Determining an access network radio access type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532285-B2
Application number	US-202017904275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2020
Priority date	Feb 13, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for determining a RAT for an untrusted access network. One apparatus includes a processor and a transceiver that communicates with a first access network. The processor obtains ANI about the first access network, the ANI including an access technology type for the first access network. The processor determines to register with a mobile communication network (e.g., a 5GC) via the first access network using an untrusted registration procedure and sends a first request (e.g., an IKE_AUTH Request) to establish a secure connection with a N3IWF in the mobile communication network. Here, the first request includes a registration request for the mobile communication network and the obtained ANI, wherein the obtained ANI is used by the mobile communication network to determine a RAT for the first access network. Via the transceiver, the processor receives a response to the registration request after establishing the secure connection with the N3IWF, wherein the response depends on the RAT.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A user equipment (“UE”) for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive, from a first access network, broadcast data comprising one or more parameters;
derive access network information (“ANI”) of the first access network based on the one or more parameters received in the broadcast data from the first access network, the ANI comprising an access technology type for the first access network, an access network identifier of the first access network, an access operator identifier of an operator of the first access network;
determine to register with a public land mobile network (“PLMN”) via the first access network using an untrusted registration procedure;
transmit a first request to establish a secure connection with a non-3GPP interworking function (“N3IWF”) in the PLMN, the first request including a registration request for the PLMN, information for selecting a first access and mobility function (“AMF”) in the PLMN, and the derived ANI; and
receive, from the first AMF, a response to the registration request after establishing the secure connection with the N3IWF, wherein the response to the registration request is based on the access technology type for the first access network.

2 . The UE of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to establish a data connection with the PLMN via the first access network, wherein the data connection is configured to operate based on a radio access type of the first access network.

3 . The UE of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to query a server in the first access network, the server comprising a dynamic host configuration protocol (“DHCP”) server or an access network query protocol (“ANQP”) server.

4 . The UE of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
transmit a DHCP Request; receive a DHCP Acknowledgement message containing an Access-Network-Identifier option; and derive the ANI based at least in part on one or more parameters included in the Access-Network-Identifier option.

5 . The UE of claim 4 , wherein the one or more parameters in the Access-Network-Identifier option comprise one or more of: the access technology type, the access network identifier, or the access operator identifier.

6 . A method performed by a user equipment (“UE”), the method comprising:
receiving, from a first access network, broadcast data comprising one or more parameters;
deriving access network information (“ANI”) of the first access network based on the one or more parameters received in the broadcast data from the first access network, the ANI comprising an access technology type for the first access network, an access network identifier of the first access network, and an access operator identifier of an operator of the first access network;
determining to register with a public land mobile network (“PLMN”) via the first access network using an untrusted registration procedure;
transmitting a first request to establish a secure connection with a non-3GPP interworking function (“N3IWF”) in the PLMN, the first request including a registration request for the PLMN, information for selecting a first access and mobility function (“AMF”) in the PLMN, and the derived ANI; and
receiving, from the first AMF, a response to the registration request after establishing the secure connection with the N3IWF, wherein the response to the registration request is based on the access technology type for the first access network.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising establishing a data connection with the PLMN via the first access network, wherein the data connection is configured to operate based on a radio access type of the first access network.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising querying a server in the first access network, the server comprising a dynamic host configuration protocol (“DHCP”) server or an access network query protocol (“ANQP”) server.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting a DHCP Request; receiving a DHCP Acknowledgment message containing an Access-Network-Identifier option; and deriving the ANI based at least in part on one or more parameters included in the Access-Network-Identifier option.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more parameters in the Access-Network-Identifier option comprise one or more of: the access technology type, the access network identifier, or the access operator identifier.

11 . An interworking apparatus comprising:
at least one memory; at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the interworking apparatus to: receive, from a user equipment (“UE”) and via a first access network, a first request to establish a secure connection, wherein the first request comprises a registration request for a public land mobile network (“PLMN”), information for selecting a first access and mobility function (“AMF”) in the PLMN, a first source address, and access network information (“ANI”) about the first access network, and wherein the ANI comprises an access technology type for the first access network, an access network identifier of the first access network, and an access operator identifier of an operator of the first access network; validate the ANI using the first source address and the access operator identifier, wherein validating the ANI comprises comparing the first source address with a pre-configured address space selected using the access operator identifier; select the first AMF in the PLMN based on the first request; transmit, to the first AMF, a first message including the registration request and the ANI, wherein the ANI is indicative of a radio access type (“RAT”) for the first access network; and forward, to the UE, a response to the registration request after establishing the secure connection, wherein the response to the registration request is received from the first AMF and is based on the access technology type for the first access network.

12 . The interworking apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to successfully validate the ANI in response to the first source address belonging to the pre-configured address space.

13 . The interworking apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first message to the AMF includes an indication of whether the ANI was successfully validated.

14 . A method performed by an interworking apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving, from a user equipment (“UE”) and via a first access network, a first request to establish a secure connection, wherein the first request comprises a registration request for a public land mobile network (“PLMN”), information for selecting a first access and mobility function (“AMF”) in the PLMN, a first source address, and access network information (“ANI”) about the first access network, and wherein the ANI comprises an access technology type for the first access network, an access network identifier of the first access network, and an access operator identifier of an operator of the first access network; validating the ANI using the first source address and the access operator identifier, wherein validating the ANI comprises comparing the first source address with a pre-configured address space selected using the access operator identifier; selecting the first AMF in the PLMN based on the first request; transmitting, to the first AMF, a first message including the registration request and

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Salkintzis Apostolis
• Karampatsis Dimitrios
• Velev Genadi

Classifications

• H04W92/02

  Inter-networking arrangements · CPC title

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W60/00 Primary

  Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration · CPC title

• H04W60/04 Primary

  using triggered events · CPC title