Methods and systems for slow associated control channel signaling
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for slow associated control channel signaling are disclosed. An example method for securing communications in a mobile network disclosed herein comprises transmitting a first variant of a message of a first type on a first slow associated control channel (SACCH) before ciphering is started on the first SACCH, and after ciphering is started on the first SACCH, transmitting a second variant of the message of the first type on the first SACCH, and subsequently transmitting the second variant of the message of the first type on the first SACCH, wherein the subsequently transmitted second variant of the message of the first type is the next transmitted message of the first type on the first SACCH.
1. A method to secure communications in a network, the method comprising:
determining a first variant of a message to be transmitted to a device, the first variant of the message being one of a plurality of possible variants of the message, the first variant of the message being determined based on an identifier associated with a cell identifier of the device;
ciphering the first variant of the message to form a ciphered first variant of the message; and
transmitting the ciphered first variant of the message to the device, wherein the message comprises neighbor cell information.
2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of possible variants of the message correspond to a plurality of possible formats for the message.
3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first variant of the message is further determined based on an identifier associated with a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the device.
4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first variant of the message is transmitted to the device during a first time period, and further comprising:
determining a second variant of the message, the second variant of the message being a second one of the plurality of possible variants of the message;
ciphering the second variant of the message to form a ciphered second variant of the message; and
after the first time period ends, transmitting the ciphered second variant of the message to the device.
5. A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the second variant of the message is determined based on the identifier associated with the device.
6. A method as defined in claim 4 , further comprising:
determining a third variant of the message, the third variant of the message being a third one of the plurality of possible variants of the message;
ciphering the third variant of the message to form a ciphered third variant of the message; and
after the second time period ends, transmitting the ciphered third variant of the message to the device.
7. A tangible machine readable storage device comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
determine a first variant of a message to be transmitted to a mobile station, the first variant of the message being one of a plurality of possible variants of the message, the first variant of the message being determined based on an identifier associated with a cell identifier of the mobile station;
cipher the first variant of the message to form a ciphered first variant of the message; and
transmit the ciphered first variant of the message to the mobile station, wherein the message comprises neighbor cell information.
8. A tangible storage device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the plurality of possible variants of the message correspond to a plurality of possible formats for the message.
9. A tangible storage device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first variant of the message is further determined based on an identifier associated with a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the mobile station.
10. A tangible storage device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first variant of the message is transmitted to the mobile station during a first time period, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:
determine a second variant of the message, the second variant of the message being a second one of the plurality of possible variants of the message;
cipher the second variant of the message to form a ciphered second variant of the message; and
after the first time period ends, transmit the ciphered second variant of the message to the mobile station.
11. A tangible storage device as defined in claim 10 , wherein the second variant of the message is determined based on the identifier associated with the mobile station.
12. A tangible storage device as defined in claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:
determine a third variant of the message, the third variant of the message being a third one of the plurality of possible variants of the message;
cipher the third variant of the message to form a ciphered third variant of the message; and
after the second time period ends, transmit the ciphered third variant of the message to the mobile station.
13. An apparatus to secure communications in a network, the apparatus comprising:
a processor to:
determine a first variant of a message to be transmitted to a device, the first variant of the message being one of a plurality of possible variants of the message, the first variant of the message being determined based on an identifier associated with a cell identifier of the device; and
cipher the first variant of the message to form a ciphered first variant of the message; and
a transmitter to transmit the ciphered first variant of the message to the device, wherein the message comprises neighbor cell information.
14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of possible variants of the message correspond to a plurality of possible formats for the message.
15. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first variant of the message is further determined based on an identifier associated with a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the device.
16. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein:
the processor is further to:
determine a second variant of the message, the second variant of the message being a second one of the plurality of possible variants of the message; and
cipher the second variant of the message to form a ciphered second variant of the message; and
the transmitter is further to:
transmit the first variant of the message to the device during a first time period; and
transmit the ciphered second variant of the message to the device after the first time period ends.
17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein:
the processor is further to:
determine a third variant of the message, the third variant of the message being a third one of the plurality of possible variants of the message; and
cipher the third variant of the message to form a ciphered third variant of the message; and
the transmitter is further to transmit the ciphered third variant of the message to the device after the second time period ends.