Communication of security key information
View Patent ↗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.
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.