Cellular telephone authentication system using a digital certificate

• US 5,884,158 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Ryan, Jr., Frederick W., Rosenberg, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US08/730,388
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

This invention relates to a cellular telecommunications systems that utilizes the telephone number the cellular telephone is calling, with the number of telephone calls placed on that cellular telephone, i.e., call count and a seed number to create a digital certificate of the data. The digital certificate is used to make it more difficult to make unauthorized cellular telephone calls. The seed number may be changed after a predetermined number of calls has been made, i.e. one hundred, one thousand, etc. Thus, the transmission of seed numbers between data centers would be substantially reduced.

Claims

1. A system for determining authorized cellular telephone usage and connecting one or more cellular telephones to a telephone network, said system comprising:

means located in a cellular telephone for generating an authentication signal that contains a telephone number being called, a call count of the number of telephone calls made and a digital signature of telephone numbers called, and a seed number that may be changed after a specified number of calls have been made;

means located at a site remote from the cellular telephone for verifying the authentication signal;

means located at a site remote from the cellular telephone for comparing portions of the authentication signal to determine if specific portions of the authentication signal have been previously used to determine authorized cellular telephone usage;

means for comparing the authentication signals to determine authorized cellular telephone usage; and

means for connecting the cellular telephone to the network if the authentication signals are verified and specific portions of the authentication signal are verified.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the portions of the authentication signal that are compared are the call count.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication signals are compared at a later time.

4. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting means deny the telephone from being connected to the network after the authentication signals are not verified.

5. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting means will deny future connections to the network after the authentication signals have not been verified.

6. A system for determining authorized cellular telephone communications between one or more cellular telephones and a base station and connecting the authorized cellular telephone communications to a telecommunications network, said system comprising:

means contained within the cellular telephone for generating a digital certificate that specifies a telephone number being called, a call count or telephone numbers called and a seed number that may be automatically changed after a specified number of calls have been made;

means coupled to the base station for receiving the digital certificate generated by said generating means;

means contained in the base station for comparing portions of the digital certificate to determine if specific portions of the digital certificate have been previously used to determine authorized cellular telephone usage,

Means contained within the base station for verifying the digital certificate that is unique to the cellular telephone communicating with the base station; and

Means contained within the base station for connecting the cellular telephone to the network if the digital certificate and specific portions of the digital certificate are the same.

7. The system claimed in claim 6, wherein the cellular telephone is able to communicate with base stations that are able to verify the digital certificate and base stations that are not able to verify the digital certificate.

8. The system claimed in claim 6, wherein the digital certificates are compared at a later time.

9. The system claimed in claim 6, wherein the verifying means deny the telephone from being connected to the base station after the digital signature is not verified.

10. The system claimed in claim 6, wherein the verifying means will deny future connections to the base station after the digital certificate has not been verified.

11. A method for determining authorized cellular telephone communications between one or more cellular telephones and a base station, and connecting the authorized cellular telephone communications to a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a digital certificate in the cellular telephone that includes a telephone number being called, a call count of telephone numbers called, and a seed number that may be automatically changed after a specified number of calls have been made;

transmitting the digital certificate;

receiving the digital certificate;

comparing portions of the digital certificate to determine if specific portions of the digital certificate have been previously used to determine authorized cellular telephone usage;

verifying the digital certificate; and

connecting the cellular telephone to the network if the digital certificate and specific portions of the digital certificate are the same.

12. The method claimed in claim 11, further including the steps of:

communicating with base stations that are able to verify the digital certificate and base stations that are not able to verify the digital certificate.

13. The method claimed in claim 11, wherein the verifying step is done at a later time.

14. The method claimed in claim 11, wherein the connecting step will deny the telephone from being connected after the digital certificate has not been verified.

15. The system claimed in claim 11, wherein the connecting step will deny future connections to the network after the digital certificate has not been verified.