Authentication method for radio communication system, radio communication system, radio communication terminal and communication managing apparatus

• US 6,091,945 A
• Filed: 03/26/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oka, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/824,274
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/403, 455/550, 455/560, 455/422, 455/445, 380/23
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

In an authentication method for a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, a plurality of radio communication terminals each capable of communicating with any one of the plurality of base stations, and a telephone network having a plurality of exchangers connected to the plurality of base stations and a communication managing apparatus capable of controlling the exchangers, each of the plurality of radio communication terminals has stored therein identification data different from the other radio communication terminals, The communication managing apparatus has stored therein identification data of the radio communication terminals permitted to access the radio communication system. When any of the radio communication terminals attempt a connection through the base station to the telephone network, it is examined whether or not the identification data stored in the radio communication terminal coincide with, any of the identification data which is stored in the communication managing apparatus and assigned to radio communication terminals permitted to access the telephone network. If it is confirmed that the identification data of both coincide with each other, the radio communication terminal is connected to the telephone network, and the identification data stored in the radio communication terminal and the communication managing apparatus are updated with new data at every connection made between the radio communication terminal and the telephone network.

Claims

1. An authentication method for a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, a plurality of radio communication terminals, wherein each of said plurality of radio communication terminals is capable of communicating with each of said plurality of base stations, and a telephone network having a plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations and a communication managing apparatus for controlling said plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations, comprising the steps of:

storing identification data in each of said plurality of radio communication terminals, wherein said identification data is different for each of said plurality of radio communication terminals;

storing said identification data for each of said plurality of radio communication terminals permitted to access said radio communication system in said communication managing apparatus;

determining whether the identification data stored in one of said plurality of radio communication terminals requesting a connection to said telephone network through one of said plurality of base stations coincides with any of said identification data of said plurality of radio communication terminals which are permitted to access said radio communication system stored in said communication managing apparatus;

connecting one of said plurality of radio communication terminals to said telephone network upon confirming that the identification data stored in one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said identification data stored in said communication managing apparatus coincide with each other; and

updating the identification data of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals stored in one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and updating said identification data of said communication managing apparatus with new identification data before every connection made between one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said telephone network, wherein said new identification data is data output from a counter.

2. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

if one of said plurality of radio communication terminals makes a calling for connecting with said telephone network through one of said plurality of base stations, then said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals transmits said identification data and a telephone number stored in said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals to said communication managing apparatus, and said communication managing apparatus reads said identification data stored in said communication managing apparatus that corresponds to said telephone number, whereby it is determined whether said identification data transmitted by said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals coincides with said identification data read from said communication managing apparatus.

3. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

if one of said plurality of radio communication terminals is called for connecting with said telephone network through one of said plurality of base stations, then said communication managing apparatus reads said identification data stored in the communication managing apparatus that corresponds to a telephone number of said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and transmits the read identification data to said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals, whereby it is determined whether said read identification data transmitted by the communication managing apparatus coincides with said identification data stored in said one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

4. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

when said identification data is updated, one of said communication managing apparatus and one of said plurality of radio communication terminals generates said new identification data, stores the new identification data in one of said communication managing apparatus or one of said plurality of radio communication terminals, and transmits the new identification data to one of said communication managing apparatus or one of said plurality of radio communication terminals that did not perform said updating.

5. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

when said identification data is updated, one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said communication managing apparatus generate said new identification data that is identical and store the new identification data in one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said communication managing apparatus.

6. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said new identification data is generated by varying a count of a counter.

7. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

said new identification data is generated by varying a count of a counter.

8. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said new identification data is generated by pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a regular order.

9. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

said new identification data is generated by pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a regular order.

10. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said new identification data is generated based on data relating to a communication history of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

11. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

said new identification data is generated based on data relating to a communication history of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

12. The authentication method for a radio communication system as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said new identification data is generated by random number generating means for generating random numbers in a random order.

13. A radio communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations;

a plurality of radio communication terminals, each for communicating with each of said plurality of base stations; and

a telephone network having a plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations and a communication managing apparatus for controlling said plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations, wherein

each of said plurality of radio communication terminals has first memory means for storing therein identification data that is different for each of said plurality of radio communication terminals,

said communication managing apparatus has second memory means for storing therein said identification data of said plurality of radio communication terminals permitted to access said telephone network, and

one of said communication managing apparatus and each of said plurality of radio communication terminals has comparing means for detecting whether the identification data stored in said first memory means of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals coincides with said identification data stored in said second memory means of said communication managing apparatus, connection control means for connecting said plurality of radio communication terminals to said telephone network when said comparing means determines that said identification data stored in said first memory means of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals coincides with said identification data stored in said second memory means of said communication managing apparatus, and updating means including a counter for updating the identification data stored in said first memory means of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and updating said identification data stored in said second memory means of said communication managing apparatus before every connection made between one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said telephone network with new identification data, wherein said new identification data is data output from said counter.

14. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

one of each of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said communication managing apparatus has said updating means, generates said identification data by said updating means, stores the identification data in one of said first memory means of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said second memory means of said communication managing apparatus, respectively, and transmits the identification data to one of said plurality of radio communication terminals or said communication managing apparatus that does not have said updating means for storing the identification data in one of the first memory means and said second memory means.

15. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said plurality of radio communication terminals and said communication managing apparatus have said updating means and generate said identification data by the updating means, and whereby said plurality of radio communication terminals store the identification data in the first memory means and said communication managing apparatus stores said identification data in said second memory means.

16. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

said updating means includes pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a regular order.

17. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 15, wherein

said updating means includes pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a regular order.

18. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

said updating means includes communication history memory means for storing therein data relating to a communication history of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

19. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 15, wherein

said updating means includes communication history memory means for storing therein data relating to a communication history of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

20. The radio communication system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

said updating means includes random number generating means for generating random numbers in a random order.

21. A radio communication terminal of a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, a plurality of radio communication terminals, each for communicating with each of said plurality of base stations, and a telephone network having a plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations and a communication managing apparatus for controlling said plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations, comprising:

memory means for storing therein identification data; and

updating means including a counter for updating said identification data stored in said memory means before every connection made between one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said telephone network with new identification data, wherein said new identification data is data output from said counter.

22. The radio communication terminal as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

comparing means for detecting whether the identification data stored in said memory means coincides with identification data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations; and

communication control means for connecting said radio communication terminal to said telephone network upon said comparing means detecting that said identification data stored in said memory means coincides with said identification data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations.

23. The radio communication terminal as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said updating means includes pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a predetermined order.

24. The radio communication terminal as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said updating means includes communication history memory means for storing therein data relating to a communication history of said radio communication terminal.

25. The radio communication terminal as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said updating means includes random number generating means for generating random numbers in a random order.

26. The radio communication terminal as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said updating means generates new identification data based on data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations.

27. A communication managing apparatus of a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, a plurality of radio communication terminals, each for communicating with each of said plurality of base stations, and a telephone network having a plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations and a communication managing apparatus for controlling said plurality of exchangers connected to said plurality of base stations, comprising:

memory means for storing identification data for each of said plurality of radio communication terminals permitted to access said radio communication system; and

updating means including a counter for updating said identification data stored in said memory means before every connection made between one of said plurality of radio communication terminals and said telephone network with new identification data, wherein said new identification data is data output from said counter.

28. The communication managing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, further comprising:

comparing means for detecting whether the identification data stored in said memory means coincides with identification data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations; and

communication control means for connecting one of said plurality of radio communication terminals to said telephone network upon said comparing means detecting that said identification data stored in said memory means coincides with said identification data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations.

29. The communication managing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein

said updating means includes pseudo-random number generating means for generating random numbers in a predetermined order.

30. The communication managing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein

said updating means includes communication history memory means for storing therein data relating to a communication history of one of said plurality of radio communication terminals.

31. The communication managing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein

said updating means includes random number generating means for generating random numbers in a random order.

32. The communication managing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein

said updating means generates new identification data based on data transmitted from one of said plurality of base stations.