| Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station -> Monitor Keywords |
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Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile stationRelated Patent Categories: Cryptography, Communication System Using Cryptography, Wireless CommunicationMethod for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070147616, Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/827,593 filed Apr. 6, 2001 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/763,970 filed Dec. 10, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,584 issued Jun. 19, 2001. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station in the mobile communication network. [0003] In mobile networks, at least part of the data transmission is wireless communication using radio transmitter and receivers. The radio channel is a physically open resource available to anyone by means of suitable communication equipment. This involves security risks, such as eavesdropping or disclosure of privacy of location. In digital mobile networks, such as GSM networks, digital data transmission is used which is difficult to eavesdrop. Further, it is possible to use identification of the caller and enciphering in data transmission. For preventing eavesdropping in digital mobile networks, enciphering methods have been developed for enciphering the speech and data signals modified in digital form. Moreover, enciphering can be used in the transmission of other information via the radio channel, such as identification data on the mobile station (International Mobile Subscriber Identity, IMSI) and on the location (Location Area Identification, LAI). In the receiver, the enciphered signal is deciphered back to deciphered speech and data. A so-called encryption key and algorithm are advantageously known to the respective sending and receiving devices only, wherein given the effective encryption algorithms presently in use, decoding a coded signal to intelligible speech and data as well as into processing signals of the bit stream by force or illegally, i.e. without the correct encryption key and algorithm, is practically impossible. [0004] The most common digital mobile networks are cellular networks. The base station subsystem (BSS) of the mobile network comprises base transceiver stations (BTS) and base station controllers (BSC). The mobile station (MS) communicates via the radio channel with a base station close to the respective location of the mobile station. The base station communicates with the base station controller. Data transmission between the base station and the base station controller takes place usually via a cable. One base station controller controls over a group of several base stations. The base station controller, in turn, communicates with a mobile services switching centre (MSC). Several mobile services switching centres, in turn, can communicate with each other as well as with a landline communication network centre (PSTN, ISDN). The information to be transmitted is usually divided into frames containing control information, speech and data converted into digital form, and error correction information. The frame structure can have several levels, wherein frames of a higher level are formed by arranging frames of a lower level. Enciphering can be used both with control information and with speech and data. Moreover, enciphering can be realized by using different encryption keys and algorithms at different frame levels. An example of a digital data transmission network is the GSM network, the standard of which contains definitions of the enciphering methods and algorithms to be used. [0005] In the GSM network, making a mobile-originated call is conducted in a way that a GSM mobile station and the GSM system network give signals, i.e. transmit control and identification information required for making a call. In response to a request for a connection, the GSM mobile station is allotted a channel for signalling, if this is possible within the capacity of the GSM system network. On this channel, the GSM mobile station requests speech or data service from the GSM system network. On the side of the GSM system network, this request is transmitted to a mobile services switching centre (MSC), where the rights of the GSM subscriber are checked from a visitor location register (VLR). [0006] Upon a mobile-terminated call e.g. from a subscription of a landline telephone network, the operator of the telephone network transmits e.g. the number of the receiving telephone to the mobile services switching centre. The mobile services switching centre finds out the rights of the GSM subscriber from the home location register (HLR) and from the visitor location register (VLR). After this, the GSM system network and the GSM mobile station transmit the control and identification information required for making a call. [0007] Depending on the implementation and the configuration of the parameters, the visitor location register VLR can make a request via the mobile services switching centre to the GSM mobile station for exchange of identification information and start of enciphering. This request is made in a so-called cipher mode command message. It is, however, possible to make a call also without exchange of identification information and enciphering. In other words, the call is either enciphered or not enciphered depending on the network parameters set by the GSM system network operator. [0008] In most common mobile communication networks currently available, however, enciphering is not optional to a user of the mobile communication network but usually an alternative function offered by the operator of the mobile network, wherein when current wireless data transmission equipment is used, the user has no certainty whether the data transmission is enciphered or not. Particularly when the mobile station is moving, the mobile station can be transferred from the area of one base station system to the area of another base station system, wherein the cipher mode of data transmission can be changed. SUMMARY [0009] One purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages described above and to provide a method for indicating enciphering of data transmission to the user of the mobile communication network. The invention is based on the idea that control signals used in data transmission between a mobile network and a mobile station are monitored and when a control signal for enciphering is detected, the cipher mode is signalled with a cipher mode indicator connected to the mobile station. The method of the invention is characterized in that signals transferred between a mobile communication network and a mobile station are monitored, and on the basis of the signal monitored, the cipher mode is indicated to the user of the mobile station. [0010] The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the apparatus comprises means for monitoring signals transferred between a mobile communication network and a mobile station, and means for indicating the cipher mode to the user of the mobile station. [0011] The invention gives significant advantages. Using the method of the invention, the user of a data transmission device is always aware of whether the data transmission is enciphered or not. Further, by using the method of the invention, it is possible to indicate a possible change in the cipher mode during the data transmission to the user of the data transmission device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0012] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings, [0013] FIG. 1a shows the call set-up signals during a mobile-originated call in the GSM mobile communication network, [0014] FIG. 1b shows the call set-up signals during a mobile-terminated call in the GSM mobile communication network, [0015] FIG. 2 is a signal chart showing detection of the cipher mode by the principle of interrupting, [0016] FIG. 3 is a signal chart showing an enquiry about the cipher mode, [0017] FIG. 4 is a signal chart showing detection of the cipher mode when enquiries at regular intervals are used, [0018] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the location of the most essential blocks of a cipher mode indicating device in a mobile station according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, [0019] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the implementation of a cipher mode indicating device in connection with a mobile station and a data processor, [0020] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a situation where a data transmission connection is formed between two mobile stations, and Continue reading about Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station... Full patent description for Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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