Patent EP0200704A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0200704A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bootstrap channel security arrangement for communication network
Assignee: Arris Technology Inc
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Filing: 1986-04-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-04-21
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and a method are disclosed to enable on-line modification and upgrading of terminal software in a communication network while maintaining the integrity of communication between a service provider and a subscriber using the network. Software is downloaded on a booter channel on the communication network. A subscriber terminal, coupled to the network initiates a communication with the network to receive downloaded booter data. The downloaded data is stored, and a checksum is computed from at least a portion of the downloaded data. The checksum is tested for validity, and control of the subscriber terminal is released to the downloaded software only if the checksum is valid.
Inventors
- 👤 David Kaufman
- 👤 Richard D. Conover
- 👤 William A. Frezza
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 08:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428; G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0751; G06F11/0763; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/177; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; G06F9/4416; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/22; H04L63/12; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/235; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/435; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/8166; G06F11/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for enabling on-line modification and upgrading of terminal software in a communication network while maintaining the integrity of communication between a service provider and a subscriber using the network comprising: booter means for downloading software via said communication network: a subscriber terminal, coupled to said communication network, including: means for initiating a communication with said network to receive data downloaded from said booter means, means for storing data downloaded from said booter means, and means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data downloaded from said booter means; means for testing said checksum for validity; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to software downloaded from said booter means only if the checksum is valid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for enabling on-line modification and upgrading of terminal software in a communication network while maintaining the integrity of communication between a service provider and a subscriber using the network comprising: booter means for downloading software via said communication network: a subscriber terminal, coupled to said communication network, including: means for initiating a communication with said network to receive data downloaded from said booter means, means for storing data downloaded from said booter means, and means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data downloaded from said booter means; means for testing said checksum for validity; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to software downloaded from said booter means only if the checksum is valid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said subscriber terminal further includes a secret encryption key, said apparatus further comprising network control center means for maintaining a record of said secret encryption key, whereby encrypted communication between the subscriber terminal and the network control center means can take place with the encryption based upon the secret encryption key.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: means for encrypting the checksum computed by said subscriber terminal using said secret encryption key; means for communicating the encrypted checksum over said communication network to the network control center means; and - means associated with said network-control center means for decryting the encrypted checksum to enable said checksum verifying means to verify the checksum for validity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: means associated with said network control center means for storing a valid checksum corresponding to data downloaded from said booter means; means associated with said network control center means for encrypting the stored checksum with said secret encryption key; means for communicating the encrypted checksum to the communication network; and means associated with said subscriber terminal for receiving and decrypting the encrypted checksum for input to said verifying means, wherein said verifying means compares the decrypted checksum to the checksum computed by said subscriber terminal to verify proper correspondence thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus for protecting a communication network having an upstream communication channel and a downstream communication channel from illegitimate access by an unauthorized party comprising: booter means coupled to said downstream channel for downloading software via said communication network;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus for protecting a communication network having an upstream communication channel and a downstream communication channel from illegitimate access by an unauthorized party comprising: booter means coupled to said downstream channel for downloading software via said communication network;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
a subscriber terminal coupled to receive data from said downstream channel and transmit data on said upstream channel, said subscriber terminal including:
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
a subscriber terminal coupled to receive data from said downstream channel and transmit data on said upstream channel, said subscriber terminal including:
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
129 words
a secret encryption key, means for receiving and storing data downloaded from said booter means, means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data downloaded from said booter means, and means for establishing an encrypted communication with said network wherein the encryption is based on said secret encryption key; network control center means coupled to said communication network and including a record of the secret encryption key for enabling encrypted communication with said subscriber terminal ; means for verifying the checksum computed by said subscriber terminal via an encrypted communication established between the subscriber terminal and the network control center means; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to data downloaded from said booter means only if the checksum is found to be valid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
129 words
a secret encryption key, means for receiving and storing data downloaded from said booter means, means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data downloaded from said booter means, and means for establishing an encrypted communication with said network wherein the encryption is based on said secret encryption key; network control center means coupled to said communication network and including a record of the secret encryption key for enabling encrypted communication with said subscriber terminal ; means for verifying the checksum computed by said subscriber terminal via an encrypted communication established between the subscriber terminal and the network control center means; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to data downloaded from said booter means only if the checksum is found to be valid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the checksum computed by said subscriber terminal is encrypted and transmitted to said network control center means for decryption and verification.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said network control center means further comprises : a record of the correct checksum for data downloaded from said booter means; means for encrypting the correct checksum using said secret encryption key; and means for communicating the encrypted checksum to said subscriber terminal for comparison with the checksum computed by the subscriber terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
A communication network comprising : at least one communication channel; means for downloading data to a subscriber terminal coupled to said communication channel ; means for storing downloaded data in said subscriber terminal ; means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of downloaded data stored in said subscriber terminal ; means for testing the checksum for validity; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to the downloaded data only if said checksum is valid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
A communication network comprising : at least one communication channel; means for downloading data to a subscriber terminal coupled to said communication channel ; means for storing downloaded data in said subscriber terminal ; means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of downloaded data stored in said subscriber terminal ; means for testing the checksum for validity; and means for releasing control of said subscriber terminal to the downloaded data only if said checksum is valid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The communication network of claim 8 comprising a plurality of communication channels and means for tuning said subscriber terminal to a predetermined channel when the subscriber terminal is powered-up to enable the subscriber terminal to receive data downloaded on the predetermined channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The communication network of claim 8 further comprising network control center means coupled to said network for communicating with said subscriber terminal on an encrypted basis so that checksum data can be passed between the network control center means and the subscriber terminal for validity testing without infiltration by an unauthorized party.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
103 words
A terminal, for use in communicating on a communication network, comprising : means for tuning to a booter channel on said network; means for receiving and storing a booter image downloaded on the booter channel ; means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data contained in said booter image ; means for establishing an encrypted communication with another device coupled to said network to determine whether the computed checksum is valid ; and means for executing software contained in said booter image to access a desired service available on said network only if the checksum proves to be valid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
A terminal, for use in communicating on a communication network, comprising : means for tuning to a booter channel on said network; means for receiving and storing a booter image downloaded on the booter channel ; means for computing a checksum from at least a portion of data contained in said booter image ; means for establishing an encrypted communication with another device coupled to said network to determine whether the computed checksum is valid ; and means for executing software contained in said booter image to access a desired service available on said network only if the checksum proves to be valid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The subscriber terminal of claim 11 further comprising read only memory means for storing instructions used to access said booter image and compute and validate said checksum.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preventing unauthorized parties from illegitimate acces to a communication network in which a booter image is downloaded to subscriber terminals coupled to the network, comprising the steps of : embedding in a booter image a portion of data for use in computing a checksum ; computing a checksum from booter image data downloaded into a subscriber terminal; computing the proper checksum which should result from the booter image if the booter image is properly received by the subscriber terminal ; comparing the checksum computed from the booter image downloaded into the subscriber terminal with the checksum computed from the known booter image using an encrypted communication on said network; and releasing control of said subscriber terminal to the downloaded booter image only if the checksum computed by the subscriber terminal matches the proper checksum for the booter image.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preventing unauthorized parties from illegitimate acces to a communication network in which a booter image is downloaded to subscriber terminals coupled to the network, comprising the steps of : embedding in a booter image a portion of data for use in computing a checksum ; computing a checksum from booter image data downloaded into a subscriber terminal; computing the proper checksum which should result from the booter image if the booter image is properly received by the subscriber terminal ; comparing the checksum computed from the booter image downloaded into the subscriber terminal with the checksum computed from the known booter image using an encrypted communication on said network; and releasing control of said subscriber terminal to the downloaded booter image only if the checksum computed by the subscriber terminal matches the proper checksum for the booter image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13 comprising the further step of changing the checksum computation data embedded in said booter image on a periodic basis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4533948A
Cited
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