SECURE REMOTE SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT

• US 20110035584A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cha, Inhyok, Meyerstein, Michael V., Schmidt, Andreas U., Leicher, Andreas, Shah, Yogendra C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/155
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/043 using a trusted network node as an anchor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing secure remote subscription management. Secure remote subscription management may include providing the Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) with a connectivity identifier, such as a Provisional Connectivity Identifier (PCID), which may be used to establish an initial network connection to an Initial Connectivity Operator (ICO) for initial secure remote registration, provisioning, and activation. A connection to the ICO may be used to remotely provision the WTRU with credentials associated with the Selected Home Operator (SHO). A credential, such as a cryptographic keyset, which may be included in the Trusted Physical Unit (TPU), may be allocated to the SHO and may be activated. The WTRU may establish a network connection to the SHO and may receive services using the remotely managed credentials. Secure remote subscription management may be repeated to associate the WTRU with another SHO.

Claims

1. A method for use in wireless communication, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to an Initial Connectivity Operator (ICO) using a first credential associated with the ICO;

receiving a message including a first identifier associated with a first Selected Home Operator (SHO);

generating a second credential by associating the first identifier with a keyset; and

establishing an operational network attachment to the SHO using the second credential.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first credential includes a Provisional Connectivity Identifier (PCID) and a keyset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the keyset includes a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) authentication root key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the using a first credential includes:

receiving the first credential from a Trustworthy Physical Unit (TPU).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier includes an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI), further comprising:

sending an acknowledgment (ACK) message to the ICO; and

terminating the connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyset includes a plurality of keysets and the associating includes:

selecting a keyset from the plurality of keysets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ICO is a Registration Operator (RO).

8. A method for use in wireless communication, the method comprising:

receiving a message including a first identifier associated with a first Selected Home Operator (SHO);

generating a first credential by associating the first identifier with a keyset;

deleting a second credential associated with a second SHO; and

establishing an operational network attachment to the first SHO using the first credential.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a message includes:

receiving the message from the second SHO;

extracting an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) from the first message; and

sending an acknowledgment (ACK) message to the second SHO.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a message includes:

receiving the message from an Initial Connectivity Operator (ICO); and

sending an acknowledgment (ACK) message to the second SHO via the ICO.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the keyset includes a plurality of keysets, the associating includes selecting a keyset from the plurality of keysets, and the deleting includes removing a keyset from the plurality of keysets.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving a message includes validating a security metric of the message.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a message including an assertion regarding a trust state of the TPU to the first SHO via the ICO.

14. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a transmitter configured to establish a connection to an Initial Connectivity Operator (ICO) using a first credential associated with the ICO;

a receiver configured to receive a message including a first identifier associated with a first Selected Home Operator (SHO); and

a processor configured to generate a second credential by associating the first identifier with a keyset, wherein the transmitter is configured to establish an operational network attachment to the SHO using the second credential.

15. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message including a first identifier associated with a first Selected Home Operator (SHO);

a processor configured to;

generate a first credential by associating the first identifier with a keyset, and

delete a second credential associated with a second SHO; and

a transmitter configured to establish an operational network attachment to the first SHO using the first credential.