Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized monitoring of wireless data transmissions

Claim 2

In a communication system envoronment that includes a wireless communication system operably coupled to a public data system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication units, a method for preventing unauthorized monitoring of wireless data transmissions to a communication unit of the plurality of communication units, the method comprising: a) transmitting, by the communication unit, a request for data to the wireless communication system; b) routing, by the wireless communication system, the request to a security gateway; c) determining, by the security gateway, type of data requested, identity of the communication unit, and identity of a particular database of the public data system that contains the data requested; d) determining, by the security gateway, a transmission security level; e) determining, by the security gateway, a unique user key of the communication unit; f) attempting, by the security gateway, to establish a secure communication with the communication unit based on the unique user key and the transmission security level; and g) when the secure communication is established, routing, by the security gateway, the request to the particular database.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises identifying the unique user key as a time variant function programmed into the communication unit and the security gateway.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises identifying the unique user key as a static numerical value stored in both the communication unit and the security gateway.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprises: h) routing, by the particular database, requested data to the security gateway; i) encrypting, by the security gateway, the requested data based on the unique user key and the transmission security level to produce encrypted data; and j) routing, by the security gateway, the encrypted data to the communication unit via the wireless communication system.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 further comprises: k) decrypting, by the communication unit, the encrypted data using a default decryption code.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein step (f) further comprises transmitting, by the security gateway, the default decrypting code during the secure communication.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises: determining the transmission security level to be one of an algorithm, a key, or algorithm-key function.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises determining the transmission security level based on at least one of the type of data requested, identity of the particular database, or identity of the communication unit.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises: determining, by the security gateway, identity of the wireless communication system; and determining the transmission security level based on the identity of the wireless communication system.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises: receiving, by the communication unit and the security gateway, the unique user key from a system manager.

Claim 12

In a communication environment that includes a wireless communication system operably coupled to a public data system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication units, a method for a communication unit of the plurality of communication units to receive authorized data transmissions, the method comprising: a) transmitting a request for data to the wireless communication system; b) determining a unique user key and a transmission security level; c) establishing a secure communication based on the unique user key and the transmission security level; and d) decrypting encrypted data using a default decryption code, wherein the default decryption code is based on the unique user key and the transmission security level.

Claim 13

In a communication environment that includes a wireless communication system operably coupled to a public data system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication units, a method for a communication unit of the plurality of communication units to receive authorized data transmissions, the method comprising: a) transmitting a request for data to the wireless communication system; b) determining a unique user key and a transmission security level; c) establishing a secure communication based on the unique user key and the transmission security level; and d) decrypting encrypted data using a default decryption code, wherein the default decryption code is based on the unique user key and the transmission security level.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises determining the unique user key as a time variant function programmed into the communication unit.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises determining the unique user key as a static numerical value stored in the communication unit.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises: receiving the unique user key from a system manager.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 further comprises: g) routing, by the particular database, requested data to the security gateway; h) encrypting, by the security gateway, the requested data based on the unique user key and the transmission security level to produce encrypted data; and i) routing, by the security gateway, the encrypted data to the requesting unit via a wireless communication system.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15, wherein step (c) further comprises: determining the transmission security level to be one of an algorithm, a key, or algorithm-key function.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15, wherein step (c) further comprises determining the transmission security level based on at least one of the type of data requested, identity of the particular database, or identity of the requesting unit.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15, wherein step (d) further comprises: receiving, by the requesting unit and the security gateway, the unique user key from a system manager.

Claim 23

A communication unit for use in a wireless communication system and for receiving data from a public data system, the communication unit comprising: a wireless transceiver, an encryption processor operably coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the encryption processor decrypts received data based on a unique user key and a transmission security level; memory operably coupled to the encryption processor, wherein the memory stores the unique user key and transmission security level; a variable identification processor, operably coupled to the memory for varying the unique user key based on a predetermined variation algorithm; and a display operably coupled to the encryption processor, wherein the display provides an image of received data.

Claim 24

A communication unit for use in a wireless communication system and for receiving data from a public data system, the communication unit comprising: a wireless transceiver, an encryption processor operably coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the encryption processor decrypts received data based on a unique user key and a transmission security level; memory operably coupled to the encryption processor, wherein the memory stores the unique user key and transmission security level; a variable identification processor, operably coupled to the memory for varying the unique user key based on a predetermined variation algorithm; and a display operably coupled to the encryption processor, wherein the display provides an image of received data.

Claim 25

The communication unit of claim 20 further comprises an input port that is operably coupled to the memory and the encryption processor, wherein the input port receives data requests.

Claim 26

A security gateway for using in a wireless communication system and for prevention unauthorized monitoring of data transmissions, the security gateway comprises: a transceiver that provides a communication path with the wireless communication system and a public data system; a variable identification processor for providing a unique user key based on a time variant function; an encryption processor operably coupled to the transceiver, wherein the encryption processor determines a transmission security level based on type of data requested and a unique user key of a requesting unit; memory operable coupled to the encryption processor and the variable identification processor, wherein the memory stores the unique user key and the transmission security level.

Claim 27

A security gateway for using in a wireless communication system and for prevention unauthorized monitoring of data transmissions, the security gateway comprises: a transceiver that provides a communication path with the wireless communication system and a public data system; a variable identification processor for providing a unique user key based on a time variant function; an encryption processor operably coupled to the transceiver, wherein the encryption processor determines a transmission security level based on type of data requested and a unique user key of a requesting unit; memory operable coupled to the encryption processor and the variable identification processor, wherein the memory stores the unique user key and the transmission security level.

Claim 28

The security gateway of claim 22 wherein the memory further stores, as the transmission security level, the type of data, identity of a data base, identity of a requesting unit, and security level.

Claim 29

In a communication environment that includes a wireless communication system operably coupled to a public data system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication units, a method for preventing unauthorized monitoring of wireless data transmissions to a communication unit of the plurality of communication units, the method comprising: a) transmitting, by the communication unit, a request for data to the wireless communication system; b) routing, by the wireless communication system, the request to the public data system; c) receiving, by a security gateway, the data from the public data system; d) determining, by the security gateway, transmission security level based on identity of the communication unit, and identity of a particular database of the public data system that contains the data; e) determining, by the security gateway, a unique user key of the communication unit based on the identity of the communication unit; f) attempting, by the security gateway, to establish a secure communication with the communication unit based on the unique user key and the transmission security level; and g) when the secure transmission is established, transmitting, by the security gateway, the data to the communication unit.

Claim 30

In a communication environment that includes a wireless communication system operably coupled to a public data system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication units, a method for preventing unauthorized monitoring of wireless data transmissions to a communication unit of the plurality of communication units, the method comprising: a) transmitting, by the communication unit, a request for data to the wireless communication system; b) routing, by the wireless communication system, the request to the public data system; c) receiving, by a security gateway, the data from the public data system; d) determining, by the security gateway, transmission security level based on identity of the communication unit, and identity of a particular database of the public data system that contains the data; e) determining, by the security gateway, a unique user key of the communication unit based on the identity of the communication unit; f) attempting, by the security gateway, to establish a secure communication with the communication unit based on the unique user key and the transmission security level; and g) when the secure transmission is established, transmitting, by the security gateway, the data to the communication unit.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24, wherein step (e) further comprises identifying the unique user key as a time variant function programmed into the communication unit and the security gateway.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24 step (g) further comprises: encrypting, by the security gateway, the data prior to the step of transmitting to produce encrypted data.

Claim 33

The method of claim 26 further comprises: h) decrypting, by the communication unit, the encrypted data using a default decryption code.

Claim 34

The method of claim 27 further comprises transmitting, by the security gateway, the default decrypting code during the secure communication.

Claim 37

The method of claim 29 further comprises: prior to routing the data, encrypting the data based on the unique user key and the transmission security level to produce encrypted data.

Claim 38

The method of claim 29, wherein step (c) further comprises: determining the transmission security level to be one of an algorithm, a key, or algorithm-key function.