SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY WHETHER A TEXT MESSAGE IS FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE

• US 20130324085A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fratti, Roger A., Freund, Joseph M., Huber, Brian L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/106 Packet or message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a first module and a second module. The first module may be configured to send a text message over a wireless network in response to one or more user keystrokes. The first module may generate a body of the text message and a security key to be transmitted along with the body of the text message. The second module may be configured to receive the body of the text message and the security key over the wireless network. The second module compares the security key to a set of known security keys to determine a match. A match indicates whether the text message was generated from a known sender. The first and second modules may be implemented as part of a portable device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first module configured to send a text message over a wireless network in response to one or more user keystrokes, wherein said module generates a body of said text message and a security key to be transmitted along with said body of said text message; and

a second module configured to receive said body of said text message and said security key over said wireless network, wherein (A) said second module compares said security key to a set of known security keys to determine a match, (B) said match indicates whether said text message was generated from a known sender and (C) said first and second modules are part of a portable device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said security key is generated by pressing a dedicated button on said portable device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said dedicated button comprises a software button on a touchscreen.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said dedicated button comprises a hard button, with a description in a display.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said security key is programmable.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said security key comprises a plurality of digits.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wireless network always transmits said message to a receiving device implementing said second module.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said system is implemented without modifying an existing wireless infrastructure.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wireless network comprises a cellular network.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable device is implemented separately from said wireless network.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said known security keys stored on said portable device are configured to be updated periodically.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second module compares said security key to a said set of known security keys using a software app running on a processor of said portable device.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said software app comprises a set of computer executable instructions running on a processor of said apparatus.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first of said apparatus implements said first module and a second of said apparatus implements said second module.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said security key is compared with a number of security keys stored in a lookup table of said apparatus.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for sending a text message over a wireless network in response to one or more user keystrokes, wherein said means for sending generates a body of said text message and a security key to be transmitted along with said body of said text message; and

means for receiving said body of said text message and said security key over said wireless network, wherein (A) said means for receiving compares said security key to a set of known security keys to determine a match, (B) said match indicates whether said text message was generated from a known sender and (C) said means for sending and said means for receiving are part of a portable device.

17. A method for authenticating the source of a text message, comprising the steps of:

(A) sending a text message over a wireless network in response to one or more user keystrokes, wherein said module generates a body of said text message and a security key to be transmitted along with said body of said text message;

(B) receiving said body of said text message and said security key over said wireless network;

(C) comparing said security key to a set of known security keys to determine a match; and

(D) indicating whether said text message was generated from a known sender.