IP Library Granted Patent US 8,984,590
Granted Patent B2
US 8,984,590 · App. 13/670,372 · Granted Mar 17, 2015

Enabling access to key lifetimes for wireless link setup

Inventors: George Cherian (San Diego, CA); Anand Palanigounder (San Diego, CA); Santosh Paul Abraham (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
H04W12/06H04L63/068H04L63/08H04L63/06H04L63/162H04W12/04H04L2209/80
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,984,590
App. No.
13/670,372
Granted
Mar 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A particular method includes performing a bootstrapped extensible authentication protocol (EAP) re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication at a mobile device after performing an EAP authentication with the access point prior to expiration of a master session key (MSK) associated with the EAP authentication. Another particular method includes performing, at an access point, a bootstrapped ERP re-authentication of a mobile device without interrupting a flow of data packets with respect to the mobile device.

Claims (70)

1. A method comprising:

receiving at least one message at a mobile device from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, performing at the mobile device a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, performing at the mobile device a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

initiating determining, at the mobile device, whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) has elapsed, wherein an rRK lifetime is accessed by the mobile device; and

reducing a value of the rRK lifetime when the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is performed and is unsuccessful.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating at least one second message from the mobile device to the access point during a session with the access point, wherein the first bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is performed prior to termination of the session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a re-authentication MSK (rMSK) lifetime during the first bootstrapped ERP re-authentication.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein initiating determining whether to perform the second EAP authentication or the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication comprises accessing the rRK lifetime from a non-volatile memory within the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rRK lifetime is stored in a non-volatile memory of the mobile device, and wherein the method further comprises accessing the rRK lifetime in the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device.

6. A method comprising:

receiving at least one message at a mobile device from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, performing at the mobile device a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, performing at the mobile device a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

determining, at a mobile device, whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) lifetime has elapsed, wherein a value of the rRK lifetime is stored in a non-volatile memory within the mobile device;

initiating the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication instead of the second EAP authentication;

determining that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

reducing the value of the rRK lifetime in response to determining that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising accessing the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device, wherein the non-volatile memory stores the rRK lifetime during the provisioning.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM), and wherein accessing the non-volatile memory comprises reading a value of the rRK lifetime from the SIM during the provisioning.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

initiating a third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication;

determining that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

in response to determining that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful, changing the value of the rRK lifetime.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein changing the value of the rRK lifetime in response to determining that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful comprises reducing the value of the rRK lifetime.

11. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:

receive at least one message from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, perform a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, perform a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

initiate a determination of whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) has elapsed, wherein an rRK lifetime is accessed by the processor; and

reduce a value of the rRK lifetime when the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is performed and is unsuccessful.

12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device comprises a non-volatile memory, and wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to access the rRK lifetime from the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device.

13. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

receive at least one message from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, perform a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, perform a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

initiate a determination of whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) has elapsed, wherein an rRK lifetime is accessed by the processor; and

reduce a value of the rRK lifetime when the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is performed and is unsuccessful.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile device comprises a non-volatile memory, and wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the rRK lifetime to be accessed from the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:

receive at least one message from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, perform a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, perform a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

determine whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) lifetime has elapsed, wherein the rRK lifetime is stored in a non-volatile memory within the mobile device;

initiate the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication instead of the second EAP authentication;

determine that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

reduce a value of the rRK lifetime in response to determining that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to access the rRK lifetime in the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further caused to:

initiate a third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication;

determine that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

in response to determining that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful, change the value of the rRK lifetime.

18. A mobile device comprising:

a non-volatile memory storing a re-authentication Root Key (rRK) lifetime;

a processor; and

a second memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

receive at least one message from an access point;

after receiving the at least one message, perform a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication;

after performing the first EAP authentication, perform a first bootstrapped EAP re-authentication protocol (ERP) re-authentication before a master session key (MSK) associated with the first EAP authentication expires;

determine whether to perform a second EAP authentication or a second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication based on whether the rRK has elapsed;

initiate the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication instead of the second EAP authentication;

determine that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

reduce a value of the rRK lifetime in response to determining that the second bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the rRK lifetime to be accessed from the non-volatile memory during a provisioning of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further are executable by the processor to:

initiate a third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication;

determine that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful; and

in response to determining that the third bootstrapped ERP re-authentication is unsuccessful, change the value of the rRK lifetime.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2013
From: CHERIAN, GEORGE; PALANIGOUNDER, ANAND; ABRAHAM, SANTOSH PAUL
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 029687/0277 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61556921 · Nov 8, 2011
Related Publication 20130117820A1 · May 9, 2013