Method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for indicating enciphering of data transmission between a mobile communication network and a mobile station (MS) in the mobile communication network, wherein signals transferred between a mobile communication network and a mobile station are monitored, and on the basis of the signal monitored, the cipher mode is indicated to the user of the mobile station.

1 . An apparatus capable of use within a mobile station for data communication between the mobile station and a mobile communication network, the mobile communication network and mobile station being capable of data communication in at least one enciphered mode of communication and at least one unciphered mode of communication, the apparatus comprising: 
 an input, the input being capable of receiving information from the mobile communication network concerning a ciphering mode used in communication between the mobile station and the mobile communication network; and    an output, the output being capable of conveying displayable information to the mobile station, the displayable information indicating that a ciphering mode is to be used in communication between the mobile station and the mobile communication network.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to cause the mobile station to enter an enciphered mode of communication based upon information received from the mobile communication network.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to output displayable information indicating that an unciphered mode of communication is to be used in communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station based upon information received from the mobile communication network.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to determine the ciphering mode to be used in communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station during establishment of communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to determine the ciphering mode to be used in communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station prior to establishment of communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , the apparatus configured to determine the ciphering mode to be used in communication prior to establishment of communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station by performing a location update procedure.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to maintain a cipher mode indication data field, the apparatus configured to set the cipher mode indication field initially into a first state indicative that an unciphered mode of communication is to be used in communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station, and the apparatus configured to change the state of the cipher mode indication field into a second state indicative that an enciphered mode of communication is to be used in communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile station based upon information received from the mobile communication network.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the displayable information displayed by a display unit.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the displayable information displayed by a light source.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus configured to output displayable information indicating a change in ciphering mode.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , the displayable information indicating a change in ciphering mode displayed by an acoustic signal forming element.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , the displayable information indicating a change in ciphering mode displayed by a vibrating element.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  provided in a mobile station.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the displayable information displayed by an external data processor arranged to communicate with a mobile station.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , the displayable information indicating a change in ciphering mode displayed by an external data processor arranged to communicate with a mobile station.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising a radio resource management block and a cipher indication memory block, the radio resource management block configured to monitor signals sent from the mobile communication network to the mobile station, the cipher indication memory block comprising a cipher mode indication field, the radio resource management block configured to set the cipher mode indication data field in the cipher indication memory block based upon information received from the mobile communication network.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , the cipher indication memory block configured to issue an interrupt request in response to a change in the cipher mode indication data field.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , the apparatus further comprising a user interface block configured to detect the interrupt request and to send an inquiry to the cipher indication memory block to inquire about the state of the cipher mode indication data field, the cipher indication memory block configured to return an indication of the state of the cipher mode indication data field in response to the inquiry.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , the apparatus further comprising a cipher mode indicator, the user interface block being arranged to control the cipher mode indicator according to the indication.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a user interface block, the cipher indication memory block configured to provide an indication of the state of the cipher mode indication data field to the user interface block when the state of the cipher mode indication data field is changed.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising a cipher mode indicator, the user interface block configured to control the cipher mode indicator according to the indication.  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a user interface block configured to send repeated inquiries to the cipher indication memory block about the state of the cipher mode indication data field, each inquiry being separated in time from the next by a predetermined interval, the cipher indication memory block configured to return an indication of the state of the cipher mode indication data field in response to each inquiry.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , the apparatus further comprising a cipher mode indicator, the user interface block configured to control the cipher mode indicator according to the indication.