Method for verifying in a mobile device the authenticity of electronic certificates issued by a certification authority and corresponding identification module

• US 7,016,666 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VL Collective IP, LLC (VideoLabs, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Cantini, Renato, Etique, Pierre-Alain, Lauper, Karin Busch
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong, Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/100,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20020098830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 455/558, 455/406, 455/90, 455/407
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Method for verifying in a mobile device (13) the authenticity of electronic partner certificates issued by a certification authority. Said mobile device (13) has an identification module (16) (SIM or WIM). Said issued certificates are verified with the certificate of the certification authority.

A reference to said electronic certificate of the certification authority is stored in a second module (14) that is connected with said mobile device (13).

Advantages: the second module can be distributed independently from the first module and from the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for verifying, in a mobile device, the authenticity of electronic certificates issued by a certification authority, said mobile device having an identification module and a second module, said method comprising the steps of:

storing, in the second module, either the self-signed electronic certificate of the certification authority or data with which said self-signed electronic certificate can be found; and

authenticating the issued electronic certificates with a self-signed electronic certificate of the certification authority.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of copying said electronic certificate of the certification authority in said mobile device, and wherein the authentication of said issued certificate takes place in the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second module has data processing means and wherein said data processing means performs the authenticating step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second module is a chip-card.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said identification module is inserted into a first slot in said device, and further wherein said chip-card is inserted into a second slot of said device different than said first slot, in order to connect with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said chip-card has an ISO format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said authenticated certificates is used by a browser in said mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said authenticated certificates is used by an application in said identification module.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of copying said certificate of the certification authority in said identification module, and wherein the authentication of said issued certificate takes place in the identification module.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a WAP-capable mobile radio telephone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic certificate of the certification authority is store in said second module.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said data with which this certificate can be found corresponds to an address of the certificate of this certification authority.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said address is a URL address.

14. A system comprising:

a dual-slot mobile device,

an identification module in the first slot, and

a second module in the second slot for storing either the self-signed electronic certificate of a certification authority or data with which this self-signed electronic certificate can be found, wherein

a certificate is authenticated with said self-signed electronic certificate of the certification authority.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the certificate of a certification authority is stored in said second module.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said data with which this certificate can be found is stored in said second module.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said address is a URL address.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said second module has data processing means for the authentication of a partner certificate.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the second module has execution means for payment transaction functions.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said second module is in the form of a money card.

21. The system of claim 14, said second module being in the form of a chip-card.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said data with which the self-signed electronic certificate can be found corresponds to an address of the self-signed electronic certificate of the certification authority.

23. A certificate module for installation in a device having a first slot, a second slot, and an identification module in the first slot, said certificate module comprising:

means for storing either the self-signed electronic certificate of a certification authority or data with which this self-signed certificate can be found; and

means for inserting said certificate module into said second slot, wherein

said device or an application in one of the device or the first module authenticates an issued certificate using the self-signed certificate of the certification authority.

24. The certificate of claim 23, wherein one or both of said identification module and said certificate module includes means for authenticating the issued certificate using the self-signed certificate of the certification authority.