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EP-4738900-A1 - METHOD IMPLEMENTED IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MODULE, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING SAID INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MODULE, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

EP4738900A1EP 4738900 A1EP4738900 A1EP 4738900A1EP-4738900-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method implemented in an integrated circuit module (1) having a memory (4) in which are stored an operating system and a database comprising at least one reference identifier associated with a corresponding configuration of the operating system, said method comprising a step of loading, into the memory of the integrated circuit module, at least a first subscriber profile relative to a communication network and comprising a first identifier, a step of reading the first identifier, a step of configuring the operating system in which, if the first identifier is identical to the reference identifier, the operating system is configured according to the corresponding configuration and, if the first identifier is not identical to the reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured according to a default configuration. The invention also relates to a corresponding integrated circuit module and to an electronic device (2) comprising said integrated circuit module.

Inventors

  • PUTRANGGONO, Tedy

Assignees

  • IDEMIA France

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241031

Claims (15)

  1. Method implemented in an integrated circuit module (1) having a memory (4) in which are stored an operating system and a database comprising at least one reference identifier associated with a corresponding configuration of the operating system, said method comprising: a. a step (M1) of loading, into the memory (4) of the integrated circuit module (1), at least a first subscriber profile relative to a communication network and comprising a first identifier, b. a step (M5; M6; N12) of reading the first identifier, c. a step of configuring the operating system in which, if the first identifier is identical to the reference identifier, the operating system is configured (M9; N18) according to the corresponding configuration and, if the first identifier is not identical to the reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured (M8; N16) according to a default configuration.
  2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a first file comprising a sequence of bits whose value is representative of the current configuration of the operating system is stored in the memory (4) of the integrated circuit module (1), and wherein the step (M8,M9, M10) of configuring the operating system comprises a reading of the sequence of bits and a configuration of the operating system according to the value of the sequence of bits.
  3. Method according to claim 1, wherein configuring the operating system includes storing (M10) a sequence of bits in a first file after the first subscriber profile is loaded into the memory (4) of the integrated circuit module (1) and before receiving a command for enabling the first subscriber profile.
  4. Method according to claim 1, wherein configuring the operating system includes storing (N20) a sequence of bits in a first file after having received a command for enabling the first subscriber profile.
  5. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first identifier comprises a Mobile Country Code and a Mobile Network Code.
  6. Method according to any of claims 1 to 5, comprising an execution of the configured operating system.
  7. Method according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising a step of loading, into the memory of the integrated circuit module, a second subscriber profile relative to another communication network and comprising a second identifier, a step of reading the second identifier and a step of configuring of the operating system in which, if the second identifier is identical to another reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured according to another corresponding configuration and, if the second identifier is not identical to another reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured according to the default configuration
  8. Method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first subscriber profile is a TCA type profile.
  9. Method according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which the first identifier is contained in a header of the first subscriber profile.
  10. Method according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which the first identifier is contained in a second file of the first subscriber profile.
  11. Integrated circuit module having a memory (4) in which are stored an operating system, a database comprising at least one reference identifier associated with a corresponding configuration of the operating system and a code programme comprising instructions relative to the execution of a method comprising: a. a step (M1) of loading, into the memory (4) of the integrated circuit module, at least a first subscriber profile relative to a communication network and comprising a first identifier, b. a step (M5; M6; N12) of reading the first identifier, c. a step of configuring the operating system in which, if the first subscriber identifier is identical to the reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured (M9; N18) according to the corresponding configuration and, if the first identifier is not identical to the reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured (M8; N16) according to a default configuration.
  12. Integrated circuit module according to claim 11, in which the instructions of the code programme are relative to the execution of the method according to any of claims 2 to 8.
  13. Electronic device comprising an integrated circuit module (1) according to claim 11 or 12.
  14. Computer program comprising instructions executable by a processor and designed such that the processor performs the method according to any of claims 1 to 10 when these instructions are executed by the processor.
  15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor and designed such that the processor performs the method according to any of claims 1 to 10 when these instructions are executed by the processor.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to the technical field of telecommunications, and in particular to the field of secure elements involved in the implementation of telecommunications. The invention concerns a method implemented in an integrated circuit module, an integrated circuit module and an electronic device comprising said integrated circuit module, a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium. Technological background In the field of telecommunications, for instance mobile phone communications, an electronic device, for instance a mobile phone, is allowed to access a mobile network thanks to a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (hereinafter UICC), that contains a mobile network subscriber profile which allows to identify the mobile phone user on the network. A well-known implementation of the UICC is the SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module), which is proper to a mobile network and to a subscriber and which may be inserted removably in a mobile phone. An evolution of the SIM card is the eUICC (embedded UICC) or eSIM (embedded SIM), embedded in the phone, for instance welded to the circuit board of the mobile phone. Unlike the removable SIM card which contains only one subscriber profile configured once, before being put on sale, to implement the features of mobile operators, the eUICC may be remotely modified at any moment, for example in order to add or delete subscriber profiles. In order to be compatible with any operator, the eUICC are standardized for a specific profile format. For instance, a well-known profile format is eUICC profile as recommended in the Trusted Compliance Alliance (TCA) document "eUICC Pofile Package Interoperable Format Technical Specification" version 3.3.1, dated July 2023. However, some mobile network operators want to offer subscriber profiles able to implement proprietary features, which may not be supported by some standardized UICC or eUICC. The incompatibility of standard profiles with proprietary features, which often represents a competitive advantage for the operator, may bother operators from a technical and commercial point of view and deprives users of interesting technical functionalities. In addition, Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and integrated circuit module (e.g. SIM, eUICC, eSIM, etc.) manufacturers have difficulties to adapt products to each other's dedicated proprietary features. Lot of configuration management (e.g. Operating System's configuration) and server updates may occur. A need to improve compatibility and configuration's managements is then necessary. Summary of the invention Therefore, according to a first aspect of the invention, it is provided a method implemented in an integrated circuit module having a memory in which are stored an operating system and a database comprising at least one reference identifier associated with a corresponding configuration of the operating system, said method comprising a step of loading, into the memory of the integrated circuit module, at least a first subscriber profile relative to a communication network and comprising a first identifier,a step of reading the first identifier,a step of configuring the operating system in which, if the first identifier is identical to the reference identifier, the operating system is configured according to the corresponding configuration and, if the first identifier is not identical to the reference identifier in the database, the operating system is configured according to a default configuration. Thanks to the invention, it is possible to supply an integrated circuit module, for instance an eUICC, an iSIM (for integrated SIM) or an ieUICC (for integrated eUICC) with a profile having a standard format, for instance TCA format, and still benefit from additional functionalities specific to the profile provider since these functionalities are not comprised in the downloaded profile but implemented locally in the integrated circuit module. According to an embodiment, a first file (e.g. an elementary file, hereinafter called "EF locks") comprising a sequence of bits whose value is representative of the current configuration of the operating system is stored in the memory of the integrated circuit module (e.g. inside said first subscriber profile) and the step of configuring the operating system comprises a reading of the sequence of bits and a configuration of the operating system according to the value of the sequence of bits. Configuring the operating system may include storing a sequence of bits in the first file. According to a first possible embodiment, configuring the operating system includes storing a sequence of bits (corresponding to the resulting configuration) in the first file after the first subscriber profile is loaded into the memory of the integrated circuit module and before receiving a command for enabling the first subscriber profile. The sequence of bits of the first file is thus updated depending on the first identifier at the t