Ultra dense network security architecture method

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions that when executed by the processor cause the UE to:
• receive a reconfiguration request from a macrocell that includes a unique counter that is assigned to a group of microcells;
• encrypt a first user plane signaling message and a second user plane signaling message using the same user plane encryption key, wherein the user plane encryption key is derived in accordance with the unique counter;
• transmit the first user plane signaling message to a first microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which the UE is communicatively coupled to the first microcell;
• and
• transmit the second user plane signaling message to a second microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which the UE is communicatively coupled to the second microcell.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming, the programming when executed includes instructions to:

• receive a reconfiguration request from a macrocell that includes a unique counter that is assigned to a group of microcells;
• encrypt a first user plane signaling message and a second user plane signaling message using the same a user plane encryption key, wherein the user plane encryption key is derived in accordance with the unique counter;
• transmit the first user plane signaling message to a first microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which a user equipment (UE) is communicatively coupled to the first microcell;
• and
• transmit the second user plane signaling message to a second microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which the UE is communicatively coupled to the second microcell.

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a reconfiguration request from a macrocell that includes a unique counter that is assigned to a group of microcells;
• one or more processors configured to encrypt a first user plane signaling message and a second user plane signaling message using the same user plane encryption key, wherein the user plane encryption key is derived in accordance with the unique counter;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the first user plane signaling message to a first microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which the UE is communicatively coupled to the first microcell, and to transmit the second user plane signaling message to a second microcell in the group of microcells during a first period in which the UE is communicatively coupled to the second microcell.