Technologies for local routing of personal internet of things network communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025324378-A1
Application number	US-202318862908-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 21, 2023
Priority date	May 5, 2022
Publication date	Oct 16, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present application relates to devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods for internal routing of personal Internet of things network communications.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled).

21 . A method comprising:
obtaining, from a personal Internet of things network (PIN) element with management capability (PEMC), configuration information that includes Internet protocol (IP) addresses for a first PIN element with gateway capability (PEGC) and a second PEGC; configuring parameters for local routing of PIN traffic between the first PEGC and the second PEGC; and generating an association request to include the parameters, the association request to be transmitted to a network exposure function (NEF).

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the parameters include: a data network name (DNN); single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI); a protocol data unit (PDU) session type; or a PIN identifier.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the parameters include a PIN element identifier associated with a PIN element that is to be provided with local routing support, the PIN element identifier to include an IP address of the PIN element or a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI).

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the PIN element is the first PEGC or is in direct communication with the first PEGC.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the parameters include:
an indication of a geographical location in which local routing is supported for the first PEGC and the second PEGC; or an indication of a timing restriction applicable to local routing for the first PEGC and the second PEGC.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the parameters include a packet filter set to identify traffic for local routing associated with the first PEGC and the second PEGC.

29 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause processing circuitry to:
receive, from a network exposure function (NEF), configuration parameters for a personal Internet of things network (PIN); generate, based on the configuration parameters, rules for local routing of traffic between a first PIN element with gateway capability (PEGC) and a second PEGC via a user plane function (UPF); and output the rules for transmission to (the UPF).

30 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the configuration parameters include a PIN identifier.

31 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processing circuitry to:
encode the rules for transmission to the UPFs to set up a group-level N4 session using the PIN identifier.

32 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the configuration parameters include a PIN element identifier associated with a PIN element that is to be provided with local routing support, the PIN element identifier to include an IP address of the PIN element or a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI).

33 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32 , wherein the PIN element is the first PEGC or is in direct communication with the first PEGC.

34 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the configuration parameters include an indication of a geographical location in which local routing is supported for the first PEGC and the second PEGC.

35 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the configuration parameters include an indication of a timing restriction applicable to local routing for the first PEGC and the second PEGC.

36 . An apparatus comprising:
processing circuitry to:
receive, from a session management function (SMF), rules for local routing of traffic between a first personal Internet of things network (PIN) element with gateway capability (PEGC) and a second PEGC of a PIN via a user plane function (UPF), wherein the rules include a packet detection rule (PDR) and a forward action rule (FAR);
identify the traffic based on the PDR; and
forward the traffic based on the FAR; and
interface circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry to enable communication.

37 . The apparatus of claim 43 , wherein:
the traffic is from the first PEGC; the PDR has a source interface set to access side and core network tunnel information set to a PDU session tunnel header associated with the PDU session; and the FAR has a destination interface set to a PIN internal value plus an identifier associated with the PIN.

38 . The apparatus of claim 43 , wherein:
the traffic is toward the first PEGC; the PDR has a source interface set to a value of an internal PIN interface plus an identifier associated with the PIN, and a destination address set to an Internet protocol (IP) address the first PEGC or a PIN element associated with the first PEGC; and the FAR has an outer header creation to indicate tunnel information and a destination interface set to access side.

39 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein
the apparatus corresponds to a first UPF that is to be coupled with a second UPF via an N19 tunnel; and wherein:
the traffic is from the N19 tunnel;
the PDR has a source interface set to a core side and core network tunnel information set to an N19 tunnel header associated with the N19 tunnel; and
the FAR has a destination interface set to a value of an internal PIN interface plus an identifier associated with the PIN; or
wherein:
the traffic is toward the first PEGC, which is anchored by the second UPF;
the PDR has a source interface set to a value of an internal PIN interface plus an identifier associated with the PIN and a destination address set to an IP address of the first PEGC or a PIN element associated with the first PEGC; and
the FAR has an outer header creation that indicates tunnel information of the N19 tunnel and a destination interface set to core side.

40 . (canceled)

41 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the first PEGC and the second PEGC have respective packet data unit (PDU) sessions associated with the PIN that are terminated with the UPF.

42 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the UPF is a first UPF and wherein the local routing of traffic is between the first PEGC and the second PEGC via a plurality of UPFs including the first UPF.

43 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the UPF is to anchor a first protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first PEGC and a second PDU session for the second PEGC.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Manithara Vamanan Sudeep
• Aghili Behrouz
• Badic Biljana
• Hu Haijing
• Kiss Krisztian
• Agnel Mona
• Gupta Vivek G

Classifications

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W28/0268

  using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24) · CPC title

• H04W8/22

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title

• H04W4/70

  Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title