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Samsung patents method for managing security keys in 5G dual connectivity

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This filing describes a way for a main cell tower to create and send specific security keys to a phone and secondary towers. It handles cases where some towers support advanced features while others do not, ensuring the connection stays secure during handovers.

Why it mattersIt improves the reliability of secure connections in complex 5G networks, though it is a technical detail most users will never see.

In the filing’s own words

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system to support a higher data transmission rate. An operation of a master node (MN) connected to a user terminal in a wireless communication system according to the present disclosure may comprise the steps of: selecting a first secondary node (SN) counter value for a first target SN that does not support an optional secondary cell group (5CG) function; on the basis of the first SN counter value, generating a first key value for secure communication between the user terminal and the first target SN; transmitting, to the first target SN, the first key value corresponding to the first target SN; selecting multiple second SN counter values for a second target SN supporting the optional SCG function; on the basis of the multiple second SN counter values, generating multiple second key values for secure communication between the user terminal and the second target SN; transmitting, to the second target SN, the multiple second key values corresponding to the second target SN; and transmitting, to the user terminal, conditional PSCell change (CPC) configuration information, the first SN counter value, and the multiple second SN counter values.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method of operating a master node (MN) connected to a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: selecting a first secondary node (SN) counter value for a first target SN not supporting a selective secondary cell group (SCG) function; generating a first key value for secure communication between the UE and the first target SN based on the first SN counter value; transmitting, to the first target SN, the first key value corresponding to the first target SN; selecting a plurality of second SN counter values for a second target SN supporting the selective SCG function; generating a plurality of second key values for secure communication between the UE and the second target SN based on the plurality of second SN counter values; transmitting, to the second target SN, the plurality of second key values corresponding to the second target SN; and transmitting conditional PSCell change (CPC) configuration information, the first SN counter value, and the plurality of second SN counter values to the UE.

Facts

Company
Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
Official title
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LINKING TWO TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING KEYS IN DUAL CONNECTIVITY IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Publication number
US20260313509A1
Application number
19481424
Filed
May 3, 2024
Published
Oct 8, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
15

Classified under

H04W 36/362 Electricity & electronicsH04W 12/041 Electricity & electronicsH04W 12/0431 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.