CN102404703B - Method for legally unlocking card lock, unlocking server and card unlocking system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for legally unlocking a SIM card lock is implemented by an unlocking server connected to a USSD gateway to unlock a SIM card lock set by a telecommunications operator on a mobile phone terminal of a user. When the unlocking server receives an unlocking request sent by the mobile phone terminal and transmitted via the USSD gateway, the unlocking request includes a USSD number representing the unlocking request and user data. Based on the user data, the telecommunications operator is confirmed whether the user has the right to unlock. If so, an unlocking program and an unlocking password are transmitted to the mobile phone terminal, so that the mobile phone terminal executes the unlocking program and reads the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card lock.

Description

Method for legally unlocking card lock, unlocking server and card unlocking system

technical field

The present invention relates to a method for unlocking a SIM card, in particular to a method for unlocking a SIM card through an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) and an over-the-air (OTA) mechanism.

Background technique

Many mobile phone terminals establish contracts with telecom operators at the time of sale. In addition to recording phone numbers and contract contents on the SIM cards they provide, telecom operators also require mobile phone manufacturers to lock the SIM cards of the mobile phone terminals so that The mobile phone terminal can only be used when the SIM card provided by the carrier is inserted. For example in detail, a mobile phone terminal is locked to only accept a SIM card with a specific International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which is determined by a mobile country code (Mobile Country Code, MCC), a mobile network number ( A 15-digit number composed of Mobile Network Code (MNC) and Mobile Station Identification Number (MSIN). The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) stipulates five ways to implement SIM card lock.

Simple SIM card lock, the user can unlock it by entering a group of unlocking passwords provided by the mobile phone manufacturer to the telecom operator, but at present, the higher-end mobile phone terminals must be connected to a computer and use a specific program to read the unlocking password can only be unlocked afterwards.

The above-mentioned mechanism of setting up the SIM card lock causes the use of the mobile phone terminal to be subjected to considerable limitations. For example, the user cannot buy a local SIM card, insert it into his mobile phone terminal and use the local call service when he goes abroad.

Even if the contract is terminated, because the telecom operators always hope that users will continue to use the telecom services they provide, they will not take the initiative to unlock the SIM card, and although the telecom operators have the ability to unlock the SIM card, such as US Patent No. 6,321,079 and US Patent No. 7,689,204 The unlocking technology disclosed in the No. 1 patent, but generally speaking, it does not allow users to unlock it easily. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a legal method for unlocking the SIM card that is convenient for the cooperation of the telecom operator and convenient for the mobile phone user to perform on his own based on the existing telecommunication service architecture.

Contents of the invention

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a legal method for unlocking the SIM card that can be operated by the user after initiating a request.

Therefore, the method for legally unlocking the SIM card of the present invention is implemented by an unlocking server connected to the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) gateway, so as to unlock the SIM card set by a mobile phone terminal of a user by a telecom operator. card lock, the method includes the following steps:

(A) receiving an unlocking request sent by the mobile phone terminal and transmitted through the USSD gateway, the unlocking request includes a USSD number representing the unlocking request and a user data.

(B) Confirm to the telecom operator whether the user has the right to unlock according to the user data, and if so, proceed to step (C).

(C) Send an unlocking program and an unlocking password to the mobile phone terminal for the mobile phone terminal to execute the unlocking program and read the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card.

Preferably, the step (C) is transmitted over the air (OTA), or the short message service center of the telecommunications operator transmits it over the air.

Preferably, the user data in the step (A) includes a door number; the step (B) is to confirm with the telecom operator according to the door number. More preferably, this step (C) also makes a mobile phone identification code corresponding to the door number exclusive to the mobile phone terminal sent to the mobile phone terminal together, when the mobile phone identification code and the mobile phone terminal itself The recorder matches the SIM card lock.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unlocking server that cooperates with a telecom operator to provide SIM card unlocking service.

The unlocking server of the present invention is connected with a USSD gateway for releasing a SIM card lock set by a telecom operator on a mobile phone terminal of a user, and includes a USSD message transmission port, a telecommunication interface and an unlocking control unit.

The USSD message transmission port is connected with the USSD gateway, and receives an unlocking request sent by the mobile phone terminal and transmitted through the USSD gateway. The unlocking request includes a USSD number and user data representing the unlocking request.

The telecommunication interface is connected with the dedicated line of the telecommunication provider.

The unlocking control unit confirms to the telecommunications operator whether the user has the right to unlock according to the user data, and when it is confirmed that the user has the right to unlock, an unlocking program and an unlocking password are sent to the mobile phone terminal for the mobile phone terminal Execute the unlocking program and read the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card.

Preferably, the user data in the unlock request received by the USSD message transmission port includes a door number; the unlock control unit confirms to the telecommunications operator whether the user has the right to unlock according to the door number.

Preferably, the unlocking control unit also transmits a mobile phone identification code corresponding to the door number that is exclusive to the mobile phone terminal to the mobile phone terminal. The SIM card lock will only be unlocked if they match.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a SIM card unlocking system for unlocking a SIM card lock of a mobile phone terminal of a user, and includes a register, a USSD gateway and an unlocking server.

The register stores the contract status of the user's door number, an unlocking program and an unlocking password corresponding to the SIM card lock.

The USSD gateway receives a USSD number and determines whether the USSD number represents an unlock request.

The unlocking server is connected to the USSD gateway and the register. When the USSD gateway judges that the USSD number represents an unlocking request, the USSD number and a user data are sent to the unlocking server, and the unlocking server sends the user data to the register Query to confirm whether the user has the right to unlock, and if so, the unlocking program and the unlocking password are sent to the mobile phone terminal for the mobile phone terminal to execute the unlocking program and read the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card .

Preferably, the SIM card unlocking system further includes an air interface, and the unlocking server transmits the unlocking program and the unlocking password to the mobile phone terminal through the air interface. More preferably, the air interface is a short message service center.

Preferably, the user data includes a door number, and the unlocking server queries the user data register according to the door number to confirm whether the user has the right to unlock. Preferably, the register also stores a mobile phone identification code specific to the mobile phone terminal corresponding to the door number, and the unlocking server also transmits the mobile phone identification code to the mobile phone terminal. When the mobile phone identifies The SIM card lock is only released if the code matches the record of the mobile phone terminal itself.

The effect of the present invention is to provide an unlocking server equivalent to a third party, using USSD as a channel to trigger the unlocking request, and cooperating with the OTA method to transmit the program and password required for unlocking; generally speaking, the telecom operator only needs to cooperate with the transmission of information, There is no need to spend manpower and other resources to deal with the business of unlocking the SIM card, and the user can conveniently enjoy the right to use the mobile phone terminal freely.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating the hardware involved in a preferred embodiment of the method for legally unlocking SIM cards of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of the unlocking server in this embodiment executing the method for legally unlocking the SIM card.

[Description of main component labels]

100 SIM card unlocking system 1 Mobile phone terminal

2 Carriers 21 Base Stations

22 Mobile switching center 23 USSD gateway

24 Register 25 SMS Center

3 Unlock server 31 USSD message transmission port

32 Telecom interface 33 Unlock control unit

S1～S4 steps

Detailed ways

The aforementioned and other technical content, features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the SIM card unlocking system 100 of the present invention is used to unlock the SIM card of a mobile phone terminal 1 of a user. Generally speaking, the SIM card lock is set by the manufacturer of the mobile phone terminal 1 according to the requirements of the carrier 2 at the time of manufacture or after the user signs a contract with the carrier 2, and the manufacturer provides the unlocking program and password to the carrier 2. The preferred embodiment of the SIM card unlocking system 100 of the present invention mainly includes an unlocking server 3, and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) gateway 23 connected to the unlocking server 3, a register 24 and an air interface.

In this embodiment, the register 24 refers to a Home Location Register (HLR) connected to the mobile switching center (MobilSwitch Center, MSC) 22 of the carrier 2 . All users of the telecom operator 2 will have an exclusive HLR, which records the user's door number, the mobile phone identification code (IMEI) exclusive to the mobile phone terminal 1, the unlocking program and unlocking password corresponding to the aforementioned SIM card lock, And the contract status of the door number.

The air interface described in the present embodiment is a short message service (SMS) center 25, but it is not limited to this, it can also be a WAP, GPRS or CDMA1X service center, and the SIM card data and applications of the mobile phone terminal 1 are remotely managed .

The USSD gateway 23 and the SMS center 25 are also connected to the MSC 22. When the user dials a USSD number using the mobile phone terminal 1, the message formed will enter the MSC 22 through a base station 21 and be transmitted to the USSD gateway 23. The USSD gateway 23 That is to judge the service item represented by the USSD number, and then transmit it to a specific application server or gateway.

The unlocking server 3 has a USSD message transmission port 31 connected to the USSD gateway 23 , a telecommunications interface 32 connected to the register 24 of the telecommunications company 2 by a dedicated line, and an unlocking control unit 33 .

In the SIM card release system 100 of this embodiment, the register 24, the SMS center 25 and the USSD gateway 23 are managed by the telecom operator 2 in this embodiment, and the unlocking server 3 is managed by the unlocking service provider, but it is not limited to this . For example, the user's door number, the exclusive IMEI of the mobile phone terminal 1, the unlocking program and the unlocking password can also be stored in a database (not shown) managed by the unlocking service provider.

When the user dials a preset USSD number, such as *422#, for example, *422# through the mobile phone terminal 1, the message formed enters the MSC 22 through the base station 21 and is sent to the USSD gateway 23, and the USSD gateway 23 judges the USSD The number represents the initiation of the unlock request, so this message, hereinafter referred to as the unlock request, is sent to the unlock server 3 . The unlocking server 3 executes the processing flow shown in FIG. 2 .

In step S1, the unlocking server 3 receives the unlocking request through the USSD message transmission port 31. The content of the unlocking request includes the USSD number and a user data, and the user data includes at least a door number, and may also include The IMEI exclusive to the mobile phone terminal 1.

Then, in step S2, the unlocking control unit 33 of the unlocking server 3 checks and confirms whether the user has the right to unlock the door through the telecommunications interface 32 to the register 24 according to the door number, specifically, confirms the door to the telecommunications company. Whether the No. contract expires or is terminated, or apply for suspension of the contract. If the contract relationship between the door number and the telecom operator 2 is expired or the contract has been terminated or suspended, that is, the user has the right to unlock, then go to step S3; otherwise, go to step S4.

In step S3, the unlocking control unit 33 reads the unlocking program, unlocking password and IMEI in the register 24, and sends it to the SMS center 25, so that the SMS center 25 sends it to the mobile phone in the form of Over the Air (OTA) Terminal 1, for the mobile phone terminal 1 to execute the unlocking program, read the unlocking password, and check the transmitted IMEI with the one recorded in the mobile phone terminal 1 itself. When the unlocking password matches the SIM card lock pairing and IMEI, it can be Unlock the SIM card. In this step, the unlocking control unit 33 may send a request to the SMS center 25, so that the SMS center 25 reads the unlocking program, the unlocking password and the IMEI in the register 24 and transmits them.

If the user is not a free user, then the unlocking control unit 33 executes step S4, and notifies the SMS center to transmit a preset message that fails to remove the SIM card lock, and the content of the message, for example, clearly informs when the contract expires, or informs the user Currently there is no right to unlock the SIM card.

In summary, through the mechanism provided by the present invention, the user of the mobile phone terminal 1 can initiate a request to unlock the SIM card by dialing a specific USSD number anywhere, and then use the over-the-air mechanism to transmit the required program and password Unlocking the mobile phone terminal 1 reduces the restrictions on the use of the mobile phone terminal; for the telecom operator 2, it only needs to cooperate with connection and data provision, which greatly reduces manpower and unlocking business-related management costs, which can be said to serve multiple purposes. And really can reach the purpose of the present invention.

But the above-mentioned ones are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and should not limit the scope of the present invention with this, that is, all simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the claims of the present invention and the contents of the description of the invention, All still belong to the scope covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims (13)

1. A method for legally releasing the SIM card lock, which is performed by an unlocking server connected with the unstructured supplementary service data gateway, to remove the SIM card lock set by a telecom operator on a mobile phone terminal of a user, The method includes the following steps: (A) receiving an unlock request sent by the mobile phone terminal and transmitted through the unstructured supplementary service data gateway, the unlock request includes an unstructured supplementary service data number representing the initiation of the unlock request and a user data; (B) confirm to the telecom operator whether the user has the right to unlock according to the user data, and if so, proceed to step (C); and (C) Send an unlocking program and an unlocking password to the mobile phone terminal for the mobile phone terminal to execute the unlocking program and read the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card. 2. The method for legally unlocking the SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the step (C) is transmitted over the air. 3. The method for legally unlocking the SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the step (C) is to make the short message service center of the telecommunications operator transmit the message over the air. 4. The method for legally unlocking the SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the user data in the step (A) includes a door number; the step (B) confirms to the telecom operator based on the door number. 5. The method for legally releasing the SIM card lock according to claim 4, wherein, the step (C) also causes a mobile phone identification code corresponding to the door number to be sent to the mobile phone together with the exclusive mobile phone terminal Terminal, when this mobile phone identification code matches with the person recorded in this mobile phone terminal itself, just release SIM card lock. 6. An unlocking server, connected with an unstructured supplementary service data gateway, used to remove a SIM card lock set by a telecom operator on a mobile phone terminal of a user, and comprising: An unstructured supplementary service data message transmission port, connected to the unstructured supplementary service data gateway, receiving an unlock request sent by the mobile phone terminal and transmitted through the unstructured supplementary service data gateway, the unlocking The request includes an unstructured supplementary service data number representing the initiation of the unlock request and a user data; A telecommunication interface, connected to the dedicated line of the telecommunication operator; and An unlocking control unit confirms to the telecom operator whether the user has the right to unlock according to the user data, and transmits an unlocking program and an unlocking password to the mobile phone terminal if the user is confirmed to have the right to unlock The phone terminal executes the unlocking program and reads the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card. 7. The unlocking server according to claim 6, wherein the user data in the unlocking request received by the unstructured supplementary service data message transmission port includes a door number; Confirm whether the user has the right to unlock. 8. The unlocking server according to claim 7, wherein, the unlocking control unit also transmits a mobile phone identification code corresponding to the door number corresponding to the mobile phone terminal to the mobile phone terminal, when the mobile phone Only when the identification code matches what is recorded in the mobile phone terminal itself, can the SIM card lock be released. 9. A SIM card lock release system, used to release the SIM card lock of a mobile phone terminal of a user, and comprising: A register, storing the contract status of the user's door number, an unlocking program and an unlocking password corresponding to the SIM card lock; An unstructured supplementary service data gateway, receiving an unstructured supplementary service data number and judging whether the unstructured supplementary service data number represents an unlock request; An unlocking server, connected to the unstructured supplementary service data gateway and the register, when the unstructured supplementary service data gateway judges that the unstructured supplementary service data number represents an unlock request, then the unstructured supplementary service data The data number is sent to the unlocking server together with a user data, and the unlocking server queries the register according to the user data to confirm whether the user has the right to unlock, and if so, the unlocking program and the unlocking password are sent to the mobile phone terminal, The mobile phone terminal executes the unlocking program and reads the unlocking password to unlock the SIM card. 10. The SIM card unlocking system according to claim 9, further comprising an air interface, the unlocking server transmits the unlocking program and the unlocking password to the mobile phone terminal through the air interface. 11. The SIM card unlocking system according to claim 10, wherein the air interface is a short message service center. 12. The SIM card unlocking system according to claim 9, wherein the user data includes a door number, and the unlocking server queries the user data register according to the door number to confirm whether the user has the right to unlock. 13. The SIM card lock release system according to claim 12, wherein the register also stores a mobile phone identification code corresponding to the door number, which is exclusive to the mobile phone terminal, and the unlocking server also makes the mobile phone identification code a And send to this mobile phone terminal, when this mobile phone identification code matches with the person recorded in this mobile phone terminal itself, just release SIM card lock.