Match control method

• US 20030135471A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Sasselli, Marco, Jaquier, Jean-Luc
• Application Number:
  US10/297,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135471A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to propose a method that guarantees the encryption of the exchanged data a security module and a user unit by a pairing key specific to the couple user unit/security module, and at the same time leaving the possibility for the security module to be paired with other user units.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by a method consisting in:

detecting by the user unit if the connected security module is paired with it,

if it is so, using a unique pairing key specific to the couple user unit/security module to encrypt the exchanged data,

if it is not so, requesting the operating centre the authorisation to pair with this security module, a request accompanied by the identifications of the user unit and the security module,

verifying by the operating centre the conformity of this pairing request and transmitting the result to the user unit,

if the authorisation is given, establishing a pairing key unique to the couple user unit/security module to encrypt the exchanged data.

Claims

1. A pairing management method between a security module and a user unit, the latter having bi-directional communication means with an operating centre, characterised in that it consists in:

detecting by the user unit if the connected security module is paired with it,

if it is so, using a unique pairing key specific to the couple user unit/security module to encrypt the exchanged data,

if it is not so, requesting the operating centre the authorisation to pair with this security module, this request being accompanied by the identifications of the user unit and the security module,

verifying by the operating centre the conformity of this pairing request and transmitting the result to the user unit,

if the authorisation is given, establishing a pairing key unique to the couple user unit/security module to encrypt the exchanged data.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the pairing key is either a symmetrical key, or an asymmetrical key, or a pair of asymmetrical keys.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it consists in storing in the security module the pairing key with the identification of the user unit.

4. A method according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it consists in transmitting the data of the previous pairings to the operating centre, the latter verifying these data with the image of authorised pairings associated with the user identification of this security module.

5. A method according to claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the pairing key is generated in the operating centre and is transmitted to the user unit and to the security module in encrypted form.

6. A method according to claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the pairing key is generated by the user unit or the security module, or by both of them.

7. A method according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the user unit is a mobile phone and the security module is a SIM card.