Communication of security key information

• US 9,942,914 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Heo, Youn Hyoung, Zhang, Yujian
• Primary Examiner(s): Waliullah, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/070,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/00 Time-division multiplex systems H04J14/00 takes precedence; relay systems H04B7/14; selecting techniques H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0062 Avoidance of ingress interference, e.g. ham radio channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0076 Allocation utility-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0096 Indication of changes in allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/22 : using time-division multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 : for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 : Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 : Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 : using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 : Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 : Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 : Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 : based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 : of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0069 : in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 : using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 : for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 : using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 : using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 : Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 : the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 : Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 : Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Technology for communicating security key information from a macro eNB is disclosed. Security key information associated with the macro evolved node B (eNB) may be determined. The security key information may be used to cipher information communicated at the first eNB. A small eNB may be identified at the macro eNB to generate the security key information associated with the macro eNB for ciphering information communicated at the second eNB. The security key information may be communicated, from the macro eNB, to the small eNB for inter-Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (EUTRA) evolved node B (eNB) carrier aggregation.

Claims

1. A master evolved node B (MeNB) operable to support dual connectivity, the MeNB comprising one or more processors and memory configured to:

process, at the MeNB, a secondary evolved node B (SeNB) counter check request message received from the SeNB; and

execute, at the MeNB, a counter check procedure in response to the SeNB counter check request message received from the SeNB, wherein the counter check procedure causes the MeNB to transmit one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages to a user equipment (UE) to verify a COUNT value for bearers established in the SeNB.

2. The MeNB of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver at the MeNB that is configured to receive the SeNB counter check request message from the SeNB.

3. The MeNB of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to:

process, at the MeNB, security key information for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the security key information is associated with the SeNB.

4. The MeNB of claim 1, wherein the SeNB counter check request message is an X2 Application Protocol (X2AP) message.

5. The MeNB of claim 1, wherein the COUNT value is a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) COUNT value.

6. The MeNB of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to:

perform an RRC counter check procedure with the UE in response to receiving the SeNB counter check request message from the SeNB.

7. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon for supporting dual connectivity at a master evolved node B (MeNB), the instructions when executed perform the following:

processing, using at least one processor of the MeNB, a secondary evolved node B (SeNB) counter check request message received from the SeNB; and

executing, using the at least one processor of the MeNB, a counter check procedure in response to the SeNB counter check request message received from the SeNB, wherein the counter check procedure causes the MeNB to transmit one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages to a user equipment (UE) to verify a COUNT value for bearers established in the SeNB.

8. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions when executed perform the following:

processing, at the MeNB, security key information for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the security key information is associated with the SeNB.

9. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the SeNB counter check request message is an X2 Application Protocol (X2AP) message.

10. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the COUNT value is a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) COUNT value.

11. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions when executed perform the following:

performing an RRC counter check procedure with the UE in response to receiving the SeNB counter check request message from the SeNB.