Fraud detection and user validation system for mobile earth terminal communication device

In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a satellite interface system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite and the satellite interface system, a fraud prevention system for preventing a mobile communication system from fraudulently commissioning in the satellite communication system, comprising:

• a mobile communication system requesting for a user to become a subscriber in a communication system, generating a first input signal by the mobile communication system, and transmitting the first input signal;
• a central controller for the communication system responsively connected to said mobile communication system, receiving the first input signal from said mobile communication system, generating a first security key having a first component using a data encryption algorithm, the data encryption algorithm using the first input signal and a second input signal generated by a random number generator in said central controller, generating a third input signal responsive to the first input signal confirming receipt of the first input signal, and transmitting the third input signal to the mobile communication system,
• wherein the mobile communication system receives the third input signal from the central controller, generates a second security key having a second component using the data encryption algorithm using, the data encryption algorithm the first input signal and the second input signal independently generated in the mobile communication system, and
• wherein the central controller verifies that the mobile communication system is commissioned as a valid subscriber to be eligible for subsequent authentication in the communication system responsive to a comparison of the first component of the first security key with the second component of the second security key.

In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a satellite interface system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite and the satellite interface system, the mobile communication system comprising:

• a user interface system providing a user interface through which a user has access to services supported by the mobile satellite system;
• an antenna system providing an interface between the mobile communication system and the mobile satellite system via the satellite interface system, and receiving a first satellite message from the satellite and transmitting a second satellite message to the satellite, said antenna system including
• an antenna including one of a directional and an omnidirectional configuration, a diplexer, a low noise amplifier, a beam steering unit when said antenna is of the directional configuration, and at least one of a compass and sensor to determine vehicle orientation,
• a transceiver system, operatively connected to said antenna system, including a receiver and a transmitter,
• the transmitter converting the second satellite message including at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling signals into a modulated signal, transmitting the modulated signal to said antenna system, the transmitter including an amplifier, a first converter and associated first frequency synthesizer, a modulator, an encoder, multiplexer, scrambler and frame formatter for at least one of voice, fax, and data,
• the receiver accepting the first satellite message from the antenna system and converting the first satellite message into at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling signals, at least one of the voice, data and fax signals routed to the user interface system, the receiver including a second converter with an associated second frequency synthesizer, a demodulator, a decoder, demultiplexer, descrambler and frame deformatter for at least one of voice, fax, and data;
• a logic and signaling system, operatively connected to said transceiver, controlling initialization of the mobile communication system, obtaining an assigned outbound signaling channel from which updated system information and commands and messages are received, said logic and signaling system configuring said transceiver for reception and transmission of at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling messages, and controlling protocols between the mobile communication system and the mobile satellite system, and validating a received signalling messages and generating codes for a signaling message to be transmitted,
• wherein the mobile communication system requests for a user to become a subscriber in the satellite communication system, and generates and transmits a first input signal,
• wherein the central controller receives the first input signal from the mobile communication system, generates a first security key having a first component using a data encryption algorithm, the data encryption algorithm using the first input signal and a second input signal generated by a random number generator in the central controller, generates a third input signal responsive to the first input signal confirming receipt of the first input signal, and transmits the third input signal to the mobile communication system,
• wherein the mobile communication system receives the third input signal from the central controller, generates a second security key having a second component using the data encryption algorithm, the data encryption algorithm using the first input signal and the second input signal independently generated in the mobile communication system, and
• wherein the central controller verifies that the mobile communication system is commissioned as a valid subscriber to be eligible for subsequent authentication in the communication system responsive to a comparison of the first component of the first security key with the second component of the second security key.

In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a satellite interface system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite and the satellite interface system, a method of preventing a mobile communication system from fraudulently commissioning in the satellite communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) requesting, by a user, to become a subscriber in a communication system;
• (b) generating a first input signal by the mobile communication system including an FTIN KEY data signal;
• (c) transmitting the first input signal from the mobile communication system to the central controller;
• (d) generating a first security key in the central controller using a data encryption algorithm using the first input signal including the FTIN KEY data signal and a second input signal including a SASK data signal generated by a random number generator;
• (e) generating a third input signal responsive to the first input signal confirming receipt of the first input signal by the central controller;
• (f) transmitting the controller t signal from the central controller to the mobile communication system responsive to said transmitting step (c);
• (g) generating a second security key in the mobile communication system using the data encryption algorithm using the first input signal and the second input signal including the FTIN KEY and the SASK data signals, the second input signal including the SASK data signals independently generated in the mobile communication system;
• and
• (h) verifying and commissioning by the central controller when the mobile communication system initiates a first communication that the mobile communication system is authorized to utilize the communication system responsive to a comparison of the first security key with the second security key generated by the central controller and the mobile communication system.