Protected IP telephony calls using encryption

• US 6,889,321 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kung, Fen-Chung, Russell, Jesse Eugene, Walker, Hopeton, Wang, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US09/475,661
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 713/153, 713/171, 713/166, 713/167, 713/154, 713/202, 380/201, 380/202, 380/259, 380/281, 380/282, 380/284, 370/214, 370/218, 370/230, 370/255, 370/264, 370/271, 370/353, 370/902, 370/904, 370/913, 379/68, 379/69, 379/88.03, 379/91.02, 379/93.02, 379/93.09, 379/106.1, 379/220.01, 379/266.1, 379/100
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 Details of gateway equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13339 Ciphering, encryption, security
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

Communication information transmitted in the broadband communication system may be in a packet format and secured using encryption techniques, for example encryption software, including a means for providing an initial security key and updated security keys to the various pieces of communication equipment located throughout the broadband communication system. When communication equipment, for example a gateway, is first registered with, for example, an IP central station, the IP central station assigns an initial encryption key to the gateway that is assigned and retained by a server, for example a call manager server, and the gateway (e.g., broadband residential gateway. This initial encryption key may be used to establish a secure two way communication between two pieces of communication equipment as an originating point communication equipment and a terminating point communication equipment.

Claims

1. A method for securing a communication comprising the steps of:

assigning a first confidential key at a network server and transmitting said first confidential key to an originating subscriber gateway located at a customer premises,

transmitting said first confidential key from said originating subscriber gateway to a terminating subscriber gateway located at a customer premises in advance of or simultaneous with a first encrypted data packet, said first encrypted data packet being encrypted with said first confidential key, and

exchanging packets encrypted via said first confidential key between said originating and said terminating subscriber gateway.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of said server a in replacement first confidential keys at random intervals of time.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein further comprising the step of said server replacement first confidential keys every N packets where N may be one or more.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein an encrypted data packet contains a replacement first confidential key encrypted with the first confidential key and further comprises the step of decrypting the replacement first confidential key with the first confidential key, the replacement first confidential key being used to decrypt the next received encrypted data packet.

5. A method for securing a communication as recited in claim 1 where the communication is a multimedia communication comprising audio, video and data and one of audio, video and data are encrypted at a first level of security and another of audio, video and data are encrypted at a second level of security.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the step of receiving a second key from a user and transmitting said second key from said originating subscriber gateway to said terminating subscriber gateway, said originating and terminating subscriber gateway utilizing a two key encryption algorithm.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of receiving keys at an intermediate server from the originating and terminating gateway and an indication of the encryption algorithm utilized by each gateway and translating an encrypted message at said intermediate server between said originating and terminating gateways between one encryption algorithm and another.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, further involving a third party, the third party having access to a first level of security and not a second level of security, the third party capable of receiving one of audio, video and data and not receiving another of audio, video and data.

9. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of receiving changes input by a user in level of security in real time and effectuating such a change.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of said server downloading an encryption algorithm to said originating and terminating subscriber gateways.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further wherein and downloading of an encryption algorithm occurs at random intervals during a communication.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of said originating subscriber gateway registering with said server, the originating subscriber gateway receiving the first confidential key in response to completion of the registration step.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of receiving a secure call command during a communication for one of audio, video, data and multimedia.

14. A system proving secure communication in an integrated broadband communication system including:

a secured communication network server providing security keys for encrypting and decrypting communication information; and

a first intelligent gateway located at a customer premises that encrypts and decrypts packets of communication information using said security keys provided by said secured communication server in real time in response to user input during a communication session; and

a second intelligent gateway located at a customer premises that encrypts and decrypts packets of communication sent and received from said first intelligent gateway using a security key received from said first intelligent gateway.