Method and system for establishing a wireless communication link

• US 7,216,231 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonktiebolaget L.M. Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Gehrmann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani; Taghi T.
• Application Number:
  US10/467,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150, 713/156, 713168-171, 713/173, 713/176, 713/189, 380/270, 380/277, 380278-279
• US Class Current: 713/171
• 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 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• 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 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 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]

Abstract

A method of establishing a secure communications link between a user communications device and a first service communications device; the method comprises the steps of initiating a communications link using a first communications protocol between the user communications device and the first service communications device; performing, based on a PIN value, an initialisation procedure between the user communications device and the first service communications device, the initialisation procedure resulting in an identification key; storing the identification key in the user communications device and the first service communications device; the method is characterised in that it further comprises the steps of using a second communications protocol to perform a transaction between the user communications device and a second service communications device; generating and storing the PIN value; the invention further relates to a communications system and a mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a secure communications link between a user communications device and a first service communications device, the method comprising the steps of:

exchanging a first identification key via a first communications protocol between the user communications device and a selected one of the first service communications device and a second service communications device;

generating, based on the first identification key, a second identification key for use during subsequent communications sessions between the user communications device and the first service communications device via a second communications protocol;

storing the second identification key in a first storage means of the user communications device and in a second storage means of the first service communications device;

characterised in that the method further comprises the step of

authenticating the first communications protocol using a pre-configured trust relation between the user communications device and the corresponding first or second service communications device; and

characterised in that

the step of exchanging the first identification key further comprises the steps of establishing a communications link between the user communications device and the second service communications device, and generating and storing in a third storage means of the user communications device an identification code related to the first identification key;

the method further comprises the step of communicating the first identification key and the identification code from the second service communications device to the first service communications device; and

the step of generating the second identification key further comprises the steps of transmitting the identification code from the first service communications device to the user communications device, and, on the basis of the identification code, retrieving the first identification key from the first storage means.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the communications link uses a protocol selected from the class of protocols comprising TCP/IP and WAP.

3. A communications system comprising:

a user communications device and a first service communications device,

the user communications device including;

first communications means adapted to communicate via a first communications protocol with a selected one of the first service communications device and a second service communications device;

first processing means adapted to exchange a first identification key with the corresponding first or second service communications device;

the user communications device and the first service communications device including;

respective second and third communications means adapted to communicate via a second communications protocol; and

respective second and third processing means adapted to generate, based on the first identification key, a second identification key for use during subsequent communications sessions between the user communications device and the first service communications device via the second communications protocol; and

respective first and second storage means adapted to store the second identification key;

characterised in that

the user communications device further comprises fourth processing means adapted to authenticate the first communications protocol using a pre-configured trust relation between the user communications device and the corresponding first or second service communications device, and

characterised in that the first communications means is adapted to establish a communications link with the second service communications device;

the first processing means is further adapted to exchange an identification code related to the first identification key with the second service communications device;

the user communications device further comprises third storage means adapted to store the first identification key and the identification code;

the first communications means comprises fourth communications means adapted to receive the first identification code from the second service communications device; and

the second processing means is adapted to retrieve the first identification key from the first storage means, on the basis of the received identification code.

4. A communications system according to claim 3, characterised in that the communications link uses a protocol selected from the class of protocols comprising TCP/IP and WAP.

5. In a user communications device, a method of establishing a secure communications link between the user communications device and a first service communications device, the method comprising the steps of:

exchanging a first identification key via a first communications protocol between the user communications device and a selected one of the first service communications device and a second service communications device;

on the basis of the first identification key, generating a second identification key for use during subsequent communications sessions between the user communications device and the first service communications device via a second communications protocol;

characterised in that the method further comprises the steps of

authenticating the first communications protocol using a pre-configured trust relation between the user communications device and the corresponding first or second service communications device; and

characterised in that the step of exchanging the first identification key further comprises the steps of establishing a communications link to the second service communications device, and

storing in a first storage means an identification code related to the first identification key, the identification code further being made available at to the first service communications device;

the step of generating the second identification key further comprises the steps of receiving the identification code from the first service communications device, and, on the basis of the identification code, retrieving the first identification key.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that the second communications link uses a protocol selected from the class of protocols comprising TCP/IP and WAP.