METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING ENCRYPTED USEFUL DATA OBJECTS

• US 20110007898A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Meyer, Oliver, Trauberg, Markus, Schmidt, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transferring encrypted useful data objects (NDO) to a first telecommunication terminal (TG1), wherein at least one encrypted useful data object is initially transferred from a switching component to the first telecommunication terminal. Time information (SABS) is transferred from the switching component to the first telecommunication terminal indicating up to which moment in time a rights object (RO) associated with the at least one encrypted useful data object will arrive. Once the rights object received by the first telecommunication terminal, the telecommunication terminal checks if the moment in time indicated in the time information has elapsed. If the moment has not elapsed, the first telecommunication terminal issues a signal relating to the receipt of a useful data object via a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for transferring encrypted useful data objects (NDO) to a first telecommunication terminal (TG1) comprising:

transferring at least one encrypted useful data object to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) from a switching component (VK) of a telecommunication network;

transferring a time information (SABS) to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) from the switching component (VK), specifying the time-point by when a rights object (RO) will also have arrived at the first telecommunication terminal, said rights object being assigned to the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) and containing the key and the usage rights for the assigned useful data object;

the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) receiving a rights object (RO) which is assigned to the at least one useful data object (NDO);

the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) not outputting a signal via a user interface (GUI) which has been assigned to this first telecommunication terminal, said signal concerning the receipt of a useful data object, until either the time-point specified in the time information has passed or a predefined time-point in the first telecommunication terminal following receipt of the useful data object has passed, or the at least one rights object which is received for activating the useful data object has been received.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which if a rights object (RO) is received before the time-point which is specified in the time information or before a predefined timepoint in the telecommunication terminal, the user interface outputs a signal concerning the receipt of a useable useful data object.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which if the time-point which is specified in the time information or the predefined time-point in the telecommunication terminal is passed before a rights objects RO is received, the user interface (GUI) merely outputs a signal concerning the receipt of an encrypted useful data object.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) together with the time information is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by means of a delivery message (M-Rconf).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the time information is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal by means of a notification message (M-Nind) which specifies that a useful data object (NDO) is available at the switching component (VK) for delivery to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1).

6. The method as claimed claim 1, according to which the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) is sent by a data provision component (DBK) of the telecommunication network or by a second telecommunication terminal to the switching component (VK) for forwarding to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1).

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which following receipt of the time information (SABS) the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) instructs a time measuring entity (ZME), which is assigned to said first telecommunication terminal, to measure the time until the time-point which is specified in the time information or until the time-point which is predefined in the telecommunication device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) has a communication entity (MUA) for carrying out the communication with the switching component (VK) and a management entity (DA), which is connected to the communication entity, for managing the encrypted useful data objects (NDO).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, according to which following receipt of the at least one encrypted useful data object, the communication entity (MUA) asks the management entity (DA) whether a rights object (RO) is already present for the at least one encrypted useful data object (NSO) and, if not, instructs the time measuring entity to measure the time.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) and the relevant assigned rights object (RO) are transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) via two different transport channels.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the messages and data are transferred between the switching component (VK) and the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) in the context of the Multimedia Messaging Service.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, according to which the delivery message is an MMS delivery message and/or the notification message is an MMS recipient notification, wherein the MMS delivery message and/or MMS recipient notification have a separate header field (X-Mms-DRM-Separate-Delivery) to which the time information is assigned as a field value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which data to and from the first (TG1) and/or second telecommunication terminal is sent via an air interface.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, according to which the first and/or second telecommunication terminal (TG1) includes a radio module and is designed in particular as a mobile telephone, a cordless telephone, or a portable computer.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, according to which the transfer of messages to and from the first and/or second telecommunication terminal (TG1) takes place by means of WAP protocols or the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http).

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) is part of a first telecommunication network.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, according to which the first telecommunication network is implemented as a mobile radio network which works in particular according to the GSM or UMTS standard.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, according to which the switching component (VK) is designed as part of a second telecommunication network which is connected to the first telecommunication network, said second telecommunication network being implemented in particular as a telecommunication network which is based on Internet protocols such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, according to which the first and the second telecommunication networks are connected together by means of a connection component which is implemented in particular as a WAP gateway.

20. The method as claimed in claim 6, according to which the data provision component (DBK) is designed as a server of a content provider.

21. The method as claimed in claim 1, according to which the useful data object (NDO) contains text information, audio information, video information, an executable program, a software module or a combination of these information elements.

22. A telecommunication arrangement comprising a switching component (VK) and at least one first telecommunication terminal (TG1), wherein the telecommunication arrangement is designed to carry out a method comprising:

at least one encrypted useful data object is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by a switching component (VK) of a telecommunication network;

a time information (SABS) is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by the switching component (VK), specifying the time-point by when a rights object (RO) will also have arrived at the first telecommunication terminal, said rights object being assigned to the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) and containing the key and the usage rights for the assigned useful data object;

the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) receives a rights object (RO) which is assigned to the at least one useful data object (NDO);

the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) does not output a signal via a user interface (GUI) which has been assigned to this first telecommunication terminal, said signal concerning the receipt of a useful data object, until either the time-point specified in the time information has passed or a predefined time-point in the first telecommunication terminal following receipt of the useful data object has passed, or the at least one rights object which is received for activating the useful data object has been received.

23. A telecommunication terminal (TG1) for processing encrypted useful data objects (NDO), comprising:

a communication entity (MUA) for receiving at least one encrypted useful data object;

a management entity (DA) for receiving and managing rights objects which are assigned to encrypted useful data objects, said rights objects containing the key and the usage rights for an assigned useful data object;

a user interface (GUI) for outputting information to a user;

wherein the communication entity (MUA) is also configured to process a time information (S_ABS), which is received in the context of the receipt of the at least one encrypted useful data object and specifies the time-point by when a rights object (RO) which is assigned to the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) will arrive at the management entity (DA), and to output a signal via the user interface (GUI) concerning the receipt of a useable useful data object only if the management entity (DA) receives a rights object (RO) before the specified time-point.

24. A method for transferring encrypted useful data objects (NDO) to a first telecommunication terminal (TG1), comprising:

transferring at least one encrypted useful data object to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by a switching component (VK) of a telecommunication network;

transferring a time information (SABS) to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by the switching component (VK) specifying the time-point when a rights object (RO) will also have arrived at the first telecommunication terminal, said rights object being assigned to the at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) and containing the key and the usage rights for the assigned useful data object;

receiving at the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) a rights object (RO), which is assigned to the at least one useful data object (NDO); and

outputting from the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) a signal via a user interface (GUI) which has been assigned to this first telecommunication terminal, said signal concerning the receipt of a useful data object, when either the time-point specified in the time information has passed or a predefined time-point in the first telecommunication terminal following receipt of the useful data object has passed, or the at least one rights object which is received for activating the useful data object has been received.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein if the rights object (RO) is received before the time-point which is specified in the time information or before a predefined time-point in the telecommunication terminal, the user interface outputs a signal concerning the receipt of a useable useful data object.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein if the time-point which is specified in the time information or the predefined time-point in the telecommunication terminal is passed before a rights objects RO is received, the user interface (GUI) merely outputs a signal concerning the receipt of an encrypted useful data object.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) together with the time information is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) by means of a delivery message (M-Rconf).

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the time information is transferred to the first telecommunication terminal by means of a notification message (M-Nind) which specifies that a useful data object (NDO) is available at the switching component (VK) for delivery to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1).

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) is sent by a data provision component (DBK) of the telecommunication network or by a second telecommunication terminal to the switching component (VK) for forwarding to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1).

30. The method according to claim 24, wherein following receipt of the time information (SASS) the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) instructs a time measuring entity (ZME), which is assigned to said first telecommunication terminal, to measure the time until the time-point which is specified in the time information or until the time-point which is predefined in the telecommunication device.

31. The method according to claim 24, wherein the first telecommunication terminal IMO has a communication entity (MUA) for carrying out the communication with the switching component (VK) and a management entity (DA), which is connected to the communication entity, for managing the encrypted useful data objects (NDO).

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein following receipt of the at least one encrypted useful data object, the communication entity (MUA) asks the management entity (DA) whether a rights object (RO) is already present for the at least one encrypted useful data object (NSO) and, if not, instructs the time measuring entity to measure the time.

33. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least one encrypted useful data object (NDO) and the relevant assigned rights object (RO) are transferred to the first telecommunication terminal (TG1) via two different transport channels.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the messages and data are transferred between the switching component (VK) and the first telecommunication terminal (TG 1) in the context of the Multimedia Messaging Service.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the delivery message is an MMS delivery message and/or the notification message is an MMS recipient notification, wherein the MMS delivery message and/or MMS recipient notification have a separate header field (X-Mms-DRM-Separate Delivery) to which the time information is assigned as a field value.

36. The method according to claim 24, wherein data to and from the first (TG 1) and/or second telecommunication terminal is sent via an air interface.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the first and/or second telecommunication terminal (TG 1) includes a radio module and is designed in particular as a mobile telephone, a cordless telephone, or a portable computer.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the transfer of messages to and from the first and/or second telecommunication terminal (TG 1) takes place by means of WAP protocols or the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http).

39. The method according to claim 24, wherein the first telecommunication terminal (TG 1) is part of a first telecommunication network.

40. The method according claim 39, wherein the first telecommunication network is implemented as a mobile radio network which works in particular according to the GSM or UMTS standard.

41. The method according to claims 40, wherein the switching component (VK) is designed as part of a second telecommunication network which is connected to the first telecommunication network, said second telecommunication network being implemented In particular as a telecommunication network which is based on Internet protocols such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first and the second telecommunication networks are connected together by means of a connection component which is implemented in particular as a W AP gateway.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the data provision component (DBK) is designed as a server of a content provider.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the useful data object (NDO) contains text information, audio information, video information, an executable program, a software module or a combination of these information elements.

45. A telecommunication arrangement comprising a switching component (VK) and at least one first telecommunication terminal (TG 1), wherein the telecommunication arrangement is designed to carry out a method as claimed in the claims 24.