SECURITY UPDATE PROCEDURE FOR ZONE SWITCHING IN MIXED-MODE WIMAX NETWORK
First Claim
1. A zone switching method, comprising:
- performing a handover from a legacy frame structure of a legacy base station to a 802.16e zone of a mixed-mode frame structure of a mixed-mode base station, wherein the legacy base station supports an 802.16e standard and the mixed-mode base station supports both 802.16e and 802.16m standards;
causing an anchor authenticator to be relocated from a legacy access service network gateway to a mixed-mode access service network gateway, wherein the legacy access service network gateway supports the 802.16e standard and the mixed-mode access service network gateway supports both 802.16e and 802.16m standards;
performing a security update, resulting in a mixed-mode security context for operating in an 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure of the mixed-mode base station; and
switching from the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode frame structure to the 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure;
wherein data communication using the 802.16e zone is not disrupted during the above operations.
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Abstract
A zone switching method is disclosed for use in a mixed-mode WiMAX environment. The zone switching method is useful in a WiMAX network having both 802.16e (legacy) and 802.16e/802.16m (mixed-mode, or advanced) entities, including mobile stations, base stations, and access service network entities. The zone switching method includes anchor authenticator relocation, dual security context maintenance, and security updates for both entry-before-break-capable mobile stations and for those mobile stations with slower switching speeds. The zone switching method enables an advanced mobile station to seamlessly switch from legacy to mixed-mode operation once the mixed-mode entities are available to service the 802.16m operations.
107 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A zone switching method, comprising:
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performing a handover from a legacy frame structure of a legacy base station to a 802.16e zone of a mixed-mode frame structure of a mixed-mode base station, wherein the legacy base station supports an 802.16e standard and the mixed-mode base station supports both 802.16e and 802.16m standards; causing an anchor authenticator to be relocated from a legacy access service network gateway to a mixed-mode access service network gateway, wherein the legacy access service network gateway supports the 802.16e standard and the mixed-mode access service network gateway supports both 802.16e and 802.16m standards; performing a security update, resulting in a mixed-mode security context for operating in an 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure of the mixed-mode base station; and switching from the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode frame structure to the 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure; wherein data communication using the 802.16e zone is not disrupted during the above operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
wherein the mixed-mode access service network gateway derives a pairwise master key from the master session key.
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8. The zone switching method of claim 1, performing the security update further comprising:
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allowing a zone switching action time to elapse; performing a key agreement, an authentication, or a re-authentication in the 802.16m zone, wherein data communication with the mixed-mode base station in the 802.16e zone is not interrupted; performing additional re-entry procedures in the 802.16m zone, wherein data communication with the mixed-mode base station in the 802.16e zone is not interrupted; and switching to communication in the 802.16m zone by the mixed-mode base station once the re-entry procedures are complete.
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9. The zone switching method of claim 1, performing the security update further comprising:
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performing a key agreement, an authentication, or a re-authentication to produce an 802.16m security context in the 802.16e zone during a zone switching action time, wherein data communication with the mixed-mode base station in the 802.16e zone is not interrupted; transferring the 802.16m security context between an 802.16e medium access controller and an 802.16m medium access controller; transmitting the 802.16m security context and related signaling of the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode base station, wherein the two medium access controllers are in the mixed-mode base station; performing additional re-entry procedures in the 802.16e zone to produce additional 802.16m security context, wherein the additional re-entry procedures are performed either during or after the zone switching action time; transferring the additional 802.16m security context of the additional re-entry procedures between the 802.16e medium access controller and the 802.16m medium access controller; transmitting the 802.16m security context and related signaling of the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode base station; and switching to communication in the 802.16m zone by the mixed-mode base station once the re-entry procedures are complete.
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10. The zone switching method of claim 9, further comprising:
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maintaining a copy of a legacy security context by the legacy access service network gateway; storing a copy of the legacy security context by the mixed-mode access service network gateway; and storing a copy of the 802.16m security context in the mixed-mode access service network gateway.
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11. The zone switching method of claim 10, further comprising:
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operating in the 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode base station; and switching back to the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode base station using the stored 802.16e and 802.16m security contexts in the mixed-mode access service network gateway.
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12. A zone switching method, comprising:
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performing a handover from a legacy frame structure to a 802.16e zone of a mixed-mode frame structure, the legacy and mixed-mode frame structures being used by a mixed-mode mobile station, wherein the mixed-mode mobile station supports both an 802.16e standard and an 802.16m standard; causing an anchor authenticator to be relocated from a legacy access service network gateway to a mixed-mode access service network gateway, wherein the legacy access service network gateway supports the 802.16e standard and the mixed-mode access service network gateway supports both 802.16e and 802.16m standards; performing a security update, resulting in a mixed-mode security context for operating in an 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure; and switching from the 802.16e zone of the mixed-mode frame structure to the 802.16m zone of the mixed-mode frame structure; wherein data communication using the 802.16e zone is not disrupted during the above operations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification