# US 9,439,067 B2 · Systems and methods of performing link setup and authentication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,439,067 B2 - Document ID: US9439067B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/610,730 - Filed: 2012-09-11 - Published: 2013-10-03 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-12 - Applicants: George Cherian; Philip Michael Hawkes; Santosh Paul Abraham; Hemanth Sampath - Inventors: George Cherian; Philip Michael Hawkes; Santosh Paul Abraham; Hemanth Sampath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9439067B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/0869: {involving random numbers or seeds} - H04L 9/3273: {for mutual authentication (network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869)} - H04L 63/062: {for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819)} - H04L 63/0892: {by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols} - H04W 12/041: Key generation or derivation - H04W 12/0433: Key management protocols - H04L 2209/80: Wireless - H04W 84/02: Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems and methods of performing link setup and authentication are disclosed. A first method utilizes an unprotected association request and an association response that includes an access point nonce (ANonce). A second method includes receiving, during a first link setup using a first ANonce, a second ANonce for use in a second link setup. A third method utilizes a temporary key to protect an association request. A fourth method includes generating an ANonce at a mobile device based on an ANonce-seed received from an access point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: sending a request from a mobile device to an access point, wherein the request includes a station nonce (SNonce) associated with the mobile device and an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element; receiving a response from the access point in response to the request, wherein the response includes: an authentication parameter based on the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message, and an access point nonce (ANonce) that was generated after the request was sent; and generating, at the mobile device, a pairwise transient key (PTK) using the SNonce and the ANonce that was received in the response. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, at the mobile device, a re-authentication master session key (rMSK) and the SNonce prior to sending the request to the access point, wherein the PTK is generated using the rMSK. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: retrieving a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the access point from a memory of the mobile device, wherein the request is sent to the access point based on the BSSID. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request is sent responsive to location information determined at the mobile device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein information elements in the response other than the ANonce are protected using the ANonce, and further comprising validating integrity of the response using the PTK. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes an EAP-finish message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising decrypting the EAP-finish message based on the PTK. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the EAP-finish message is included in a third information element of the response and the ANonce is included in a fourth information element of the response, the third information element distinct from the fourth information element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication parameter includes an EAP-Finish Re-authentication message. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)-Discover-with-Rapid-Commit message. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)-Acknowledge-with-Rapid-Commit message. ### Claim 12 An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to: send a request to an access point, wherein the request includes a station nonce (SNonce) associated with a mobile device and an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element; receive a response from the access point in response to the request, wherein the response includes: an authentication parameter based on the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message, and an access point nonce (ANonce) that was generated after the request was sent; and generate a pairwise transient key (PTK) using the SNonce and the ANonce that was received in the response. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to: generate a re-authentication master session key (rMSK) and the SNonce prior to sending the request to the access point, wherein the PTK is generated using the rMSK. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the access point, and wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to: retrieve the BSSID of the access point from the memory, wherein the request is sent to the access point based on the BSSID. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the authentication parameter includes an EAP-Finish Re-authentication message. ### Claim 16 An apparatus comprising: means for sending a request from a mobile device to an access point, wherein the request includes a station nonce (SNonce) associated with the mobile device and an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element; means for receiving a response from the access point in response to the request, wherein the response includes: an authentication parameter based on the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message; and an access point nonce (ANonce) that was generated after the request was sent; and means for generating, at the mobile device, a pairwise transient key (PTK) using the SNonce and the ANonce that was received in the response. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the authentication parameter includes an EAP-Finish Re-authentication message. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: generate a request to be sent by a mobile device to an access point, wherein the request includes a station nonce (SNonce) associated with the mobile device and an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element; and generate a pairwise transient key (PTK) using the SNonce and an access point nonce (ANonce) that was generated after the request was sent and was retrieved from a response from the access point responsive to the request, wherein the response includes an authentication parameter based on the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the authentication parameter includes an EAP-Finish Re-authentication message.