Remote device authentication system

• US 6,799,272 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1999
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Urata, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Norman M.
• Application Number:
  US09/320,494
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 713/171, 713/182, 713/179, 713/168, 713/170, 713/169, 713/167, 380/264, 380/270, 380/280, 380/241, 380/273, 380/44
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority

Abstract

Method and system for authenticating a remote device are disclosed by an arrangement in which the remote device and an authentication center each contain an identical key code index, which includes a plurality of key code numbers. When a remote device identifies itself to the authentication center by sending identification information, the authentication center generates a first key using a portion of the received identification information and a first random number that specifies a first key code number. The remote device determines the first key code number from the first key. If the remote device recognizes the first key code number from among the stored plurality of key code numbers, the remote device generates a second key, which includes a second random number that specifies a second key code number, and a portion of the identification information. From the second key, the authentication center determines a second key code number. If the first and second key code numbers match the remote device is authenticated, otherwise the remote device is not authenticated.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a remote device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting identification Information from the remote device to an authentication center of a service provider, wherein the remote device and the authentication center of said service provider each contain an identical key code index, the key code index including a plurality of key code numbers;

(b) generating a first key at the authentication center using at least a portion of the identification information and a first random number, wherein the first random number specifies a first key code number that is one of the plurality of key code numbers;

(c) transmitting the first key from the authentication center to the remote device;

(d) determining the first key code number at the remote device using the first key;

(e) generating a second key at the remote device using the first key code number and a second random number, wherein the second random number specifies a second key code number;

(f) transmitting the second key to the authentication center;

(g) determining the second key code number at the authentication center using the second key;

(h) comparing, at the authentication center, the first key code number and the second key code number; and

(i) authenticating the remote device when the first and second key code numbers in the comparing step match.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the identification information includes transmitting a telephone number and PIN number associated with a wireless telephone, said wireless telephone being said remote device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the identification information includes transmitting a card number and a user name associated with a smart card, said smart card being said remote device associated with an internet access device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the identification information comprises transmitting credit card information associated with a credit card, said credit card being said remote device associated with an intemet access device.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of determining whether the remote device is a registered remote device, before the authentication center transmits the first key, by using the identification information;

and

transmitting the first key from the authentication center only when the remote device is a registered remote device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said generating the first key at the authentication center further comprises:

translating the first random number into a number modulo N, where N is equal to the number of key code numbers in the plurality of key code numbers;

using the number modulo N as one of a plurality of pointer values to specify the first key code number in the key code index;

multiplying the first random number and said portion of the identification information to yield a product value; and

transmitting said product value to the remote device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of generating the second key includes generating the second random number such that the number modulus N of the first random number and the second random number are equal.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

defining each pointer value equal to its corresponding key code number translated to a number modulus N.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step includes comparing the number modulus N of the first random number with the number modulus N of the second random number.

10. An authentication system comprising:

at least one remote device, each remote device comprising;

a memory containing identification information and a key code index, the key code index having a plurality of key code numbers; and

means for transmitting a portion of the identification information;

an authentication center facilitated at a service provider, comprising;

a memory containing the identification information and the key code index for each remote device;

means for generating a first key using a portion of a particular identification information received from a particular remote device and a first random number, wherein the first random number specifies a first key code number that is one of the plurality of key code numbers, and

means for transmitting the first key to the particular remote device;

means for determining the first key code number at the particular remote device using the first key and the particular identification information;

means for generating a second key at the remote device using the first key code number and a second random number, wherein the second random number specifies a second key code number;

means for transmitting the second key to the authentication center of said service provider; and

means for comparing, at the authentication center, the first key code number determined from the first key and the second key code number determined from the second key, wherein the remote device is authenticated when the first and second key code numbers match.

11. A remote device for use with an authentication center of a service provider, the remote device comprising:

means for communicating with the authentication center of said service provider, wherein the authentication center includes a key code index having a plurality of key code numbers;

a memory containing the key code index and identification information; and

a processor for determining a first key code number from a first key received from the authentication center, wherein the first key includes a first random number and at least a portion of the identification information, and for generating a second key that includes a second random number specifying a second key code number, wherein the first random number is equal to the second random number in terms of modulus N, where N is equal to the number of key code numbers in the plurality of key code numbers.

12. The remote device of claim 11, wherein the remote device is a wireless telephone and the identification information includes a telephone number and PIN number.

13. The remote device of claim 11, wherein the remote device is a smartcard and the identification information includes a card number and a user name.

14. The remote device of claim 11, wherein the remote device is a credit card used in conjunction with an Internet access device, wherein a portion of the identification information is stored in the credit card and a portion of the identification information is stored the Internet access device.