WIFI authentication method

• US 20050136892A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Crocker, Dwayne A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/16 with lock-out or secrecy provision in party-line systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system and method provides secure authentication of a wireless communication channel for a vehicle telematics device that includes detecting a wireless access point within radio range of a telematics device, requesting authentication information for the access point through a first secure communication channel to a call center, receiving authentication information for the wireless access point from the call center through the first secure communication channel, and providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel. A computer readable medium storing a computer program is described for implementing one or more steps of the method.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure authentication of a wireless communication channel for a vehicle telematics device comprising:

detecting a wireless access point within radio range of a telematics device;

requesting authentication information for the access point through a first secure communication channel to a call center;

receiving authentication information for the wireless access point from the call center through the first secure communication channel; and

providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating data directly between the telematics device and the wireless access point subsequent to an authentication between the wireless access point and the telematics device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first secure channel is a wireless carrier system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second secure channel is selected from the group consisting of a public switched telephone network land line and a virtual private network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a wireless access point comprises:

receiving a service set identifier broadcast from the wireless access point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a wireless access point comprises:

transmitting a service set identifier request from the telematics device;

receiving the service set identifier request at the wireless access point; and

broadcasting the service set identifier for the wireless access point to the telematics device responsive receiving the request.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein requesting authentication information for the access point through the first secure communication channel to a call center comprises:

initiating a call from the telematics device to a service center through a carrier system;

communicating the request through the carrier system to the call center and wherein the requested authentication information includes a wired equivalent protocol key and wherein a database containing authentication data for the access point is accessed at the service center responsive to the request.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the wireless carrier system provides a packet data connection and wherein the wireless call is a secure data channel when the call is connected.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel comprises:

identifying a service set identifier for the wireless access point in a database at a service center responsive to the requesting authentication information for the access point;

requesting a media access control address from the telematics device responsive to the requesting authentication information for the access point;

initiating a call to the wireless access point from the service center to the telematics device through a carrier system; and

communicating the media access control address for the telematics device to the wireless access point.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second secure communication channel comprises one of a dedicated telephone circuit from the wireless access point to the service center and a virtual private network from the wireless access point to the service center.

11. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for instructing a telematics device to detect a wireless access point within radio range of the telematics device;

computer readable code for requesting authentication information for the access point through a first secure communication channel to a call center;

computer readable code for directing the communication of authentication information for the wireless access point from the call center through the first secure communication channel; and

computer readable code for providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising:

computer readable code for directing the communication of data directly between the telematics device and the wireless access point subsequent to an authentication between the wireless access point and the telematics device.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein code for instructing a telematics device to detect a wireless access point within radio range of the telematics device comprises:

computer readable code for controlling the receiving of a service set identifier broadcast from the wireless access point.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein code for instructing a telematics device to detect a wireless access point within radio range of the telematics device comprises:

computer readable code for directing the broadcasting a service set identifier request from the telematics device;

computer readable code for controlling the receiving of the service set identifier request at the wireless access point; and

computer readable code for directing the transmission of the service set identifier of the wireless access point responsive to receiving the request from the telematics device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein code for requesting authentication information for the access point through the first secure communication channel to a call center comprises:

computer readable code for initiating a call from the telematics device to a service center through a carrier system; and

,

computer readable code for directing the communication of the request through the carrier system to the call center and wherein the requested authentication information is a wired equivalent protocol key and wherein a database containing authentication data for the access point is accessed at the service center responsive to the request.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the wireless carrier system provides a packet data connection and wherein the wireless call is a secure data channel when the call is connected.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein code for providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel comprises:

computer readable code for identifying a telephone number for the wireless access point in a database at a service center responsive to the requesting authentication information for the access point;

computer readable code for requesting a media access control address from the telematics device responsive to the requesting authentication information for the access point;

computer readable code for initiating a call to the wireless access point from the service center to the telematics device through a carrier system; and

computer readable code for directing the communication of the media access control address of the telematics device to the wireless access point.

18. The computer readable medium of claim of claim 17 wherein the second secure communication channel comprises one of a dedicated telephone circuit from the wireless access point to the service center and a virtual private network.

19. A system for providing secure authentication of a wireless communication channel for a vehicle telematics device comprising:

means for detecting a wireless access point within radio range of a telematics device;

means for requesting authentication information for the access point through a first secure communication channel to a call center;

means for receiving authentication information for the wireless access point from the call center through the first secure communication channel; and

means for providing authentication information for the telematics device to the wireless access point through a second secure communication channel.