Method of automatically populating a list of managed secure communications group members
First Claim
1. A method to automatically associate a mobile communication device having a device identifier with a newly created first secure group established to provide security information between subscribers of the first secure group, the method comprising:
- maintaining lists of a plurality of secure groups, their currently authorized subscribers, and each group'"'"'s associated security information at a key variable loader;
receiving an identity of a newly created first secure group at the key variable loader via an external input interface of the key variable loader;
providing, via the key variable loader, a first group identifier for the first secure group at the key variable loader and associating the first group identifier with the received identity of the newly created first secure group;
setting a first key for the first secure group at the key variable loader, the first key associated with a corresponding encryption algorithm;
automatically downloading the device identifier of the mobile communication device to the key variable loader from the communication device over a short range connection connecting the communication device and the key variable loader; and
after downloading the device identifier, uploading, via the key variable loader, the first group identifier and the first key for the first secure group to the communication device via the short range connection for use in securing communications between currently authorized subscribers in the first group, and automatically updating a particular list associated with the first secure group out of the plurality of lists of secure groups maintained at the key variable loader to include the device identifier retrieved over the short range connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of automatically populating a secure group list in a key variable loader and of providing keys to a secure group are presented. After a user selects a secure group and encryption algorithm using inputs of the loader, the loader provides a group identifier and corresponding key for the group. The group identifier, encryption algorithm, and key are transmitted to a portable communication device over a physical connection between the two while a device identifier of the communication device is transmitted concurrently to the loader. The key variable loader automatically populates a stored list of subscribers of the group with the device identifier. When it is desired to transmit a new key to all of or fewer than all of the subscribers, one of the subscribers is connected with the loader and used to wirelessly transmit a new key to the remaining subscribers.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method to automatically associate a mobile communication device having a device identifier with a newly created first secure group established to provide security information between subscribers of the first secure group, the method comprising:
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maintaining lists of a plurality of secure groups, their currently authorized subscribers, and each group'"'"'s associated security information at a key variable loader; receiving an identity of a newly created first secure group at the key variable loader via an external input interface of the key variable loader; providing, via the key variable loader, a first group identifier for the first secure group at the key variable loader and associating the first group identifier with the received identity of the newly created first secure group; setting a first key for the first secure group at the key variable loader, the first key associated with a corresponding encryption algorithm; automatically downloading the device identifier of the mobile communication device to the key variable loader from the communication device over a short range connection connecting the communication device and the key variable loader; and after downloading the device identifier, uploading, via the key variable loader, the first group identifier and the first key for the first secure group to the communication device via the short range connection for use in securing communications between currently authorized subscribers in the first group, and automatically updating a particular list associated with the first secure group out of the plurality of lists of secure groups maintained at the key variable loader to include the device identifier retrieved over the short range connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing security information between a mobile communication device and a first secure group established to provide security information between subscribers of the first secure group, the method comprising:
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at a portable key variable loader; maintaining lists of a plurality of secure groups, their group identifiers, their currently authorized subscribers, and each group'"'"'s associated security information, the security information including keys and encryption algorithms associated with each secure group; downloading a device identifier of a communication device through a first short range connection connecting the communication device and the key variable loader; associating the downloaded device identifier with a first secure group out of the plurality of secure groups maintained at the portable key variable loader; transmitting a first key to the communication device through a second short range connection connecting the communication device and the key variable loader for use in securing communications between currently authorized subscribers in the first group; and transmitting a particular list of currently authorized subscribers of the first secure group out of the plurality of lists of secure groups maintained at the key variable loader to the communication device; and at the communication device, further transmitting the first key to at least some subscribers set forth in the particular list of currently authorized subscribers of the first secure group over a wireless connection for use in securing communications between currently authorized subscribers in the first group. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification