Secure interlink receiver for remote programming of wireless telephones

• US 6,138,004 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Inventors: McGregor, Travis Melchin, McGregor, Donald Scott, Watler, Theodore W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/968,329
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/419, 455/550, 455/557, 455/558, 455/559, 455/564, 455/566, 380/23
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

An interlink receiver system and receiver unit for remote encoding wireless phone units including a host computer that communicates with the interlink receiver unit over telephone lines or airways to encode wireless phone units with the key code for authentication of the phone unit and encryption of communications from the phone unit during use, the interlink receiver unit connecting to the host computer for data exchange and controlling the encoding of a connected phone unit.

Claims

1. An interlink receiver system for encoding wireless phone units with security codes comprising:

a host computer;

an interlink receiver unit remote from the host computer having communication means secure from a user of the interlink receiver system for communicating with the host computer, wherein the host computer has communication means for communicating with the interlink receiver unit, and a computer program for effecting the exchange of data between the host computer and the interlink receiver unit wherein the interlink receiver unit has a secure memory with stored security code data including an authentication code identifying the interlink receiver unit;

an interconnection terminal connected to the interlink receiver unit and electronically connectable to a wireless phone unit to be encoded; and

,

authentication means in the interlink receiver unit that authenticates the interlink receiver unit using the stored authentication code of the interlink receiver unit before encoding the connected wireless phone unit, and, cooperative authentication means in the host computer secure from a user of the interlink receiver unit for authenticating the interlink receiver unit and authorizing exchange of data between the host computer and the interlink receiver unit, and the connected wireless phone unit.

2. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the communication means of the host computer is a modem connectable to conventional telephone lines and the communication means of the interlink receiver unit is a modem connectable to conventional telephone lines.

3. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the communication means of the interlink receiver unit is a wireless communication means.

4. The interlink receiver system of claim 3 wherein the wireless communication means is the wireless phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit, wherein communication with the host computer is through the wireless phone unit to a wireless communication service provider.

5. The interlink receiver system of claim 4 wherein the communication means of the host computer is a modem and the modem is connected to a conventional telephone line in communication with the wireless communication service provider.

6. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the host computer has data in the form of security codes and program means for transferring data in the form of at least one security code to the wireless phone unit when the interlink receiver unity is in communication with the host computer and the wireless phone unit is connected to the interlink receiver unity by the interconnection terminal.

7. The interlink receiver system of claim 6 wherein the interlink receiver unit has connection means for initiating the connection of the interlink receiver unit with the host computer when the wireless phone unit is connected to the interlink receiver unit.

8. The interlink receiver system of claim 7 wherein the cooperative authentication means in the host computer and in the interlink receiver unit has software means for authenticating the interlink receiver unit and selectively authorizing access to the host computer by entry of an access code in the interlink receiver unit.

9. The interlink receiver system of claim 8 wherein the interlink receiver unit has a keyboard for data entry including entry of an access code.

10. The interlink receiver system of claim 9 wherein the interlink receiver unit includes a display means for display of messages and display of data entered by the user entering data on the keyboard.

11. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the secure memory of the interlink receiver unit includes code means for generating a secret authentication key in the wireless phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit.

12. The interlink receiver system of claim 11 wherein the secure memory of the interlink receiver unit comprises a pre-programmed ROM chip.

13. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the secure memory of the interlink receiver unit includes storage of a series of secret authentication keys wherein the mobile phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit is programmed with one of the secret authentication keys in the series.

14. The interlink receiver system of claim 1 wherein the secure memory of the interlink receiver unit includes storage of a series of secret partial authentication keys and the host computer includes storage of a series of secret partial authentication keys combinable with a selected one of the partial authentication keys stored in the secure memory of the interlink receiver unit, wherein the mobile phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit is programmed with a secret authentication key generated in part from one of the secret partial authentication keys of the secret host computer and one of the partial authentication keys of the interlink receiver unit.

15. An interlink receiver unit for entering security codes in wireless phone units under control of a remote host computer, the interlink receiver unit comprising:

a housing having data entry means and data display means;

internal electronic control circuitry means contained within the housing and secure from a user of the interlink receiver unit for controlling the operation of the interlink receiver unit;

a protected memory chip in the internal electronic control circuitry means with stored security code data secure from a user of the interlink receiver unit wherein the stored security code data includes data to identify and authenticate the interlink receiver unit;

communication means operable by the control circuitry for exchanging data between the interlink receiver unit and the host computer;

communication means operable by the control circuitry for exchanging data between the interlink receiver unit and a wireless phone unit electronically connected with the interlink receiver unit after authentication of the interlink receiver unit by the host computer; and

data transfer means for transferring security code data to the wireless phone unit in communication with the interlink receiver unit on command by the host computer.

16. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the communication means of the interlink receiver unit is a modem and the modem has a terminal connector connectable with a telephone line wherein the interlink receiver unit communicates with the host computer through conventional telephone lines.

17. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the interlink receiver unit has security means for limiting access to the interlink receiver unit.

18. The interlink receiver unit of claim 16 wherein the host computer transfers security code data through the interlink receiver unit to the wireless phone unit electronically connected with the interlink receiver unit.

19. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein stored security code data in the memory of the interlink receiver unit is transferred to the wireless phone unit electronically connected with the interlink receiver unit on command by the host computer.

20. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the interlink receiver unit has an authentication code that authenticates the interlink receiver unit, and the host computer communicates with the interlink receiver unit and has program means for authenticating the interlink receiver unit and exchanging security code data with the interlink receiver unit and connected phone unit only after authenticating the interlink receiver unit.

21. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the communication means between the interlink receiver unit and the wireless phone unit is a connector terminal electronically connecting the interlink receiver unit with the wireless phone unit.

22. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the communication means between the interlink receiver unit and the host computer is a wireless communication means.

23. The interlink receiver unit of claim 22 wherein the wireless communication means includes the wireless phone unit electronically connected to the internal electronic control circuitry of the interlink receiver unit.

24. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the internal electronic control circuitry includes a microprocessor and a protected memory and the interlink receiver unity includes a program for programming the wireless phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit with security code data from the protected memory on command by the host computer.

25. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the protected memory chip of the interlink receiver unit includes code means for generating a secret authentication key in the wireless phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit.

26. The interlink receiver unit of claim 25 wherein the protected memory chip of the interlink receiver unit comprises a pre-programmed ROM chip.

27. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the protected memory chip of the interlink receiver unit includes storage of a series of secret authentication keys wherein the mobile phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit if programmed with one of the secret authentication keys in the series.

28. The interlink receiver unit of claim 15 wherein the protected memory chip of the interlink receiver unit includes storage of a series of secret partial authentication keys and the host computer includes storage of a series of secret partial authentication keys combinable with a selected on of the partial authentication keys stored in the protected memory chip of the interlink receiver unit, wherein the mobile phone unit connected to the interlink receiver unit is programmed with a secret authentication key generated in part from one of the secret partial authentication keys of the secret host computer and one of the partial authentication keys of the interlink receiver unit.