Secure mobile telephone system

• US 4,555,805 A
• Filed: 04/27/1983
• Issued: 11/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MLMC Limited
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Talbot, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cangialosi, Sal
• Application Number:
  US06/489,025
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 455/26-30, 375/2.1, 375/2.2, 179/1.5 R
• US Class Current: 380/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic

Abstract

A communications system including a central station and a plurality of remote stations, for example, a mobile telephone system, is disclosed in which communications channel establishing signalling transmissions between the central and remote stations are conducted in a clear (unenciphered) mode and subsequent voice transmissions between the central and remote stations are conducted in a secure (enciphered) mode. Each remote station has a unique code assigned thereto which is used by it to at least decipher incoming enciphered voice transmissions from the central station and by the central station to encipher outgoing voice transmissions to the remote station. The unique code may also be used by the remote station to encipher outgoing voice transmissions and by the central station to decipher incoming voice transmissions from the remote station. Alternatively all remote station outgoing voice transmissions may be enciphered with a code common to all remote stations which code is used by the central station for deciphering incoming voice transmissions. The central station can automatically, or in response to a specific request for secure service, switch its equipment to the secure mode upon completion of communications channel establishing signalling transmissions between it and a remote station and can control remote station switching to the secure mode by sending an enciphered voice transmission to the remote station which responds to receipt thereof by switching to the secure mode.

Claims

1. In a radio frequency mobile telephone communications system having a central station and a plurality of remote stations, each said central and remote station comprising signalling apparatus for establishing one of a plurality of information transmission channels between said central station and a particular remote station and information transmission for exchanging information between said central station and particular remote station over the established information channel, the improvement comprising:

first means in said central station for enciphering information signals sent to said particular remote station in accordance with a first code unique to said particular remote station;

second means in said particular remote station for detecting the receipt of an information signal sent from said central station which was enciphered with said first code; and

third means in said particular remote station responsive to the detection of receipt of an enciphered information signal by said second means for enciphering with a second code an information signal and sending said enciphered information signal from said remote station to said central station.

2. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said first and second codes are the same.

3. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said first and second codes are different.

4. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said central station includes means for initiating a call to called parties in reponse to called party signalling signals received from a calling remote station, each said remote station including means for transmitting to said central station signalling signals including an identification address unique thereto as well as an identification address of a called party.

5. A communications system as in claim 4 further comprising means in said central station responsive to receipt of signalling signals from a calling remote station for determining a first code which is unique to said calling remote station and for applying said first code to said first means.

6. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said central station further comprises means for calling a remote station in response to signals received from a calling party, and means responsive to an identification address of a called remote station, received from said calling party, for determining a first code unique to said called remote station and for applying said first code to said first means.

7. A communications system as in claim 6 wherein said central station includes means for deciphering with a second code enciphered audio voice signals received from said remote stations and each said remote station includes means for deciphering with said first code enciphered audio voice signals received from said central station.

8. A communications system as in claim 7 wherein said first and second codes are the same.

9. A communications system as in claim 7 wherein said first and second codes are different.

10. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said information channel is established using tone signalling signals and said central station comprises:

a receiver for receiving tone signalling and enciphered information signals transmitted by said remote station;

a transmitter for transmitting tone signalling and information signals to a said remote station;

a deciphering means connected to the output of said receiver for deciphering received enciphered information signals,

an enciphering means for enciphering information signals in accordance with said first code supplied thereto;

a code programming means for setting said first code into at least said enciphering means;

means for providing tone signalling signals to said transmitter and responsive to received tone signalling signals from said receiver for establishing a communications path with a particular said remote station, said tone signalling providing means providing an identification address signal of said particular remote station, and a secure service control signal;

means for deriving said first code from said identification address signal and applying said first code to said code programming means; and

,

a switch means responsive to said control signal for selectively applying the output of said means for providing tone signalling signals or the output of said enciphering means to said transmitting means.

11. A communications system as in claim 10 wherein said means for providing supplies said secure service control signal upon the establishment of said communications path with a particular remote station.

12. A communications system as in claim 10 wherein said means for providing supplies said secure service control signal in response to receipt of a secure service request signal.

13. A communications system as in claim 10 wherein said switch means selectively connects a secure voice module containing said enciphering means and deciphering means in said communications path and said communications system further comprises at said central station:

a plurality of secure voice modules each containing an associated enciphering and deciphering means; and

means responsive to said control signal for selecting a free one of said secure video modules for connection in said communications path by said switch means, at least the enciphering means of said selected secure voice modules being programmed with said code.

14. A communications system as in claim 1 wherein said information channel is established using tone signalling signals and each said remote station comprises:

a receiver for receiving tone signalling and enciphered information signals transmitted by said central station;

a transmitter for transmitting tone signalling and enciphered information signals from said central station to said base station;

a deciphering means connected to the output of said receiver for deciphering received enciphered information signals in accordance with a first code signal unique to said remote station;

means for providing communications channel establishing tone signalling signals;

an enciphering means for enciphering audio voice signals;

means for providing a control signal upon detection of the presence of received enciphered audio voice signals; and

,

a switch means responsive to said control signal for selectively applying the output of said means for providing tone signalling signals or the output of said enciphering means to said transmitter.

15. A central station for use in a radio frequency mobile telephone communications system containing central station and a plurality of remote stations comprising:

first means for generating signalling signals for establishing one of a plurality of predetermined communications paths with a selected remote mobile station;

second means for enciphering information signals directed to said selected remote mobile station in accordance with a code unique to said selected remote mobile station;

third means responsive to address signals from said remote mobile station identifying said selected remote mobile station for generating and supplying said unique code to said second means; and

fourth means coupled to said first, second and third means for first sending signalling signals generated by said first means to said selected remote mobile station and for thereafter sending information signals enciphered by said second means to said selected remote station in accordance with said unique code as supplied by said third means.

16. A central station as in claim 15 wherein said enciphered information signals are sent in response to establishment of said communications path.

17. A central station as in claim 15 wherein said enciphered information signals are sent in response to receipt by said first means of a signal requesting secure service.

18. A method of communicating between a central station and plurality of remote mobile stations in a radio frequency mobile telephone communication system comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a sending and receiving information communications path between the central station and a selected one of the remote mobile stations in response to unenciphered signalling communications between the central stations and the selected remote station over one of a predetermined plurality of communication paths,; and

(b) sending and receiving enciphered information over the communications path between the central station and the selected remote mobile station, said information being enciphered at the central station in accordance with a code unique to the selected remote mobile station and being applied to the communication path by the central station in response to establishment of the communicating path or in response to receipt by the central station of an unenciphered signal from said selected remote mobile station requesting secure service.

19. A method as in claim 18 wherein the information is enciphered and sent at the central station by the steps of:

(a) identifying the address of the selected remote mobile station from an unenciphered signalling communication;

(b) generating the code unique to the selected remote mobile station responsively to the identified address; and

(c) using the code to encipher information and sending the enciphered information from the central station to the selected remote mobile station over the established communications path.

20. A method as in claim 18 wherein said information is enciphered and sent to said selected remote mobile station by the steps of:

(a) detecting the presence of an enciphered information signal received from the central station; and

(b) enciphering information signals in accordance with a code unique to the selected remote mobile station and sending them from the remote mobile station to the central station in response to the detection of an enciphered information signal received from the central station.

21. A radio frequency mobile telephone communications system comprising a base station and a plurality of remote stations;

said base station comprising;

means for establishing clear voice communication with a telephone communications system,

means for establishing a clear information transmission channel with a selected one of said remote stations, and

means responsive to the establishment of said clear information transmission channel with a selected remote station for selectively enciphering and deciphering voice transmissions to and from said selected remote station in accordance with at least one predetermined code uniquely assigned to said selected remote station;

each of said remote stations comprising;

means for establishing a clear information transmission channel with said base station,

means responsive to the establishment of a clear information channel with said base station for selectively enciphering and deciphering voice transmissions to and from said base station in accordance with at least one predetermined code uniquely assigned to said remote station.

22. The communications system as in claim 21 wherein the selective operation of enciphering and deciphering in both said base station and said remote station are controlled by said base station.

23. The communications system as in claim 21 wherein the selective operation of enciphering and deciphering in both said base station and said remote station are controlled by said remote station.

24. The communications system as in claim 21 wherein each of said remote stations uses the same predetermined code for enciphering voice transmissions to said base station and said base station uses said same code for deciphering voice transmissions from said remote stations.

25. The communications system as in claim 21 wherein each said remote station deciphers voice transmissions thereto with a code unique thereto and said base station enciphers voice transmissions to said selected remote station with said unique code.

26. In a radio frequency mobile telephone communication system including a base station and a plurality of mobile stations in which unenciphered communication between a mobile station and the base station may be received and understood by each of the other mobile stations, the improvement wherein:

(a) each of said plurality of mobile stations includes;

(i) means of sending to the base station an unenciphered request for secure communication,

(ii) means responsive to receipt of an encoded communication from the base station to encode subsequent transmissions to the base station in a code unique to the mobile station, and

(iii) means responsive to receipt of an encoded communication for decoding subsequently received transmission from the base station encoded in said unique code; and

(b) wherein said base station includes;

(i) means for receiving an unenciphered request for secure communications from a mobile station,

(ii) means for identifying from the request the particular mobile station and for determining the code unique thereto,

(iii) means for transmitting an encoded communication signal to the mobile station in said unique code,

(iv) means for decoding subsequently received transmissions from the mobile station in said unique code, and

(v) means for encoding subsequent transmissions to said mobile station in said unique code;

whereby the base station and one of the plurality of mobile stations may communicate using a code unique to that mobile station in response to an unenciphered request by the mobile station for secure communications.

27. In a method of communicating between the base station and one of a plurality of remote mobile stations in a radio frequency mobile telephone system, the improvement comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing non-secure communications between the base station and one of the mobile stations;

(b) transmitting in the clear from the mobile station to the base station a request for secure communication service;

(c) transmitting an acknowledging signal from the base station to the mobile station in a code unique to the mobile station; and

(d) encoding all subsequent communication.

28. In a method of communicating between the base station and one of a plurality of remote mobile stations in a radio frequency mobile telephone system as in claim 27 wherein the step of encoding subsequent communication between the base station and the mobile station includes the steps of:

(a) selecting one of a plurality of plurality of programmable encode/decode units at the base station in response to receipt of the request for secure communication service from the mobile station;

(b) programming the selected encode/decode unit responsively to receipt of the request from a mobile station with a code unique to that particular mobile station; and

(c) encoding all subsequent transmissions with the unique code.