Mobile Communication Devices and Deciphering Methods

• US 20120170744A1
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: CHENG, Tsung-Yo
• Application Number:
  US13/105,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20120170744A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0637 Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]

Abstract

A wireless communications device with a wireless module and a controller module is provided. The wireless module is arranged for performing wireless transmission and reception to and from a service network. The controller module is arranged for receiving a first ciphered data packet from the service network via the wireless module, and deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a first deciphering parameter. Also, the controller module is arranged for deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a second deciphering parameter in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the first deciphering parameter. Particularly, the second deciphering parameter is for deciphering a second ciphered data packet received prior to the first ciphered data packet from the service network.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless module, arranged for performing wireless transmission and reception to and from a service network; and

a controller module, arranged for receiving a first ciphered data packet from the service network via the wireless module, deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a first ciphering-deciphering parameter, and deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a second ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the first ciphering-deciphering parameter,

wherein the second ciphering-deciphering parameter is for deciphering a second ciphered data packet received prior to the first ciphered data packet from the service network.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller module is further arranged for deciphering ciphered data packets subsequent to the first ciphered data packet according to the second ciphering-deciphering parameter, in response to successful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the second ciphering-deciphering parameter.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein each of the first ciphering-deciphering parameter and the second ciphering-deciphering parameter is a respective COUNT-C.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller module is further arranged for deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a third ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the and the third ciphering-deciphering parameter is for deciphering a third ciphered data packet received prior to the second ciphered data packet from the service network.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4, wherein the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter is repeated until the first ciphered data packet is successfully deciphered.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the controller module is further arranged for determining a predetermined number of times for the repetition of the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter to be performed, and stopping deciphering the first ciphered data packet in response to the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter being repeated for the predetermined number of times.

7. A deciphering method, applied to a mobile communication device wirelessly connected to a service network, the method comprising:

receiving a first ciphered data packet from the service network;

deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a first ciphering-deciphering parameter; and

deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a second ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the first ciphering-deciphering parameter,

wherein the second ciphering-deciphering parameter is for deciphering a second ciphered data packet received prior to the first ciphered data packet from the service network.

8. The deciphering method of claim 7, further comprising:

deciphering ciphered data packets subsequent to the first ciphered data packet according to the second ciphering-deciphering parameter, in response to successful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the second ciphering-deciphering parameter.

9. The deciphering method of claim 7, wherein each of the first ciphering-deciphering parameter and the second ciphering-deciphering parameter is a respective COUNT-C.

10. The deciphering method of claim 7, further comprising:

deciphering the first ciphered data packet according to a third ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the first ciphered data packet according to the second ciphering-deciphering parameter, wherein the third ciphering-deciphering parameter is for deciphering a third ciphered data packet received prior to the second ciphered data packet from the service network.

11. The deciphering method of claim 10, further comprising:

repeating the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter until the first ciphered data packet is successfully deciphered.

12. The deciphering method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a predetermined number of times for the repetition of the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter to be performed, and stopping deciphering the first ciphered data packet in response to the step of reverting to the last used ciphering-deciphering parameter being repeated for the predetermined number of times.

13. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless module, arranged for performing wireless transmission and reception to and from a service network; and

a controller module, arranged for receiving a ciphered data packet from the service network via the wireless module, deciphering the ciphered data packet according to a ciphering-deciphering parameter, and transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service deciphering of the ciphered data packet according to the ciphering-deciphering parameter, so that the service network ciphers subsequent data packets to be transmitted according the ciphering-deciphering parameter.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the ciphering-deciphering parameter is transmitted along with information concerning an activation time to the service network, and the ciphering of the subsequent data packets to be transmitted according the ciphering-deciphering parameter is performed at the activation time.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the service network replies with an acknowledgement message in response to receiving the ciphering-deciphering parameter, and the controller module is further arranged for deciphering ciphered data packets subsequently received from the service network according to the ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to receiving the acknowledgement message.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the controller module further repeats the step of transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network, in response to not receiving the acknowledgement message within a predetermined period of time.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the controller module is further arranged for determining a predetermined number of times for the repetition of the step of transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network to be performed, and stops deciphering any ciphered data packet received from the service network in response to the step of transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network being repeated for the

18. A deciphering method, applied to a mobile communication device wirelessly connected to a service network, the method comprising:

receiving a ciphered data packet from the service network;

deciphering the ciphered data packet according to a ciphering-deciphering parameter; and

transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network in response to unsuccessful deciphering of the ciphered data packet according to the ciphering-deciphering parameter, so that the service network ciphers subsequent data packets to be transmitted according the ciphering-deciphering parameter.

19. The deciphering method of claim 18, wherein the ciphering-deciphering parameter is transmitted along with information concerning an activation time to the service network, and the ciphering of the subsequent data packets to be transmitted according the ciphering-deciphering parameter is performed at the activation time.

20. The deciphering method of claim 18, wherein the service network replies with an acknowledgement message in response to receiving the ciphering-deciphering parameter, and the deciphering method further comprises:

deciphering ciphered data packets subsequently received from the service network according to the ciphering-deciphering parameter in response to receiving the acknowledgement message.

21. The deciphering method of claim 20, further comprising:

repeating the step of transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network, in response to not receiving the acknowledgement message within a predetermined period of time.

22. The deciphering method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining a predetermined number of times for the repetition of the step of network to be performed, and stopping deciphering any ciphered data packet received from the service network in response to the step of transmitting the ciphering-deciphering parameter to the service network being repeated for the predetermined number of times.