Secondary or splice-specific access control in a wireless communication network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12593209-B2
Application number	US-202117923929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 13, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

A data management network node ( 12 ) is configured for use in a wireless communication network ( 10 ). The data management network node ( 12 ) stores subscription data ( 14 ) for a wireless device ( 16 ). The data management network node ( 12 ) receives, from network equipment ( 26 ), a request that requests subscription data ( 14 ) for the wireless device ( 16 ). Responsive to the request, the data management network node ( 12 ) transmits to the network equipment ( 26 ) a response that includes at least some of the stored subscription data ( 14 ). If the subscription data ( 14 ) included in the response indicates the wireless device ( 16 ) is subscribed to use a certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control, the subscription data ( 14 ) included in the response includes a least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device ( 16 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method performed by a data management network node in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
storing subscription data for a wireless device; receiving, from network equipment, a request that requests subscription data for the wireless device; and responsive to the request, transmitting to the network equipment a response that includes at least some of the stored subscription data, wherein if the subscription data included in the response indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use a certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control, the subscription data included in the response includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device, wherein a generic subscription identifier generically addresses a subscription to the wireless communication network in different data networks outside the wireless communication network, wherein the response includes or does not include information which identifies the certain data network or network slice depending respectively on whether or not the stored subscription data includes a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising checking whether the stored subscription data indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use a certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control, and wherein if the subscription data included in the response indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use the certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control according to said checking, the subscription data included in the response includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the certain data network or network slice comprises a certain network slice, wherein the secondary or slice-specific access control comprises slice-specific authentication and/or authorization, and wherein the stored subscription data includes Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) that identifies the certain network slice, wherein if the subscription data included in the response includes S-NSSAI identifying a certain network slice that is subject to slice-specific authentication and/or authorization, the subscription data included in the response also includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the response includes or does not include the S-NSSAI which identifies the certain network slice, depending respectively on whether or not the stored subscription data includes a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the certain data network or network slice comprises a certain data network, wherein the secondary or slice-specific access control comprises secondary authentication and/or authorization, and wherein the stored subscription data includes a Data Network Name (DNN) which identifies the certain data network, wherein if the subscription data included in the response includes a DNN identifying a certain data network that is subject to secondary authentication and/or authorization, the subscription data included in the response also includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the response includes or does not include the DNN which identifies the certain data network that is subject to secondary authentication and/or authorization, depending respectively on whether or not the stored subscription data includes a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic subscription identifier is a Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI).

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, if the stored subscription data indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use the certain data network or network slice but the stored subscription data lacks a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device, the response does not indicate that the wireless device is subscribed to use the certain data network or network slice.

9 . A data management network node configured for use in a wireless communication network, the data management network node comprising:
communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to:
store subscription data for a wireless device;
receive, from network equipment, a request that requests subscription data for the wireless device; and
responsive to the request, transmit to the network equipment a response that includes at least some of the stored subscription data, wherein if the subscription data included in the response indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use a certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control, the subscription data included in the response includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device, wherein a generic subscription identifier generically addresses a subscription to the wireless communication network in different data networks outside the wireless communication network, wherein the response includes or does not include information which identifies the certain data network or network slice depending respectively on whether or not the stored subscription data includes a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

10 . The data management network node of claim 9 , the processing circuitry configured to perform a check whether the stored subscription data indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use a certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control, and wherein if the subscription data included in the response indicates the wireless device is subscribed to use the certain data network or network slice that is subject to secondary or slice-specific access control according to said check, the subscription data included in the response includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

11 . The data management network node of claim 9 , wherein the certain data network or network slice comprises a certain network slice, wherein the secondary or slice-specific access control comprises slice-specific authentication and/or authorization, and wherein the stored subscription data includes Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) that identifies the certain network slice, wherein if the subscription data included in the response includes S-NSSAI identifying a certain network slice that is subject to slice-specific authentication and/or authorization, the subscription data included in the response also includes at least one generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

12 . The data management network node of claim 11 , wherein the response includes or does not include the S-NSSAI which identifies the certain network slice, depending respectively on whether or not the stored subscription data includes a generic subscription identifier for the wireless device.

13 . The data management network node of claim 9 , wherein the certain data network or network slice comprises a certain data network, wherein the secondary or slice-specific access control comprises secondary authentication and/or authorization, and wherein the stored subscription data includes a Data Network Name (DNN) which identifies the certain data network, wherein if the subscription data included in the response includes a DNN identifyi

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Normann Henrik
• Hedman Peter
• Castellanos Zamora David

Classifications

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W12/40

  Security arrangements using identity modules · CPC title

• H04W12/72

  Subscriber identity · CPC title