Extended trusted security zone radio modem

• US 8,649,770 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cope, Warren B., Paczkowski, Lyle W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Gutirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/540,437
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A cellular wireless modem. The cellular wireless modem comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a short range communication interface, a processor, wherein the processor comprises a trusted security zone, a memory, wherein the memory stores an input forwarding application, and a trusted security zone extension application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the extension application provisions the input forwarding application to an intelligent appliance via the short range communication interface, receives input from the input forwarding application executing on the intelligent appliance via the short range communication interface, and transmits a message based on the input via the cellular radio transceiver.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

coupling a cellular wireless modem to an intelligent appliance, wherein the intelligent appliance has a processor and a user interface input device;

transmitting a trusted security zone extension application from the cellular wireless modem to the intelligent appliance;

executing the trusted security zone extension application at a ring 0 level of the processor of the intelligent appliance;

blocking access to the user interface input device by an application executing above the ring 0 level of the processor of the intelligent application, wherein the blocking access is performed by the trusted security zone extension application;

transmitting an input received by the user interface input device to the cellular wireless modem, wherein the transmitting the input is performed by the trusted security zone extension application; and

transmitting a cellular wireless message by the cellular wireless modem, where the message is based on the input received by the user interface input device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless message is communicated via one of a code division multiple access (CDMA), a global system for mobile communications (GSM), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), or a long term evolution (LTE) wireless communication protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the cellular wireless modem to the intelligent appliance comprises establishing a WiFi wireless link between the cellular wireless modem and the intelligent appliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the cellular wireless modem to the intelligent appliance comprises establishing a wired link between the cellular wireless modem and the intelligent appliance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless modem comprises a trusted security zone, and wherein transmitting the trusted security zone extension application to the intelligent appliance and transmitting the cellular wireless message is performed by the trusted security zone of the cellular wireless modem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent appliance is one of a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a printer, or a refrigerator.

7. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

coupling a cellular wireless modem to an intelligent appliance, wherein the intelligent appliance has a processor and a user interface input device;

provisioning a trusted security zone extension application on the intelligent appliance;

executing the trusted security zone extension application at a ring 0 level of the processor of the intelligent appliance;

blocking access to the user interface input device by an application executing above the ring 0 level of the processor of the intelligent application, wherein the blocking access is performed by the trusted security zone extension application; and

transmitting a cellular wireless message by the cellular wireless modem, wherein the message is based on input from the user interface input device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising de-provisioning the trusted security zone extension application from the intelligent appliance.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the cellular wireless message comprises confidential information based on the input from the user interface input device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cellular wireless message is transmitted to an on-line store.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the cellular wireless modem comprises a trusted security zone.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein coupling the cellular wireless modem to the intelligent appliance comprises establishing a WiFi wireless link or a wired link between the cellular wireless modem and the intelligent appliance.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the intelligent appliance is one of a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a printer, or a refrigerator.

14. A cellular wireless modem, comprising:

a cellular radio transceiver;

a short range communication interface;

a processor, wherein the processor comprises a trusted security zone;

a memory, wherein the memory stores an input forwarding application; and

a trusted security zone extension application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor,

provisions the input forwarding application to an intelligent appliance via the short range communication interface,

receives input from the input forwarding application executing at a ring 0 level of the processor on the intelligent appliance via the short range communication interface,

blocks access to a user interface input device of the intelligent appliance by an application executing above the ring 0 level of the processor of the intelligent application, and

transmits a message based on the input via the cellular radio transceiver.

15. The cellular wireless modem of claim 14, wherein the cellular radio transceiver communicates based on one of a code division multiple access (CDMA), a global system for mobile communications (GSM), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), or a long term evolution (LTE) wireless communication protocol.

16. The cellular wireless modem of claim 14, wherein the short range communication interface is one of a WiFi radio transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a wired serial communication interface, or a wired parallel communication interface.

17. The cellular wireless modem of claim 14, wherein the trusted security zone extension application is stored in a portion of the memory accessible only by the trusted security zone and wherein the trusted security zone extension application is executed only by the trusted security zone.

18. The cellular wireless modem of claim 14, wherein the message transmitted by the trusted security zone extension application comprises confidential information.

19. The cellular wireless modem of claim 18, wherein the confidential information comprises payment account information.

20. The cellular wireless modem of claim 18, wherein the confidential information comprises individual health information.