Method and apparatus in a wireless messaging system for controlling a hierarchical provision of service

• US 6,259,791 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.), The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Morris Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seal, James
• Application Number:
  US09/031,269
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 380/271, 380/273, 380/247, 380/277, 455/434, 455/551, 455/552, 455/432, 455/31.3, 455/419
• US Class Current: 380/271
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0836 using tree structure or hierarchical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers

Abstract

A first service provider having a highest security of access, initially programs (604) tables in a subscriber unit (122), including an address table (224) having entries including addresses to which the subscriber unit is responsive, a sub-address table (226) including a sub-address identifier and a corresponding first pointer to a first decryption key for an algorithm required to decrypt a sub-message associated with the sub-address identifier, and a key table (228) including the first decryption key. A second service provider having a security of access less than that of the first service provider reprograms (606) an attribute of at least one of the sub-address table and the key table. The second service provider obtains reprogramming access by encrypting a first reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the first decryption key.

Claims

1. In a wireless messaging system, a method for a hierarchical provision of service, comprising the steps of:

initially programming, by a first service provider having a highest security of access, a plurality of tables in a subscriber unit, the plurality of tables comprising;

an address table having entries comprising addresses to which the subscriber unit is responsive;

a sub-address table comprising a sub-address identifier and a corresponding first pointer to a first decryption key for an algorithm required to decrypt a sub-message associated with the sub-address identifier; and

a key table comprising the first decryption key; and

reprogramming, through a first over-the-air reprogramming message initiated by a second service provider having a security of access less than that of the first service provider, an attribute of at least one of the sub-address table and the key table, wherein the second service provider obtains reprogramming access by encrypting the first over-the-air reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the first decryption key.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the address table further comprises a second pointer to a second decryption key, and

wherein the method further comprises the step of reprogramming, by the second service provider, an attribute of the address table, wherein the second service provider obtains reprogramming access by encrypting a second over-the-air reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the second decryption key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming step comprises the step of programming the address, sub-address, and key tables through a secure vector accessible to only the first service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reprogramming step comprises the step of sending reprogramming information addressed to a personal address of the subscriber unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reprogramming step comprises the step of sending reprogramming information addressed to a group address of the subscriber unit.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the entries further comprise status information corresponding to an address for indicating whether the address is enabled, and

wherein the method further comprises the step of subsequently determining that a received addressed message is not intended for the subscriber unit by locating a matching entry for a received address in the address table, the status information of the matching entry indicating that the address is not enabled.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the sub-address table further comprises a sub-address enabler, and

wherein the method further comprises the step of disabling a sub-address when the corresponding sub-address enabler indicates that the sub-address is not enabled.

8. A subscriber unit in a wireless messaging system for a hierarchical provision of service, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a message;

a processing system coupled to the receiver for processing the message; and

a user interface coupled to the processing system for interfacing with a user,

wherein the processing system comprises a memory for storing a plurality of tables initially programmed by a first service provider having a highest security of access, the plurality of tables comprising;

an address table having entries comprising addresses to which the subscriber unit is responsive;

a sub-address table comprising a sub-address identifier and a corresponding first pointer to a first decryption key for an algorithm required to decrypt a sub-message associated with the sub-address identifier; and

a key table comprising the first decryption key, and

wherein the processing system is programmed to allow a second service provider having a security of access less than that of the first service provider to reprogram through a first over-the-air reprogramming message an attribute of at least one of the sub-address table and the key table by encrypting the first over-the-air reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the first decryption key.

9. The subscriber unit of claim 8,

wherein the address table further comprises a second pointer to a second decryption key, and

wherein the processing system is further programmed to allow the second service provider to reprogram an attribute of the address table by encrypting a second over-the-air reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the second decryption key.

10. The subscriber unit of claim 8, wherein the processing system is further programmed to allow the first service provider to program the address, sub-address, and key tables through a secure vector accessible to only the first service provider.

11. The subscriber unit of claim 8, wherein the processing system is programmed to allow the second service provider to perform reprogramming by sending reprogramming information addressed to a personal address of the subscriber unit.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 8, wherein the processing system is programmed to allow the second service provider to perform reprogramming by sending reprogramming information addressed to a group address of the subscriber unit.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 8,

wherein the entries further comprise status information corresponding to an address for indicating whether the address is enabled, and

wherein the processing system is further programmed to determine that a received addressed message is not intended for the subscriber unit by locating a matching entry for a received address in the address table, the status information of the matching entry indicating that the address is not enabled.

14. The subscriber unit of claim 8,

wherein the sub-address table further comprises a sub-address enabler, and

wherein the processing system is further programmed to disable a corresponding sub-address when the sub-address enabler indicates that the sub-address is not enabled.

15. A controller in a wireless messaging system operated by a first service provider having a highest security of access, the controller for a hierarchical provision of service, comprising:

a network interface for receiving a message from a message originator;

a processing system coupled to the network interface for processing the message; and

a base station interface coupled to the processing system for controlling a base station to transmit the message; and

a second service provider interface coupled to the processing system for accepting information from a second service provider,

wherein the processing system is programmed to initially download, a plurality of tables to a subscriber unit, the plurality of tables comprising;

an address table having entries comprising addresses to which the subscriber unit is responsive;

a sub-address table comprising a sub-address identifier and a corresponding first pointer to a first decryption key for an algorithm required to decrypt a sub-message associated with the sub-address identifier; and

a key table comprising the first decryption key, and

wherein the processing system is further programmed to allow the second service provider, having a security of access less than that of the first service provider, to reprogram, through a first over-the-air reprogramming message, an attribute of at least one of the sub-address table and the key table by sending the first over-the-air reprogramming message to the subscriber unit, the first reprogramming message encrypted such that it can be properly decrypted using the first decryption key.

16. The controller of claim 15,

wherein the address table further comprises a second pointer to a second decryption key, and

wherein the processing system is further programmed to allow the second service provider to reprogram an attribute of the address table by sending a second over-the-air reprogramming message to the subscriber unit, the second over-the-air reprogramming message encrypted such that it can be properly decrypted using the second decryption key.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further programmed to allow the first service provider to program the address, sub-address, and key tables through a secure vector accessible to only the first service provider.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is programmed to allow the second service provider to perform reprogramming by sending reprogramming information addressed to a personal address of the subscriber unit.

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is programmed to allow the second service provider to perform reprogramming by sending reprogramming information addressed to a group address of the subscriber unit.