WLAN Affiliated STA MAC Address Changes for Multi-Link Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IEEE 802.11 WLAN standards limit user privacy by not allowing the MAC address of a WLAN affiliated STA to be changed during the lifetime of an association or fast transition, thereby enabling tracking of devices.
Innovation Solution
A method to change the MAC address of a WLAN affiliated STA of a multi-link device (MLD) without affecting LAN connectivity or security associations by generating a new MAC address and coordinating the change through the AP MLD, allowing periodic updates even during associations and fast transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the MAC address of a WLAN affiliated STA is changed during association, then user privacy is improved, but LAN connectivity and security associations are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the MAC address functionality by introducing two distinct MAC addresses: one for the non-AP MLD (used for privacy) and one for the affiliated STA (used for LAN connectivity). This segmentation allows the privacy-oriented MAC address to change independently without affecting the connectivity-oriented MAC address, resolving the contradiction between privacy and connectivity stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the non-AP MLD MAC address serves as the identifier for security associations and LAN connectivity, while the affiliated STA MAC address is used only for over-the-air frame transmission. This intermediary role allows the affiliated STA MAC address to be changed without disrupting security bindings or LAN connectivity, as these are maintained through the non-AP MLD MAC address.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the MAC address of a WLAN affiliated STA is changed during association, then user privacy is improved, but security bindings are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the MAC address functionality by introducing two distinct MAC addresses: one for the non-AP MLD (used for privacy) and one for the affiliated STA (used for LAN connectivity). This segmentation allows the privacy-oriented MAC address to change independently without affecting the connectivity-oriented MAC address, resolving the contradiction between privacy and connectivity stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the non-AP MLD MAC address serves as the identifier for security associations and LAN connectivity, while the affiliated STA MAC address is used only for over-the-air frame transmission. This intermediary role allows the affiliated STA MAC address to be changed without disrupting security bindings or LAN connectivity, as these are maintained through the non-AP MLD MAC address.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the MAC address is changed periodically, then user privacy is improved, but the association lifetime is reduced due to reassociation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the MAC address functionality by introducing two distinct MAC addresses: one for the non-AP MLD (used for privacy) and one for the affiliated STA (used for LAN connectivity). This segmentation allows the privacy-oriented MAC address to change independently without affecting the connectivity-oriented MAC address, resolving the contradiction between privacy and connectivity stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the non-AP MLD MAC address serves as the identifier for security associations and LAN connectivity, while the affiliated STA MAC address is used only for over-the-air frame transmission. This intermediary role allows the affiliated STA MAC address to be changed without disrupting security bindings or LAN connectivity, as these are maintained through the non-AP MLD MAC address.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of changing a MAC address of a WLAN affiliated STA of a multi-link device (MLD) and related system, device and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium. A new MAC address is generated for an affiliated non-AP STA of a non-AP MLD. A request to change the MAC address of the affiliated non-AP STA to the new MAC address is sent from the non-AP MLD to an AP MLD. An acknowledgement that the new MAC address for the affiliated non-AP STA of the non-AP MLD has been successfully applied by the AP MLD is received by the non-AP MLD from the AP MLD. The MAC address for the affiliated non-AP STA of the non-AP MLD is changed to the new MAC address in response to the acknowledgment.