Secure transfer of radio specific data

• US 4,811,377 A
• Filed: 07/31/1987
• Issued: 03/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dabbish, Ezzat A., Pregont, Gary J., Krolopp, Robert K., Auchter, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lev, Robert
• Application Number:
  US07/080,711
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 235/379, 235/380, 235/375, 379/88, 379/89, 379/114, 379/62, 379/58, 379/56, 379/63, 340/825.34, 455/33, 455/54, 455/56
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The apparatus and method for transferring radio specific data from the memory of an integral logic unit of a radiotelephone to a second, replacement, memory is disclosed. Security of the data is realized by encoding the radio specific data with an operative number generated from a seed number. If the radio specific data is properly transferred to the second memory, the radio specific data is deleted from the memory of the integral logic unit.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone unit having specific identifying data stored in a first memory medium associated with a first microcomputer and having capability to transfer the identifying data to a second memory medium associated with a second microcomputer, comprising:

means for receiving a seed number from the second microcomputer whereby a request for transfer of the specific identifying data is initiated;

means, responsive to said receiving a seed number, for reading the specific identifying data from the first memory medium;

means for generating an operative number from said seed number;

means for encoding said specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and the specific identifying data;

means for sending said encoded specific identifying data to said second microcomputer and receiving a verification of said encoded specific identifying data;

means for testing said verification; and

means, responsive to said means for testing, for deleting the specific identifying data from the first memory medium if said testing shows a correct verification.

2. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for receiving a verification further comprises:

means for receiving second encoded specific identifying data; and

means for decoding said second encoded specific identifying data using said operative number.

3. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for testing further comprises:

means for comparing said decoded second encoded specific identifying data to said specific identifying data to determine a correct verification; and

means, responsive to said means for comparing, for sending a "pass" message to the second microcomputer if said decoded second encoded specific identifying data is essentially identical to the specific identifying data.

4. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for testing further comprises means, responsive to said means for comparing, for sending a "fail" message to the second microcomputer if said decoded second encoded specific identifying data is not essentially identical to the specific identifying data.

5. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said seed number is a randomly generated number.

6. A replacement microcomputer for a radiotelephone unit adapted to receive secure specific identifying data stored in a second radiotelephone microcomputer to be replaced and associated memory medium, comprising:

means for generating a seed number;

means for generating an operative number from said generated seed number;

means, employing said operative number, for decoding specific identifying data encoded by and received from the second microcomputer;

means for re-encoding said decoded specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and said decoded specific identifying data;

means for receiving a "pass" message from the second radiotelephone microcomputer; and

means, responsive to said "pass" message, for storing said decoded specific identifying data; and

means for commanding said second radiotelephone microcomputer to delete said specific identifying data stored therein following said storing of said decoded specific identifying data in said replacement microcomputer.

7. A method of transferring specific identifying data from a radiotelephone unit having the specific identifying data stored in a first memory medium associated with a first microcomputer to a second memory medium associated with a second microcomputer, comprising the steps of:

receiving a seed number from the second microcomputer whereby a request for transfer of the specific identifying data is initiated;

reading the specific identifying data from the first memory medium in response to said receiving a seed number;

generating an operative number from said seed number;

encoding said specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and the specific identifying data;

sending said encoded specific identifying data to said second microcomputer and receiving a verification of said encoded specific identifying data;

testing said verification; and

deleting the specific identifying data from the first memory medium in response to said means for testing if said testing shows a correct verification.

8. A method in accordance with the method of claim 7 wherein said step of receiving a verification further comprises the steps of:

receiving second encoded specific identifying data; and

decoding said second encoded specific identifying data using said operative number.

9. A method in accordance with the method of claim 8 wherein said step of testing further comprises the steps of:

comparing said decoded second encoded specific identifying data to said specific identifying data to determine a correct verification; and

sending a "pass" message to the second microcomputer in response to said comparing step if said decoded second encoded specific identifying data is essentially identical to the specific identifying data.

10. A method in accordance with the method of claim 9 wherein said step of testing further comprises the step of sending a "fail" message to the second microcomputer in response to said comparing step if said decoded second encoded specific identifying data is not essentially identical to the specific identifying data.

11. A method of receiving specific identifying data at a replacement microcomputer for a radiotelephone unit adapted to receive secure specific identifying data stored in a second radiotelephone microcomputer to be replaced, comprising:

generating a seed number;

generating an operative number from said generated seed number;

decoding specific identifying data encoded by and received from the second microcomputer by employing said operative number;

re-encoding said decoded specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and said decoded specific identifying data;

receiving a "pass" message from the second radiotelephone microcomputer; and

storing said decoded specific identifying data in response to said "pass" message; and

commanding said second radiotelephone microcomputer to delete said specific identifying data stored therein following said storing of said decoded specific identifying data in said replacement microcomputer.

12. A method of transferring radio specific data between a radiotelephone unit first microcomputer and associated memory and a second microcomputer and associated memory, comprising the steps of:

generating a seed number at the second microcomputer;

conveying said generated seed number to the first radiotelephone unit microcomputer;

generating an operative number from said generated seed number at the first microcomputer and the second microcomputer;

encoding the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory by arithmetically combining said operative number and the radio specific data;

conveying said encoded radio specific data to the second microcomputer;

decoding said conveyed encoded radio specific data at the second microcomputer;

re-encoding said decoded radio specific data by arithmetically combining said operative number and said decoded radio specific data;

conveying said re-encoded radio specific data to the first microcomputer;

decoding said conveyed re-encoded radio specific data;

comparing, at the first microcomputer, said decoded re-encoded radio specific data to the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory;

sending a "pass" message to the second microcomputer if said decoded re-encoded radio specific message is essentially identical to the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory;

storing said decoded radio specific data in the second microcomputer associated memory in response to said "pass" message; and

deleting the radio specific data from the first microcomputer memory if said decoded re-encoded radio specific message is essentially identical to the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory.

13. A method in accordance with the method of claim 12 further comprising the step of sending a "fail" message to the second microcomputer if said decoded reencoded radio specific message is not essentially identical to the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory.

14. A radiotelephone unit having specific identifying data stored in a first memory medium associated with a first microcomputer and having capability to transfer the identifying data to a second memory medium associated with a second microcomputer, comprising:

means for receiving a seed number from the second microcomputer whereby a request for transfer of the specific identifing data is initiated;

means, responsive to said receiving a seed number, for reading the specific identifying data from the first memory medium;

means for generating an operative number from said seed number;

means for encoding said specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and the specific identifying data;

means for sending said encoded specific identifying data to said second microcomputer;

means for receiving a validity pass message from said second microcomputer; and

means, responsive to said validity pass message for deleting the specific identifying data from the first memory medium.

15. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 14 further comprising means, responsive to said validity pass message, for sending a program message.

16. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 15 further comprising means for encoding said program message with a second operative number.

17. A radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 16 wherein said second operative number is generated by sequencing said seed number generated operative number.

18. A replacement microcomputer for a radiotelephone unit adapted to receive secure specific identifying data stored in a second radiotelephone microcomputer to be replaced, comprising:

means for generating a seed number;

means for generating an operative number from said generated seed number;

means, employing said operative number, for decoding specific identifying data encoded by and received from the second microcomputer;

means for temporarily storing said decoded specific identifying data;

means for checking the validity of said decoded specific identifying data;

means for receiving a program message from the second radiotelephone microcomputer; and

means for permanently storing said temporarily stored decoded specific identifying data;

means for commanding said second radiotelephone microcomputer to delete said specific identifying data stored therein following said storing of said decoded specific identifying data in said replacement microcomputer.

19. A replacement microcomputer for a radiotelephone unit in accordance with claim 18 further comprising means for indicating a "fail" condition if said program message is not received.

20. A method of transferring specific identifying data from a radiotelephone unit having the specific identifying data stored in a first memory medium associated with a first microcomputer to a second memory medium associated with a second microcomputer, comprising the steps of:

receiving a seed number from the second microcomputer whereby a request for transfer of the specific identifying data is initiated;

reading the specific identifying data from the first memory medium in response to said receiving a seed number;

generating an operative number from said seed number;

encoding said specific identifying data by arithmetically combining said operative number and the specific identifying data;

sending said encoded specific identifying data to said second microcomputer;

receiving a validity pass message from said second microcomputer; and

deleting the specific identifying data from the first memory medium in response to said validity pass message.

21. A method in accordance with the method of claim 20 further comprising the step of sending a program message in response to said receiving a validity pass message.

22. A method in accordance with the method of claim 21 further comprising the step of encoding said program message with a second operative number.

23. A method of receiving specific identifying data at a replacement microcomputer for a radiotelephone unit adapted to receive secure specific identifying data stored in a second radiotelephone microcomputer to be replaced, comprising:

generating a seed number;

generating an operative number from said generated seed number;

decoding specific identifying data encoded by and received from the second microcomputer by employing said operative number;

temporarily storing said decoded specific identifying data;

checking the validity of said decoded specific identifying data;

receiving a program message from the second radiotelephone microcomputer; and

permanently storing said temporarily stored decoded specific identifying data; and

commanding said second radiotelephone microcomputer to delete said specific identifying data stored therein following said storing of said decoded specific identifying data in said replacement microcomputer.

24. A method in accordance with the method of claim 23 further comprising the step of indicating a "fail" condition if said program message is not received.

25. A method of transferring radio specific data between a radiotelephone unit first microcomputer and associated memory and a second microcomputer and associated memory, comprising the steps of:

generating a seed number at the second microcomputer;

conveying said generating seed number to the first radiotelephone unit microcomputer;

generating an operative number from said generated seed number at the first microcomputer and the second microcomputer;

encoding the radio specific data from the first microcomputer associated memory by arithmetically combining said operative number and the radio specific data;

conveying said encoded radio specific data to the second microcomputer;

decoding said conveyed encoded radio specific data at the second microcomputer;

temporarily storing said decoded radio specific data in the second microcomputer associated memory;

checking the validity of said decoded specific identifying data;

conveying a validity pass message to the first microcomputer if said decoded specific identifying data is valid;

receiving said validity pass message;

sending a program message to the second microcomputer in response to said receiving of said validity pass message;

permanently storing said temporarily stored identifying data in the second microcomputer associated memory in response to said program message; and

deleting the radio specific data from the first microcomputer memory in response to said validity pass message.