METHOD FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND WIRELESS TRANSMIT/RECEIVE UNIT

• US 20110321126A1
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nanoradio Hellas A.E. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: MANIATOPOULOS, Alexandros
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0478 applying multiple layers of encryption, e.g. nested tunnels or encrypting the content with a first key and then with at least a second key cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/16 Implementing security features at a particular protocol layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method for wireless communications and a wireless transmit/receive unit are disclosed. At least one first wireless communication link with a base station for transmitting/receiving data packets is established, which at least one first wireless communication link complies with at least a first authentication mechanism. At least one second wireless communication link with at least one user device for transmitting/receiving data packets is established, which at least one second wireless communication link complies with at least a second authentication mechanism, wherein the at least one second wireless communication link comprises a peer-to-peer wireless communication link. The at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link are concurrently maintained.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

establishing at least one first wireless communication link with a base station for transmitting/receiving packets, the at least one first wireless communication link complying with at least a first authentication mechanism;

establishing at least one second wireless communication link with at least one user device for transmitting/receiving packets, the at least one second wireless communication link complying with at least a second authentication mechanism, wherein the at least one second wireless communication link comprises a peer-to-peer wireless communication link; and

concurrently maintaining the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link by concurrently operating a first state machine and a second state machine configured to effectuate authentication of communication over the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link, respectively, wherein the first state machine and the second state machine utilizes the at least a first authentication mechanism and the at least a second authentication mechanism, respectively.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first and the at least a second authentication mechanism are different.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link are concurrently maintained independently of each other.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one first physical address is associated with the at least one first wireless communication link and at least one second physical address is associated with the at least one second wireless communication link.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

comparing destination address information of received packets with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address; and

selecting the wireless communication link to be used for receiving a packet on basis of the comparison.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing capability information of received packets with requirements of the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism; and

selecting the wireless communication link to be used for receiving a packet on basis of the comparison.

7. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

comparing destination address information of packets to be transmitted with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address; and

selecting the wireless communication link to be used for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing capability information of packets to be transmitted with requirements of the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism; and

selecting the wireless communication link to be used for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting packets over the at least one first wireless communication link and over the at least one second wireless communication link using a backoff mechanism configured to control access to a communication channel on the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link, respectively.

10. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

comparing source address information of packets to be transmitted with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address; and

selecting the wireless communication link to be used for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first authentication mechanism comprises an authentication mechanism conforming with the wireless local area network, WLAN, Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure, WAPI, standard.

12. A method according to any claim 1, wherein the second authentication mechanism comprises an authentication protocol conforming with a Wi-Fi Alliance standard such as Wi-Fi Direct or Independent Basic Service Set, IBSS.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one user device comprises one or more of a Human Interface Device, HID, a mobile telephone, a mouse, a keyboard, a touchpad, a webcam, a headset and a printer.

27. A computer program product adapted to, when executed in a processor unit, perform a method according to claim 1.

28. A computer-readable storage medium on which there is stored a computer program product adapted to, when executed in a processor unit, perform a method according to claim 1.

14. A wireless transmit/receive unit, WTRU, comprising:

at least one first state machine;

at least one second state machine; and

a communication link controller configured to;

establish at least one first wireless communication link with a base station for transmitting/receiving packets, the at least one first wireless communication link complying with at least a first authentication mechanism;

establish at least one second wireless communication link with at least one user device for transmitting/receiving packets such that the at least one second wireless communication link comprises a peer-to-peer wireless communication link, the at least one second wireless communication link complying with at least a second authentication mechanism; and

concurrently maintain the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link by concurrently operating the at least one first state machine and the at least one second state machine;

wherein the at least one first state machine and the at least one second state machine are configured to effectuate authentication of communication over the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link, respectively, wherein the at least one first state machine and the at least one second state machine utilizes the at least a first authentication mechanism and the at least a second authentication mechanism, respectively.

15. A WTRU according to claim 14, further comprising:

an interface unit comprising at least one first physical address associated with the at least one first wireless communication link and at least one second physical address associated with the at least one second wireless communication link.

16. A WTRU according to claim 15, further comprising:

a packet recognition mechanism configured to compare destination address information of received packets with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address, and select usage of the first wireless communication link and the second wireless communication link for receiving a packet on basis of the comparison.

17. A WTRU according to claim 14, further comprising:

a packet recognition mechanism configured to compare capability information of received packets with with requirements of the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism, and select usage of the first wireless communication link and the second wireless communication link for receiving a packet on basis of the comparison.

18. A WTRU according to claim 15, further comprising:

a packet arbitration mechanism configured to compare destination address information of packets to be transmitted with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address, and select usage of the first wireless communication link and the second wireless communication link for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

19. A WTRU according to claim 14, further comprising:

a packet arbitration mechanism configured to compare capability information of packets to be transmitted with requirements of the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism, and select usage of the first wireless communication link and the second wireless communication link for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

20. A WTRU according to claim 18, further comprising:

a backoff mechanism configured to control access to a communication channel on the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link for transmitting packets over the at least one first wireless communication link and over the at least one second wireless communication link, respectively;

wherein the backoff mechanism is activated by the packet arbitration mechanism.

21. A WTRU according to claim 18, wherein the packet arbitration mechanism is configured to compare source address information of packets to be transmitted with the at least one first physical address and the at least one second physical address, and select usage of the wireless communication link for transmitting a packet on basis of the comparison.

22. A WTRU according to claim 14, wherein the at least a first and the at least a second authentication mechanism are different.

23. A WTRU according to claim 14, wherein the communication link controller is configured to concurrently maintain the at least one first wireless communication link and the at least one second wireless communication link independently of each other.

24. A WTRU according to claim 14, wherein the first authentication mechanism comprises an authentication mechanism conforming with the wireless local area network, WLAN, Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure, WAPI, standard.

25. A WTRU according to claim 14, wherein the second authentication mechanism comprises an authentication protocol conforming with a Wi-Fi Alliance standard such as Wi-Fi Direct or Independent Basis Service Set, IBSS.

26. A WTRU according to claim 14, further comprising:

at least one ciphering/deciphering engine configured to support operation of authentication protocol of at least one of the at least a first authentication mechanism and the at least a second authentication mechanism.