Systems And Methods For Encrypted Mobile Voice Communications

• US 20150072654A1
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CellTrust Corporation
• Original Assignee: CellTrust Corporation
• Inventors: Moshir, Kevin K., Moshir, Sean, Khanban, Ali A., Lindsay, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 9,572,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system for establishing a registration for secure communication between a mobile device and a server includes a server configured to: determine the phone number of the mobile device from which the SMS or MMS message is originated; and verify the phone number of the mobile device originating the SMS or MMS message against a whitelist to authorize a registration between the mobile device and the server. The server can establish an encryption key between the mobile device and the server, which can used to provide or enhance encryption of a voice communication, such as a VoIP communication, made using the mobile device. The server can renew the encryption key based on one or more policies determined by an administrator. The server can be configured to verify a secure identification code that is input at the mobile device and which can be provided to a user of the mobile device before the mobile device is registered with the server.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a registration for secure communication between a mobile device and a server, the system comprising:

a server configured to;

receive a short messaging service (SMS) or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message originated from a mobile device;

determine the phone number of the mobile device from which the SMS or MMS message is originated; and

verify the phone number of the mobile device originating the SMS or MMS message against a whitelist to authorize a registration between the mobile device and the server.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is configured to take one or more affirmative steps to facilitate routing of one or more messages between the mobile device and the server.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is configured to:

measure network conditions of a mobile phone network used by the mobile device; and

based on the measured network conditions, select a suitable codec for handling at least one of secure calls, conferencing, video, audio, multimedia and streaming on the mobile phone network.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is configured to verify a secure identification code that is input at the mobile device and wherein the secure identification code is provided to a user of the mobile device before the mobile device is registered with the server.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the secure identification code is provided to the user via an administrator of the server.

2. The system of claim wherein the server is configured to establish an encryption key between the mobile device and the server.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the encryption key is used to provide or enhance encryption of a voice communication made using the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the voice communication is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the server is configured to renew the encryption key based on one or more policies determined by an administrator of the server.

8. A system for establishing a registration between a server and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application on a mobile device having an associated phone number, the system comprising:

a mobile device is configured to;

use a server encryption key to encrypt registration information, wherein the registration information includes at least one of an encryption key for a VoIP application and a secure identification code known to a server and provided to a user of the mobile device; and

use a short messaging service (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message to send the encrypted registration information from the mobile device to the server, wherein the SMS or MMS message is originated at the mobile device and provides to the server the telephone number associated with the mobile device for comparison to telephone numbers known to the server;

whereby the encrypted registration information can be decrypted at the server.

9. The system of claim of 8 wherein the encryption is symmetric or asymmetric encryption.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the secure identification code is provided to the user of the mobile device via an administrator of the server.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the server is configured to verify at least one of the secure identification code and phone number associated with the mobile device and to send to the mobile device an encryption key for communication between the server and the VoIP application on the mobile device.

12. A system of secure mobile voice communication over a mobile phone network, the system comprising:

a server configured to communicate with a mobile device, wherein;

the mobile device is configured to send a short messaging service (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message to the server, wherein the SMS or MMS message is originated at the mobile device and thereby provides the phone number of the mobile device to the server so that it can be compared against a whitelist to authenticate the mobile device; and

the server is configured to establish an encryption key for the purpose of communication between the voice communication application on the mobile device and the server.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the voice communication application comprises a VoIP application.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is configured to send to the server a secure identification code associated with the user and the server is configured to use secure identification code to authenticate the user.

15. A system for establishing a registration for secure communication between a server and an application on a mobile device, the system comprising:

a software module configured to run as an application on a mobile device, wherein the mobile device has an associated phone number and the software module is configured to encrypt an SMS message or an MMS message via an encryption;

wherein the application is configured to create registration information including at least one of a secure identification code and an encryption key for encrypted communication between a server and the application;

wherein the mobile device, is configured to send to the server a first short messaging service (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message originated by the mobile device and to thereby reveal the phone number to the server;

wherein the server is configured to verify the phone number of the mobile device originating the SMS or MMS message against a whitelist to authorize a registration between the mobile device and the server;

wherein the mobile device is configured to, if the registration is authorized, receive a code sent by the server to the application on the mobile device via a second SMS message or MMS message; and

wherein the mobile device is configured to, without user intervention, extract the code from the second SMS or MMS message and send at least one of the registration information and the code to the server.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the registration information includes an encryption key for encrypting the second SMS or MMS message before being sent by the server.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the application is configured to use a server public key to encrypt the registration information and the server is configured to decrypt the registration information using a server private key.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the application is downloaded to the mobile device via a mobile network.

21. A system for VoIP communication over a mobile phone network, the system comprising:

a server configured to communicate with a mobile device having a VoIP application on the mobile device;

wherein the server is configured to send a message to the mobile device when there is a phone call waiting to connect to the mobile device;

wherein the message comprises at least one of a short messaging service (SMS) message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message and a push notification; and

wherein the message includes information to cause the mobile device to contact the server to receive the phone call.