Method and apparatus to enable multiple wireless connections

• US 9,497,673 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Blankenship, Yufei Wu, Gao, Shiwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Weibin
• Application Number:
  US14/069,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0077 of access information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00

Abstract

A first radio connection is established between a first cell and a user equipment (UE). A network identity of a second cell is determined based on a first set of at least one network identity associated with the first cell, where the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one network identity. The determined network identity is useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first radio connection between a first cell and a user equipment (UE);

determining a network identity of a second cell based on a first set of at least one network identity associated with the first cell, wherein the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one network identity, the determined network identity useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE, and wherein determining the network identity of the second cell comprises identifying a network identity in the second set that is common with a network identity in the first set;

sending, by a wireless access network node of the first cell to the UE, a list that includes one or more network identities that are common between the first set and the second set; and

receiving, by the wireless access network node from the UE, a selection of a network identity from the list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless access network node of the first cell, an access network node key derived from a base key for use in protection of data communication of the UE with the first cell, and

receiving, by a wireless access network node of the second cell, an access network node key derived from the base key for use in protection of data communication of the UE with the second cell.

3. An article comprising at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a wireless access network node of a first cell to:

establish a first radio connection between the first cell and a user equipment (UE);

receive, from the UE, a network identity of the first cell selected from a first set of at least one network identity associated with the first cell; and

determine a network identity of a second cell based on the received network identity of the first cell, wherein the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one network identity, the determined network identity useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein determining the network identity of the second cell is based on selecting from the second set the network identity of the second cell that is common with the received network identity of the first cell.

5. The article of claim 3, wherein determining the network identity of the second cell is based on selecting from the second set the network identity of the second cell that it is an equivalent network identity of the received network identity of the first cell for the UE.

6. A method comprising:

establishing a first radio connection between a first cell and a user equipment (UE);

determining a network identity of a second cell based on a first set of at least one network identity associated with the first cell, wherein the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one network identity, the determined network identity useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE; and

storing, by a wireless access network node of the first cell, an indicator associated with the second cell to indicate whether the second cell is eligible to have a multiple connectivity relationship with the first cell.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

determining a network identity of the first cell;

generating a security key for the UE according to the network identity of the first cell.

8. A method comprising:

establishing a first radio connection between a first cell and a user equipment (UE);

determining a public land mobile network (PLMN) identity of a second cell based on a first set of at least one PLMN identity associated with the first cell, wherein the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one PLMN identity, the determined PLMN identity useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE;

establishing a base key for the UE; and

receiving, by a wireless access network node of the first cell, an access network node key derived from the base key for use in protection of data communication of the UE with both the first cell and the second cell.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending, to the UE, the determined PLMN identity of the second cell.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising

generating a security key for the UE according to the PLMN identity of the second cell.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a key is used for protection of data communication of the UE with the second cell, and wherein a separate key is used for protection of data communication of the UE with the first cell.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

deriving, by the wireless access network node of the first cell, a set of one or more user plane keys from the access network node key, the set of one or more user plane keys useable in protection of data communication of the UE with both the first cell and the second cell.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

deriving, by the wireless access network node of the first cell, a first set of one or more user plane keys useable in protection of data communication of the UE with the first cell, and

deriving, by a wireless access network node of the second cell, a second set of one or more user plane keys useable in protection of data communication of the UE with the second cell.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

deriving, by the wireless access network node of the first cell, a first set of one or more user plane keys from the access network node key, the first set of one or more user plane keys useable in protection of data communication of the UE with the first cell;

deriving, by the wireless access network node of the first cell, a modified access network node key from the access network node key; and

sending, by the wireless access network node of the first cell to an wireless access network node associated with the second cell, the modified access network node key that is useable by the wireless access network node associated with the second cell to derive a second set of one or more user plane keys useable in protection of data communication of the UE with the second cell.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining at least one user plane key from the access network node key using an algorithm type distinguisher for the second cell.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the PLMN identity of the second cell identifies a PLMN that includes the second cell and that serves the UE, and wherein a PLMN identity in the first set of at least one PLMN identity associated with the first cell identifies a PLMN that includes the first cell and that serves the UE.

17. A method comprising:

establishing a first radio connection between a first cell and a user equipment (UE);

determining a network identity of a second cell based on a first set of at least one network identity associated with the first cell, wherein the second cell is associated with a second set of at least one network identity, the determined network identity useable for establishing a second radio connection between the second cell and the UE; and

receiving, by a wireless access network node of the first cell, plural access network node keys derived from a base key for use in protection of data communication of the UE with the respective first cell and second cell.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a first of the plural access network node keys is derived using a parameter associated with the first cell, and a second of the plural access network node keys is derived using a parameter associated with the second cell.

19. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a wireless communication interface to receive, from a wireless access network node of a first cell, a list of network identifiers, the network identifiers being composed according to a first set of network identifiers for the first cell, and a second set of network identifiers for a second cell, the first cell and the second cell to provide concurrent wireless connections with the UE; and

at least one processor configured to;

select, from the list of network identifiers, a network identifier to use for generating a key for protecting data communication of the UE.