ENABLING MULTIPLE AUTHENTICATION APPLICATIONS

• US 20130331063A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: DWYER, Johanna Lisa, CORMIER, Jean-Philippe Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

In some implementations, a method includes receiving, by user equipment (UE), an authentication request from a public land mobile network (PLMN). The request identifies an authentication application. The authentication application is executed to determine an authentication response based on the request. The authentication response is transmitted to the PLMN.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by user equipment (UE), an authentication request from a public land mobile network (PLMN), the request identifying an authentication application;

executing the authentication application to determine an authentication response; and

transmitting the authentication response to the PLMN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the PLMN is a visited PLMN (VPLMN).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and said authentication application is a third-party authentication application different from a SIM authentication application assigned to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein both the third-party authentication application and the SIM authentication application are installed on the SIM, and executing the third-party authentication application comprises transmitting the authentication request to the third-party authentication application installed on the SIM.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting, to the PLMN, application information identifying an application identifier (ID) identifying the third-party authentication application installed in a memory of the UE.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the application information identifies a plurality of application IDs including the application ID.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the application ID identifies a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) assigned to a VPLMN.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising obtaining the third-party authentication application from a near field communication (NFC) smart poster.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising uninstalling the third-party authentication application after expiration of a specified time period or after a specified number of executions of the third-party authentication application.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein executing the third-party authentication application comprises:

receiving an indication to communicate with a specified third-party device;

transmitting authentication parameters to the specified third-party device; and

receiving an authentication response from the specified third-party device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the specified third-party device comprises one of a NFC reader, a NFC smart poster, an USB dongle, and a security dongle.

12. User equipment (UE), comprising:

memory configured to store an authentication application; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive an authentication request from a public land mobile network (PLMN), the request identifying the authentication application;

execute the authentication application to determine an authentication response; and

transmit the authentication response to the PLMN.

13. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the PLMN is a visited PLMN (VPLMN).

14. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the UE comprises a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and the authentication application is a third-party authentication application different from a SIM authentication application assigned to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE.

15. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein both the third-party authentication application and the SIM authentication application are installed on the SIM, and the processors configured to execute the third-party authentication application transmit the authentication request to the third-party authentication application installed on the SIM.

16. The user equipment of claim 12, the processors further configured to transmit, to the PLMN, application information identifying an application identifier (ID) identifying the third-party authentication application installed in a memory of the UE.

17. The user equipment of claim 16, wherein the application information identifies a plurality of application IDs including the application ID.

18. The user equipment of claim 16, wherein the application ID identifies a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) assigned to a VPLMN.

19. The user equipment of claim 12, the processors further configured to obtain the third-party authentication application from a near field communication (NFC) smart poster.

20. The user equipment of claim 19, the processors further configured to uninstall the third-party authentication application after expiration of a specified time period or after a specified number of executions of the third-party authentication application.

21. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the processors configured to execute the third-party authentication application:

receive an indication to communicate with a specified third-party device;

transmit authentication parameters to the specified third-party device; and

receive an authentication response from the specified third-party device.

22. The user equipment of claim 21, wherein the specified third-party device comprises one of a NFC reader, a NFC smart poster, an USB dongle, and a security dongle.