EP0553553A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Security node in switched telecommunication network
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1992-12-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-12-04
Abstract
Abstract A security node (150) disposed in the telecommunications network (156) connecting calling (101) and called (102) parties transforms information (which can be voice, data, facsimile, video and other types of calls or messages) encrypted in a first format to (a) encrypted information in a different format or to (b) non-encrypted information, and vice-versa. The node is accessible from any location connected to the network. By routing calls or messages originated by the calling party (101) and destined for the called party (102) via the security node (150), and providing appropriate control signals to the node, the information may be encrypted only over a portion of the transmission path between the parties, and clear over the remainder of the transmission path. Alternatively, the information may be encrypted in different portions of the path using different encryption algorithms. This arrangement enables the parties to obtain relatively secure communications even if only one party has a security device at the originating or terminating end, or if the parties have security devices using different handshaking protocols and encryption algorithms.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew Frederick Bulfer
- 👤 Michael M. Kaplan
- 👤 Bruce E. Mcnair
- 👤 Carol Ann Wegrzynowicz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:17
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04K; H04K1/00; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S379/00; Y10S379/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A system enabling communications between a calling party and a called party via a call path which includes a switched telecommunications network, said system comprising customer premise equipment for applying encrypted information originated by said calling party and destined for said called party, to said telecommunications network, and a security node disposed in said switched telecommunications network arranged to decrypt said encrypted information received from said customer premise equipment before said information is communicated to said called party in non-encrypted form, whereby communications over at least a portion of said call path are encrypted and communications over the remainder of said call path are clear.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said security node includes a switch; a plurality of decryptors; and means for controlling said switch to route said encrypted information to a particular one of said decryptors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said controlling means includes a database; means for determining the particular type of encryption used in said customer premise equipment; and means for retrieving information stored in said database associating each of said encryption types with particular ones of said decryptors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A security node disposed within a switched telecommunications network, comprising means for receiving encrypted information from a calling party, means for routing said encrypted information through a decryptor to generate corresponding clear information, and means for transmitting said clear information to said called party.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
105 words
A system enabling communications between a calling party and a called party via a call path which includes a switched telecommunications network, said system comprising customer premise equipment for applying non-encrypted information originated by said calling party and destined for said called party, to said telecommunications network, and a security node disposed in said switched telecommunications network arranged to encrypt said non-encrypted information received from said customer premise equipment before said information is communicated to said called party in encrypted form, whereby communications over at least a portion of said call path are encrypted and communications over the remainder of said call path are non-encrypted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said security node includes a switch; a plurality of encryptors; and means for controlling said switch to route said non-encrypted information to a particular one of said encryptors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said controlling means includes a database; means for determining the particular type of encryption used by said called party; and means for retrieving information stored in said database associating each of said encryption types with particular ones of said encryptors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A security node disposed within a switched telecommunications network, comprising means for receiving non-encrypted information from a calling party, means for routing said non-encrypted information through a selected one of a plurality of encryptors in said security node to generate corresponding encrypted information, and means for transmitting said encrypted information to said called party.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
146 words
A system enabling communications between a calling party and a called party via a call path which includes a switched telecommunications network, said system comprising first customer premise equipment for applying encrypted information originated by said calling party and destined for said called party, to said telecommunications network, a security node disposed in said switched telecommunications network arranged to convert information received from said customer premise equipment using a first encryption algorithm to information encrypted using a second encryption algorithm different from said first encryption algorithm, and second customer premise equipment for receiving converted information in encrypted form destined from said security node to said called party, whereby communications over at least a first portion of said call path are encrypted using said first encryption algorithm and wherein communications over at least a second portion of said call path are encrypted using said second encryption algorithm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention defined in claim 9 wherein said security node includes a switch; a plurality of encryptors and decryptors; and means for controlling said switch to route said encrypted information through particular ones of said decryptors and encryptors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said controlling means includes a database; means for determining the particular types of encryption used in said first and second customer premise equipment; and means for retrieving information stored in said database associating each of said encryption types with particular ones of said encryptors and decryptors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
A security node disposed within a switched telecommunications network, comprising means for reciving information from a calling party, said information being encrypted using a first encryption format, means for routing said encrypted information through a decryptor to generate corresponding clear information, means for routing said corresponding clear information through an encryptor to generate encrypted information using a second encryption format, and means for transmitting said encrypted information to said called party.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
A security node for processing encrypted communications routed through a switched telecommunications system, said security node comprising a plurality of encryptors of different types, each encryptor being arranged to encrypt/decrypt communications using a different encryption/decryption algorithm; a PBX arranged to route an incoming communication to one of a plurality of hunt groups in response to a signaling message provided to said PBX, whereby a communication routed to any of said hunt groups is connected to an available one of said encryptors of a particular type; and means for providing said signaling message to said PBX in accordance with the particular encryption/decryption algorithm used by said incoming communication.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
108 words
A communication method for communicating between a calling party and a called party via a call path which includes a switched telecommunications network said method comprising the steps of applying encrypted information originated by said calling party in customer premise equipment and destined for said called party, to said telecommunications network, and decrypting said encrypted information received from said customer premise equipment in a security node disposed in said switched telecommunications network before said information is communicated to said called party in non-encrypted form, whereby communications over at least a portion of said call path are encrypted and communications over the remainder of said call path are clear.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 14 wherein said security node includes a switch and a plurality of decryptors, and wherein said method further includes the step of controlling said switch to route said encrypted information to a particular one of said decryptors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 15 wherein said controlling step includes: determining the particular type of encryption used in said customer premise equipment; and retrieving information stored in a database associating each of said encryption types with particular ones of said decryptors.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of providing security functions within a switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of receiving encrypted information from a calling party in a security node disposed within said network; routing said encrypted information through a decryptor in said node to generate corresponding clear information; and transmitting said clear information from said node to said called party.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
109 words
A method for enabling communications between a calling party and a called party via a call path which includes a switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of applying non-encrypted information originated by said calling party and destined for said called party, to said telecommunications network from first customer premise equipment, and encrypting said non-encrypted information received from said first customer premise equipment in a security node disposed in said switched telecommunications network before said information is communicated to said called party in encrypted form, whereby communications over at least a first portion of said call path are non-encrypted and communications over the remainder of said call path are encrypted.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of providing security within a switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of receiving information from a calling party using a particular type of encryption in a security node disposed within said network; routing said encrypted information through an appropriate one of a plurality of decryptors in said security node arranged to generate corresponding clear information; and transmitting said clear information from said node to said called party.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for processing encrypted communications routed through a switched telecommunications system, said method comprising the steps of applying said encrypted communications to a PBX; routing said communications through said PBX one of a plurality of encryptors of different types, each encryptor being arranged to encrypt/decrypt communications using a different encryption/decryption algorithm; routing an incoming communication to one of a plurality of hunt groups in a PBX in response to a signaling message provided to said PBX, whereby a communication routed to any of said hunt groups is connected to an available one of said encryptors of a particular type; and providing said signaling message to said PBX in accordance with the particular encryption/decryption algorithm used by said incoming communication.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of providing secure communications between a calling party and a called party, comprising the steps of establishing a clear communications path in a telecommunications network connecting said calling party and said called party, monitoring said communications path to detect a signal indicative of a desire by one of said parties to begin secure communications; and converting communications in at least a portion of said communication path from clear to secure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention defined in Claim 21 wherein said establishing step includes routing a call from said calling party to said called party via an intelligent switch disposed in said telecommunications network, and said converting step includes controlling said intelligent switch to insert selected encryption apparatus in said communication path compatible with associated encryption apparatus used by said one party.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention defined in Claim 22 wherein said method further includes the steps of querying said one party to identify the type of encryption algorithm used in said associated encryption apparatus; and choosing said selected encryption apparatus in accordance with the response to said query.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method defined in Claim 21 further including the steps of monitoring said communications path to detect a signal indicative of a desire by the other one of said parties to provide secure communications; and converting communications in the remainder of said communication path from clear to secure.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention defined in Claim 24 wherein said establishing step includes routing a call from said calling party to said called party via an intelligent switch disposed in said telecommunications network, and said converting steps each include controlling said intelligent switch to insert selected encryption apparatus in said communication path compatible with associated encryption apparatus used by said parties.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4972479A
Cited
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