Methods and apparatus for large scale distribution of electronic access clients

US9247424B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• David T. Haggerty · Eden Prairie, US
• Jerrold V. Hauck · Windermere, US
• Ben-Heng Juang · Milpitas, US
• Li Li · Los Altos, US
• Arun G. Mathias · Los Altos, US
• Kevin P. McLaughlin · Mountain View, US
• Avinash Narasimhan · Cupertino, US
• Christopher Sharp · Fort Myers, US
• Yousuf H. Vaid · Sunnyvale, US
• Xiangying Yang · Cupertino, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 14, 2013
• Grant date: Jan 26, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 14, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W8/20
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for large scale distribution of electronic access control clients. In one aspect, a tiered security software protocol is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a server electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) and client eUICC software comprise a so-called “stack” of software layers. Each software layer is responsible for a set of hierarchical functions which are negotiated with its corresponding peer software layer. The tiered security software protocol is configured for large scale distribution of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs).