Patent ID: 7936879
Filing Date: 2011-05-03
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. In a system having an authentication server to generate an authentication key, a plurality of access points hierarchically arranged from the authentication server that is at hierarchy level zero, and a station that communicates with the authentication server through one or more access points of the plurality of access points to communicate information over a wireless network, and wherein the plurality of access points advertise a hierarchy depth (N) for cached keys in which N is greater than one and designates a farthest level of the hierarchy, and the access points also advertise a hierarchically ordered list of identifiers for a derivation path for derived authentication keys, an apparatus comprising: an authenticator management module in a particular access point of the plurality of access points that generates a transient authentication key from a derived authentication key of N−1 hierarchy level and when the particular access point lacks a hierarchy level to generate a N−1 level derived authentication key, the particular access point is to calculate the N−1 level derived authentication key in order to generate a transient authentication key, so that the station is operable to mutually derive the transient authentication key to establish an authenticated connection within the wireless network through the particular access point; and a control module coupled to the authenticator management module to control the authenticator management module.