Wirelessly accessing broadband services using intelligent cards

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for wirelessly accessing broadband services using intelligent cards. In some implementations, a broadband service card includes a physical interface, a communication module, secure memory, and service module. The physical interface connects to a port of a consumer host device. The communication module wirelessly receives RF signals from and transmits RF signals to a wireless broadband network. The secure memory stores user credentials used to securely authenticate the card and access a service foreign to the consumer host device through the wireless broadband network independent of the consumer host device. The user credentials are associated with a broadband service provider. The service module accesses the foreign service using the user credentials in response to at least an event and transmits a service request to the broadband service provider using the wireless broadband core network.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A portable device, comprising:
 secure memory that stores user credentials used to securely authenticate users and access a service through a wireless broadband network, the user credentials associated with a broadband service provider;   one or more processors configured to:
 wirelessly communicate RF signals directly with a wireless broadband network; 
 present a request for user identification including at least one of a Personal Identification Number (PIN), user ID and password, or biometric signature through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the portable device; 
 authenticate the user with the wireless broadband network; 
 in response to the authentication, access the broadband service using the user credentials; and 
 present information associated with the user subscription with the broadband service provider, wherein the information associated with the user subscription is presented through the GUI of the consumer host device. 
   
     
     
         35 . The portable device of  claim 34 , wherein the broadband service comprises at least one of internet access, email, or downloading at least one of video, images, or audio. 
     
     
         36 . The portable device of  claim 34 , wherein the secure memory is an embedded secure processor such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), and the secure memory is configured to generate an authentication response based, at least in part, on the user credentials and execute a locally-stored service application for accessing the services. 
     
     
         37 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to selectively switch an RF antenna between an activate state and an inactivate state in response to at least an event. 
     
     
         38 . The service card of  claim 34 , wherein the switching event includes a selection through a GUI of the portable device. 
     
     
         39 . The portable device of  claim 34 , wherein the wireless RF signals comprise at least one of LTE, WiMAX, HSPA, HSDPA, UMB, GPRS, EDGE or 802.1x signals. 
     
     
         40 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to translate signals between wireless broadband protocols and a device-interface protocol. 
     
     
         41 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to decrypt received signals prior to processing and encrypt at least part of an authentication request prior to wireless transmission. 
     
     
         42 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or a more processors further configured to authenticate at least one of a network of a service-provider wireless broadband network or a user. 
     
     
         43 . The portable device of  claim 42 , the one or more processors further configured to deactivate an antenna in response to at least a failure to authenticate the at least one of the network of the consumer host device, the service-provider wireless broadband network, or the user. 
     
     
         44 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to transmit to a network element a request to activate an associated user account in response to at least a user request. 
     
     
         45 . The portable device of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more processors is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code through the GUI of the portable device. 
     
     
         46 . The portable device of  claim 34 , wherein the portable device emulates a customer premises equipment (CPE) when communicating with the wireless broadband network. 
     
     
         47 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to receive power from the portable device. 
     
     
         48 . The portable device of  claim 34 , wherein an enterprise at least associated with the service provider uploads personalization data prior to activation, wherein the personalization data includes the user credentials, a service application and at least one of operational flags, a rule table or user interface. 
     
     
         49 . The portable device of  claim 48 , the one or more processors further configured to update the personalization data after activation in response to at least one of a wireless signal including secure update instructions. 
     
     
         50 . The portable device of  claim 34 , the one or more processors further configured to transmit a notification to a network element in response to an activity violating one or more fraud control rules.