Techniques for transmitting control channel information

Abstract

Techniques for protecting information elements transmitted to mobile stations from intruders. The technique can involve applying a randomized mask over an information element and then providing a scrambled cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value. A seed for the randomized mask can be different from a seed for the scrambled CRC value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An enhanced Node B, comprising:
 a processor and a transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:   transmit a seed value to a user equipment having a user identifier, wherein the seed value is different than the user identifier;   randomize a control channel information element using the seed value;   mask a checksum added to the randomized control channel information element using the user identifier; and   transmit the control channel information element to the user equipment.   
     
     
         2 . An enhanced Node B as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the seed value is transmitted to the user equipment in a unicast media access control (MAC) management message. 
     
     
         3 . An enhanced Node B as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the seed value is transmitted to the user equipment in a MobilityControllnfo message. 
     
     
         4 . An enhanced Node B as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein masked checksum is a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) checksum. 
     
     
         5 . An enhanced Node B as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 transmit the user identifier to the user equipment using an Advanced Air Interface Registration Response (AAI-REG-RSP) message or an Advanced Air Interface Range Response (AAI-RNG-RSP) message.   
     
     
         6 . A user equipment, comprising:
 a processor and a transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:   receive a seed value from an enhanced Node B, wherein the seed value is different than a user identifier of the user equipment;   receive a control channel information element from the enhanced Node B;   unmask a checksum added to the randomized control channel information element using the user identifier; and   de-randomize a control channel information element using the seed value to obtain the control channel information element.   
     
     
         7 . A user equipment as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the seed value is received by the user equipment in a unicast media access control (MAC) management message. 
     
     
         8 . A user equipment as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the seed value is received by the user equipment in a MobilityControllnfo message. 
     
     
         9 . A user equipment as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein masked checksum is a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) checksum. 
     
     
         10 . A user equipment as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive the user identifier from the enhanced Node B using an Advanced Air Interface Registration Response (AAI-REG-RSP) message or an Advanced Air Interface Range Response (AAI-RNG-RSP) message.   
     
     
         11 . An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in:
 transmitting a seed value to a user equipment having a user identifier, wherein the seed value is different than the user identifier;   randomizing a control channel information element using the seed value;   masking a checksum added to the randomized control channel information element using the user identifier; and   transmitting the control channel information element to the user equipment.   
     
     
         12 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the seed value is transmitted to the user equipment in a unicast media access control (MAC) management message. 
     
     
         13 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the seed value is transmitted to the user equipment in a MobilityControllnfo message. 
     
     
         14 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein masked checksum is a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) checksum. 
     
     
         15 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions if executed, further result in:
 transmitting the user identifier to the user equipment using an Advanced Air Interface Registration Response (AAI-REG-RSP) message or an Advanced Air Interface Range Response (AAI-RNG-RSP) message.   
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in:
 receiving a seed value from an enhanced Node B, wherein the seed value is different than a user identifier of the user equipment;   receiving a control channel information element from the enhanced Node B;   unmasking a checksum added to the randomized control channel information element using the user identifier; and   de-randomizing a control channel information element using the seed value to obtain the control channel information element.   
     
     
         17 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the seed value is received by the user equipment in a unicast media access control (MAC management message. 
     
     
         18 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the seed value is received by the user equipment in a MobilityControllnfo message. 
     
     
         19 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein masked checksum is a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) checksum. 
     
     
         20 . An article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in:
 receiving the user identifier from the enhanced Node B using an Advanced Air Interface Registration Response (AAI-REG-RSP) message or an Advanced Air Interface Range Response (AAI-RNG-RSP) message.