Relay Station Security Key Handling for WiMAX Handoff

Solution Overview

Problem

In WiMAX wireless communication systems, authentication and handoff processes involving relay stations lead to increased processing overhead and delays due to the need for repeated security association establishment and authentication, which reduces communication efficiency and bandwidth.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where relay stations receive unsolicited or requested security keys from base stations to authenticate mobile stations quickly, thereby reducing the need for extensive authentication protocols during handoffs and establishing secure connections efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional authentication protocols are used during handoff, then security is ensured, but processing overhead increases and communication efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcommunication efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the target base station send security keys to the relay station in advance before the mobile station actually needs to connect. This pre-establishment of security material allows the relay station to authenticate mobile stations quickly during handoff without performing full authentication protocols, thus maintaining security while improving communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The relay station serves as an intermediary that receives security keys from the base station and uses them to authenticate mobile stations. This intermediary mechanism allows the base station to offload authentication tasks, reducing the processing burden during handoff and improving overall system efficiency while maintaining security through the relay station's authentication function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If repeated security association establishment is performed during handoff, then authentication is ensured, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveauthenticationVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the target base station send security keys to the relay station in advance before the mobile station actually needs to connect. This pre-establishment of security material allows the relay station to authenticate mobile stations quickly during handoff without performing full authentication protocols, thus maintaining security while improving communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the authentication function from the base station and places it in the relay station. The relay station receives security keys from the base station and performs authentication locally, eliminating the need for the mobile station to re-authenticate with the base station during handoff. This extraction reduces processing overhead while maintaining authentication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If extensive authentication protocols are executed during handoff, then security associations are established, but handoff delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity associationVSAvoidhandoff delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the target base station send security keys to the relay station in advance before the mobile station actually needs to connect. This pre-establishment of security material allows the relay station to authenticate mobile stations quickly during handoff without performing full authentication protocols, thus maintaining security while improving communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a simplified authentication process where the relay station uses pre-received security keys to quickly authenticate mobile stations during handoff, skipping the extensive authentication protocols that would otherwise be required. This rushing through of the authentication process reduces handoff delay while maintaining security associations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS9313658B2Methods and devices for establishing security associations and performing handoff authentication in communications systems

Publication Date: 2016.04.12 IND TECH RES INST

AI summary

A method of providing secure communications between a base station, a relay station, and a mobile station in a communication network includes receiving, by the relay station, an unsolicited security key from the base station; receiving, by the relay station, a signaling message from the mobile station; and authenticating, by the relay station, the mobile station using the security key. A method of providing secure communications between a base station, a relay station, and a mobile station in a communication network includes receiving, by the relay station, a signaling message from the mobile station; transmitting, by the relay station, subsequent to receiving the signaling message, a security key request to the base station; receiving, by the relay station, a security key from the base station in response to the previously sent security key request; and authenticating, by the relay station, the mobile station using the received security key.