Preventing clone device registration in a wireless communication system

• US 8,977,260 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Choi, Heesook, Dawson, Travis Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US12/759,843
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 4554321-4353, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods that prevent clone devices from registering with a wireless communication network. In a particular embodiment, a wireless device exchanges communications with a wireless communication network during an initial period of time. The wireless device transfers an initial location of the wireless device during the initial period of time to an authorization system for the wireless communication network. During a second period of time, the wireless device transfers a registration request indicating a confirmation location and a location of the wireless device during the second period of time to the authorization system. The authorization system processes the registration request to validate the confirmation location based on the initial location. If the confirmation location is validated based on the initial location, then the authorization system allows the wireless device to access the wireless communication network during the second period of time.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless communication system comprising:

exchanging communications between a wireless device and a wireless communication network during an initial period of time;

transferring an initial location of the wireless device during the initial period of time and an initial random number from the wireless device to an authorization system for the wireless communication network;

storing the initial location in the wireless device as a confirmation location;

during the second period of time, transferring a registration request indicating the confirmation location, a confirmation number, a second random number, and a location of the wireless device during the second period of time from the wireless device to the authorization system;

in the authorization system, processing the registration request to validate the confirmation location based on the initial location by determining whether the confirmation location matches the initial location and to validate the confirmation number based on the initial random number; and

if the confirmation location is validated based on the initial location and the confirmation number is validated based on the initial random number, allowing the wireless device to register with the wireless communication network during the second period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during a third period of time, transferring a second registration request indicating a second confirmation location and a location of the wireless device during the third period of time from the wireless device to the authorization system;

in the authorization system, processing the second registration request to validate the second confirmation location based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time; and

if the second confirmation location is validated based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time, allowing the wireless device to register with the wireless communication network during the third period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial location, the initial random number, and the registration request are encrypted before transference to the authorization system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the encryption uses Shared Secret Data (SSD) A.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein SSD_A is derived from the Cellular Authentication and Voice Encryption (CAVE) algorithm with an authentication key shared by the wireless device and the authentication system, a random SSD number (RAND_SSD) provided to the wireless device by the authorization system, and an electronic serial number for the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration request is encrypted using the confirmation number and the confirmation location before transference to the authorization system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial location and the location of the wireless device during the second period of time is determined by obtaining the Global Positioning System coordinates of the wireless device.

8. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless device configured to exchange communications with a wireless communication network during an initial period of time, transfer an initial location of the wireless device during the initial period of time and an initial random number to an authorization system for the wireless communication network, store the initial location in the wireless device for use during a second period of time as a confirmation location, and during the second period of time, transfer a registration request indicating the confirmation location, a confirmation number, a second random number, and a location of the wireless device during the second period of time to the authorization system;

the authorization system configured to process the registration request to validate the confirmation location based on the initial location by determining whether the confirmation location matches the initial location, validate the confirmation number based on the initial random number, and, if the confirmation location is validated based on the initial location and the confirmation number is validated based on the initial random number, allow the wireless device to register with the wireless communication network during the second period of time.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 8 further comprising:

the wireless device further configured to, during a third period of time, transfer a second registration request indicating a second confirmation location and a location of the wireless device during the third period of time to the authorization system;

the authorization system further configured to process the second registration request to validate the second confirmation location based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time and, if the second confirmation location is validated based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time, allow the wireless device to register with the wireless communication network during the third period of time.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 8 wherein the initial location, the initial random number, and the registration request are encrypted before transference to the authorization system.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 10 wherein the encryption uses Shared Secret Data (SSD) A.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11 wherein SSD_A is derived from the Cellular Authentication and Voice Encryption (CAVE) algorithm with an authentication key shared by the wireless device and the authentication system, a random SSD number (RAND_SSD) provided to the wireless device by the authorization system, and an electronic serial number for the wireless device.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 8 wherein the registration request is encrypted using the confirmation number and the confirmation location before transference to the authorization system.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 8 further comprising:

the wireless device further configured to determine the initial location and the location of the wireless device during the second period of time by obtaining the Global Positioning System coordinates of the wireless device.

15. An authorization system for a wireless communication network comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive an initial location of a wireless device during an initial period of time and an initial random number, wherein the wireless device is exchanging communications with the wireless communication network during the initial period of time and stores the initial location in the wireless device for use during a second period of time as a confirmation location, and receive a registration request during the second period of time from the wireless device indicating the confirmation location, a confirmation number, a second random number, and a location of the wireless device during the second period of time;

a processing system configured to process the registration request to validate the confirmation location based on the initial location by determining whether the confirmation location matches the initial location, validate the confirmation number based on the initial random number, and, if the confirmation location is validated based on the initial location and the confirmation number is validated based on the initial random number, allow the wireless device to register with the wireless communication network during the second period of time.

16. The authorization system of claim 15 further comprising:

the communication interface further configured to receive a second registration request during a third period of time from the wireless device indicating a second confirmation location and a location of the wireless device during the third period of time;

the processing system further configured to process the second registration request to validate the second confirmation location based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time and, if the second confirmation location is validated based on the location of the wireless device during the second period of time, allow the wireless device to register with the wireless communication system during the third period of time.