Systems and methods for encrypted mobile voice communications

• US 8,862,129 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CellTrust Corporation
• Original Assignee: CellTrust Corporation
• Inventors: Moshir, Sean, Moshir, Kevin, Lindsay, Joshua, Khanban, Ali A
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/775,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.11, 455/435.1, 455/466, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• 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 9/27 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 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• 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 method of establishing a registration between a mobile device and a server includes receiving at the server an SMS or MMS from a mobile device. The server receives the phone number of the mobile device, verifies the phone number of the mobile device against a whitelist to authorize a registration between the mobile device and the server, and verifies a secure identification code that is input at the mobile device. The secure identification code is provided to a user of the mobile phone before the mobile device is registered with the server. The secure identification code can be provided to the user via an administrator of the server. An encryption key established between the mobile device and the server can be used to provide or enhance encryption of a voice communication, such as a VoIP communication, made using the mobile device.

Claims

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

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

with the server, determining the phone number of the mobile device from which the SMS or MMS message is originated; and

with the server, verifying 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.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing an encryption key between the mobile device and the server.

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

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising renewing the encryption key based on one or more policies determined by an administrator of the server.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of taking one or more affirmative steps to facilitate routing of one or more messages between the mobile device and the server.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

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

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

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

with the server, verifying a secure identification code that is input at the mobile device, wherein the secure identification code is provided to a user of the mobile device before the mobile device is registered with the server.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the secure identification code is provided to the user via an administrator of the server.

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

at a mobile device, using 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 the server and provided to a user of the mobile device; and

using 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 thereby provides to the server the telephone number associated with the mobile device for comparison to telephone numbers known to the server;

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

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

10. The method 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 method of claim 8 further comprising:

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

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

using a mobile device to send a short messaging service (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message to a 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

establishing an encryption key for the purpose of communication between the voice communication application on the mobile device and the server.

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

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

using the mobile device to send to the server a secure identification code associated with the user, wherein the secure identification code is used at the server to authenticate the user.

14. A system for secure mobile voice communication, the system comprising:

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

a gateway comprising a server computer configured to communicate with the mobile device, wherein the gateway is configured to receive the encrypted message from the mobile device and to determine a phone number of the mobile device from the SMS or MMS message originated by the mobile device;

wherein the software module on the mobile device is configured to register with the gateway;

wherein the registration with the gateway comprises at least one of the phone number of the mobile device being a member of a whitelist and configuring the software module with a unique identification code provided to a user for input to the gateway via the mobile device;

wherein the whitelist comprises a list of mobile device phone numbers authorized to be registered with the gateway; and

wherein the gateway and software module exchange an encryption key for voice communication between the gateway and the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the encryption comprises at least one of symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a network manager for measuring one or more network conditions on the mobile phone network, wherein the network manager is configured to select a codec based on the one or more measured network conditions and the codec is suitable for handling at least one of secure calls, conferencing, video, audio, multimedia and streaming on the mobile phone network.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the voice communication is VoIP communication.

18. A method of establishing a registration for secure communication between a server and an application on a mobile device, wherein the mobile device has an associated phone number, the method comprising:

with the application, creating registration information including at least one of an encryption key for encrypted communication between server and the application and a secure identification code;

with the mobile device, sending to the server a first short messaging service (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message originated by the mobile device and thereby revealing the phone number to the server;

with the server, verifying 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;

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

without user intervention, extracting the code from the second SMS or MMS message and sending at least one of the registration information and the code from the mobile device to the server.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the registration information includes an encryption key for encrypting the second SMS or MMS message before being sent by the server.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

with the application, using a server public key to encrypt the registration information;

wherein the server can decrypt the registration information using a server private key.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the application is downloaded to the mobile device via a mobile network.