EP0689316A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for user identification and verification of data packets in a wireless communications network
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-06-14
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for transmitting a data packet over a wireless network with improved security. Each transmitted message includes three segments. A first segment includes information identifying the originator of the message. A second segment includes a digital signature obtained by hashing and encrypting the data to be transmitted. A third segment includes the data packet. Upon receiving the message, a wireless receiving unit uses the information contained in the first segment to retrieve an encryption key and, thereby, identify the originator of the message. The wireless receiving unit then hashes and encrypts the received data packet according to the same hashing and encryption algorithms used to form the digital signature. The resulting encrypted hashed version of the data packet is compared to the received digital signature in order to establish the integrity of the received data packet.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Anton Bednar
- 👤 Diane Roberta Unangst
- 👤 Bruce Edwin Mcnair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/32; H04L9/3236; H04L9/3247; H04L9/40; H04L2209/00; H04L2209/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A wireless communication system comprising: a wireless transmitting unit for transmitting a message via a wireless network, said message comprising: (a) a first segment including identification information; (b) a second segment including a data packet; and (c) a third segment including a digital signature obtained by applying a hashing algorithm and an encryption algorithm to said data packet, where said encryption algorithm uses an encryption key corresponding to said identification information; a wireless network; and a wireless receiving unit comprising: (a) means for receiving said message; (b) a memory unit for storing the encryption key corresponding to said identification information; (c) a hashing unit for hashing said data packet according to said hashing algorithm to form hashed data; (d) an encryption unit for forming encrypted hashed data by applying said encryption algorithm to said hashed data using said encryption key; (e) a comparing unit for comparing said encrypted hashed data to said digital signature; and (f) a processor for controlling the flow of data to and from other components in said wireless receiving unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitting unit comprises: (a) a data entry unit for entering message data, comprising said data packet, into said wireless transmitting unit; (b) a memory unit for storing said encryption key and said identification information; (c) a hashing unit for hashing said data packet according to said hashing algorithm to form hashed information; (d) an encryption unit for forming said digital signature by applying said encryption algorithm to said hashed information; and (e) a processor for controlling the flow of information to and from other components in said wireless transmitting unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the memory unit of said wireless transmitting unit stores the identification information as an electronic serial number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the memory unit in said wireless receiving unit stores said encryption key in a look-up table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the hashing unit in the wireless transmitting unit and the hashing unit in the wireless receiving unit are electronic circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the encryption unit in the wireless transmitting unit and the encryption unit in the wireless receiving unit are electronic circuits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said processor is programmed to disassemble said message data into a plurality of data packets.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of identifying a user of a wireless communication system and verifying the integrity of data transmitted in said communication system, said method comprising the steps of: sending a message via a wireless network, where said message comprises: (a) a first segment including identification information; (b) a second segment including a data packet; and (c) a third segment including a digital signature obtained by applying a hashing algorithm and an encryption algorithm to said data packet, where said encryption algorithm uses a private encryption key; receiving said message; hashing said data packet according to said hashing algorithm to form hashed data after performing the step of receiving said message; encrypting said hashed data with said encryption algorithm and said encryption key to form encrypted hashed data; and comparing said digital signature to the encrypted hashed data so as to verify the integrity of the data packet.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of verifying the integrity of a data packet transmitted via a wireless communication network, said method comprising the steps of: hashing the data packet according to a hashing algorithm to form hashed information; encrypting the hashed information with an encryption algorithm using a private encryption key to form a digital signature; retrieving identification information; transmitting a signed message via a wireless network; receiving said signed message; hashing said data packet according to said hashing algorithm to form hashed data after performing the step of receiving said signed message; encrypting said hashed data with said encryption algorithm and said encryption key to form encrypted hashed data; and comparing said digital signature to the encrypted hashed data so as to verify the integrity of the data packet.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of sending a message via a wireless network, said method comprising the steps of: entering message data into a wireless transmitting unit; disassembling said message data into a plurality of data packets; performing for each data packet the steps of: (a) hashing the data packet according to a hashing algorithm to form hashed information; (b) encrypting the hashed information with an encryption algorithm using a private encryption key to form a digital signature; (c) retrieving identification information; (d) transmitting a signed message via a wireless network; (d) receiving said signed message; (e) hashing said data packet according to said hashing algorithm to form hashed data after performing the step of receiving said signed message; (f) encrypting said hashed data with said encryption algorithm and said encryption key to form encrypted hashed data; and (g) comparing said digital signature to the encrypted hashed data so as to verify the integrity of the data packet after said message is received; and reassembling said plurality of data packets to reconstruct said message data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 9 or 10 wherein the step of transmitting a signed message comprises the step of transmitting a message having: (a) a first segment including said identification information; (b) a second segment including said data packet; and (c) a third segment including said digital signature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the step of transmitting a signed message further comprises the step of sending said first segment at the front of said signed message.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 or 12 further including the step of retrieving the encryption key after performing the step of receiving said message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of retrieving the encryption key comprises the step of retrieving said encryption key based upon said identification information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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