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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.