Patent ID: 7561551

Claim:
A method for propagating mutual authentication data in both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network, the method comprising: mutually authenticating a first node of a plurality of nodes operating in the first wireless communication network and a second node of a plurality of nodes operating in the second wireless communication network, wherein the plurality of nodes in the first wireless communication network is unable to securely communicate with the plurality of nodes in the second wireless communication network; transmitting a unification message from the first node to a third node of the plurality of nodes operating in the second wireless communication network, where the unification message indicates that the first node is capable of securely communicating with the plurality of nodes in the first wireless communication network and the plurality of nodes in the second wireless communication network; and relaying through the first node, in response to the unification message, authentication messages from the third node and the second node, for mutually authenticating the third node and the second node.