Abstract: A method for establishing a secure route in a wireless network as provided improves network efficiency. According to one aspect, the method includes receiving at a first node in the wireless network a route request message from a second node, where the second node and the first node have not been mutually authenticated. The route request message is then forwarded from the first node to a third node. A route reply message is then received at the first node from the third node. The first node is then mutually authenticated with the second node in response to receiving the route reply message at the first node.

Abstract: Methods for reducing set-up time for communications among multiple user equipment (UE) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In accordance with one method, an LTE subsystem that includes a eNodeB and a Mobility Management Entity (MME): receives a request for an LTE connection from a first UE associated with a virtual channel, and responsive to contents in the request for the LTE connection, generates on behalf of the first UE, a request to transmit media on the virtual channel, which the LTE system sends to an application server to trigger an establishment of a call to deliver a media transmission from the first UE to at least one other UE associated with the virtual channel.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to fast roaming techniques which can reduce L3 handoff delay when a mobile access point and/or a mobile host roams back to a previously visited subnet. These fast roaming techniques can allow the mobile access point and/or the mobile host to skip a lengthy DHCP exchange when loading an IP address thereby reducing L3 handoff delays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extending a virtual channel of a communication area to a user equipment is disclosed. A message including a virtual channel identity and an area identity from the user equipment is received at a call controller. The call controller determines that the virtual channel identity is associated with a communication area and the area identity is associated with an area outside the communication area. The call controller then determines whether a virtual channel extension feature is enabled on the user equipment, and if so, receives data from the user equipment and then distributes the data on the virtual channel.

Abstract: A method and device enable establishing an inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (ISSI) unit-to-unit call between a calling unit of a calling home radio frequency subsystem (RFSS), and a called unit of a called home RFSS, through a hosted ISSI function (HIF). The method includes processing, at the HIF, a first invite message received from the calling home RFSS, wherein the first invite message includes a first request uniform resource identifier (URI) that designates an alias system unit identification (SU-ID). In response to the first invite message, transmitting, from the HIF to the called home RFSS, a second invite message, including a second request URI that designates a real SU-ID, wherein the HIF acts as the calling home RFSS. The unit-to-unit call is thus established between the calling unit and the called unit through the calling home RFSS, the HIF, and the called home RFSS.

Abstract: A hosted inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (HIF) maintains a list of affiliated radio frequency subsystems (RFSSs), the list identifies at least one serving RFSS. An affiliation request is transmitted from the HIF to the home RFSS, which is a home RFSS of the group. The HIF receives from the serving RFSS a request to initiate an inter-RFSS group call to the group using HIF addressing. The HIF transmits a request to the home RFSS to initiate the inter-RFSS group call using serving RFSS addressing. A data packet from the home RFSS or the serving RFSS is received at the HIF. Upon receipt, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the serving RFSS if the data packet was received from the home RFSS; otherwise, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the home RFSS if the data packet was received from the serving RFSS.

Abstract: Methods for increasing encryption synchronization availability include collecting encryption synchronization data from a first superframe received at a gateway. The encryption synchronization data is for decrypting media in a second superframe also received at the gateway. The encryption synchronization data from the first superframe is used to form a composite encryption synchronization codeword for decrypting media in a third superframe formed by the gateway, wherein the third superframe includes the composite encryption synchronization codeword and at least a portion of the media from the second superframe. The third superframe is sent to a receiving device so that media in the third superframe can be decrypted by the receiving device using the composite encryption synchronization codeword that is included in the same superframe as the media that is being decrypted.

Abstract: A PTT bridging gateway between a first PTT system and a second disparate PTT system: receives an invitation to a first client to join a first group call for a first group comprising multiple member clients on the first PTT system, wherein the first client is one of the member clients of the first group; determines that the first client is mapped to a second group comprising multiple member clients on the second PTT system; and initiates a second group call to the multiple member clients on the second PTT system.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for managing establishment, maintenance and removal of security associations (SAs) between nodes in an ad hoc network, such as a wireless mesh network.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining whether a particular Access Point (AP) is to be designated as an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) or a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) based on the connectivity of the particular AP to a network which includes at least one multicast heartbeat message (MCHBM) source. Techniques are provided which can allow an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) to change its device type to a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) device type when the IAP determines that connectivity to the network is lost. Other techniques are provided which can allow a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) to change its device type to an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) device type when the BMAP determines that connectivity to the network is established.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing information in a wireless network. The information can be utilized during handoff of a client from an access point to an access point. The method includes a first frame being generated and transmitted by the client to the access point through the access point. The frame includes a request for the information, wherein the information includes at least a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the access point. The method also includes the client receiving a second frame containing the information from the access point through the access point.

Abstract: A method for transmitting groupcast data in a wireless mesh communication network as provided improves security of groupcast data. The method comprises processing, at a supplicant node, authentication handshake data received from an authenticator node, wherein the supplicant node is a next-hop neighbor of the authenticator node away from a root node. The supplicant node then stores a group transient key (GTK) received from the authenticator node. Next, the supplicant node processes authentication handshake data received from a third node, wherein the third node is a next-hop neighbor of the supplicant node away from the root node. The GTK is then transmitted from the supplicant node to the third node. Encrypted groupcast data are then generated at the supplicant node by using the GTK to encrypt groupcast data received from the authenticator node. Finally, the encrypted groupcast data are transmitted from the supplicant node to the third node.

Abstract: Users affiliated with a first narrowband talk group or participating in a narrowband talk group communication are able to establish a parallel communication group with the same users of the first talk group using alternate communication devices to enable transmission of multimedia over the disparate communication networks. One or more databases store and correlate information regarding the users of the narrowband talk group, as well as information regarding the user's communication devices and access technologies employed by the communication devices to determine the possible broadband groups available and an acceptable access technology to transmit the multimedia to the broadband group/data group users. The disparate network group manager informs the users of the narrowband talk group of the presence or availability of the parallel broadband group and establishes the parallel broadband group session when requested to do so by a user of the narrowband talk group.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for providing fast secure handoff in a wireless mesh network. The method comprises configuring multiple first level key holders (R0KHs) within a radio access network to which supplicants within the multi-hop wireless mesh network are capable of establishing a security association, configuring a common mobility domain identifier within the first level key holders of a mobility domain, and propagating identity of a first level key holder and the mobility domain identifier through the wireless mesh network to enable the supplicants within the mobility domain to perform fast secure handoff.

Abstract: A method for establishing a secure route in a wireless network as provided improves network efficiency. According to one aspect, the method includes receiving at a first node in the wireless network a route request message from a second node, where the second node and the first node have not been mutually authenticated. The route request message is then forwarded from the first node to a third node. A route reply message is then received at the first node from the third node. The first node is then mutually authenticated with the second node in response to receiving the route reply message at the first node.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining whether a particular Access Point (AP) is to be designated as an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) or a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) based on the connectivity of the particular AP to a network which includes at least one multicast heartbeat message (MCHBM) source. Techniques are provided which can allow an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) to change its device type to a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) device type when the IAP determines that connectivity to the network is lost. Other techniques are provided which can allow a Backhaul Mesh Access Point (BMAP) to change its device type to an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP) device type when the BMAP determines that connectivity to the network is established.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to fast roaming techniques which can reduce L3 handoff delay when a mobile access point and/or a mobile host roams back to a previously visited subnet. These fast roaming techniques can allow the mobile access point and/or the mobile host to skip a lengthy DHCP exchange when loading an IP address thereby reducing L3 handoff delays.

Abstract: In a communications system having a plurality of endpoints each including a logical entity and its physical counterpart, a method for group affiliation. The method including the steps of: receiving a first message from a requestor via application layer routing that includes an affiliation request; generating a response to the affiliation request as a function of the type of affiliation request received; and communicating the response to the affiliation request to the requestor via application layer routing.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for managing establishment, maintenance and removal of security associations (SAs) between nodes in an ad hoc network, such as a wireless mesh network.

Abstract: Call control methods are disclosed for a multi-zone, packet-based communication system using zone controller/RPEs incorporating a reservation proxy function. Participating zone controller/RPEs (124–130) receive and join a multicast group address to be used for a call, and exchange RSVP signaling messages across one or more inter-zone, packet network links (148, 150, 152, 154) to reserve communication resources for the call on behalf of participating devices in various zones. In the preferred embodiment, the zone controllers use IGMPv3 messages to specify other participating zone controllers as valid senders, thereby receiving desired control information for the duration of the call without being encumbered by undesired payload information.