Addressing in wireless local area networks

• US 20030177267A1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Haverinen, Henry, Honkanen, Jukka-Pekka, Orava, Pekko, Niemi, Markku T., Mikkonen, Jouni
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/75 Temporary identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of transferring required messages for acquiring a temporary MAC address in a wireless local area network. In a first device in the local area network, a first identifier is determined to identify the first device. A message comprising the first identifier is transmitted from the first device to a second device to arrange a temporary MAC address. A response message relating to the acquisition of the MAC address and comprising the first identifier is transmitted from the second device to the first device. The first device identifies on the basis of the first identifier that the response message is intended for it.

Claims

1. A method of transferring messages required for acquiring a temporary MAC address in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

determining a first identifier in a first device to identify the first device;

transmitting a message from the first device to a second device to arrange a temporary MAC address, the message comprising said first identifier;

transmitting a response message relating to the acquisition of the MAC address from the second device to the first device, the message comprising said first identifier; and

identifying in the first device on the basis of the first identifier that the response message is intended for the first device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first device is a wireless terminal device and the second device is an access point of a wireless local area network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said messages are association messages transferred to form association between the first device and the second device, or authentication messages transferred to authenticate the first device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first identifier is a random number.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first identifier is a temporary MAC address, whereby

uniqueness of said first identifier is checked by the second device;

and

said first identifier is used to identify the messages transmitted from the first device and addressed to it in a wireless local area network as a response to said first identifier being on the basis of the checking unique in the wireless local area network.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the message transmitted to acquire a temporary MAC address is added with indication information on whether a new MAC address is concerned;

and

the indication information is used when uniqueness of said first identifier is checked.

7. A method according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

determining, in addition to said first identifier, a second identifier in the first terminal device;

adding also the second identifier determined by the terminal device to the messages; and

using the second identifier in checking the uniqueness of said first identifier.

8. A method according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

associating the temporary MAC address to a service activated for the first device,

associating network parameters of the service to the temporary MAC address in the second device, and

using the temporary MAC address to identify packets of the service to/from the first device; and

transferring the packets identified by the temporary MAC address according to the network parameters associated thereto.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein

as a response to the message for arranging a temporary MAC address, a MAC address is allocated as the second identifier by the second device to the first device, the MAC address being unique at least in a wireless local area network;

the allocated MAC address is added to the response message; and

the allocated MAC address is used to identify the messages transmitted from and addressed to the first device in a wireless local area network.

10. A method according to claim 9, the method further comprising:

associating the temporary MAC address to a service activated for the first device,

associating network parameters of the service to the temporary MAC address in the second device, and

using the temporary MAC address to identify packets of the service to/from the first device; and

transferring the packets identified by the temporary MAC address according to the network parameters associated thereto.

11. A wireless local area network system comprising a first device and a second device, wherein

the first device is configured to determine the first identifier to identify the first device;

the first device is configured to transmit a message to the second device to arrange a temporary MAC address, the message comprising said first identifier;

the second device is configured to transmit a response message relating to the acquisition of the MAC address to the first device, the message comprising said first identifier; and

the first device is configured to identify on the basis of said first identifier that the response message is intended for it.

12. A wireless terminal device, wherein the terminal device is configured to communicate with a second device in a wireless local area network, the terminal device is configured to determine a first identifier to identify the terminal device;

the terminal device is configured to transmit a message to the second device to arrange a temporary MAC address, the message comprising said first identifier; and

the terminal device is configured on the basis of said first identifier to identify a response message transmitted by the second device to be intended for it.

13. A terminal device according to claim 12, wherein the terminal device is configured to allocate the temporary MAC address, which is said first identifier;

the terminal device is configured to transmit to the second device a message comprising said first identifier as the MAC source layer address to check the uniqueness of said first identifier; and

as a response to receiving from the second device a response message indicating said first identifier to be unique in a wireless local area network, the terminal device is configured to add said first identifier as the source address of the MAC layer to the messages to be transmitted, and to receive the messages comprising said first identifier as the destination address.

14. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the terminal device is configured to associate the temporary MAC address to a service process in the terminal device, whereupon

the terminal device is configured to add the temporary MAC address as the MAC layer source address to the messages of the service process, and

the terminal device is configured to deliver to the service process in the terminal device the received messages comprising the temporary MAC address as the destination address.

15. A terminal device according to claim 12, wherein the terminal device is configured to allocate a temporary MAC address, which is said first identifier;

the terminal device is configured to transmit a message comprising said first identifier as the source address of the MAC layer to check the uniqueness of said first identifier; and

as a response to the response message indicating said first identifier not to be unique in a wireless local area network not having been received from the second device, the terminal device is configured to add said first identifier as the source address of the MAC layer to the messages to be transmitted, and to receive the messages comprising said first identifier as the destination address.

16. A terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the terminal device is configured to associate the temporary MAC address to a service process in the terminal device, whereupon

the terminal device is configured to add the temporary MAC address as the MAC layer source address to the messages of the service process, and

the terminal device is configured to deliver to the service process in the terminal device the received messages comprising the temporary MAC address as the destination address.

17. A terminal device according to claim 12, wherein

the terminal device is configured to receive on the basis of said first identifier a response message from the second device, the message comprising in addition to the first identifier also the temporary MAC address allocated by the second device;

and

the terminal device is configured to add the temporary MAC address as the MAC layer source address to the messages transmitted after the response message, and to receive the messages comprising the temporary MAC address as the destination address.

18. A terminal device according to claim 17, wherein the terminal device is configured to associate the temporary MAC address to a service process in the terminal device, whereupon

the terminal device is configured to add the temporary MAC address as the MAC layer source address to the messages of the service process, and

the terminal device is configured to deliver to the service process in the terminal device the received messages comprising the temporary MAC address as the destination address.

19. A wireless terminal device, wherein the terminal device is configured to communicate with a second device in a wireless local area network,

the terminal device is configured to receive from the second device challenge messages comprising a temporary MAC address to be suggested;

the terminal device is configured to check whether the temporary MAC address suggested in the challenge message is the same as the MAC address allocated to the terminal device; and

the terminal device is configured to transmit a response message to the second device as a response to the MAC address suggested in the challenge message being the same as the MAC address allocated to the terminal.

20. A network element for a wireless local area network, wherein the network element is configured to receive a request message from the wireless terminal device for allocation of a temporary MAC address, the message comprising a first identifier;

the network element is configured to allocate a temporary MAC address;

the network element is configured to transmit to the terminal device the MAC address and a response message comprising said first identifier; and

the network element is configured to identify the terminal device on the basis of the allocated MAC address.

21. A network element for a wireless local area network, wherein the network element is configured to receive a request message from a wireless terminal device for taking a temporary MAC address into use, the message comprising the suggested MAC address allocated by the terminal device;

the network element is configured to check the uniqueness of the MAC address suggested by the terminal device; and

the network element is configured to identify the terminal device on the basis of the suggested MAC address as a response to the suggested MAC address being unique in a wireless local area network.