Method and apparatus for authenticating a network entity using unlicensed wireless spectrum

1. An apparatus comprising:

an unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit configured to:

receive an indication of authentication from a first network entity within a cellular system via a trusted internal interface of the first network entity, the indication of authentication being associated with a second network entity and includes at least a first identifier comprising a medium access control (MAC) address of the second network entity, wherein the MAC address is sent by the second network entity to the first network entity in an encrypted Radio Resource Control message;

in response to receiving the indication of authentication, determine that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system based on the indication of authentication;

in response to determining that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system, enable user plane traffic carried on the unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit to be transferred to the first network entity, and disable a first encryption or a first integrity protection mechanism utilized by the access point control circuit for user plane traffic associated with the second network entity while maintaining a second encryption or a second integrity protection mechanism utilized by the first network entity;

receive first data from the second network entity over the unlicensed wireless spectrum, wherein the first data includes a second identifier comprising a MAC address;

determine whether the first identifier is same as the second identifier;

enable further data exchange between the first network entity and the second network entity based on the determination that the first identifier is the same as the second identifier; and

refrain from transmitting further data to the first network entity upon determining that the first identifier is not the same as the second identifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second identifiers are medium access control (MAC) addresses.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first network entity comprises an Evolved Node-B base station in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Radio Access Network (RAN).

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second network entity comprises a portable wireless device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the unlicensed spectrum wireless access point control circuit is further configured to transmit any management frames that are generated at the unlicensed spectrum wireless access point control circuit and require encryption or integrity protection to the first network entity.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the management frames are transmitted from the unlicensed spectrum wireless access point control circuit to the first network entity within a Radio Resource Control Message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the Radio Resource Control Message is integrity protected and/or encrypted using a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) protocol layer of an Evolved Node-B that comprises the first network entity.

8. A method comprising:

by an unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit:

receiving an indication of authentication from a first network entity within a cellular system via a trusted internal interface of the first network entity, the indication of authentication being associated with a second network entity and includes at least a first identifier comprising a medium access control (MAC) address of the second network entity, wherein the MAC address is sent by the second network entity to the first network in an encrypted Radio Resource Control message;

in response to receiving the indication of authentication, determining that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system based on the indication of authentication;

in response to determining that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system, enabling user plane traffic carried on the unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit to be transferred to the first network entity, and disabling a first encryption or a first integrity protection mechanism utilized by the access point control circuit for user plane traffic associated with the second network entity while maintaining a second encryption or a second integrity protection mechanism utilized by the first network entity;

receiving data from the second network entity over the unlicensed wireless spectrum, wherein the data includes a second identifier comprising a MAC address;

determining whether the first identifier is same as the second identifier;

enabling further data exchange between the first network entity and the second network entity based on the determination that the first identifier is the same as the second identifier; and

refraining from transmitting further data transmission to the first network entity upon determining that the first identifier is not the same as the second identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first and second identifiers are medium access control (MAC) addresses.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first network entity comprises an Evolved Node-B base station in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Radio Access Network (RAN).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second network entity comprises a portable wireless device.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the data transmission is user plane data traffic.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the MAC address from the first network entity comprises receiving the MAC address via an internal interface of the first network entity.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

transmitting any management frames generated by the unlicensed wireless spectrum access point circuit that require encryption and/or integrity protection through a Radio Resource Control Message.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the Radio Resource Control Messages are integrity protected and/or encrypted in a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) protocol layer of an Evolved Node-B that comprises the first network entity.

16. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, an unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit to:

receive an indication of authentication from a first network entity within a cellular system via a trusted internal interface of the first network entity, the indication of authentication being associated with a second network entity and includes at least a first identifier comprising a medium access control (MAC) address of the second network entity, wherein the MAC address is sent by the second network entity to the first network entity in an encrypted Radio Resource Control message;

in response to receiving the indication of authentication, determine that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system based on the indication of authentication;

in response to determining that the second network entity has been authenticated with the cellular system, enable user plane traffic carried on the unlicensed wireless spectrum access point control circuit to be transferred to the first network entity, and disable a first encryption or a first integrity protection mechanism utilized by the access point control circuit for user plane traffic associated with the second network entity while maintaining a second encryption or a second integrity protection mechanism utilized by the first network entity;

receive first data from the second network entity over the unlicensed wireless spectrum, wherein the first data includes a second identifier comprising a MAC address;

determine whether the first identifier is same as the second identifier;

enable further data exchange between the first network entity and the second network entity based on the determination that the first identifier is the same as the second identifier; and

refrain from transmitting further data to the first network entity upon determining that the first identifier is not the same as the second identifier.