Method for transmitting encrypted data, associated decrypting method, device for carrying out said methods and a mobile terminal for the incorporation thereof

• US 7,620,184 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cassidian SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Secure Networks
• Inventors: Marque Pucheu, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMEIDA, DEVIN E
• Application Number:
  US10/491,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20050013277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 370/336
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic

Abstract

A process for transmitting encrypted data through a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises at least time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel, comprises steps according to which:

• • a sequence of encrypted data packets is transmitted in the traffic channel on the basis of a determined time slot of the first type, whereas an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue is transmitted in the associated signaling channel inside a determined time slot of the second type, and
  • a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to the time gap between said determined time slot of the second type and said determined time slot of the first type, is also transmitted in the associated signaling channel.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting encrypted data between a sender mobile terminal and at least one receiver mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, through a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel for the transmission of traffic information and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel for the transmission of signaling information, wherein a sequence of encrypted data packets is transmitted in the traffic channel starting from a determined time slot of the first type whereas an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue is periodically transmitted in the associated signaling channel inside a determined time slot of the second type which is timely separated from said time slot of the first type by an undetermined time gap, and wherein a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to said time gap is also periodically transmitted in the associated signaling channel.

2. The transmission method of claim 1, wherein the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue is derived from the value of an initialization vector having served to generate a cryptographic sequence used for the encryption of the sequence of encrypted data packets.

3. The transmission method of claim 2, wherein the length of the cryptographic sequence is equal to a determined number N of bits, which corresponds to the number of useful bits transmitted between two consecutive time slots of the second type in which a cryptographic synchronization information cue may be transmitted.

4. The transmission method of claim 3, wherein N is multiple of a determined number M which corresponds to the number of bits of an encrypted data packet.

5. The transmission method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue is the number of time slots of the first type separating the determined time slot of the first type and the determined time slot or the second type.

6. The transmission method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue is transmitted inside the determined time slot of the second type with the cryptographic synchronization information cue.

7. The transmission method of claim 1, wherein the determined time slot of the second type is the time slot of the second type coming in the frame structure immediately before, or the first time slot of the second type coining in the frame structure after the determined time slot of the first type.

8. The transmission method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue is initialized, at the start of PIT, to a determined value coded on a determined number Q of bits, and obtained as the binary concatenation of a determined number Q1 of first bits coding a random value on the one hand, and of a determined number Q2 of second bits which are the least significant bits of the value of a time slot counter on the other hand, where Q, Q1 and Q2 are determined integers.

9. A method for decrypting a sequence of encrypted data packets transmitted between a sender mobile terminal and at least one receiver mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, through a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel for the transmission of traffic information and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel for the transmission of signaling information, comprising the steps of:

receiving said sequence of encrypted data packets starting from a determined time slot of the first type;

optionally, periodically receiving an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue in the associated signaling channel, inside a determined time slot of the second type which is timely separated from said time slot of the first type by an undetermined time gap, and, in this case, also periodically receiving, in the associated signaling channel, a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to said time gap;

generating a value of an initialization vector having served to generate a cryptographic sequence used for the encryption of said sequence of encrypted data packets;

generating the same cryptographic sequence, on the basis of the initialization vector value generated in;

said step of generating a value of an initialization vector;

shifting the cryptographic sequence generated in said step of generating the same cryptographic sequence as a function of said cryptographic synchronization delay information cue; and

decrypting said sequence of encrypted data packets on the basis of said shifted cryptographic sequence.

10. The decryption method of claim 9, wherein, the value of the initialization vector is derived from the value of the received cryptographic synchronization information cue.

11. The decryption method of claim 9, wherein, in the absence of receipt of the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue, the value of the initialization vector is generated with the aid of a “

freewheel”

algorithm on the basis of an earlier value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue.

12. The decryption method of claim 9, wherein, the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue being expressed as a number of time slots, the step of shifting the cryptographic sequence comprises the generation of a corresponding information cue expressed as a number of data packets.

13. The decryption method of claim 9, wherein, upon a change of cell of the receiver mobile terminal, from a determined source cell to a determined target cell, the receiver mobile terminal:

receives a cryptographic synchronization shift information cue, relating to the cryptographic synchronization shift between the source cell and the target cell, which is transmitted with the change of cell command in a determined time slot of the second type over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the source cell;

stores the value of a first determined cryptographic synchronization information cue and a first value of the target cell'"'"'s time slot counter corresponding to the time slot of the second type in which said cryptographic synchronization information cue could have been received;

performs the change of cell;

receives a determined sequence of encrypted data packets, starting from a determined time slot of the first type over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the target cell; and

, in the absence of receipt of the value of a second cryptographic synchronization information cue, to be used for the decryption of said sequence of encrypted data packets, determines the value of said second cryptographic synchronization information cue, as well as the value of the corresponding associated cryptographic synchronization delay information cue, on the basis of said first value of the counter of time slots in the target cell, of the value of said first cryptographic synchronization information cue, and furthermore of a second value of the counter of time slots in the target cell corresponding to the time slot of the second type in which said second cryptographic synchronization information cue could have been received over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the target cell.

14. A device for transmitting encrypted data between a sender mobile terminal and at least one receiver mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, through a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel for the transmission of traffic information and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel for the transmission of signaling information, comprising:

means for transmitting a sequence of encrypted data packets in the traffic channel starting from a determined time slot of the first type, and for periodically transmitting an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue in the associated signaling channel inside a determined time slot of the second type which is timely separated from said time slot of the first type by an undetermined time gap, and means for also periodically transmitting in the associated signaling channel, a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to said time gap.

15. The transmission device of claim 14, further comprising means for deriving the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue from the value of an initialization vector having served to generate a cryptographic sequence used for the encryption of said sequence of encrypted data packets.

16. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein the length of the cryptographic sequence is equal to a determined number N of bits, which corresponds to the number of useful bits transmitted between two consecutive time slots of the second type in which a cryptographic synchronization information cue may be transmitted.

17. The transmission device of claim 16, wherein the number N is multiple of a determined integer number M which corresponds to the number of bits of an encrypted data packet.

18. The transmission device of claim 14, wherein the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue is the number of time slots of the first type separating the determined time slot of the first typo and the determined time slot of the second type.

19. The transmission device of claim 14, wherein the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue is transmitted inside the determined time slot of the second type with the cryptographic synchronization in formation cue.

20. The transmission device of claim 14, wherein the determined time slot of the second type is the time slot of the second type coming in the frame structure immediately before, or the first time slot of the second type coming in the frame structure after the determined time slot of the first type.

21. The transmission device of claim 14, further comprising means for, at the start of PTT, initializing the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue to a determined value coded on a determined number Q of bits, and obtained as the binary concatenation of a determined number Q1 of first bits coding a random value on the one hand, and of a determined number Q2 of second bits which are the least significant bits of the value of a time slot counter on the other hand, where Q, Q1 and Q2 are determined integers.

27. A mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, including a transmission device as claimed in claim 14.

29. A mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system of claim 27 including a decryption device for decrypting a sequence of encrypted data packets transmitted between a sender mobile terminal and at least one receiver mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, trough a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel for the transmission of traffic information and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel for the transmission of signaling information, comprising:

first moans of reception for receiving said sequence of encrypted data packets starting from a determined time slot of the first type;

second means of reception for, optionally, receiving an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue in the associated signaling channel, inside a determined time slot of the second type which is timely separated from said time slot of the first type by an undetermined time gap, and, in this case, means of reception for also receiving, in the associated signaling channel, a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to said time gap;

first means of generation for generating a value of an initialization vector having served to generate a cryptographic sequence used for the encryption of said sequence of encrypted data packets;

second means of generation, for generating the same cryptographic sequence, on the basis of the initialization vector value generated by said first means of generation;

means of shifting for shifting the cryptographic sequence generated by said second means of generation, as a function of said cryptographic synchronization delay information cue; and

means for decrypting said sequence of encrypted data packets on the basis of said shifted cryptographic sequence.

22. A device for decrypting a sequence of encrypted data packets transmitted between a sender mobile terminal and at least one receiver mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system, through a radio transmission channel having a frame structure such that a TDMA frame comprises time slots of a first type forming a traffic channel for the transmission of traffic information and at least one time slot of a second type forming an associated signaling channel for the transmission of signaling information, comprising:

first means of reception for receiving said sequence of encrypted data packets starting from a determined time slot of the first type;

second means of reception for, optionally, periodically receiving an associated cryptographic synchronization information cue in the associated signaling channel, inside a determined time slot of the second type which is timely separated from said time slot of the first type by an undetermined time gap, and, in this case, means of reception for also periodically receiving, in the associated signaling channel, a cryptographic synchronization delay information cue relating to said time gap;

first means of generation for generating a value of an initialization vector having served to generate a cryptographic sequence used for the encryption of said sequence of encrypted data packets;

second means of generation, for generating the same cryptographic sequence on the basis of the initialization vector value generated by said first means of generation;

means of shifting for shifting the cryptographic sequence generated by said second means of generation, as a function of said cryptographic synchronization delay information cue; and

means for decrypting said sequence of encrypted data packets on the basis of said shifted cryptographic sequence.

23. The decryption device of claim 22, wherein the first means of generation comprise means for deriving the value of the initialization vector from the value of the cryptographic synchronization information cue received by the means of reception.

24. The decryption device of claim 22, wherein, in the absence of receipt of the value of the cryptographic synchronization in formation cue by said first means of reception, said first means of generation comprise means for generating the value of the initialization vector with the aid of a “

freewheel”

algorithm on the basis of an earlier value or the cryptographic synchronization information cue.

25. The decryption device of claim 22, wherein, the cryptographic synchronization delay information cue being expressed as a number of time slots, said means of shifting comprise means for generating a corresponding information cue expressed as a number of data packets.

26. The decryption device of claim 22. further comprising means for, upon a change of cell of the receiver mobile terminal from a determined source cell to a determined target cell:

receiving a cryptographic synchronization shift information cue, relating to the cryptographic synchronization shift between the source cell and the target cell, which is transmitted with the change of cell command in a determined time slot of the second type over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the source cell;

storing the value of a first determined cryptographic synchronization information cue and a first value of the target cell'"'"'s time slot counter corresponding to the time slot of the second type in which the cryptographic synchronization information cuc could have been received;

performing the change of cell;

receiving a determined sequence of encrypted data packets, starting from a determined time slot of the first type over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the target cell; and

, in the absence of receipt by said first means of reception of the value of a second cryptographic synchronization information cue, to be used for the decryption of the sequence of encrypted data packets, determining the value of the second cryptographic synchronization information cue, as well as the value of the corresponding associated cryptographic synchronization delay information cue, on the basis of the first value of the counter of time slots in the target cell, of the value of the first cryptographic synchronization information cue, and furthermore of a second value of the counter of time slots in the target cell corresponding to the time slot of the second type in which the second cryptographic synchronization information cue could have been received over the transmission channel allocated to the communication in the target cell.

28. A mobile terminal of a digital radiocommunication system. including a decryption device as claimed in claim 22.