Method for correcting subscriber-based secure call keys
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsEduardo Gonzalez, John M. Gilbert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A key variable correction scheme allows errored encryption key material in mobile and portables radios to be quickly identified and corrected. The errored encryption material can be corrected automatically by a key management controller, once detected. Consequently, a mismatch problem can be diagnosed and resolved in a manner which is automatic, therefore quick and efficient, and in a way which overcomes the difficulty which users have in identifying by themselves a mismatch condition since the result is often only silence out of their respective radio speaker. Once the mismatch is corrected by the reassignment of correct keys, the user is free to join the radio call already in progress.
Claims18
In a wireless communication system including a plurality of RF sites, a key management controller (KMC) and at least one transmitting radio and one problem receiving radio, a method for automatically correcting an erroneous encryption key variable stored in a memory in the problem receiving radio, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, by the problem radio, an indication from the transmitting radio for secure communications therebetween including receiving a logical ID uniquely identifying a secure key variable to be used in the communication;
- comparing, by the problem radio, the received logical ID with an expected logical ID stored in the memory of the problem radio;
- when the compared IDs are different, transmitting, by the problem radio, a diagnostic alert to the KMC;
- and
- automatically transmitting, by the KMC, a new encryption key variable to the problem radio.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.