Authorization of communication links between end user devices using intermediary nodes

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software for operating communication systems are provided herein. In one example, method of operating a communication system to establish secure communications between a first user device communicating in a first communication network and a second user device communicating in a second communication network is presented. The method includes, responsive to a communication request received from the first user device, establishing a secure communication link between the first user device and a first security node. When a second security node has a security relationship established with the first security node, the method includes establishing the secure communication link for the secure communications between the first user device and the second user device using at least the security relationship between the first security node and the second security node, and exchanging the secure communications over the secure communication link.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a wireless communication network comprising wireless network nodes and wireless user devices that have individual security keys that were hard-coded into the nodes and devices at manufacture, the method comprising:
 the wireless network nodes and the wireless user devices processing their hard-coded security keys to generate and transfer security hash results;   an authorization system receiving and processing the security hash results to maintain hardware security over the wireless network nodes and the wireless user devices;   the authorization system receiving a request for a secure communication session between a pair of the wireless user devices over a plurality of the wireless network nodes, and the authorization system granting the request if the pair of the wireless user devices and the plurality of the wireless network nodes each have current hardware security; and   the pair of the wireless user devices exchanging user data over the secure communication session supported by the plurality of the wireless network nodes if the request is granted.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the authorization system denying the request if one of the pair of the wireless user devices and the plurality of the wireless network nodes does not have current hardware security. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the secure communication session comprises a voice session. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the secure communication session comprises a video session. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the secure communication session comprises a data session. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wireless network nodes comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) gateways. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wireless network nodes comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) base stations. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wireless user devices comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the authorization system comprises a computer system with a communication interface and software. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wireless network nodes are coupled over an optical communication network. 
     
     
         11 . A wireless communication network comprising:
 wireless network nodes having individual security keys that were hard-coded into the nodes at manufacture;   wireless user devices having individual security keys that were hard-coded into the devices at manufacture;   the wireless network nodes and the wireless user devices are configured to process their hard-coded security keys to generate and transfer security hash results;   an authorization system configured to receive and process the security hash results to maintain hardware security over the wireless network nodes and the wireless user devices;   the authorization system configured to receive a request for a secure communication session between a pair of the wireless user devices over a plurality of the wireless network nodes and configured to grant the request if the pair of the wireless user devices and the plurality of the wireless network nodes each have current hardware security; and   the pair of the wireless user devices and the plurality of the wireless network nodes configured to exchange user data over the secure communication session if the request is granted.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the authorization system is configured to deny the request if one of the pair of the wireless user devices and the plurality of the wireless network nodes does not have current hardware security. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the secure communication session comprises a voice session. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the secure communication session comprises a video session. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the secure communication session comprises a data session. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the wireless network nodes comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) gateways. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the wireless network nodes comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) base stations. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the wireless user devices comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication devices. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the authorization system comprises a computer system with a communication interface and software. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless communication network of  claim 11  wherein the wireless network nodes are coupled over an optical communication network.