Methods and apparatus of over-the-air programming of a wireless unit

• US 7,599,681 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Link, Charles M. II, Hardin, Stephen Thomas, Klenzak, Megan Koch
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US11/611,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20070082655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455418-420, 380/247, 380/249, 713168-176
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for secure over-the-air (OTA) programming, and particularly, activation, of a wireless unit in a particular communications system. The unit stores a stored key having been generated by using a key algorithm (K-algorithm) with an identifier associated with the unit as an input to the K-algorithm. The unit may receive information such as parameters and a verification number from a communications system for the purpose of programming the unit. The verification number is generated by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) having the parameters and a key as A-algorithm inputs. They key is generated by the K-algorithm having the identifier associated with the K-algorithm input. In response to the receipt of the parameters and the verification number, the wireless unit generates a trial verification number by using the A-algorithm with the parameters and the stored key as trial inputs. The unit compares the verification number to the trial verification number for a match. When finding the match, the unit uses the parameters for programming of the unit in the particular communications system. When failing to find the match, the unit fails to use the parameters for the programming.

Claims

1. A method for over-the-air (OTA) activation of a wireless unit in a particular communications system, the method comprising:

employing a processor of the wireless unit for executing computer executable instructions to perform the following acts;

storing a key at the wireless unit, the stored key generated by using a key algorithm (K-algorithm) with an identifier associated with the wireless unit as an input to the K-algorithm;

receiving wireless unit parameters and a verification number OTA, the wireless unit parameters including an identification of the particular communications system,

generating the verification number by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) having the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as A-algorithm inputs;

in response to receipt of the wireless unit parameters and the verification number, generating a trial verification number by using the A-algorithm with the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as trial inputs;

comparing the verification number to the trial verification number for a match; and

in response to finding the match, using the wireless unit parameters for activation of the wireless unit in the particular communications system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to failing to find the match, failing to use the wireless unit parameters for the activation of the wireless unit in the particular communications system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless unit parameters comprise numeric assignment module (NAM) parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the wireless unit comprises an electronic serial number (ESN) of the wireless unit.

5. A method to prevent a wireless unit from being programmed over-the-air (OTA), the method comprising:

employing a processor of the wireless unit for executing computer executable instructions to perform the following acts;

storing a key at the wireless unit, the stored key generated by using a key algorithm (K-algorithm) with an identifier associated with the wireless unit as an input to the K-algorithm;

receiving wireless unit parameters and a verification number OTA, the verification number generated by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) having the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as inputs to the A-algorithm;

in response to receiving the wireless unit parameters and verification number OTA, generating a trial verification number by using the A-algorithm with the stored key and the wireless unit parameters as inputs;

comparing the trial verification number with the verification number for a match; and

in response to failing to find the match, blocking programming of the wireless unit to a particular communications system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless unit parameters comprise numeric assignment module (NAM) parameters.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier associated with the wireless unit comprises an electronic serial number (ESN) of the wireless unit.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the programming of the wireless unit comprises activation of the wireless unit in the particular communications system, and wherein blocking the programming of the wireless unit comprises blocking the activation of the wireless unit in the particular communications system.

9. A method for secure over-the-air (OTA) programming of a wireless unit, the method comprising:

employing a processor of the wireless unit for executing computer executable instructions to perform the following acts;

storing a key at the wireless unit, the stored key generated by using a key algorithm (K-algorithm) with an identifier associated with the wireless unit as an input to the K-algorithm;

receiving wireless unit parameters and a verification number OTA, the verification number generated by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) having the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as inputs;

in response to receiving the wireless unit parameters and the verification number, generating a trial verification number, the trial verification number generated by using the A-algorithm with the stored key and the wireless unit parameters as inputs;

comparing the verification number to the trial verification number for a match; and

in response to finding the match, using the wireless unit parameters for programming of the wireless unit for use on a particular communications system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to failing to find the match, blocking the programming of the wireless unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifier associated with the wireless unit comprises an electronic serial number (ESN) of the wireless unit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the stored key is relatively unique to the wireless unit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the K-algorithm generates a deterministic and uncorrelated pseudo-random output.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the stored key is unique to the wireless unit.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless unit parameters comprise numeric assignment module (NAM) parameters.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the programming of the wireless unit comprises activating the wireless unit in the particular communications system, and wherein using the wireless unit parameters for the programming of the wireless unit comprises activating the wireless unit in the particular communications system.

17. A wireless unit that can be programmed over-the-air (OTA) by only a particular service provider, the wireless unit comprising:

a memory for storing a key relatively unique to the wireless unit and for storing wireless unit information, the stored key generated by a K-algorithm having an identifier associated with the wireless unit as an input to the K-algorithm;

a control for receiving wireless unit parameters and a verification number OTA from the particular service provider, the verification number generated by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) with the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as inputs;

a processor being functionally connected to the control and to the memory, and, being configured to, in response to receiving the wireless unit parameters OTA from the particular service provider;

generate a trial verification number by inputting the wireless unit parameters and the stored key into the A-algorithm and

compare the trial verification number to the verification number for a match, and in response to finding the match, store the wireless unit parameters in the memory, whereby the wireless unit can be programmed OTA only by the particular service provider that provides the verification number that results in the match with the trial verification number.

18. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the identifier comprises an electronic serial number (ESN) of the wireless unit.

19. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the wireless unit parameters comprise numeric assignment module (NAM) parameters.

20. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the identifier associated with the wireless unit is an electronic serial number (ESN) of the wireless unit.

21. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the trial verification number is generated by using the authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) with the stored key and the wireless unit parameters as A-algorithm inputs, wherein the wireless unit parameters comprise numeric assignment module (NAM) parameters.

22. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative, in response to failing to find the match, to block storage of the wireless unit parameters.

23. The wireless unit of claim 17, wherein the programming comprises activation of the wireless unit in the particular service provider.