Method and system for the processing of messages in a telecommunication system

• US 6,925,568 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teliasonera Finland Oyj (Telia Company AB)
• Original Assignee: Sonera Oyj
• Inventors: Heinonen, Petteri
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heneghan, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/615,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466, 380/247, 713/163, 713/193, 370/349
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A method and system for encrypting, in a telecommunication system, outgoing message traffic between mobile stations operating in accordance with current mobile communication standards and/or between a mobile station and a service provider, and for decrypting incoming message traffic, includes directing encrypted messages to and receiving encrypted messages from only those members of a limited closed receiver group that are located in a given geographic area.

Claims

1. In a method of encryption and decryption of messages in a telecommunication system that includes a telecommunication network, a message switching center connected to the telecommunication network for directing messages through the telecommunication system, a service provider, transmission software connecting the message switching center to the service provider, a subscriber'"'"'s mobile station connected to the telecommunication network and from which messages are generated and are sent and received via the message switching center, and a subscriber identity module connected to the mobile station for storing on the subscriber identity module a message to be one of encrypted and decrypted and applications and parameters for encryption and decryption of the stored message, the improvement comprising the steps of:

monitoring a predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module for presence at said memory location of a predetermined string, and

initiating, in response to monitored detection of the predetermined string at said memory location, one of encryption and decryption of the message stored on the subscriber identity module.

2. In the method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically removing the predetermined string from the predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module upon completion of the one of encryption and decryption of the message stored on the subscriber identity module.

3. In the method of claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a closed user group of users of the telecommunication system and a user group-specific decryption key for the closed user group, each of the users of the closed user group having a mobile station connected to the telecommunication system and a subscriber identity module connected to the mobile station of the each user.

4. In the method of claim 3, further comprising the step of transmitting a message from the subscriber'"'"'s mobile station to only the users of the closed user group located in a predetermined geographic area.

5. In the method of claim 4, wherein said transmitting of the message is effected using Cell Broadcast.

6. In the method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

processing, by the transmission software, a message received by the transmission software from the service provider by calling one of an encryption routine and a decryption routine for one of encryption and decryption of the received message; and

sending, from the transmission software to the message switching center, the processed message for further transmission from the message switching center to the mobile station.

7. In the method of claim 1, wherein the messages are short messages consistent with a mobile communication standard.

8. In the method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined memory location comprises an Abbreviated Dialing Number memory location.

9. In the method of claim 1, wherein storage and encryption and decryption of messages on the subscriber identity module are effected automatically.

10. In a system for encryption and decryption of messages in a telecommunication system that includes a telecommunication network, a message switching center connected to the telecommunication network for directing messages through the telecommunication system, a service provider, transmission software connecting the message switching center to the service provider, a mobile station connected to the telecommunication network and from which messages are generated and are sent and received via the message switching center, and a subscriber identity module connected to the mobile station for storing on the subscriber identity module a message to be one of encrypted and decrypted and applications and parameters for encryption and decryption of the stored message, the improvement comprising:

means on the subscriber identity module for monitoring a predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module for presence at said memory location of a predetermined string; and

means on the subscriber identity module for initiating, in response to monitored detection of the predetermined string at said predetermined memory location, one of encryption and decryption of a message stored on the subscriber identity module.

11. In the system of claim 10, further comprising means on the subscriber identity module for automatically removing the predetermined string from the predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module upon completion of the one of encryption and decryption of the message stored on the subscriber identity module.

12. In the system of claim 10, further comprising means for transmitting a message exclusively to members of a closed user group located in a predetermined geographic area.

13. In the system of claim 12, further comprising user group-specific means for decrypting and encrypted message.

14. In the system of claim 10, wherein the transmission software comprises:

means for processing a message received by the transmission software from the service provider by calling one of an encryption routine and a decryption routine for one of encryption and decryption of the received message; and

means for sending, from the transmission software to the message switching center, the processed message for further transmission from the message switching center to the mobile station.

15. In the system of claim 10, further comprising means on the subscriber identity module for automatically encrypting and decrypting messages stored on the subscriber identity module.

16. In a subscriber identity module for use in conjunction with a mobile telecommunication station and which includes a data processing device, a storage device connected to the data processing device, a data transfer device connected to the data processing device, and an interface for transfer of information between the mobile station and the subscriber identity module, the improvement comprising:

means for monitoring a predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module for presence at said memory location of a predetermined string; and

means for initiating, in response to monitored detection of the predetermined string at the predetermined memory location, one of encryption and decryption of a message.

17. In the subscriber identity module of claim 16, further comprising means for automatically removing the predetermined string from the predetermined memory location of the subscriber identity module upon completion of the one of encryption and decryption of the message.

18. In the subscriber identity module of claim 16, further comprising means for automatic encryption and decryption of a message stored on the subscriber identity module.

19. In the subscriber identity module of claim 16, further comprising means for automatic encryption and decryption of messages stored on the subscriber identity module and of messages received by the mobile station.