The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2022
Filed:
Dec. 26, 2019
Applicant:
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Inventors:
Assignee:
APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04L 9/00 (2022.01); H04W 12/041 (2021.01); H04B 7/0417 (2017.01); H04W 52/02 (2009.01); H04L 27/00 (2006.01); H04W 4/70 (2018.01); H04W 76/14 (2018.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.01); H04L 43/16 (2022.01); H04L 5/00 (2006.01); H04W 72/04 (2009.01); H04W 72/12 (2009.01); H04W 24/02 (2009.01); H04W 72/10 (2009.01); H04L 27/36 (2006.01); H04W 88/02 (2009.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H04W 12/041 (2021.01); H04B 7/0417 (2013.01); H04L 5/0053 (2013.01); H04L 27/0008 (2013.01); H04L 43/16 (2013.01); H04W 4/70 (2018.02); H04W 24/02 (2013.01); H04W 52/0209 (2013.01); H04W 52/0216 (2013.01); H04W 52/0229 (2013.01); H04W 52/0235 (2013.01); H04W 72/0406 (2013.01); H04W 72/0413 (2013.01); H04W 72/0453 (2013.01); H04W 72/10 (2013.01); H04W 72/12 (2013.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.02); H04W 76/14 (2018.02); H04L 5/006 (2013.01); H04L 27/362 (2013.01); H04W 88/02 (2013.01); Y02D 30/70 (2020.08);
Abstract
Embodiments have a master eNB with a control plane and optional data plane to user equipment and a secondary eNB with a data plane to the user equipment. The user equipment thus uses both the master eNB and the secondary eNB for data communications while receiving control information from only the master eNB. The master eNB and secondary eNB are connected with an X2 interface. When the secondary eNB desires to refresh its security key, it informs the master eNB using the X2 interface. The master eNB then uses its control plane with the user equipment to initiate a security key refresh for the secondary eNB.