Security gateway selection in hybrid 4g and 5g networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020280843-A1
Application number	US-201816765634-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method and apparatus relating to a wireless device supporting 3GPP 4G and 5G radio interfaces and also supporting non-3GPP access, i.e., WiFi, for selecting a security gateway of a first type e.g., ePDG or a security gateway of a second type, e.g., N3IWF for accessing to the core network of first type, e.g., EPC or of a second type e.g., SGC. As the access methods via ePDG and N3IWF are not the same, the wireless device has to determine based on information obtained by a function in the network and its capabilities whether to use an ePDG or an N3IWF for untrusted non-3GPP access. The wireless device may take into account in the selection whether it is connected to the Core network over 3GPP 4G or 5G radio access network. A corresponding apparatus claim is provided.

First claim

1 . A method performed at a wireless device for selecting a security gateway for access over a non-third Generation Partnership Project, Non-3GPP, access network, the method comprising:
obtaining information related to selection of a security gateway of a first type or a security gateway of a second type; and selecting one of the security gateway of the first type or the security gateway of the second type for establishing a connection over the non-3GPP access network in accordance with the obtained information, wherein the security gateway of the first type provides access for the wireless device to a first type of core network and the security gateway of the second type provides access for the wireless device to a second type of core network.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting one of the security gateway of the first type or the security gateway of the second type based on determining that a connection over a 3GPP radio access network to the first type of core network or the second type of core network exists.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the obtained information comprises a priority list for one or more public land mobile networks, PLMNs, that provide at least one the security gateway of the first type and the security gateway of the second type.

4 . The method of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the method further comprises selecting a first PLMN that provides the security gateway wherein the first PLMN is the same PLMN selected for access over the 3GPP radio access network.

5 . The method of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the method further comprises selecting the security gateway of the first type for access to the first type of core network while the wireless device is connected to the second type of core network over the 3GPP radio access network, wherein the first type of core network and the second type of core network are in the first PLMN.

6 . The method of claims 1 - 3 wherein the step of selecting further comprises selecting in a second PLMN the security gateway of the first type for access to the first type of core network while connected to the second type of core network in a first PLMN over the 3GPP radio access network.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the method further comprises moving existing connection over the 3GPP radio access network from the second type of core network to the first type of core network.

8 . The method of claims 1 and 7 , wherein the information comprises instruction for moving the existing connection over the 3GPP radio access network from the second type of core network to the first type of core network.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information further comprises for one or more PLMNs, an identifier of the security gateway of the first type or the identifier of the security gateway of the second type associated to a network slice.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information further comprises for one or more PLMNs, an identifier of the security gateway of the first type or the identifier of the security gateway of the second type associated to a data network name, DNN.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information further comprises for one or more PLMNs, an identifier of the security gateway of the first type or the identifier of the security gateway of the second type corresponding to a service type.

12 . The method of claims 1 - 11 wherein the information is obtained over the 3GPP radio access network using Non-Access Stratum, NAS, protocol layer.

13 . The method of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the information is obtained during local authentication in the non-3GPP access network.

14 . The method of claims 13 , wherein the information is obtained from an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting, AAA, server in the non-3GPP access network.

15 . The method of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the information is obtained via Domain Name Server, DNS.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected security gateway is based on at least one of capability of the wireless device to connect to the first type of core network and the second type of core network, and a preference of the wireless device.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the selected security gateway is further based on a preference of the PLMN.

18 . A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17 .

19 . A carrier containing the computer program of claim 18 , wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium.

20 . A wireless device adapted to operate according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 17 .

21 . A wireless device comprising at least one transceiver; and circuitry operable to perform the method of any one of the claims 1 - 17 .

22 . A wireless device comprising one or more modules configured to operate according to the method of any one of the claims 1 - 17 .

23 . A method in a network entity for enabling a wireless device to select a security gateway for connecting to a core network over a Non-third Generation Partnership Project, Non-3GPP access network, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining an indication to provide information related to enabling a wireless device selection of a security gateway of a first type or a security gateway of a second type; and transmitting the information to the wireless device, wherein the information comprises prioritized list of one or more PLMN and corresponding identifier of at least one of the security gateway of the first type and the security gateway of the second type.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the indication comprises one of a requested network slice or a data network name.

25 . The method of claim 23 wherein the security gateway of the first type is an evolved Packet Data Gateway, ePDG, and the security gateway of the second type is a Non-3GPP Interworking Function, N3IWF.

26 . A network entity to enable a wireless device to select a security gateway for connecting to a core network over a Non-third Generation Partnership Project, Non-3GPP access network, the network node comprising processing circuitry and memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry whereby said network node is operative to perform the method of any of the claims 23 - 25 .

27 . A network entity adapted to operate according to the method of any one of claims 23 to 25 .

28 . A network entity of claim 26 , wherein the network entity is an Access Mobility Function, AMF.

Assignees

• Foti George
• Madour Lila
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Foti George
• Madour Lila

Classifications

• H04W36/14

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04L61/4511

  using domain name system [DNS] · CPC title

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title

• H04W12/009 Primary

  specially adapted for networks, e.g. wireless sensor networks, ad-hoc networks, RFID networks or cloud networks · CPC title