Method and apparatus for efficient real-time authentication and encryption in a communication system
First Claim
1. A subscriber unit which generates authentication messages for authenticating communications with a communication unit of a communication system, comprising:
- (a) memory means for maintaining instant-specific information;
(b) processor means for generating an authentication message as a function of the instant-specific information; and
(c) transmitter means for transmitting the authentication message to the communication unit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Radio frequency based cellular telecommunication systems often require both subscriber units and communication units of a fixed network communication system to maintain secret data which may be used to verify authenticity as well as provide encrypting variables for message encryption processes. An efficient real-time authentication method and apparatus are provided which use a single message to provide authentication and communication link setup information. Further, an authentication method and apparatus are provided which uses instant-specific information such as a time of day, radio frequency carrier frequency, a time slot number, a radio port number, access manager identifier, a radio port control unit identifier, or a base site controller identifier to enhance the reliability of the authentication process. Furthermore, a method and apparatus are provided for maintaining secure packet data communications through an encryption process by utilizing a packetized message encryption key and a unique packet number as encryption variables.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A subscriber unit which generates authentication messages for authenticating communications with a communication unit of a communication system, comprising:
-
(a) memory means for maintaining instant-specific information; (b) processor means for generating an authentication message as a function of the instant-specific information; and (c) transmitter means for transmitting the authentication message to the communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A communication unit which authenticates communications with a subscriber unit of a communication system, comprising:
-
(a) receiver means for receiving an authentication message; (b) memory means for maintaining instant-specific information; and (c) processor means for authenticating the received authentication message by determining, through the use of the received authentication message and the maintained instant-specific information, whether the received authentication message is authentic. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
-
-
6. A communication unit which generates authentication messages for authenticating communications with a subscriber unit operating within a communication system, comprising:
-
(a) memory means for maintaining instant-specific information; (b) processor means for generating an authentication message as a function of the instant-specific information; and (c) transmitter means for transmitting the authentication message to the subscriber unit. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A subscriber unit which authenticates communications with a communication unit of a communication system, comprising:
-
(a) receiver means for receiving an authentication message; (b) memory means for maintaining instant-specific information; and (c) processor means for authenticating the received authentication message by determining, through the use of the received authentication message and the maintained instant-specific information, whether the received authentication message is authentic. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of authentication between a subscriber unit and a communication unit of a communication system, comprising:
-
(a) providing instant-specific information to both the subscriber unit and the communication unit; in a receiving one of the radio communication unit and subscriber unit; (b) generating an authentication message as a function of the instant specific information; (c) communicating the authentication message between the subscriber unit and the communication unit; and in a receiving one of the radio communication unit and subscriber unit; (d) generating an expected authentication message as a function of the instant-specific information; and (e) determining whether the communicated authentication message is authentic by comparing the communicated authentication message and the expected authentication message. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification