Patent ID: 7624271

Claim:
A method of re-authenticating a device's access to a communications node, the method comprising: generating by the communications node, a first ANonce for use in derivation of a first pair-wise transient key (PTK); authenticating by the communication node, in a first communications exchange, the device's access to the communication node using at least partially the first PTK; storing by the communication node, the first ANonce; associating by the communication node, with the device by establishing a communication link between the communication node and the device based at least in part on said authenticating; and subsequent to a duration of time during which the communication node and the device are not associated, re-associating by the communication node with the device by re-establishing the communication link between the communication node and the device, wherein the duration of time occurs subsequent to said associating, wherein said re-associating further comprises: modifying by the communications node, independent of the device, the first ANonce stored in the communication node to create a second ANonce; and re-authenticating by the communication node, in a second communications exchange, the device's access to the communication node using at least partially the second ANonce.