Method for providing a program module in a communications system

• US 20040103142A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Becher, Reinhard, Dillinger, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 7,502,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A method provides a program module in a communications system. The program module is accommodated by a server, the program module is transmitted to a subscriber terminal, a test criterion is calculated each time inside a security device and in the subscriber terminal by using the program module and an individual key. By comparing the test criterion, it is determined whether the program module has been defectively received by the subscriber terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing a program module (SP) in a communications system, in which

the program module (SP) is made available by a server (S),

the program module (SP) is transmitted to a subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc),

a checking criterion (CSa) is in each case calculated in a security device (TC, SB, AC) and in the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) by means of the program module (SP) and an individual key (PKa, PKc) of the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) or of a corresponding subscriber,

the individual key (PKa, PKc) in the security device (TC, SB, AC) and in the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) is identical, and

the checking criteria (CSa, CSc) are compared in order to determine whether the program module (SP) has been received with errors by the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which a scrambling method is used for the transmission of the program module (SP) to the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the program module (SP) is installed in the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) only if it has been received without errors.

4. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which

the program module (SP) which is received by the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) is transmitted to a further subscriber terminal (UEb), with a further key (PKb) and a calculation of a further checking criterion (CSb) being used to determine whether the program module (SP) has been received without any errors by the further subscriber terminal (UEc).

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which, in the situation where the program module (SP) has been received with errors, an identifier of the sender of the program module (SP) is stored in the security device (TC, SB, AC).

6. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which

the key (PKa, PKb, PKc) is defined on a terminal—

or subscriber—

specific basis.

7. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which

the key (PKa, PKb, PKc) is stored in the security device (TC, SB, AC).

8. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which

the comparison of the checking criteria (CSa, CSb, CSc) is carried out in a central device (NE, HLR, EIR) in the communications system, with the checking criterion (CSa, CSb, CSc) which is determined in the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEb, UEc) being transmitted to the central device (NE, HLR, EIR).

9. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which,

together with the checking criterion (CSa, CSb, CSc), the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEb, UEc) transmits a program module identifier relating to the central device (NE, HLR, EIR).

10. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which communications system is in the form of a cellular radio communications system, and the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEb, UEc) is in the form of a stationary or mobile radio station.

11. A communications system having a server (S), having a security device (TC, SB, AC) and having a subscriber terminal, in which

the server (S) is designed such that it makes a program module (SP) available,

a device is designed such that it transmits the program module (SP) to the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc),

the security device (TC, SB, AC) and the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) are designed such that they use the program module (SP) and an individual key (PKa, PKc) of the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) or of a corresponding subscriber to in each case calculate a checking criterion (CSa), with the individual key (PKa, PKc) in the security device (TC, SB, AC) and in the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc) being identical, and

a central device (NE) being designed such that it uses a comparison of the checking criteria (CSa, CSc) to determine whether the program module (SP) has been received with errors by the subscriber terminal (UEa, UEc).