Method of preventing the unauthorized use of a user identification module

• US 20040038669A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jang Eon
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method of preventing unauthorized use of a user Identification module (UIM) is provided. The method comprises attaching a UIM previously used with a first communication terminal to a second communication terminal, wherein the UIM is configured to have first and second card holder verification (CHV) states; authenticating the second communication terminal and the UIM regardless of whether the UIM is in the first or the second verification states. The authenticating step may comprise determining an electronic serial number (ESN) of the second communication terminal; and comparing the ESN of the second communication terminal with an ESN of the first communication terminal.

Claims

1. A method of preventing unauthorized use of a user identification module (UIM), the method comprising the steps of:

attaching the UIM previously used with a first communication terminal to a second communication terminal, wherein the UIM is configured to have first and second card holder verification (CHV) states; and

authenticating the second communication terminal and the UIM regardless of whether the UIM is in the first or the second CHV states.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating comprises:

determining an electronic serial number (ESN) of the second communication terminal; and

comparing the ESN of the second communication terminal with an ESN of the first communication terminal.

3. A method of preventing unauthorized use of a user identification module (UIM) for a mobile communication terminal, comprising the steps of:

attaching the UIM, having first and second card holder verification (CHV) states, to a communication terminal;

determining whether the communication terminal is attached to the UIM for a first time, when the communication terminal is powered on; and

changing the first CHV state to the second CHV state, if the communication terminal is attached to the UIM for the first time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

authenticating the mobile communication terminal and the UIM according to a changed CHV state.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second CHV state is an enable state requiring user authentication and the first CHV state is a disable state not requiring user authentication.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether it is a first time the communication terminal is attached to the UIM comprises:

determining an electronic serial number (ESN) of the communication terminal when the UIM is attached to the communication terminal;

comparing the ESN of the communication terminal with a stored ESN in the UIM; and

determining that the communication terminal is attached to the UIM for the first time, if the ESN of the communication terminal does not match the stored ESN in the UIM.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of changing a CHV state comprises:

examining a CHV state of the UIM;

determining whether the CHV state indicates a disable state; and

changing the disable state into an enable state, if the CHV is in the disable state.

8. A method of preventing unauthorized use of a personalized UIM for use with a communication terminal, the method comprising:

attaching a UIM including first identifying information to a communication terminal having second identifying information, wherein the UIM can be configured in a first state to require user authentication and a second state not to require user authentication before the communication terminal can be used;

determining if the first and second identifying information are different; and

configuring the UIM in the first CHV state, if the first and second identifying information are different, wherein a user is prompted to enter authentication information before the communication terminal is used.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first identifying information comprises a first ESN stored in the UIM.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second identifying information comprises a second ESN associated with the communication terminal.

11. A UIM for use with a communication terminal, the UIM comprising:

a first memory for storing an ESN of a first communication terminal; and

a second memory for storing information indicating a first state,

wherein the first state requires the entry of authentication information before a second communication terminal with a second ESN can be used in association with the UIM, and

wherein the first state is stored in the second memory if the first ESN is not the same as the second ESN.

12. The UIM of claim 11, wherein if the first state stored in the second memory, the second communication terminal at start up requires a user to enter authentication information.

13. The UIM of claim 11, wherein after the authentication information is provided the second memory can be configured to store information indicating a second state, wherein the second state does not require entry of authentication information before the second communication terminal can be used.

14. A communication terminal for use with a user identification module (UIM), the communication terminal comprising:

a processing unit; and

logic code executed by the processing unit to perform;

detecting attachment of the UIM;

determining if the UIM is previously used with a first communication terminal, wherein the UIM is configured to have first and second card holder verification (CHV) states; and

requiring for authentication of the UIM regardless of whether the UIM is in the first or the second verification state.

15. The communication terminal of claim 14, the logic code executed by the processing unit to further perform:

determining an electronic serial number (ESN) of the communication terminal; and

comparing the ESN of the communication terminal with an ESN of the first communication terminal to determine if the UIM is previously used with the first communication terminal.

16. A user identification module (UIM) for use with a mobile communication terminal, the UIM comprising:

a data recording medium; and

logic code stored in the data recording medium capable of execution by a processing unit, wherein execution of the logic code causes the processing unit to perform;

determining attachment of the UIM, having first and second card holder verification (CHV) states, to the mobile communication terminal;

determining whether it is a first time the mobile communication terminal is attached to the UIM, when the mobile communication terminal is powered on; and

changing the first CHV state to the second CHV state, if it is determined that the mobile communication terminal is attached to the UIM for the first time.

17. The UIM of claim 16, wherein execution of the logic code causes the processing unit to further perform:

authenticating the mobile communication terminal and the UIM according to a changed CHV state.

18. The UIM of claim 16, wherein the second CHV state is an enable state requiring user authentication and the first CHV state is a disable state not requiring user authentication.

19. The UIM of claim 16, wherein execution of the logic code causes the processing unit to further perform:

determining an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile communication terminal when the UIM is attached to the mobile communication terminal;

comparing the ESN of the mobile communication terminal with a stored ESN in the UIM; and

determining that the mobile communication terminal is attached to the UIM for the first time, if the ESN of the mobile communication terminal does not match the stored ESN in the UIM.

20. The UIM of claim 19, wherein execution of the logic code causes the processing unit to further perform:

examining a CHV state of the UIM;

determining whether the CHV state indicates a disable state; and

changing the disable state into an enable state, if the CHV is in the disable state.