Optimizing security bits in a media access control (mac) header
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsDavid Johnston, Muthu Vankatachalam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of retrieving security information in a media access control (MAC) header by a wireless station may include receiving a data unit, such as a protocol data unit (PDU), from a remote wireless station. The PDU may include the MAC header. The method may also include reading two encryption key sequence (EKS) bits in the MAC header that denote both whether the data unit is encrypted and a position in an encryption key sequence for the data unit.
Claims17
A method of providing security information in a media access control (MAC) header by a wireless station, comprising:
- generating a data unit including the MAC header, the MAC header including:
- two bits that denote both whether the data unit is encrypted and an encryption key sequence for the data unit;
- and
- transmitting the data unit to a remote wireless station.
A method of retrieving security information in a media access control (MAC) header by a wireless station, comprising:
- receiving a data unit including the MAC header from a remote wireless station;
- and
- reading two encryption key sequence (EKS) bits in the MAC header that denote both whether the data unit is encrypted and a position in an encryption key sequence for the data unit.
A wireless station, comprising:
- a media access control (MAC) module arranged to generate or parse a protocol data unit (PDU) including a MAC header:
- that includes two encryption key sequence (EKS) bits that denote both whether the PDU is encrypted and an encryption key sequence for the PDU, and
- that does not include an encryption (EC) bit that is separate from the EKS bits;
- and
- a physical layer (PHY) module arranged to send the PDU to the MAC module or to receive the PDU from the MAC module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.