Secure networked system for controlling mobile access to encrypted data services

• US 20050154795A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Behrens, Grit, Kuz, Volker, Behrens, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A networked system for controlling the mobile access to a data service, which may provide encrypted data, is presented. The system may include a mobile device and a mobile access control server, which controls the mobile device'"'"'s access to the data service by controlling the access information required to access the data service. The system may also include a content server that provides the data service, a certification authority, and a network for enabling communication among the components of the system. To access encrypted data services, the mobile device communicates an access request to the mobile access control server, which determines whether access should be granted, and provides access information to the mobile device, enabling the mobile device to establish encrypted communication with the content server and/or to decrypt the encrypted data provided by the data service via the content server.

Claims

1. A method for controlling mobile access to a data service in a system comprising a mobile device, a content server providing the data service using data in encrypted form, and an access control server, the method comprising:

the mobile device requesting access to the data service at the access control server;

the access control server determining whether the mobile device is allowed to access the data service; and

if the access control server has determined that the mobile device is allowed to access the data service, the access control server providing access information related to the data service to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device uses the access information to access the data service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the mobile device receiving the data service from the content server using the access information received from the access control server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the mobile device establishing an encrypted connection with the content server using the access information received from the access control server, and exchanging encrypted connection data related to the data service with the content server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the mobile device determining whether the access information is stored in the mobile device, and if the access information is stored in the mobile device, accessing the data service using the access information.

5. The method of claims 1, further comprising the access control server determining whether the access information is stored at the access control server, and if the access information is not stored at the access control server, requesting the access information from the content server.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the access control server receiving and storing the access information received from the content server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the access control server determining whether the access information is stored at the access control server, and if the access information is not stored at the access control server, requesting the access information from a certificate authority.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the access control server receiving and storing the access information received from the certificate authority.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access control server providing access information related to the data service to the mobile device comprises transmitting a message from the access control server to the mobile device indicating a location at the access control server from which the access information may be obtained by the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing access information to the mobile device further comprises:

the mobile device requesting the access information from the access control server at the location indicated in the message, and

the access control server transmitting the access information to the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting a timer upon requesting access to the data service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing access information related to the data service to the mobile device further includes the mobile device requesting the access information from the access control server upon expiry of the timer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device requesting access to the data service includes the mobile device communicating an access request that includes the data service to which access is requested.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device requesting access to the data service includes the mobile device communicating an access request that includes an identifier that uniquely identifies the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the access information includes a certificate.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the data service includes an encrypted broadcast service.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the access information is a session key, and the mobile device uses the session key to decrypt the encrypted broadcast service.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the data service to a user of the mobile device via a browser application.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the mobile device storing the access information in a memory.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising restarting the browser application upon storing the access information in the memory.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the mobile device retriggering the request for the data service.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the access control server determines whether the mobile device is allowed to access the data service based on an identifier uniquely identifying the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising the access control server initiating a subscription process for allowing the mobile device to subscribe to the data service.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device accesses the system via an electromagnetic link.

25. A mobile device in a networked system comprising a content server providing a data service, the mobile device and an access control server, wherein the mobile device is adapted to access the data service and be controlled by the access control server.

26. An access control server in a networked system comprising a content server providing a data service, a mobile device and the access control server connected to each other via a network, wherein the access control server is configured to determine whether the mobile device is permitted to access the data service.

27. A networked system for controlling access to a data service, comprising:

a content server configured to provide the data service;

a mobile device configured to request access to the data service; and

an access control server in communication with the mobile device and configured to determine whether the mobile device is permitted to access the data service.