Multiple smart card phone and method

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said telephone is a radiotelephone.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein: said radiotelephone is a cellular telephone.

Claim 5

A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising the steps of: determining from said first SIM card if it contains first data for more than one providing telephone system; determining from said second SIM card if it contains second data for more than one providing telephone system; and selecting a providing telephone system for registering said first and second universal identification numbers based upon said first and second data.

Claim 6

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: determining from said second SIM card if it contains second data for more than one providing telephone system and selecting a second providing telephone system for registration of said second universal identification number.

Claim 7

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of attempting to register said second universal identification number with said alternate telephone system.

Claim 8

A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the steps of: determining whether said registration of said second universal identification number is unsuccessful; and attempting to register said second universal identification number with another alternate telephone system.

Claim 9

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a first alert indication to indicate incoming calls are for said first universal identification number; and providing a second alert indication to indicate incoming calls are for said second universal identification number.

Claim 10

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: selecting one of said first or second universal identification numbers for an outgoing call.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: deregistering said first universal identification number upon removal of said first SIM card from said telephone.

Claim 12

A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: deregistering said first universal identification number upon the occurrence of a predetermined activity.

Claim 13

A telephone comprising: means for accepting a first SIM card, said first SIM card containing a first universal identification number; means for accepting a second SIM card, said second SIM card containing a second universal identification number; SIM card reading circuitry for reading said first and second universal identification numbers from said first and second SIM card; circuitry for coupling said telephone to a telephone system; and a controller, said controller being operable to register said telephone in said telephone system by using said first universal identification number and being further operable to register said telephone in said telephone system using said second universal identification number, said second registration being concurrent with said first registration, said controller utilizing said circuitry to access said telephone system, wherein said controller determines from said first SIM card if said first SIM card contains first data for more than one providing telephone system and for determining from said second SIM card if said second SIM card contains second data for more than one providing telephone system, and being further operable to select a providing telephone system for registering said first and second universal identification numbers based upon said first and second data, and wherein said controller is operable to attempt to register said first universal identification number with a first providing telephone system and further operable to determine whether said registration attempt is unsuccessful and operable to attempt to register said first universal number with an alternate providing telephone system if said attempt is unsuccessful.

Claim 14

A telephone comprising: means for accepting a first SIM card, said first SIM card containing a first universal identification number; means for accepting a second SIM card, said second SIM card containing a second universal identification number; SIM card reading circuitry for reading said first and second universal identification numbers from said first and second SIM card; circuitry for coupling said telephone to a telephone system; and a controller, said controller being operable to register said telephone in said telephone system by using said first universal identification number and being further operable to register said telephone in said telephone system using said second universal identification number, said second registration being concurrent with said first registration, said controller utilizing said circuitry to access said telephone system, wherein said controller determines from said first SIM card if said first SIM card contains first data for more than one providing telephone system and for determining from said second SIM card if said second SIM card contains second data for more than one providing telephone system, and being further operable to select a providing telephone system for registering said first and second universal identification numbers based upon said first and second data, and wherein said controller is operable to attempt to register said first universal identification number with a first providing telephone system and further operable to determine whether said registration attempt is unsuccessful and operable to attempt to register said first universal number with an alternate providing telephone system if said attempt is unsuccessful.

Claim 15

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said telephone comprises a cellular telephone.

Claim 16

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said controller determines from said first SIM card if said first SIM card contains first data for more than one providing telephone system and being further operable to select a first providing telephone system for registration of said first universal identification number.

Claim 17

A telephone in accordance with claim 14, wherein: said controller determines from said second SIM card if said second SIM card contains second data for more than one providing telephone system and being further operable to select a second providing telephone system for registration of said second universal identification number.

Claim 18

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said controller is operable to attempt to register said second universal identification number with a second network, and operable to determine whether said registration of said second universal identification number is unsuccessful and operable to attempt to register said second universal identification number with another network.

Claim 19

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, comprising: means for providing a first alert indication to indicate incoming calls are for said first universal identification number and means for providing a second alert indication to indicate incoming calls are for said second universal identification number.

Claim 20

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said controller is operable to select one of said first or second universal identification numbers for an outgoing call.

Claim 21

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said controller is operable to deregister said first universal identification number upon removal of said first SIM card from said telephone.

Claim 22

A telephone in accordance with claim 12, wherein: said controller is operable to deregister said first universal identification number upon the occurrence of a predetermined activity.