Patent ID: 8131293
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of coordinating communications of a mobile station with a satellite mobile communications system, the method comprising: generating respective copies of a set of authentication tokens at respective ones of the mobile station and the satellite mobile communications system; and then performing successive registrations of the mobile station with the satellite mobile communications system using successive ones of the authentication tokens; wherein performing successive registrations of the mobile station with the satellite mobile communications system using successive ones of the authentication tokens comprises: registering the mobile station with the satellite mobile communications system using a first one of the authentication tokens; establishing communications between the mobile station and a terrestrial mobile communications system; re-establishing communications between the mobile station and the satellite mobile communications system; and re-registering the mobile station with the satellite mobile communications system using a second one of the authentication tokens; the method further comprising: communicating security data for the mobile station from the terrestrial mobile communications system to the satellite mobile communications system, and wherein generating respective copies of a set of authentication tokens at respective ones of the mobile station and the satellite mobile communications system comprises generating the respective copies of the set of authentication tokens at respective ones of the mobile station and the satellite mobile communications system from the communicated security data; communicating new security data from the terrestrial mobile communications system to the satellite mobile communications system responsive to detecting that a predetermined number of the previously generated authentication tokens have been used; and generating respective copies of a new authentication token at respective ones of the mobile station and the satellite mobile communications system from the communicated new security data.