Patent ID: 6259791
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
In a wireless messaging system, a method for a hierarchical provision of service, comprising the steps of:initially programming, by a first service provider having a highest security of access, a plurality of tables in a subscriber unit, the plurality of tables comprising:an address table having entries comprising addresses to which the subscriber unit is responsive;a sub-address table comprising a sub-address identifier and a corresponding first pointer to a first decryption key for an algorithm required to decrypt a sub-message associated with the sub-address identifier; anda key table comprising the first decryption key; andreprogramming, through a first over-the-air reprogramming message initiated by a second service provider having a security of access less than that of the first service provider, an attribute of at least one of the sub-address table and the key table, wherein the second service provider obtains reprogramming access by encrypting the first over-the-air reprogramming message such that it can be properly decrypted using the first decryption key.