Broadcast subscription management method and apparatus

• US 20060223499A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Kenneth A., Pecen, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US11/094,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223499A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A method and apparatus for broadcast subscription management in a mobile station (110) comprises sending (302) a subscriber identifier, which may be for example an international mobile station identifier and a radio receiver identification with a transmitter of the mobile station to a wireless communications network (100). The mobile station receives, from a Broadcast Network Operator (187), through the wireless communications network, a shared secret key. The mobile station authenticates (306) a broadcast radio receiver of the mobiles station or broadcast data received from the broadcast network operator with the shared secret key.

Claims

1. A method for broadcast service subscription management in at least one mobile station comprising:

transmitting a broadcast subscription request from a first mobile station, the broadcast subscription request including a subscriber identity and a first radio receiver identification to a network in which the mobile station is in communication with;

receiving a first shared secret key at the mobile station from the network; and

authenticating a broadcast radio receiver of the mobile device which is associated with the radio receiver identification with the shared secret key.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting the subscriber identity and a second radio receiver identification of a second broadcast radio receiver.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving broadcast data from a broadcast network operator with the authenticated first broadcast radio receiver of the first mobile station.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising receiving broadcast data from a broadcast network operator with the second broadcast radio receiver of a second mobile station.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising decoding broadcast data received from the broadcast service provider with the authenticated first broadcast radio receiver of the first mobile station.

6. The method according to claim 4, comprising decoding broadcast data received from the broadcast service provider with the authenticated second broadcast radio receiver of the second mobile station.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further includes sending the subscription request to a broadcast subscription management server coupled to the network.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising sending an acknowledgement of the receipt the current shared secret key from the broadcast network operator.

9. The method according to claim 4, comprising sending an acknowledgment of the receipt of the broadcast data from a broadcast satellite to a broadcast subscription management server.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting a broadcast network operator ID as a component of the broadcast subscription request.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving the shared secret key at the mobile station from a broadcast subscription management server of the network.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber identification comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising authenticating the mobile station using a subscriber identity module authentication and security feature indicating to the network operator that the mobile station is valid.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising requesting a subscription by verification with the Home Location Register (HLR).

15. The method according to claim 1, comprising authenticating the mobile station by checking the internal return IP address indicating to the network operator that this is a valid mobile station requesting a subscription by verification with the Home Location Register (HLR).

16. The method of according to claim 2, comprising invalidating the first shared secret key at the first mobile station.

17. The method of according to claim 2, comprising installing a removable identity card which includes the subscriber identification into a second mobile device including a second broadcast radio receiver having a second radio receiver identification;

and

requesting broadcast services through the communication network by sending the subscriber identity, stored on the removable identity card carried in the second mobile station, and a second radio receiver identification of the second broadcast radio receiver of the second mobile station.

18. The method according to claim 1, comprising sending a first shared secret key, of the plurality of shared secret keys, to a first mobile station having a subscriber identity module with the subscriber identity and a first radio receiver identification;

and

invalidating the first shared secret key when the subscriber identification is associated with a second radio receiver identification.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast management client module is configured to generate a broadcast service request message.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast management client module is configured to generate a broadcast service data received acknowledgement message.

22. The device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast management client module is further configured to decode information received from the broadcast network operator.

19. A wireless communication device comprising:

a controller;

a wireless communication transceiver coupled to the controller and configured to communicate with a wireless communication network;

a broadcast receiver coupled to the controller having a radio receiver identification associated therewith, the broadcast receiver configured to receive broadcast subscription services; and

a broadcast management client module coupled to the controller, the transceiver and the broadcast receiver, wherein the broadcast management client module is configured to receive a shared secret key from the wireless communication transceiver and to receive information broadcast services.

23. The device according to claim zz4, wherein the broadcast management client module is further configured to decode the information received with a current shared secret key.

24. A method for broadcast service subscription management in a wireless communication network comprising:

receiving a broadcast subscription request from a mobile station, the broadcast subscription request including a subscriber identity and a first radio receiver identification;

sending the subscription request to a broadcast network operator; and

receiving at least one shared secret key from the broadcast network operator, wherein the shared secret key is associated with the subscriber identity and the first radio receiver identification; and

transmitting the at least one shared secret key to the mobile station.

25. The method according to claim 24, associating the subscription request with the subscriber identity at a broadcast subscription management server.

26. The method according to claim 24, associating the subscription request with the subscriber identity at the home location register.

27. The method according to claim 24, storing the subscriber identity, the subscription request, and the current shared secret key at the broadcast subscription management server.

28. The method according to claim 24, storing a plurality of shared secret keys received from the broadcast network operator at the home location register.

29. The method according to claim 28, selectively sending to the mobile station a secret key of the plurality of shared secret keys in response to receiving a new subscription request from the subscriber identity and a second RRID.