Wireless communications involving a fast initial link setup, FILS, discovery frame for network signaling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10499440-B2
Application number	US-201514655273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

The proposed technology relates to the procedure of generating a Fast Initial Link Setup, FILS, Discovery frame (1400) including Mobility Domain information (1401) and/or the exchange of such a frame between a network node and a wireless communication device, e.g. to enable the wireless communication device to determine whether to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure or through a reduced authentication procedure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a network node in a wireless communications network for assisting receiving wireless communication devices in determining an association procedure towards the network node, wherein the method comprises:
sending a Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) Discovery frame, comprising information identifying a Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs, wherein the Mobility Domain comprises a plurality of basic service sets (BSS) that support a reduced authentication procedure among said plurality of BSS, said information identifying the Mobility Domain enabling receiving wireless communication devices to determine whether to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure or through the reduced authentication procedure without receiving other types of frames transmitted by the network node; and
associating with a particular wireless communication device through the reduced authentication procedure wherein, prior to associating with the network node, the particular wireless communication device was associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs,
wherein the reduced authentication procedure comprises a Fast BSS Transition procedure.

2. A method performed by a wireless communication device for determining an association procedure towards a network node in a wireless communications network, wherein the method comprises:
receiving, from the network node in a Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) Discovery frame, information identifying a Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs, wherein the Mobility Domain comprises a plurality of basic service sets (BSS) that support a reduced authentication procedure among said plurality of BSS;
determining whether to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure or through the reduced authentication procedure, based on the received information identifying the Mobility Domain and without receiving other types of frames transmitted by the network node; and
associating with the network node through the reduced authentication procedure wherein, prior to associating with the network node, the wireless communication device was associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs,
wherein the reduced authentication procedure comprises a Fast BSS Transition procedure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Mobility Domain information includes at least one of a Mobility Domain Identifier (MDID), a Mobility Domain Element (MDE), a hashed MDID, and a hashed MDE.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Mobility Domain information is introduced as an information element in the FILS Discovery frame.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Mobility Domain information is introduced as a vendor specific element in the FILS Discovery frame.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Mobility Domain information is included as a field in a FILS Indication element comprising the FILS Discovery frame.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method also comprises associating with the particular wireless communication device through a full authentication procedure if, prior to associating with the network node, the particular wireless communication device was not associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method also comprises associating with the network node through a full authentication procedure if, prior to associating with the network node, the wireless communication device was not associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs.

9. A network node, in a wireless communications network, configured to assist receiving wireless communication devices in determining an association procedure towards the network node, the network node comprising:
a transceiver circuit; and
at least one processing circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit and operable to:
send a Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) Discovery frame comprising information identifying a Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs, wherein the Mobility Domain comprises a plurality of basic service sets (BSS) that support a reduced authentication procedure among said plurality of BSS, said information identifying the Mobility Domain enabling receiving wireless communication devices to determine whether to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure or through the reduced authentication procedure without receiving other types of frames transmitted by the network node; and
associate with a particular wireless communication device through the reduced authentication procedure wherein, prior to associating with the network node, the particular wireless communication device was associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs,
wherein the reduced authentication procedure comprises a Fast BSS Transition procedure.

10. The network node of claim 9 , wherein the Mobility Domain information includes at least one of a Mobility Domain Identifier (MDID), a Mobility Domain Element (MDE), a hashed MDID, and a hashed MDE.

11. The network node of claim 9 , wherein the network node is configured to send Mobility Domain information as an information element in the FILS Discovery frame.

12. The network node of claim 9 , wherein the network node is configured to associate with the particular wireless communication device through a full authentication procedure if, prior to associating with the network node, the particular wireless communication device was not associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs.

13. The network node of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing circuit comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor.

14. A wireless device configured to determine an association procedure towards a network node in a wireless communications network, the wireless device comprising:
a transceiver circuit; and
at least one processing circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit and operable to:
receive, in a Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) Discovery frame, information identifying a Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs, wherein the Mobility Domain comprises a plurality of basic service sets (BSS) that support a reduced authentication procedure among said plurality of BSS;
determine whether to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure or through the reduced authentication procedure, based on the received information identifying the Mobility Domain and without receiving other types of frames transmitted by the network node; and
associate with the network node through the reduced authentication procedure wherein, prior to associating with the network node, the wireless device was associated with the Mobility Domain to which the network node belongs,
wherein the reduced authentication procedure comprises a Fast BSS Transition procedure.

15. The wireless device of claim 14 , wherein the Mobility Domain information comprises at least one of: a Mobility Domain Identifier (MDID), a Mobility Domain Element (MDF), a representation thereof.

16. The wireless device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is further operable to receive Mobility Domain information as an information element in the FILS Discovery frame.

17. The wireless device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is further operable to associate with the network node through a full authentication procedure if, prior to associating with the network node,

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Mestanov Filip
• Rayment Stephen

Classifications

• H04L63/205

  involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved (negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24) · CPC title

• H04W48/17

  Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment] · CPC title

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04L63/0853 Primary

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title