Method and system for handovers using service description data

• US 20040014422A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kallio, Janne J.
• Application Number:
  US10/198,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20040014422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Terminal devices efficiently transition from a first access point to a second access point based on service discovery information that is transmitted by the second access point. In Bluetooth implementations, the present invention advantageously may be implemented without requiring modifications to a terminal device'"'"'s terminal module. Accordingly, in handing over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, a terminal device establishes a link with the second access point. The terminal device receives service description data, such as an SDP message, from the second access point, selects a group key based on the service, and authenticates the link with the second access point using the selected group key.

Claims

1. A method, in a terminal device, of handing over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a link with the second access point;

(b) receiving service description data from the second access point;

(c) selecting a group key based on the service description data; and

(b) authenticating the link with the second access point using the selected group key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) message.

3. The method of claim 1, farther comprising sending to the second access point a request for service description data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service description data corresponds to a zone that includes the second access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is a short range radio link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is a Bluetooth link.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

matching the received service description data with a pre-stored access zone ID; and

selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service description data received from the second access point indicates an access point zone ID that is the same as an access point zone ID received from the first access point.

9. A terminal device that is capable of handing over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, the terminal device comprising:

means for establishing a link with the second access point;

means for receiving service description data from the second access point;

means for selecting a group key based on the service description data; and

means for authenticating the link with the second access point using the selected group key.

10. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein said means for receiving service description data comprises means for receiving a Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) message.

11. The terminal device of claim 9, further comprising means for sending to the second access point a request for service description data.

12. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the service description data corresponds to a zone that includes the second access point.

13. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the link is a short range radio link.

14. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the link is a Bluetooth link.

15. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein said means for selecting a group key comprises:

means for matching the received service description data with a pre-stored access zone ID; and

means for selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

16. The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the service description data received from the second access point indicates an access point zone ID that is the same as an access point zone ID received from the first access point.

17. A method, in a current access point, of handing over a wireless communications session with a terminal device from a previous access point, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a link with the terminal device;

(b) sending service description data to the terminal device; and

(c) authenticating the link with the second access point using a group key based on the service description data.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the service description data corresponds to a zone that includes the current access point.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving a handover notification from the previous access point.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the handover notification includes the terminal device address.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the link is a short range radio link.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the link is a Bluetooth link.

23. An access point that is capable of handing over a wireless communications session with a terminal device from a previous access point, the access point comprising:

means for establishing a link with the terminal device;

means for sending service description data to the terminal device; and

means for authenticating the link with the second access point using a group key based on the service description data.

24. The access point of claim 23 wherein the service description data corresponds to a zone that includes the current access point.

25. The access point of claim 23, further comprising means for receiving a handover notification from the previous access point.

26. The access point of claim 25, wherein the handover notification includes the terminal device address.

27. The access point of claim 23 wherein the link is a short range radio link.

28. The access point of claim 23, wherein the link is a Bluetooth link.

29. A method, in a terminal device, of handing over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, the method comprising:

(a) entering a first coverage area associated with the first access point;

(b) establishing a first link with the first access point

(c) receiving service description data from the first access point;

(d) selecting a first group key based on the service description data from the first access point;

(e) authenticating the first link using the first group key;

(f) establishing a communications session with the first access point;

(g) entering a second coverage area associated with the second access point;

(h) establishing a second link with the second access point;

(i) receiving service description data from the second access point;

(j) selecting a second group key based on the service description data from the second access point;

(k) authenticating the second link using the second group key; and

(l) continuing the communications session with the second access point.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein step (d) comprises:

matching the service description data received from the first access point with a prestored access zone ID; and

selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein step (j) comprises:

matching the service description data received from the second access point with a pre-stored access zone ID; and

selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the service description data received from the second access point indicates an access point zone ID that is the same as an access point zone ID indicated by the service description data received from the first access point.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the first and second group keys are the same.

34. A terminal device that is capable of handing over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, the terminal device comprising:

means for entering a first coverage area associated with the first access point;

means for establishing a first link with the first access point

means for receiving service description data from the first access point;

means for selecting a first group key based on the service description data from the first access point;

means for authenticating the first link using the first group key;

means for establishing a communications session with the first access point;

means for entering a second coverage area associated with the second access point;

means for establishing a second link with the second access point;

means for receiving service description data from the second access point;

means for selecting a second group key based on the service description data from the second access point;

means for authenticating the second link using the second group key; and

means for continuing the communications session with the second access point.

35. The terminal device of claim 34, wherein said means for selecting a first group key based on the service description data from the first access point comprises:

means for matching the service description data received from the first access point with a pre-stored access zone ID; and

means for selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

36. The terminal device of claim 34, wherein said means for selecting a second group key based on the service description data from the second access point comprises:

means for matching the service description data received from the second access point with a pre-stored access zone ID; and

means for selecting a group key that corresponds to the matched access zone ID.

37. The terminal device of claim 34, wherein the service description data received from the second access point indicates an access point zone ID that is the same as an access point zone ID indicated by the service description data received from the first access point.

38. The terminal device of claim 34, wherein the first and second group keys are the same.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system of a terminal device to hand over a wireless communications session from a first access point to a second access point, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to establish a link with the second access point;

program code for enabling the processor to receive service description data from the second access point;

program code for enabling the processor to select a group key based on the service description data; and

program code for enabling the processor to authenticate the link with the second access point using the selected group key.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system of an access point to hand over a wireless communications session with a terminal device from a previous access point, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to establish a link with the terminal device;

program code for enabling the processor to send service description data to the terminal device; and

program code for enabling the processor to authenticate the link with the second access point using a group key based on the service description data.