Encryption key management

Abstract

In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode telecommunications network having a plurality of virtual paths or circuits, an encryption key used for data transmitted between a source and a receiver may be updated, the data being transmitted initially using a first encryption key by a first of the plurality of virtual paths or circuits, by a connection being estabished by a second of the plurality of virtual paths or circuits and sending a second encryption key by that connection from the source to the receiver and subsequently transmitting the data using the second encryption key by the second of the plurality of virtual paths or circuits.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.