CALL ENCRYPTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20170099274A1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Khalid, Mohammad Raheel, Caceres, Manuel Enrique, Andrada, Mauricio Pati Caldeira de, Berman, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,038,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0471 applying encryption by an intermediary, e.g. receiving clear information at the intermediary and encrypting the received information at the intermediary before forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0471 Key exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses

Abstract

Techniques described herein may be used to encrypt a telephone call between users. User devices (e.g., smart phones) may be connected to encryption relay devices that operate as relays between headsets worn by the user and the user devices. As information passes from the headset toward a corresponding user device, an encryption relay device may encrypt the information before the information reaches the user device so that the user device transmits encrypted call information to the other user participating in the call. When encrypted information is received, and travels from the user device to the headset, the encryption relay device may decrypt the information before it reaches the headset. Thus, the techniques described herein provide an end-to-end encryption solution to telephone calls.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by an encryption relay device, a call associated with a user device, in communication with the encryption relay device;

inserting, by the encryption relay device, audio signals within the call, the audio signals encoding information, used to perform a key exchange with another encryption relay device, to exchange one or more encryption keys for the call, at least one encryption key, of the one or more encryption keys, being based on a dial code physically programmed by the user of the user device;

receiving, by the encryption relay device and from the user device, encrypted call information corresponding to the call;

decrypting, by the encryption relay device, the encrypted call information based on the one or more encryption keys, to obtain a decrypted version of the call;

receiving, by the encryption relay device, call information originating from the user of the user device;

encrypting, by the encryption relay device and based on the one or more encryption keys, the call information originating from the user; and

communicating, by the encryption relay device, the encrypted call information, originating from the user, to the user device to relay the encrypted call information, originating from the user, as part of the call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the encryption relay device is connected to the user device via a first short-range wireless interface, and

the encryption relay device is connected to a headset device via a second short-range wireless interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the one or more encryption keys; and

deleting the one or more encryption keys in response to a command from the user to clear a memory of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting call information based on a physical arrangement of manually programmable features of the encryption relay device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving call information, originating from another user device that is associated with the another encryption relay device, that includes a timestamp;

determining a duration of time defined by a difference between the timestamp and a current time; and

determining whether a third-party device is participating in the call based on the duration of time.

6. The method of claim 1,

detecting an identity certificate in an audio signal of the call;

and

authenticating the another encryption relay device based on the identity certificate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a Diffie Hellman procedure to determine a symmetric encryption key between the encryption relay device and the another encryption relay device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the at least one encryption key to perform an audio CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) procedure to verify whether a third party device is participating in the call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio signals within the call are ultrasonic audio signals.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing one or more processors to:

detect a call associated with a user device, in communication with the encryption relay device;

insert audio signals within the call, the audio signals encoding information, used to perform a key exchange with another encryption relay device, to exchange one or more encryption keys for the call, at least one encryption key, of the one or more encryption keys, being based on a dial code physically programmed by the user of the user device;

receive, from the user device, encrypted call information corresponding to the call;

decrypt the encrypted call information based on the one or more encryption keys, to obtain a decrypted version of call;

receive call information originating from the user of the user device;

encrypt, device and based on the one or more encryption keys, the call information originating from the user; and

communicate, the encrypted call information, originating from the user, to the user device to relay the encrypted call information, originating from the user, as part of the call.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

the encryption relay device is connected to the user device via a first short-range wireless interface, and

the encryption relay device is connected to a headset device via a second short-range wireless interface.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

store the one or more encryption keys; and

deleting the one or more encryption keys in response to a command from the user to clear a memory of the computing device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

generate an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting call information based on a physical arrangement of manually programmable features of the encryption relay device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

receive call information, originating from another user device that is associated with the another encryption relay device, that includes a timestamp;

determine a duration of time defined by a difference between the timestamp and a current time; and

determine whether a third-party device is participating in the call based on the duration of time.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

detect an identity certificate in an audio signal of the call; and

authenticate the another encryption relay device based on the identity certificate.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

performing a Diffie Hellman procedure to determine a symmetric encryption key between the encryption relay device and the second encryption relay device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

use at least one encryption key to perform an audio CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) procedure to verify whether a third party device is participating in the call.

18. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors to execute instructions to cause the one or more processors to;

detect, via a first interface, a call involving a user device in communication with the computing device;

insert, via the first interface, audio signals within the call, the audio signals encoding information used to perform a key exchange, to exchange one or more encryption keys for the call, at least one encryption key, of the one or more encryption keys, being based on a dial code physically programmed by the user of the user device;

receive, via the first interface, encrypted call information corresponding to the call;

decrypt, via an encryption module, the encrypted call information based on the one or more encryption keys, to obtain a decrypted version of call;

receive, via a second interface, call information originating from the user of the user device;

encrypt, via the encryption module, the call information originating from the user, based on the one or more encryption keys; and

communicate, via the first interface, the encrypted call information, originating from the user, to the user device to relay the encrypted call information, originating from the user, as part of the call.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein:

the first interface includes a first short-range wireless interface, and

the second interface includes a headset device via a second short-range wireless interface.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

use the at least one encryption key to perform an audio CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) procedure to verify whether a third party device is participating in the call.