METHOD AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE HANDOVER KEY DERIVATION

摘要

At least one candidate point-of-presence element to which at least one mobile node may be handed over from a first point-of-presence element is identified (201). In a preferred approach this occurs regardless of whether the point-of-presence elements differ from one another (for example, with respect to an enabling mobile node access technology, a service type, and/or a supported application to be handed over). A handover key is then derived (202) as corresponds at least to the identified point-of-presence element that use of that handover key is facilitated (203) to facilitate a possible handover of the mobile node from the first to the identified point-of-presence element. The handover key may also be used, if desired, to derive a pairwise handover key.