# US 12,192,832 B2 · Determining security keys > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,832 B2 - Document ID: US12192832B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/765,348 - Filed: 2020-09-30 - Published: 2022-12-08 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-30 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (PUBL) - Inventors: Patrik Rugeland; Gunnar Mildh; Julien Muller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192832B2 ## CPC - H04W 36/0027: {for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections} - H04W 12/041: Key generation or derivation - H04W 36/0069: {in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink} - H04W 36/28: involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections - H04W 36/362: {Conditional handover} - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04W 36/00835: {Determination of neighbour cell lists} - H04W 76/19: Connection re-establishment - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Examples of this disclosure include a method performed by a wireless device for determining security keys. The method comprises, for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by the wireless device for dual connectivity, receiving, from a network node, a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell. The method also comprises determining, for each of at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective value associated with the candidate PSCell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a wireless device for determining security keys, the method comprising: for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by the wireless device for dual connectivity, receiving, from a network node, a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell; when a condition associated with a first candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells is fulfilled, determining a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the first candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective value associated with the first candidate PSCell, wherein the values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a first primary cell for the wireless device; for each candidate PSCell, receiving, from the network node, a respective further value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the further value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with the candidate PSCell and is different to the further value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell, and wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a second primary cell for the wireless device; and when a condition associated with a second candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells is fulfilled, determining a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the second candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective further value associated with the second candidate PSCell, wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a secondary primary cell for the wireless device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising receiving the values associated with the candidate PSCells and/or the master key from a network node or base station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first candidate PSCell and the second candidate PSCell are the same PSCell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method according to claim 1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the wireless device to use the first candidate PSCell as a PSCell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate PSCells include two or more PSCells associated with a same candidate secondary node or base station, and the two or more PSCells are associated with the same value or different values. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising receiving, from the network node, one or more configurations for configuring the wireless device with the plurality of candidate PSCells, wherein the one or more configurations indicate the values associated with the candidate PSCells. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a RRC resume procedure to resume in the first primary cell, and wherein determining, for each of the at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, the respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell comprises determining the security key for communications between the wireless device and a first candidate PSCell of the candidate PSCells based on the master key and the value associated with the candidate PSCell and the first primary cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising performing a RRC resume procedure to resume in a first primary cell, and wherein receiving the values associated with the candidate PSCells is performed after a start of the RRC resume procedure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising performing an RRC suspend procedure when connected to a first primary cell, and performing an RRC resume procedure, and wherein determining, for each of at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, the a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell is performed only if the RRC resume procedure is for resuming in the first primary cell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising, for each candidate PSCell, receiving, from a network node, a respective updated value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the updated value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with the candidate PSCell and is different to the updated value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell; wherein determining, for each of at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, the respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell comprises determining the respective security key based on the master key and the respective updated value associated with the candidate PSCell. ### Claim 12 A method performed by a network node for determining security keys, the method comprising: determining, for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by a wireless device for dual connectivity, a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell; sending, for each candidate PSCell, the respective security key to a respective candidate secondary node associated with the candidate PSCell; sending, to the wireless device, one or more configurations for configuring the wireless device with the plurality of candidate PSCells, wherein the one or more configurations indicate the respective values associated with the candidate PSCells, wherein the values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a first primary cell for the wireless device; and for each candidate PSCell, sending, to the wireless device, a respective further value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the further value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with the candidate PSCell and is different to the further value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell, and wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a second primary cell for the wireless device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising sending the values associated with the candidate PSCells and/or the master key to the wireless device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the candidate PSCells include two or more PSCells associated with a same candidate secondary node or base station, and the two or more PSCells are associated with the same value or different values. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the wireless device has connected to the first primary cell, and wherein determining, for each of the at least one candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells, the respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell comprises determining the security key for communications between the wireless device and a first candidate PSCell of the candidate PSCells based on based on the master key and the value associated with the candidate PSCell and the first primary cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: determining that the wireless device has connected to a first primary cell before sending the security keys associated with the candidate PSCells to the respective candidate secondary nodes; or determining that the wireless device has suspended from and resumed to a first primary cell before sending the security keys associated with the candidate PSCells to the respective candidate secondary nodes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the network node comprises a base station associated with a primary cell for the wireless device. ### Claim 18 Apparatus in a wireless device for determining security keys, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor such that the apparatus is operable to: for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by the wireless device for dual connectivity, receive, from a network node, a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell; when a condition associated with a first candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells is fulfilled, a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the first candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective value associated with the first candidate PSCell, wherein the values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a first primary cell for the wireless device; for each candidate PSCell, receive, from the network node, a respective further value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the further value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with the candidate PSCell and is different to the further value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell, and wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a second primary cell for the wireless device; and when a condition associated with a second candidate PSCell of the plurality of candidate PSCells is fulfilled, determine a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the second candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and the respective further value associated with the second candidate PSCell, wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a secondary primary cell for the wireless device. ### Claim 19 Apparatus in a network node for determining security keys, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor such that the apparatus is operable to: determine, for each candidate primary secondary cell (PSCell) of a plurality of candidate PSCells for conditional addition or conditional change by a wireless device for dual connectivity, a respective security key for communications between the wireless device and the candidate PSCell, wherein the respective security key is determined based on a master key and a respective value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell; send, for each candidate PSCell, the respective security key to a respective candidate secondary node associated with the candidate PSCell; send, to the wireless device, one or more configurations for configuring the wireless device with the plurality of candidate PSCells, wherein the one or more configurations indicate the respective values associated with the candidate PSCells, wherein the values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a first primary cell for the wireless device; and for each candidate PSCell, send, to the wireless device, a respective further value associated with the candidate PSCell, wherein the further value associated with the candidate PSCell is different to the value associated with the candidate PSCell and is different to the further value associated with at least one other candidate PSCell, and wherein the further values associated with the candidate PSCells are associated with a second primary cell for the wireless device.