions to the application 770 through the API 760 to allow the
application 770 to efficiently use limited system resources of the
electronic device. According to an embodiment, the middleware 730
(e.g., the middleware 543) may include at least one of a runtime
library 735, an application manager 741, a window manager 742, a
multimedia manager 743, a resource manager 744, a power manager
745, a database manager 746, a package manager 747, a connectivity
manager 748, a notification manager 749, a location manager 750, a
graphic manager 751, a security manager 752, or a payment manager
754.
[0119] The runtime library 735 may include, for example, a library
module that is used by a compiler to add a new function through a
programming language while the application 770 is being executed.
The runtime library 735 may perform input/output management, memory
management, or capacities management about arithmetic
functions.
[0120] The application manager 741 may manage, for example, a life
cycle of at least one application of the application 770. The
window manager 742 may manage a graphic user interface (GUI)
resource that is used in a screen. The multimedia manager 743 may
identify a format necessary for playing diverse media files, and
may perform encoding or decoding of media files by using a codec
suitable for the format. The resource manager 744 may manage
resources such as a storage space, memory, or source code of at
least one application of the application 770.
[0121] The power manager 745 may operate, for example, with a basic
input/output system (BIOS) to manage a battery or power, and may
provide power information for an operation of an electronic device.
The database manager 746 may generate, search for, or modify
database that is to be used in at least one application of the
application 770. The package manager 747 may install or update an
application that is distributed in the form of package file.
[0122] The connectivity manager 748 may manage, for example,
wireless connection such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The notification
manager 749 may display or notify an event such as arrival message,
appointment, or proximity notification in a mode that does not
disturb a user. The location manager 750 may manage location
information about an electronic device. The graphic manager 751 may
manage a graphic effect that is provided to a user, or manage a
user interface relevant thereto. The security manager 752 may
provide a general security function necessary for system security,
user authentication, or the like. According to an embodiment, in
the case where an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device
501) includes a telephony function, the middleware 730 may further
include a telephony manager for managing a voice or video call
function of the electronic device.
[0123] The middleware 730 may include a middleware module that
combines diverse functions of the above-described elements. The
middleware 730 may provide a module specialized to each OS kind to
provide differentiated functions. Additionally, the middleware 730
may dynamically remove a part of the preexisting elements or may
add new elements thereto.
[0124] The API 760 (e.g., the API 545) may be, for example, a set
of programming functions and may be provided with a configuration
that is variable depending on an OS. For example, in the case where
an OS is the Android or the iOS, it may provide one API set per
platform. In the case where an OS is the Tizen, it may provide two
or more API sets per platform.
[0125] The application 770 (e.g., the application program 547) may
include, for example, one or more applications capable of providing
functions for a home 771, a dialer 772, an SMS/MMS 773, an instant
message (IM) 774, a browser 775, a camera 776, an alarm 777, a
contact 778, a voice dial 779, an e-mail 780, a calendar 781, a
media player 782, an album 783, a timepiece 784, a payment 785,
health care (e.g., measuring an exercise quantity, blood sugar, or
the like), or offering of environment information (e.g.,
information of barometric pressure, humidity, temperature, or the
like).
[0126] According to an embodiment, the application 770 may include
an application (hereinafter referred to as "information exchanging
application" for descriptive convenience) to support information
exchange between an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device
501) and an external electronic device (e.g., the first electronic
device 502 or the second electronic device 504). The information
exchanging application may include, for example, a notification
relay application for transmitting specified information to the
external electronic device, or a device management application for
managing the external electronic device.
[0127] For example, the notification relay application may include
a function of transmitting notification information, which arise
from other applications (e.g., applications for SMS/MMS, e-mail,
health care, or environmental information), to an external
electronic device. Additionally, the notification relay application
may receive, for example, notification information from the
external electronic device and provide the notification information
to a user.
[0128] The device management application may manage (e.g., install,
delete, or update), for example, at least one function (e.g.,
turn-on/turn-off of an external electronic device itself (or a part
of components) or adjustment of brightness (or resolution) of a
display) of the external electronic device which communicates with
the electronic device, an application running in the external
electronic device, or a service (e.g., a call service, a message
service, or the like) provided from the external electronic
device.
[0129] According to an embodiment, the application 770 may include
an application (e.g., a health care application of a mobile medical
device) that is assigned in accordance with an attribute of an
external electronic device. According to an embodiment, the
application 770 may include an application that is received from
the external electronic device (e.g., the first electronic device
502, the second electronic device 504, and the server 506).
According to an embodiment, the application 770 may include a
preloaded application or a third party application that is
downloadable from a server. The names of elements of the program
module 710 according to the embodiment may be modifiable depending
on kinds of operating systems.
[0130] According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the
program module 710 may be implemented by software, firmware,
hardware, or a combination of two or more thereof. At least a
portion of the program module 710 may be implemented (e.g.,
executed), for example, by the processor (e.g., the processor 610).
At least a portion of the program module 710 may include, for
example, modules, programs, routines, sets of instructions,
processes, or the like for performing one or more functions.
[0131] The term "module" used in this disclosure may represent, for
example, a unit including one or more combinations of hardware,
software and firmware. The term "module" may be interchangeably
used with the terms "unit", "logic", "logical block", "component"
and "circuit". The "module" may be a minimum unit of an integrated
component or may be a part thereof. The "module" may be a minimum
unit for performing one or more functions or a part thereof. The
"module" may be implemented mechanically or electronically. For
example, the "module" may include at least one of an
application-specific IC (ASIC) chip, a field-programmable gate
array (FPGA), and a programmable-logic device for performing some
operations, which are known or will be developed.
[0132] At least a part of an apparatus (e.g., modules or functions
thereof) or a method (e.g., operations) according to various
embodiments may be, for example, implemented by instructions stored
in a computer-readable storage media in the form of a program
module. The instruction, when executed by a processor (e.g., the
processor 520), may cause the one or more processors to perform a
function corresponding to the instruction. The computer-readable
storage media, for example, may be the memory 530.
[0133] A computer-readable recording medium may include a hard
disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic media (e.g., a magnetic tape), an
optical media (e.g., a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) and a
digital versatile disc (DVD), a magneto-optical media (e.g., a
floptical disk)), and hardware devices (e.g., a read only memory
(ROM), a random access memory (RAM), or a flash memory). Also, a
program instruction may include not only a mechanical code such as
things generated by a compiler but also a high-level language code
executable on a computer using an interpreter. The above hardware
unit may be configured to operate via one or more software modules
for performing an operation of various embodiments, and vice
versa.
[0134] A module or a program module according to various
embodiments may include at least one of the above elements, or a
part of the above elements may be omitted, or additional other
elements may be further included. Operations performed by a module,
a program module, or other elements according to various
embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly,
or in a heuristic method. In addition, some operations may be
executed in different sequences or may be omitted. Alternatively,
other operations may be added.
[0135] According to embodiments disclosed in the present
disclosure, the electronic device may save power consumption
depending on an unnecessary network search operation and the
transmission of the control message. Further, in view of an MNO,
network load generated when the electronic device attempts to
continue performing network registration may be reduced by
disabling a network search function.
[0136] In addition, a variety of effects directly or indirectly
ascertained through the present disclosure may be provided.
[0137] While the present disclosure has been shown and described
with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended
claims and their equivalents.
[0138] Although the present disclosure has been described with an
exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be
suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the
present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall
within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *