METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING AUTHENTICATION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHILE SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE IS NOT AVAILABLE

• US 20170295490A1
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jolivet, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,225,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing an authentication procedure in a wireless communication system is provided. A mobile equipment, which runs a plurality of applications, detects that a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the mobile equipment is in a first status, in which the UICC is able to answer a request, or a second status, in which the UICC is not able to answer a request. If detected, the mobile equipment stores a first set of authentication credentials in the UICC and a second set of authentication credentials in the mobile equipment, and performs the authentication procedure by using one of the first set of authentication credentials for the first status or the second set of authentication credentials for the second status.

Claims

1. A method for performing, by a mobile equipment, an authentication procedure in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

running a plurality of applications;

detecting that a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the mobile equipment is in a first status, in which the UICC is able to answer a request, or a second status, in which the UICC is not able to answer a request;

if it is detected that the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the first status or the second status, storing a first set of authentication credentials in the UICC and a second set of authentication credentials in the mobile equipment;

performing the authentication procedure by using one of the first set of authentication credentials or the second set of authentication credentials,

setting a timer upon performing the authentication procedure; and

performing a normal authentication procedure when the timer expires upon detecting that the UICC is not in the first status or the second status,

wherein the first set of authentication credentials is used for performing the authentication procedure when the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the first status, and

wherein the second set of authentication credentials is used for performing the authentication procedure when the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the second status.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the timer is initialized with a fixed value by a mobile network operator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the timer sets a longest time for use of the authentication procedure.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting an indicator upon performing the authentication procedure.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a normal authentication procedure based on the indicator upon detecting that the UICC is not in the first status or the second status.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second set of authentication credentials includes at least one of a reference number, a random number, a related result or location security level (LSL) information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the LSL information indicates one of the UICC, a secure storage in the mobile equipment, or a normal storage in the mobile equipment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting the first and second set of authentication credentials upon performing the authentication procedure.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

11. A mobile equipment comprising:

a memory;

a transceiver;

a universal integrated circuit card (UICC); and

a processor coupled to the memory, the transceiver and the UICC, and configured to;

run a plurality of applications;

detect that the UICC is in a first status, in which the UICC is able to answer a request, or a second status, in which the UICC is not able to answer a request;

if it is detected that the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the first status or the second status, store a first set of authentication credentials in the UICC and a second set of authentication credentials in the memory;

perform the authentication procedure by using one of the first set of authentication credentials or the second set of authentication credentials,

set a timer upon performing the authentication procedure; and

perform a normal authentication procedure when the timer expires upon detecting that the UICC is not in the first status or the second status,

wherein the first set of authentication credentials is used for performing the authentication procedure when the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the first status, and

wherein the second set of authentication credentials is used for performing the authentication procedure when the UICC of the mobile equipment is in the second status.

13. The mobile equipment of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to set an indicator upon performing the authentication procedure.

14. The mobile equipment of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second set of authentication credentials includes at least one of a reference number, a random number, a related result or location security level (LSL) information.

15. The mobile equipment of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to delete the first and second set of authentication credentials upon performing the authentication procedure.

12. (canceled)