The present invention relates to telecommunications and in particular to a system, method, node and computer program for handling registration of shared devices. Background

A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module (SIM) is an integrated circuit that is intended to securely store the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number and its related key, which are used to identify and authenticate subscribers on mobile telephony devices (such as mobile phones and computers). A SIM is inserted into a user equipment (UE) in order to customizes the UE uniquely with a subscription of the subscriber.

In the future the classic SIM cards based on integrated circuit will be replaced with a SIM solution based on pure software and data, so called soft-SIMs. The advantage of such soft SIMs is that they can be easily transferred, stored, installed, and used on a device, even for temporary use.

With the introduction of soft-SIM there will be a need for a solution on how to use such a soft-SIM on a shared device, so a device that has originally no SIM but may be temporarily taken into use. A typical example is a rental car comprising a generic communication module, that is taken into use by the tenant of the car during the rental period of the car.

Summary

There is a need for a solution on how to temporarily transfer a soft-SIM to a device, take the device into use in a communication network, and to deactivate the soft-SIM when the use of the device ends. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for temporary registration of a device in communication network based on a soft-SIM temporarily allocated to the device. This object is achieved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

According to an exemplary aspect of the invention, a method for temporary registration of a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient in a communication network is provided. The method comprising selecting a soft-SIM from a pool of soft-SIMs allocated to a subscriber of the communication network and being available at a soft- SIM donor, and sending the selected soft-SIM from the soft-SIM donor to the soft-SIM recipient. The method further comprises authorizing the registration of the soft-SIM recipient based on the selected soft-SIM and registering the soft-SIM recipient by using the selected soft-SIM, wherein the validity of the selected soft-SIM for the soft-SIM recipient, and thereby the registration of the soft-SIM recipient, is temporary.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a method performed by a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, donor for temporary registration of a soft-SIM recipient in a communication network is provided. The method comprises selecting a soft-SIM from a pool of soft-SIMs allocated to a subscriber of the communication network and being available at the soft-SIM donor, and sending the selected soft-SIM from the soft-SIM donor to the soft-SIM recipient, thereby enabling the soft-SIM recipient to register in the communication network based on the selected soft-SIM, wherein the validity of the selected soft-SIM for the soft-SIM recipient, and thereby the registration of the soft-SIM recipient, is temporary.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a method performed by a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient for temporary registration of the soft-SIM recipient in a communication network is provided. The method comprises receiving, from a soft-SIM donor, a soft-SIM, wherein the validity of the soft-SIM is temporary. The method further comprises registering in the communication network by using the received soft-SIM, wherein the registration is temporary, and deleting the received soft- SIM, when the validity of the received soft-SIM ends.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a method performed by a node in a communication network for temporary registration of a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient in the communication network is provided. The method comprises receiving an authorization for temporary registration of the soft-SIM recipient based on a soft-SIM wherein the validity of the soft-SIM is temporary, and enabling registering of the soft-SIM recipient based on the soft-SIM. The method further comprises enabling validity supervision whether the validity of the soft-SIM ends, and causing deleting of the registration, when the validity of the soft-SIM ends, and preventing any further registration of the soft-SIM recipient based on the soft-SIM, unless a new authorization is received.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, donor for temporary registration of a soft-SIM recipient in a communication network is provided. The soft-SIM donor is adapted to select a soft-SIM from a pool of soft-SIMs allocated to a subscriber of the communication network and being available at the soft-SIM donor. The soft-SIM donor is further adapted to send the selected soft-SIM from the soft-SIM donor to the soft-SIM recipient, thereby enabling the soft-SIM recipient to register in the communication network based on the selected soft-SIM, wherein the validity of the selected soft-SIM for the soft-SIM recipient, and thereby the registration of the soft-SIM recipient, is temporary.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient for temporary registration of the soft-SIM recipient in a communication network is provided. The soft-SIM recipient is adapted to receive, from a soft-SIM donor, a soft-SIM, wherein the validity of the soft-SIM is temporary. The soft- SIM recipient is further adapted to register in the communication network by using the received soft-SIM, wherein the registration is temporary. The soft-SIM recipient is in addition adapted to delete the received soft-SIM, when the validity of the received soft- SIM ends. According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a node in a communication network for temporary registration of a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient in the communication network is provided. The node is adapted to receive an authorization for temporary registration of the soft-SIM recipient based on a soft-SIM wherein the validity of the soft-SIM is temporary. The node is further adapted to enable registering of the soft-SIM recipient based on the soft-SIM and enabling validity supervision whether the validity of the soft-SIM ends. The node is in addition adapted to cause deleting of the registration, when the validity of the soft-SIM ends, and preventing any further registration of the soft-SIM recipient based on the soft-SIM, unless a new authorization is received.

According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a communication network for temporary registration of a soft subscriber identity module, soft-SIM, recipient is provided. The communication network comprises the soft-SIM donor, the soft-SIM recipient, and the node.

Also provided is a computer program product comprising program code portions to perform the steps of any of the methods presented herein when executed on one or more processors. The computer program product may be stored on computer readable recording medium such as a semiconductor/flash memory, DVD, and so on. The computer program product may also be provided for download via a communication connection.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of particular, but not exclusive embodiments, illustrated by way of non-limiting examples in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a diagram illustrating a system for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows an illustration of a communication flow in a system as shown in figure 1 for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a block flow diagram in a soft-SIM donor for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention; Figure 4 shows a block flow diagram in a soft-SIM recipient for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows a block flow diagram in a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention; Figures 6a, 6b, 6c show a block diagram illustrating a soft-SIM donor, a soft-SIM recipient and a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention.

Figures 7a, 7b, 7c show a block diagram of functional modules in a soft-SIM donor, a soft-SIM recipient and a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention.

Detailed description

In the following, a system, methods, nodes, and computer programs for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention are described in more detail. Within the context of the present application, the term "registration" refers to a process where a device registers into a communication network. Registration involves that the device selects a communication network for use, and may comprise that the device indicates to the communication network an identity of the device, an identification of its subscription to the communication network, and data allowing the communication network to contact the device for communication purposes. This data may be a network address or a geographical position such as a location area, a roaming area, or a tracking area. Registration may be repeated periodically or after the device has roamed to another geographical position such that the device becomes reachable under a different location or a different address. Such a device may be a mobile phone, a tablet, an Internet of Things (loT) device or a computer with a wireless network card. Such device may be also referred as a user equipment.

Within the context of the present application, the term "user equipment" (UE) refers to a device for instance used by a person for his or her personal communication. It can be a telephone type of device, for example a telephone or a SIP phone, cellular telephone, a mobile station, cordless phone, or a personal digital assistant type of device like laptop, notebook, notepad equipped with a wireless data connection. The UE may also be associated with non-humans like animals, plants, or even machines. A UE may be equipped with a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) comprising unique identities such as IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) and/or TMSI (Temporary Mobile

Subscriber Identity) associated with a subscription belonging to a subscriber using the UE. The presence of a SIM within a UE customizes the UE uniquely with a subscription of the subscriber.

Within the context of the present application, the term "shared device" refers to a device that has no permanently allocated user, i.e. the user of the device may change over time. A shared device could be in use by a particular user/subscriber, or be unallocated, so free for seizure.

Such a shared device would be available for use among subscribers/users of a communication network. Shared devices may be grouped into a pool, such that if a user/subscriber needs such a device, he/she may simply pick any device from the pool for use, and returns it to the pool after the usage has ended. Such pool of shared devices may also comprise devices of different capabilities, such that a user/subscriber could pick a device that matches its current needs. For example, the shared device may be a beamer in a meeting room and the current presenter in the meeting room could seize the beamer for his presentation. Another example could be a rental car, where the communication unit within the car is taken into use by the tenant during the rental period, and the use ends when the car is returned. Yet another example may be the power meter at home, that is taken into use by a chosen energy provider. When the energy provider is changed, the power meter would be released and taken over by the next chosen energy provider.

Within the context of the present application, the term "communication network" or short "network" may particularly denote a collection of nodes or entities, related transport links, and associated management needed for running a service or a communication service, for example a telephony service or a packet transport service. Depending on the service, different node types or entities may be utilized to realize the service. A network operator may own the communication network and offers the implemented communication services to its subscribers. Typical examples of a communication network are radio access networks (such as 2G, GSM, 3G, WCDMA, CDMA, LTE, WLAN, Wi-Fi), mobile backhaul networks, or core networks (such as IMS, CS Core, PS Core).

Within the context of the present application, the term "soft-SIM" refers to a conceptual capability in a device such as a UE with comparable functions as a physical SIM. However, a soft-SIM has no physical representation, but the SIM related functions and data is held in the memory of the device. Such soft-SIM can therefore be provisioned remotely, such as over any communication link, for example a wireless communication link. The provisioning information is then held in memory as part of other computing equipment. The involved memory may be the generic memory of the device or a specifically protected memory or hardware (see reprogrammable SIM below), in order to prevent unauthorized cloning of the SIM information.

In contrast to the soft-SIM being pure virtual (i.e. 'soft'), an eSIM (embedded SIM) is a physical SIM which is permanently placed (embedded) in a device. An eSIM is integral to the device, i.e. an eSIM cannot be removed and neither re-programmed or moved. Finally, there is also the concept of 'reprogrammable' SIM. This refers to a physical SIM hardware that can be programed with different subscription profiles. So a soft-SIM may also refer to an image of a subscription that is moved into the physical SIM hardware after reception. Within the context of this application, a soft-SIM on a target device may be held in the generic memory or in a reprogrammable SIM. So, the term soft-SIM may refer to the actual SIM related functions (e.g. specific software or algorithms) and data (related to a particular subscription in the communication network) without being related to any specific hardware or implementation.

Within the context of this application, a distinction between a "user" and a "subscriber" is made. The subscriber is a legal or natural person that has a subscription with the operator of the communication network for the provisioning of communication services. The subscriber may be a human being (natural person) or a company (legal person). If the subscriber is a human being, he/she can at the same time also be the user of a device accessing the communication network. However, the subscriber may also be a parent and the user may be the child of the parent. In this case the user and the subscriber are different roles. The subscriber may also be a company, e.g. an energy provider company and the user may be an employee of that energy provider company. The user is a human being using the device, shared device, or UE. Or, the user may be a machine or loT device, for example when the subscriber is an energy provider the user can be the power meter.

Within the context of the present application, the term "authentication" may refer to an act of confirming the authenticity of an entity. This might involve confirming the identity of an entity, so ensuring that an entity actually is what it claims to be. Authentication involves verifying the validity of identifications. IKE (RFC2409) and IKEv2 (RFC4306) are examples of key management protocols also used to authenticate a remote peer.

Within the context of the present application, the term "authorization" may refer to the process of granting access rights to data, resources, or an entity. In a first step the peer is authenticated, so it is confirmed that the peer is what it claims to be. In a second step it can then be verified whether the peer is allowed to access certain data, resources, or an entity. Authorization can be based on data administered in a node by the operator of the communication network.

Equipment identity or device identity refers to an identifier being unique in the sense that the same identifier will not exist a second time. Even an equipment of the same type would show a different identifier. The identifier itself may consist of numbers and/or letters. The identifier may be sub-structured and the different substructures can be separated for example by hyphens, dots, or spaces. It may be constructed of a serial number combined with a product and manufacturer identifier. Examples for equipment identities are the International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, as defined in 3GPP. Another example of an identifier may be a Media Access Control, MAC, address, as programmed into computer interface hardware for communications on the physical network segment. Another example of an identifier may be a Globally Unique Identifier, GUID, which is a unique reference number used as an identifier in computer software. The term GUID typically refers to various implementations of the Universally Unique Identifier, UUID standard. Another example of an identifier may be a Unique Device Identifier, UDID, used in certain type of mobile phones. In general, a UE may comprise several identifiers, some of which may be related to the hardware of the equipment and/or the interface hardware; others may be related to the operating system software of the equipment, or other key software components running on the equipment. Within the context of the present application, the term "node" or "network node" refers to an element of the communication network primarily performing control procedures for sessions or calls and communication services for a subscriber (or user) of the communication network. The term typically refers to those entities of the

communication network handling control plane, subscriber data, services, or signaling traffic associated with user traffic in the communication network. In a core network such a node may be a MSC (Mobile Switching Center), MME (Mobility Management Entity), SGSN (Serving Gateway Support Node), P-CSCF (Proxy Call State Control Function), S-CSCF (Serving-CSCF), TAS (Telephony Application Server), or an Application Server type of node.

Now referring to Figure 1 , this figure shows an example diagram illustrating a system for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The system comprises a soft-SIM donor 120 and a device acting as soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The device 1 10 shall be registered into the communication network 10 for provisioning of communication services to the device 1 10. The device 1 10 may be a non-shared or shared device. The shared device 1 10 may be shared among a plurality of subscribers 160 or a plurality of users 170. The subscriber may be a legal or natural person. The user may be a natural person or a machine.

The soft-SIM donor 120 may host a pool of soft-SIMs 140. When the user of the soft- SIM donor 120 wants to take a device 1 10 into use, he/she selects a free soft-SIM from the pool and sends the selected soft-SIM 130 to the device, which acts as a soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The soft-SIM may be auto selected, especially If there is only one soft- SIM in the pool or if there is only one free soft-SIM available in the pool.

A free soft-SIM 130 may be selected from the pool of soft-SIMs 140. The soft-SIMs in this pool of soft-SIMs 140 may be allocated to a single subscriber 160 of the communication network 10. Alternatively, the pool of soft-SIMs 140 may comprise soft- SIMs allocated to more than one subscriber 160. Soft-SIMs may be located within the soft-SIM donor 120 and may be available for selection, unless they are allocated to a device already. Double/parallel usage of a soft-SIM should be prevented for example by the soft-SIM donor 120. If the soft-SIMs of the pool 140 belong to more than one subscriber, first a subscriber may be selected, and in a further step a soft-SIM belonging to that selected subscriber can be chosen. For example, the soft-SIM donor 120 may be a PDA type of device used by a technician working for several energy providers. That PDA may host soft-SIMs for each of these energy providers.

In the next step the selected soft-SIM 130 is sent from the soft-SIM donor 120 to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. This may be done by any communication means such as near field communication techniques as for example Bluetooth, Infrared, or WLAN.

Alternatively, this may be done by installing a temporary wire connection such as USB cable for the transfer communication. Taking up the above example, after entering an apartment building, the technician may distribute soft-SIMs to the power meters according to the energy provider chosen by each apartment owner. In a next step, the selected soft-SIM 130 is authorized in the communication network 10 such that the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is authorized to perform registration into the communication network 10 based on that selected soft-SIM 130. This may be done or initiated also before the selected soft-SIM 130 is sent to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. This authorization may be triggered by the subscriber 160 or by the user 170. Taking the above example once again, after the technician has distributed the soft-SIM to the power meters of the different apartments, each energy provider could then authorize his own soft-SIMs separately, for example by using any computer connected to the communication network 10.

A request for authorization may comprise an identification of the soft-SIM 130 or a subscription identifier of the soft-SIM, and an identification of the identity of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, which may be any identity that uniquely identifies a device.

Having received the selected soft-SIM 130, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 can register into the communication network 10 by using the selected soft-SIM 130 as if it was a traditional SIM. The validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 for the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, and thereby the registration of the soft-SIM recipient 110, is temporary. Temporary means that the network registration and thereby a possibility to receive communication services, may expire if a certain condition is met.

When the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 ends, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may delete the soft-SIM 130 in the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. Alternatively, or in addition, the communication network 10 may delete the registration, when the validity of the soft-SIM 130 ends. The communication network 10 may then prevent any further registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on that soft-SIM 130, unless a new authorization is received. The user 170 or the subscriber 160 may re-new or prolong the authorization in the communication network 10 before the validity of the soft-SIM 130 ends. A soft-SIM, which validity has ended, could be re-authorized for the same or also a different soft-SIM recipient.

The temporary validity of the soft-SIM 130 may be limited by time. For example, the soft-SIM 130 may be valid for the duration of the rental period of a rental car. The soft- SIM 130 allocated to a beamer device may be valid during the time a meeting room, where the beamer is located, is reserved. Alternatively, or in addition, the validity of the soft-SIM 130 may be limited by usage. So, the device acting as soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may perform certain number of registration, or make a certain number of calls, download a given data volume, or generate a given maximum cost. In yet another alternative, the validity of the soft-SIM 130 may be limited or actually terminated on instruction. The user 170 or the subscriber 160 may indicate to the communication network 10 to withdraw the authorization even before the validity of the soft-SIM 130 ends. Also the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 (or an owner/user of such a device), the soft-SIM donor 120, or the communication network 10 may trigger an early termination. For example, the rental car company as the owner of the rental car, could terminate the validity of the soft-SIM 130 allocated to the rental car, if the tenant has forgotten to remove/inactivate it. This could actually then be performed by personnel at a technical check of the rental car after returning.

So, the validity of the soft-SIM 130 in the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may end on request from at least one of, the subscriber 160, a user 170 of the soft-SIM donor 120, a soft- SIM recipient 1 10, and from the communication network 10.

The limit of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may be set before sending the selected soft-SIM 130 to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The limit may then be indicated to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, for example together with, or shortly after, the sending of the selected soft-SIM 130. By alternative, a setting of the limit of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may be done by a separate message to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. That message could be sent any time after the selected soft-SIM 130 has been provided to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. In this case a previously defined limit of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may be overwritten and by that extends or shortens a previous limit. In another alternative, a predefined default value for the limit of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may be used, which would be valid until an explicit limit is set. The soft-SIM donor 120 itself may comprise a SIM or soft-SIM 150 allocated to the subscriber 160. In such scenario the soft-SIM donor 120 may itself be registered in the communication network 10 by using that SIM or soft-SIM 150. In this case the authorization in the communication network 10 may be initiated by the soft-SIM donor 120. So coming back to the technician working for several energy providers, the technician may also trigger such authorization, if his PDA has a communication channel to the communication network 10.

The communication network 10 may comprise a plurality of nodes 100 responsible for registration and provisioning communication services to devices. A node 100 may be adapted to support temporary registration of a soft-SIM recipient 1 10 in the

communication network 10.

The node 100 receives an authorization for registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on a soft-SIM 130, wherein the validity of the soft-SIM 130 is temporary. The node 100 may then enable registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on the soft- SIM 130. The enabling may either be done by the node 100 itself, or by the node 100 instructing at least one further entity/node of the communication network 10 to perform this on its behalf.

The node 100 may then also enable supervision of the validity of the soft-SIM 130 in order to determine when the validity of the soft-SIM 130 ends. Also, this may either be done by the node 100 itself, or by one further entity/node of the communication network 10 instructed/enabled by the node 100 to perform this on its behalf.

Finally, when the validity of the soft-SIM 130 ends, the node 100 may cause deletion of the registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on the soft-SIM 130. This may either be done by the node 100 itself, or by the node 100 instructing at least one further entity/node of the communication network 10 to perform this on its behalf. The node 100 may then prevent any further registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on the soft-SIM 130, unless a new authorization is received by the node 100. Referring to Figure 2, this figure shows an illustration of an example communication flow in a system as shown in figure 1 for temporary registration of a device using a soft- SIM according to the invention. This flow shows one possible way of communication between the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, soft-SIM donor 120, and the network node 100. The skilled reader will understand that there may be alternative ways of communication or the message exchange may be done in a slightly different order.

The example flow starts in the soft-SIM donor 120 in step 200 with the selection of a soft-SIM from the pool of soft-SIMs 140. If the soft-SIMs in the pool of soft-SIMs 140 are allocated to more than one subscriber 160, this step would be preceded by first selecting the subscriber 160. Such selection task may be performed by the user 170 of the soft-SIM donor 120. This results into a soft-SIM being identified as the selected soft-SIM 130 and marked accordingly.

In the next step 210 the selected soft-SIM 130 is sent from the soft-SIM donor 120 to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The sending may comprise in addition to the selected soft- SIM 130 itself, an indicator about the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130. The validity may be an indication of a time by giving an absolute end time or by giving a time duration. The validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may also be given in a usage indicator such as a data volume, number of calls or the like. Such indication may also be a link to another temporal event, for example the end of the rental period of a car, that triggers the end of the selected soft-SIM 130 validity.

In step 220 the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may acknowledge the reception of the selected soft-SIM 130. This may confirm that the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is now allocated to the subscriber 160. Such acknowledgement may comprise a unique device ID of the soft- SIM recipient 1 10. As an option, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may reject the received selected soft-SIM 130. This may be the case if the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is not compatible with the received selected soft-SIM 130, or if the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is currently busy, out of order, low on power, incompatible, or simply not available for the subscriber. In such a case, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 returns a negative

acknowledgment to the soft-SIM donor 120 comprising an error indication. So the soft- SIM donor 120 may be configured to receive such negative acknowledgment. The soft- SIM donor 120 may inform the user of the soft-SIM donor 120 to select a different soft- SIM from the pool of soft-SIMs 140 or a different (shared) device having for example different capabilities, for example depending on the received error indication. ln step 230 the authorization of the selected soft-SIM 130 in the network node 100 of the communication network 10 is triggered. In this example the authorization trigger is sent from the soft-SIM donor 120. It can be also possible to trigger the authorization by another device connected to the communication network 10. An authorization trigger may comprise a validity indicator, for example indicating how long the selected soft-SIM 130 may be valid, and the unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10.

In step 240 the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 sends a registration request to the node 100 of the communication network 10. This registration request may comprise an indication of the subscription as derived from the selected soft-SIM 130, e.g. for example the IMSI. Also conveyed may be the unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, e.g. an IMEI.

After successful registration, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is ready to consume network/communication services as indicated in step 250.

The subscriber (or in this example the soft-SIM donor 120) having triggered the authorization of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 in the communication network 10, may be interested to supervise the registration status of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. So as an option, the subscriber may subscribe at the node 100 of the communication network 10 to be notified when the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 registers. Such notification subscription may already be implicitly comprised by the authorization request, or may be a separate message-response operation initiated by the soft-SIM donor 120 or the subscriber. Once subscribed to such notifications, the soft-SIM donor 120 or subscriber may receive a notification (for example by a chat message, email, or short message) when the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 registers or de-registers. As an additional option he may also obtain feedback on data volume used so far or costs generated by the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. Alternatively, the soft-SIM donor 120/subscriber may also request the current registration status.

The validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 is temporary. This may be supervised in step 260 in one or more of, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, the soft-SIM donor 120, and the network node 100. If for example the validity is based on time, the lapse of the time may be detected in any one or all of these elements. If for example the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 notices that the validity of the selected soft- SIM 130 is about to end, it could de-register from the communication network 10 and delete in step 280 the selected soft-SIM 130. If the soft-SIM donor 120 determines the end of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130, it can mark the related soft-SIM as inactive and return it in step 270 to the pool of soft-SIMs 140 for a further selection and use in the same or a different shared device.

If the network node 100 determines the end of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130, it could delete the authorization, delete in step 290 the registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 in the communication network 10, and reject any further registration request from that soft-SIM, until a new authorization is received for that soft-SIM.

Referring to Figure 3, this figure shows an example block flow diagram of a method of a soft-SIM donor for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The soft-SIM donor may be the soft-SIM donor 120 of figures 1 or 2.

In step 300 a soft-SIM 130 is selected form the pool of soft-SIMs 140 available in the soft-SIM donor 120. This step may be initiated by the user 170 of the soft-SIM donor 120. If the soft-SIMs in the pool of soft-SIMs 140 are allocated to more than one subscriber 160, this step would be preceded by first selecting the subscriber 160. Such selection task may be performed by the user 170 of the soft-SIM donor 120. This results into a soft-SIM being identified as the selected soft-SIM 130.

In step 310 the selected soft-SIM 130 is sent to the device acting as soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The device may be a shared device. The transfer message used to send the selected soft-SIM 130 may comprise an indicator on how long the selected soft-SIM 130 is valid may be sent to the soft-SIM recipient. This may be an indication of a time by giving an absolute end time or by giving a time duration. The validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may also be given in a usage indicator such as a data volume, number of calls or the like. The sending may be done by near field communication techniques such as Bluetooth, Infrared, or WLAN. Alternatively, this may be done by installing a temporary wire connection for the transfer communication, for example a USB cable. In addition, the soft-SIM donor 120 may receive an acknowledgement of successful sending (not shown) of the soft-SIM from the soft-SIM recipient 1 10.

In step 320 the soft-SIM donor 120 may authorize the registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 in the communication network 10, for example by sending an appropriate signaling message to a network node 100 within the communication network 10. The signaling message may comprise a validity indicator for the selected soft-SIM 130 and a unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10. By alternative, it may also be possible to trigger such authorization from another device related to the subscriber 160 and connected to the communication network 10.

In step 330 the soft-SIM donor 120 may enter a supervision loop via step 340 where the soft-SIM donor 120 supervises the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130. This loop may be continued until the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 ends. While under supervision, it may not be possible to allocate the selected soft-SIM 130 to any further shared device. Any such request, for example by the user 170, may be rejected by the soft-SIM donor 120.

When it is detected that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 has ended, the selected soft-SIM 130 is in step 350 returned to the pool of soft-SIMs 140 and is from thereon available again for re-selection and allocation to the same or any other soft- SIM recipient 1 10.

Then the flow in the soft-SIM donor 120 ends. Such flow may be executed for every soft-SIM in the pool of soft-SIMs 140. All soft-SIMs being selected and lent to (shared) devices are then supervised in parallel. If all soft-SIMs of the pool are transferred and the pool is 'empty', any further selection requests would be negatively acknowledged.

In addition (not shown in the figure), the soft-SIM donor 120 may receive an indication from the user 170 that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 shall be terminated (e.g. immediately, after a certain time period, or at a certain time of the day). In that case the soft-SIM donor 120 may inform the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 and the network node 100 about the termination of the validity and execute step 350.

Referring to Figure 4, this figure shows an example block flow diagram of a method of a soft-SIM recipient for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The soft-SIM recipient may be the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 of figures 1 or 2. The soft-SIM recipient may also be a shared device, shared among all subscriber 170 of the communication network.

The flow starts with step 400 where the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 receives a selected soft- SIM 130 from a soft-SIM donor 120. The transfer message used to send the selected soft-SIM 130 may comprise a validity indicator, indicating the validity of the soft-SIM, may be received. The validity indicator may comprise an indication of a time by giving an absolute end time or by giving a time duration. The validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 may also be given in a usage indicator such as a data volume, number of calls or the like. The receiving may be done by near field communication techniques such as Bluetooth, Infrared, or WLAN. Alternatively, this may be done by installing a temporary wire connection such as USB cable for the transfer communication. The soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may in addition also send an acknowledgement of successful sending and/or acceptance of the soft-SIM, to the soft-SIM donor 120. Such a response may comprise a unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10.

In step 410 the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 registers into the communication network 10, using the received selected soft-SIM 130 and optionally also its unique device ID. Registration may be done by sending a registration request message from the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 to a network node 100 responsible for the geographical area where the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is located. A successful registration may be acknowledged by the network node 100.

After successful registration, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may start to use communication services (420) supported by the communication network 10 and enabled for the subscription of the selected soft-SIM 130.

In step 430 the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may enter a supervision loop via step 440 where the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may supervise the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130. This loop may be continued until the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 ends. While under supervision, it will be possible to use communication services. Alternatively, the soft- SIM recipient 1 10 may initiate the ending of the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130.

When it is detected that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 has ended or ends, the selected soft-SIM 130 may be in step 450 deleted and the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 stops the usage of communication services. Optionally, the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may detect that the validity of the selected soft- SIM 130 is soon ending and performs a de-registration toward the network node 100 just before the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 ends.

Then the flow in the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 ends. The soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is now fee again for a re-selection by the same or any other soft-SIM donor 120. ln addition (not shown in the figure), the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may receive an indication from the soft-SIM donor 120 that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 shall be terminated (e.g. immediately, after a certain time period, or at a certain time of the day). In that case the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may initiate that the validity is terminated accordingly and above step 450 is executed.

Referring to Figure 5, this figure shows an example block flow diagram for a method of a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The network node may be the network node 100 of figures 1 or 2. The network node 100 may be responsible for the geographical area where the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 is located.

The flow starts with step 500 where the network node 100 receives an authorization for a selected soft-SIM 130 in the communication network 10. This signaling message may comprise an indicator of the selected soft-SIM 130 and/or a unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may be received. This authorization and the additional validity indicator and/or unique device ID may be sent by the soft-SIM donor 120. Alternatively, it may also be possible to trigger the authorization from another device related to the subscriber 160 and connected to the communication network 10.

In step 510 the network node 100 receives a registration request message for registering a selected soft-SIM 130 in the communication network 10. The registration request message may comprise an indication of the subscription related to the selected soft-SIM 130 and optionally also the unique device ID of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10.

In step 520 the network node 100 may perform the actual registration of the selected soft-SIM 130. Successful registration may be acknowledged to the requesting soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The actual registration may either be done by the network node 100 itself, or by the network node 100 enabling at least one further entity of the

communication network 10 to perform this on its behalf.

After successful registration, providing communication services to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 may be enabled in step 530.

In step 540 and 550 the network node 100 may enter a supervision loop where the validity of the selected and registered soft-SIM 130 is supervised. The network node

100 may also enable such supervision for example by the network node 100 instructing at least one further entity of the communication network 10 to perform this on its behalf. This supervision loop may continue until the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 ends. While under supervision, it will be possible for the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 to use communication services offered by the communication network 10. When it may be detected that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 has ended, provisioning of services is stopped and the registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 and the related selected soft-SIM 130 is deleted in step 560. This may either be done by the network node 100 itself, or by the network node 100 causing at least one further entity of the communication network 10 to perform this on its behalf. The network node 100 may prevent any further registration of the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 based on the soft-SIM 130, unless a new authorization is received by the network node 100.

In addition (not shown in the figure), the network node 100 may receive an indication that the validity of the selected soft-SIM 130 shall be terminated (e.g. immediately, after a certain time period, or at a certain time of the day). In that case the network node 100 may inform the soft-SIM recipient 1 10 and/or the soft-SIM donor 120 about the termination of the validity and execute step 560.

Referring to Figures 6a, 6b, 6c, these figures show block diagrams illustrating a soft- SIM donor, a soft-SIM recipient, and a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The SIM donor, soft-SIM recipient, and network node may be the SIM donor, soft-SIM recipient, and network node of respective Figures 3, 4, and 5.

Figure 6a illustrates an exemplary composition of a computing unit 600 which is configured to execute a network node 100. The computing unit 600 comprises at least one processor 602 and at least one memory 604, wherein the at least one memory 604 contains instructions executable by the at least one processor 602 such that the computing unit 600 is operable to carry out the method steps described in figure 5 with reference to the network node 100.

Figure 6b illustrates an exemplary composition of a computing unit 610 which is configured to execute a soft-SIM recipient 1 10. The computing unit 610 comprises at least one processor 612 and at least one memory 614, wherein the at least one memory 614 contains instructions executable by the at least one processor 612 such that the computing unit 610 is operable to carry out the method steps described in figure 4 herein with reference to the soft-SIM recipient 1 10.

Figure 6c illustrates an exemplary composition of a computing unit 620 which is configured to execute a soft-SIM donor 120. The computing unit 620 comprises at least one processor 622 and at least one memory 624, wherein the at least one memory 624 contains instructions executable by the at least one processor 622 such that the computing unit 620 is operable to carry out the method steps described in figure 3 herein with reference to the soft-SIM donor 120. It will be understood that the computing units 600, 610 and 620 may be physical computing units as well as virtualized computing units, such as virtual machines, for example. It will further be appreciated that the computing units may not necessarily be implemented as standalone computing units, but may be implemented as components - realized in software and/or hardware - residing on multiple distributed computing units as well.

Referring to Figures 7a, 7b, 7c, these figures show block diagrams of functional modules in a soft-SIM donor, a soft-SIM recipient, and a network node for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM according to the invention. The soft-SIM donor, soft-SIM recipient, and network node may be the SIM donor, soft-SIM recipient, and network node of respective Figures 3, 4, 5 and Figures 6a, 6b, 6c.

Figure 7a schematically illustrates an exemplary modular composition 700 which is configured to execute the network node 100, and Figure 5 illustrates a corresponding method embodiment which may be performed by that network node 700.

The Transceiver Module 702 may be adapted to perform reception and sending of signaling messages, such as step 500 and 510 and any signaling messages related to the provisioning of communication services to the soft-SIM recipient. In the alternative, where the network node 100 causes at least one further entity of the communication network 10 to perform steps of authorization, registration, or supervision on its behalf, the Transceiver Module 702 may be adapted to receive and send signaling messages to that further entity of the communication network 10 to trigger such steps and receive confirmations accordingly. The Authorization Handling Module 704 may be adapted to handle a received authorization as of step 500.

The Registration Handling Module 706 may be adapted to perform registration of a device as of step 510 and 520 and the related de-registration in step 560. The Supervision Module 708 may be adapted to perform the supervision of the validity of a soft-SIM 130 as of steps 540 and 550.

In the alternative, where the network node 100 causes at least one further entity of the communication network 10 to perform steps of authorization, registration, or supervision on its behalf, the corresponding modules may be adapted to trigger/initiate corresponding steps in that further entity of the communication network 10, and receive corresponding results/acknowledgements/confirmations. The Transceiver Module 702 may be used to establish such communication with the further entity of the

communication network 10.

Figure 7b schematically illustrates an exemplary modular composition 710 which is configured to execute the soft-SIM recipient 1 10, and Figure 4 illustrates a

corresponding method embodiment which may be performed by that soft-SIM recipient 710.

The Transceiver Module 712 may be adapted to perform reception and sending of signaling messages, such as step 400 for the reception of a selected soft-SIM 130 and signaling messages related to the provisioning of communication services from the communication network 10.

The Soft-SIM Handling Module 714 may be adapted to handle a received selected soft SIM 130 and to coordinate the registration and de-registration.

The Registration Handling Module 716 may be adapted to perform registration as of step 410 and the related de-registration in step 450.

The Supervision Module 718 may be adapted to perform the supervision of the validity of a soft-SIM 130 as of steps 430 and 440. The Supervision Module 718 may also trigger stopping of the network usage and trigger deletion of the selected soft-SIM 130 as of step 450. Figure 7 c schematically illustrates an exemplary modular composition 720 which is configured to execute the soft-SIM donor 120, and Figure 3 illustrates a corresponding method embodiment which may be performed by that soft-SIM donor 720.

The Transceiver Module 722 may be adapted to perform reception and sending of signaling messages, such as step 310 for the sending of a selected soft-SIM 130 to a soft-SIM recipient 1 10 and sending of a registration authorization to the network node 100 in step 320.

The Soft-SIM Handling Module 724 may be adapted to handle the pool of soft-SIMs 140 located in the soft-SIM donor 120. The Soft-SIM Handling Module 724 may mark those as available for selection or allocated to a soft-SIM recipient 1 10 as of steps 300, or marking the selected soft-SIM 130 as available in step 350.

The Authorization Handling Module 726 may be adapted to handle a registration authorization of a selected soft-SIM 130 as of step 320.

The Supervision Module 728 may be adapted to perform the supervision of the validity of a soft-SIM 130 as of steps 330 and 340.

According to another embodiment, a computer program is provided. The computer program may be executed by the processing units 602, 612, and 622 of the above mentioned entities 600, 610 and 620 respectively such that a method for temporary registration of a device using a soft-SIM as described above with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5 may be carried out or be controlled. In particular, the entities 600, 610 and 620 may be caused to operate in accordance with the above described method by executing the computer program.

The computer program may be embodied as computer code, for example of a computer program product. The computer program product may be stored on a computer readable medium, for example a disk or a memory/storing unit 604, 614, 624 of the entities 600, 610 and 620, or may be configured as downloadable information.

One or more embodiments as described above may enable at least one of the following technical effects:

• A shared device can be dynamically seized and equipped with a soft-SIM • The shared device can then register into the communication network for usage of communication services

• The dynamically equipped soft-SIM has a temporary validity

• After expiry of the equipped soft-SIM validity, both, the soft-SIM as well as the shared device, are available again for further allocation/seizure

• The communication network prevents use of soft-SIMs outside of the validity period

Modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.