Method and device for authenticating a mobile station on an alternative communications network

Abstract

A method of authenticating a mobile station on an alternate communications network is disclosed, the mobile station being associated with a default communications network. The mobile station comprises a baseband processor to manage the antenna-related functions and a SIM card to accommodate a default SIM associated with the default communications network for receiving network credentials from the baseband processor. The method comprises providing a SIM card device to intercept communications between the baseband processor and the SIM card, monitoring the network credentials in respect of the network that the mobile station is actively in communication with, determining whether the mobile station needs to switch to an alternate network, and identifying or receiving from a user the alternate network, consulting a SIM bank, comprising at least one alternate SIM, and selecting an alternate SIM having a mobile station identification variable compatible with the alternate network, receiving a network authentication request on the mobile station from the alternate network, and allocating the selected mobile station identification variable to the mobile station so as to identify the user of the mobile station on the alternate network.

1 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A wireless communication module for a card, the wireless communication module comprising:
 a card processor to facilitate conventional functionalities associated with the card, including data storage, network authentication and basic communication;   a data processing module to manage data communication to and from the card processor; and   a wireless transceiver module to facilitate communications with a least one external or attached device over a wireless medium.   
     
     
         34 . The wireless communication module of  claim 33 , wherein the card is a SIM card or a smart card, including a bank and/or credit card. 
     
     
         35 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 33 , wherein the wireless communication module takes the form of an external module that latches onto an existing card. 
     
     
         36 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 35 , wherein the external module is connected to pads on the card, either directly or through a flexible PCB, 
     
     
         37 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 33 , wherein the wireless communication module is directly embedded onto the card itself. 
     
     
         38 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 35 , wherein the card processor and the data processing module are combined into a single processing component. 
     
     
         39 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 33 , wherein the wireless transceiver module comprises a bluetooth radio to communicate over the wireless medium with a virtual SIM residing on a separate computer. 
     
     
         40 . The wireless communication module according to  claim 39 , wherein the wireless communication module acts as a communications conduit between a mobile station housing the wireless communication module and the card, so that all communications from a baseband processor in the mobile station gets captured by the wireless communication module and forwarded to the separate computer, which can then determine an appropriate response and relay this information back to the wireless communication module. 
     
     
         41 . The wireless communication module according, wherein the wireless communication module can be used purely for data transfer from a default network to an alternate network, in which case the wireless communication module is encapsulated in a hardware module.