Immobilization module for security on a communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9106572-B2
Application number	US-58597709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2009
Priority date	Sep 30, 2009
Publication date	Aug 11, 2015
Grant date	Aug 11, 2015

Abstract

Example embodiments are directed to a method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network. The method includes receiving an activation request from the self-sufficient network system and authenticating the self-sufficient network system based on the activation request. The self-sufficient network system is functional if the activation request is valid and the self-sufficient network system has reduced functionality if the activation request is not valid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network, the method comprising:
receiving an activation request from the self-sufficient network system;
authenticating the self-sufficient network system, the self-sufficient network system being functional if the activation request is valid and the self-sufficient network system having reduced functionality if the activation request is not valid, the self-sufficient network system being a deployable network system operating without relying on an established network infrastructure and enabling an exchange of multimedia information among components of the self-sufficient network;
receiving an indication from the self-sufficient network system that the self-sufficient network system has been tampered with; and
transmitting a deactivation signal to deactivate the self-sufficient network system in response to the received indication that the self-sufficient network system has been tampered with.

2. A method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network system, the method comprising:
requesting, by a service system, authentication information;
receiving, at the service system, the requested authentication information and an indication corresponding to a tampering state of the self-sufficient network system, from the self-sufficient network system, the self-sufficient network system being a deployable network system operating without relying on an established network infrastructure and enabling an exchange of multimedia information among components of the self-sufficient network; and
transmitting, by the service system, a deactivation signal to deactivate the self-sufficient network system if the indication indicates that the self-sufficient network system has been tampered with.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requesting includes,
requesting the authentication information over a mesh network.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requesting includes,
requesting the authentication information through a backhaul interface.

5. A method of automatically controlling a self-sufficient network system, the method comprising:
detecting, by the self-sufficient network system, a tampering of the self-sufficient network system, the self-sufficient network system being a deployable network system operating without relying on an established network infrastructure and enabling an exchange of multimedia information among components of the self-sufficient network;
transmitting, by the self-sufficient network system, a tampering alert if a tampering has occurred; and
receiving, by the self-sufficient network system, a deactivation signal to deactivate the self-sufficient network system upon transmitting the tampering alert.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting includes,
zeroing out encryption keys of the self-sufficient network system.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting includes,
transmitting the tampering alert to a node to indicate that the self-sufficient network system has been tampered with.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
disabling the self-sufficient network system.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving a non-disabling signal from the node instructing the self-sufficient network system not to disable if the tampering alert is overruled.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving an activation request includes,
receiving an initial activation request from the self-sufficient network system if the self-sufficient network system is not authenticated, and
receiving periodic activation requests if the self-sufficient network system is authenticated.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further includes,
disabling the self-sufficient network system if any of the periodic activation requests is invalid.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the disabling the self-sufficient network system includes,
zeroing out encryption keys of the self-sufficient network system.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requesting the authentication information includes,
transmitting an initial request for the authentication information if the self-sufficient network system is not authenticated, and
transmitting periodic requests if the self-sufficient network system is authenticated.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further includes,
disabling the self-sufficient network system if any of the periodic requests is invalid.

Assignees

• Kan Chao
• Thieu Phu
• Klein Thierry
• Alcatel Lucent

Inventors

• Kan Chao
• Thieu Phu
• Klein Thierry

Classifications

• H04L41/28 Primary

  Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration · CPC title

• H04L41/06

  Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/126

  the source of the received data · CPC title

• H04L9/32 Primary

  including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system {or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials} · CPC title