Methods And Apparatus For Reducing Airlink Congestion And Processing Time Associated With Ciphering Information In A Wireless Network

A mobile station, the mobile station configurable to operate in a wireless network, comprising:

• a wireless transceiver;
• an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver;
• one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;
• the one or more processors being operative to:
• receive a ciphering mode information message through the wireless transceiver;
• when the ciphering mode information message is part of a security mode command message:
• identify and process valid radio bearer downlink ciphering activation time information in the ciphering mode information message for producing valid radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time, and generate a response message which includes the valid radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time information configured to be sent through the wireless transceiver;
• and
• when the ciphering mode information message is part of a message that is different from the security mode command message:
• refrain from processing any valid radio bearer downlink ciphering activation time information in the ciphering mode information message and refrain from producing any valid radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time information for the ciphering mode information message, and, generate a response message which includes no valid radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time information configured to be sent through the wireless transceiver.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a storage medium;
• computer instructions stored in the storage medium;
• and
• the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors in a mobile station, the mobile station configurable to operate in a wireless network, for reducing processing time associated with ciphering information by:
• receiving a ciphering mode information message;
• when the ciphering mode information message is part of a security mode command message:
• identifying and processing radio bearer downlink ciphering activation time information in the ciphering mode information message, producing radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time information, and, generating a response message configured to be transmittable over the wireless network which includes the valid radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time information;
• and
• when the ciphering mode information message is part of a message that is different from a security code command message:
• refraining from processing radio bearer downlink ciphering activation time information in the ciphering mode information message, and, not producing an associated radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time, and, generating a response message configured to be transmittable over the wireless network to the non-security-mode-command message which does not include an associated radio bearer uplink ciphering activation time.