Non-public wireless communication network

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to non-public wireless communication networks. The present invention discloses a mobile device (UE) that can access independent non-public networks (SNPNs) in various different locations as equivalent SNPNs (eSNPNs) corresponding to the home SNPN of the device. The device can obtain a list of eSNPNs corresponding to the home SNPN, and can access the second SNPN at a location different from the location of the home SNPN in response to identifying a second SNPN and the list including the second SNPN as an eSNPN corresponding to the home SNPN of the device. The eSNPN may include a roaming eSNPN (ReSNPN) for accessing an enterprise NPN globally and / or at various different locations. The eSNPN / ReSNPN list may be maintained in a new network identifier management function (NMF). The NPN may be implemented as a network slice instance (NSI) via identification data in a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). Multiple SNPNs with credentials of the UE may be prioritized for access by the UE.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to wireless communications, including providing support in a mobile device for accessing and communicating through a non-public wireless communication network, also referred to as a private network. Background Art

[0002] The use of wireless communication systems is growing rapidly. In recent years, wireless devices such as smart phones and tablets have become increasingly sophisticated. In addition to supporting phone calls, many mobile devices (i.e., user equipment devices or UEs) now also provide access to the Internet, email, text messaging, and navigation using a global positioning system (GPS), and are capable of operating complex and sophisticated applications that utilize these functions. In addition, there are many different wireless communication technologies and wireless communication standards. Some examples of wireless communication standards include GSM, UMTS (WCDMA, TDS-CDMA), LTE, LTEAdvanced (LTE-A), HSPA, 3GPP2 CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), IEEE802.11 (WLAN or Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), BLUETOOTH TM etc. The next telecommunication standard beyond the current International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT-Advanced) standard is known as the 5th Generation Mobile Network or 5th Generation Wireless System, called 3GPP NR (also known as 5G-NR for 5G New Radio, or simply NR). NR provides higher capacity for a higher density of mobile broadband users while supporting device-to-device, ultra-reliable and massive machine communications, as well as lower latency and lower battery consumption than the current LTE standard.

[0003] One aspect of a cellular communication system involves communicating over licensed and unlicensed spectrum in respective networks operated by a primary service provider and lower-tier providers, respectively. Improvements in the art are desired. Summary of the invention

[0004] In particular, embodiments of methods and processes for enabling various devices (e.g., wireless communication devices) to connect to a private cellular network (e.g., LTE and / or NR network) and communicate through the private cellular network, and seamlessly achieve mobility between various wireless communication systems including private LTE / NR networks are presented herein. Embodiments of a wireless communication system are further presented herein, which includes wireless communication devices (UE) and / or base stations and access points (APs) that communicate with each other within the wireless communication system.

[0005] According to the above, the UE may be operated to access a variety of independent non-public networks (SNPNs) at different locations as equivalent SNPNs (eSNPNs), which are considered by the UE to be equivalent to the UE's home SNPN. The UE may obtain a list of eSNPNs corresponding to the home SNPN (e.g., a list of SNPNs considered to be equivalent to the UE's home SNPN), and may access the second SNPN at a location different from the location of the home SNPN in response to at least identifying a second SNPN, and further in response to an eSNPN list including the second SNPN as an eSNPN of the home SNPN. The eSNPN may include a roaming eSNPN (ReSNPN) for accessing an enterprise NPN globally and / or at various locations. The eSNPN / ReSNPN list may be maintained in a new network identifier management function (NMF). In the core network function, the application function (AF) and the access and mobility management function (AMF) may access and communicate with the NMF to manage, update and provide the eSNPN / ReSNPN list to the UE. NPN can also be implemented as a network slice instance (NSI) by using a new value in the single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). Multiple SNPNs for which the UE has credentials can be prioritized for access by the UE.

[0006] It should be noted that the techniques described herein may be implemented in and / or used with a number of different types of devices, including but not limited to base stations, access points, cellular telephones, portable media players, tablet computers, wearable devices, and various other computing devices.

[0007] The present invention is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the themes described in this document. Therefore, it should be understood that the above features are only examples and should not be interpreted as narrowing the scope or essence of the themes described in this invention in any way. Other features, aspects and advantages of the themes described herein will become apparent through the following detailed description, drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 An exemplary (and simplified) wireless communication system according to some embodiments is shown;

[0009] Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary base station in communication with an exemplary wireless user equipment (UE) device in accordance with some embodiments;

[0010] Figure 3 is an exemplary block diagram of a UE according to some embodiments;

[0011] Figure 4is an exemplary block diagram of a base station according to some embodiments;

[0012] Figure 5 shows an exemplary simplified block diagram of an exemplary cellular communication circuit according to some embodiments;

[0013] Figure 6 An exemplary wireless communication system providing cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is shown according to some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless network architecture with a network identity management function (NMF) according to some embodiments;

[0015] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless network architecture with a single NMF according to some embodiments;

[0016] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless network architecture with multiple NMFs according to some embodiments;

[0017] Fig.10 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for updating a wireless communication device (UE) with an eSNPN list according to some embodiments;

[0018] Fig.11 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for adding a new SNPN to a list of eSNPNs maintained by an NMF according to some embodiments;

[0019] Fig.12 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for deleting a SNPN from a list of eSNPNs maintained by an NMF according to some embodiments;

[0020] Fig.13 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary onboard process using NMF according to some embodiments; and

[0021] Fig.14 A table listing exemplary service operations that may be provided by an NMF is shown according to some embodiments.

[0022] Although the features described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereof are not intended to limit this document to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, their purpose is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Priority claim

[0024] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 956,472, filed on January 2, 2020, and entitled “Non-Public Wireless Communication Networks,” which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully and completely set forth herein.

[0025] Acronyms

[0026] Various acronyms are used throughout this application. The definitions of the most prominent acronyms used that may appear throughout this application are as follows:

[0027] AF: Application Function

[0028] AMF: Access and mobility management function

[0029] AMR: Adaptive Multi-Rate

[0030] AP: Access Point

[0031] APN: Access Point Name

[0032] APR: Application Processor

[0033] BS: Base Station

[0034] BSSID: Basic Service Set Identifier

[0035] CBRS: Citizens Broadband Radio Service

[0036] CBSD: Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device

[0037] CCA: Clear Channel Assessment

[0038] CMR: Change Mode Request

[0039] CS: Circuit Switching

[0040] DL: Downlink (from BS to UE)

[0041] DN: Data Network

[0042] DSDS: Dual SIM Dual Standby

[0043] DYN: Dynamic

[0044] EDCF: Enhanced Distributed Coordination Function

[0045] eSNPN: Equivalent Independent Non-Public Network

[0046] ·FDD: Frequency Division Duplex

[0047] FT: frame type

[0048] GAA: General Authorization Access

[0049] GPRS: General Packet Radio Service

[0050] GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications

[0051] GTP: GPRS Tunneling Protocol

[0052] HPLMN: Home Public Land Mobile Network

[0053] IMS: Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem

[0054] IOT: Internet of Things

[0055] IP: Internet Protocol

[0056] LAN: Local Area Network

[0057] LBT: Listen before speaking

[0058] LQM: Link Quality Metric

[0059] LTE: Long Term Evolution

[0060] MCC: Mobile Country Code

[0061] MNO: Mobile Network Operator

[0062] NAS: Non-Access Layer

[0063] NF: Network Function

[0064] NG-RAN: Next Generation Radio Access Network

[0065] NID: Network Identifier

[0066] NMF: Network Identifier Management Function

[0067] NPN: Non-Public (Cellular) Network

[0068] NRF: Network Repository Function

[0069] NSI: Network Slicing Example

[0070] NSSAI: Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information

[0071] PAL: Priority Access Licensee

[0072] PDCP: Packet Data Convergence Protocol

[0073] PDN: Packet Data Network

[0074] PDU: Protocol Data Unit

[0075] PGW: PDN Gateway

[0076] PLMN: Public Land Mobile Network

[0077] PSS: Primary Synchronization Signal

[0078] PT: Payload Type

[0079] QBSS: Basic Service Set with enhanced quality of service

[0080] QI: Quality Indicator

[0081] RA: Registration Accepted

[0082] RAT: Radio Access Technology

[0083] RF: Radio Frequency

[0084] ROHC: Robust Header Compression

[0085] RR: Registration Request

[0086] RTP: Real-time Transport Protocol

[0087] RX: Receive / Receive

[0088] SAS: Spectrum Allocation Server

[0089] SD: Slice Descriptor

[0090] SI: System Information

[0091] SIB: System Information Block

[0092] SID: System Identification Number

[0093] SIM: Subscriber Identity Module

[0094] SGW: Service Gateway

[0095] SMF: Session Management Function

[0096] SNPN: Independent Non-Public Network

[0097] SSS: Secondary synchronization signal

[0098] SUPI: Subscription Permanent Identifier

[0099] TBS: Transport Block Size

[0100] TCP: Transmission Control Protocol

[0101] TDD: Time Division Duplex

[0102] TX: Transmit / Transmit

[0103] UAC: Unified Access Control

[0104] UDM: Unified Data Management

[0105] UDR: User Data Repository

[0106] UE: User Equipment

[0107] UI: User Input

[0108] UL: Uplink (from UE to BS)

[0109] UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

[0110] UPF: User Plane Function

[0111] URM: Universal Resource Management

[0112] URSP: UE routing strategy

[0113] USIM: User Identity Module

[0114] Wi-Fi: Wireless local area network (WLAN) RAT based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard

[0115] WLAN: Wireless Local Area Network

[0116] the term

[0117] The following is a glossary of terms that will appear in this application:

[0118] Memory medium – any of various types of memory devices or storage devices. The term “memory medium” is intended to include installation media, such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, or tape device; computer system memory or random access memory such as DRAM, DDR RAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; non-volatile memory such as flash memory, magnetic media, such as hard disk drive or optical storage device; registers, or other similar types of memory elements, etc. The memory medium may also include other types of memory or a combination thereof. In addition, the memory medium may be located in a first computer system executing a program, or may be located in a different second computer system connected to the first computer system via a network such as the Internet. In the latter example, the second computer system may provide program instructions to the first computer system for execution. The term “memory medium” may include two or more memory media that may reside in different locations in different computer systems connected, for example, via a network. The memory medium may store program instructions (e.g., in the form of a computer program) that may be executed by one or more processors.

[0119] Carrier Medium—storage media as described above, and physical transmission media such as a bus, network, and / or other physical transmission media that transport signals such as electrical, electromagnetic or digital signals.

[0120] Programmable hardware element – ​​includes a variety of hardware devices that include multiple programmable function blocks connected via programmable interconnects. Examples include FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPOAs (field programmable object arrays), and CPLDs (complex PLDs). Programmable function blocks can vary from fine-grained (combinational logic units or lookup tables) to coarse-grained (arithmetic logic units or processor cores). Programmable hardware elements may also be referred to as "configurable logic units."

[0121] Computer system (or computer) – Any of various types of computing or processing systems, including a personal computer system (PC), a mainframe computer system, a workstation, a network appliance, an Internet appliance, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a television system, a grid computing system, or other devices or combinations of devices. In general, the term "computer system" may be broadly defined as any device (or combination of devices) that includes at least one processor that executes instructions from a memory medium.

[0122] User Equipment (UE) (or "UE device") - Any of various types of computer system devices that perform wireless communications. Also referred to as wireless communication devices, many of which may be mobile and / or portable. Examples of UE devices include mobile phones or smartphones (e.g., iPhones). TM, based on Android TM phones) and tablets such as iPads TM 、Samsung Galaxy TM etc., gaming devices (such as Sony PlayStation TM , Microsoft XBox TM etc.), portable gaming devices (e.g., Nintendo DS TM , PlayStation Portable TM 、Gameboy Advance TM , iPod TM ), laptops, wearable devices (e.g., Apple Watch TM , Google Glass TM ), PDAs, portable Internet devices, music players, data storage devices or other handheld devices, unmanned aerial vehicles (e.g., drones) and drone controllers, etc. Various other types of devices that include Wi-Fi communication capabilities or both cellular and Wi-Fi communication capabilities and / or other wireless communication capabilities (e.g., via short-range radio access technologies (SRAT) such as BLUETOOTH TM In general, the term "UE" or "UE device" can be broadly defined to cover any electronic device, computing device and / or telecommunication device (or combination of devices) capable of wireless communication and which may also be portable / mobile.

[0123] Wireless device (or wireless communication device) – Any of various types of computer system devices that perform wireless communication using WLAN communication, SRAT communication, Wi-Fi communication, etc. As used herein, the term “wireless device” may refer to a UE device as defined above or a fixed device such as a fixed wireless client or a wireless base station. For example, a wireless device may be a wireless station of any type of 802.11 system, such as an access point (AP) or a client station (UE), or a wireless station of any type of cellular communication system that communicates according to a cellular radio access technology (e.g., 5G NR, LTE, CDMA, GSM), such as a base station or a cellular phone.

[0124] Communication device – Any of various types of computer systems or devices that perform communication, which may be wired or wireless. A communication device may be portable (or mobile), or may be stationary or fixed at a location. A wireless device is one example of a communication device. A UE is another example of a communication device.

[0125] Base Station (BS) - The term "base station" has the full breadth of its ordinary meaning and includes at least a wireless communication station installed at a fixed location and used to communicate as part of a wireless telephone system or a radio system.

[0126] Processor – refers to various elements (e.g., circuits) or combinations of elements that are capable of performing functions in a device (e.g., in a user equipment device or in a cellular network device). Processors may include, for example: general purpose processors and associated memory, portions or circuits of individual processor cores, entire processor cores or processing circuit cores, processing circuit arrays or processor arrays, circuits such as ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), programmable hardware elements such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and any various combinations of the above.

[0127] Channel – a medium used to transmit information from a sender (transmitter) to a receiver. It should be noted that since the characteristics of the term “channel” may vary according to different wireless protocols, the term “channel” used in the present invention may be considered to be used in a manner that conforms to the standards of the type of device to which the term is used. In some standards, the channel width may be variable (e.g., depending on device capabilities, frequency band conditions, etc.). For example, LTE may support scalable channel bandwidths of 1.4 MHz to 20 MHz. In contrast, a WLAN channel may be 22 MHz wide, while a Bluetooth channel may be 1 MHz wide. Other protocols and standards may include different definitions of channels. In addition, some standards may define and use multiple types of channels, such as different channels for uplink or downlink and / or different channels for different purposes such as data, control information, etc.

[0128] Band (or frequency band) – The term “band” has the full range of its usual meaning and includes at least a section of the spectrum (e.g., radio frequency spectrum) in which channels are used or set aside for the same purpose. Furthermore, “frequency band” is used to refer to any interval in the frequency domain bounded by lower and upper frequencies. The term may refer to a radio frequency band or some other interval of the spectrum. A radio communication signal may occupy a frequency range over which the signal is carried (or within which the signal is carried). Such a frequency range is also referred to as the bandwidth of the signal. Thus, the bandwidth refers to the difference between the upper and lower frequencies in a continuous frequency band. A frequency band may represent one communication channel, or it may be subdivided into multiple communication channels. The allocation of radio frequency ranges for different uses is a primary function of radio spectrum allocation.

[0129] Wi-Fi – The term “Wi-Fi” has the full scope of its usual meaning and includes at least wireless communication networks or RATs that are served by Wireless LAN (WLAN) access points and provide connectivity to the Internet through these access points. Most modern Wi-Fi networks (or WLAN networks) are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard and are marketed under the name “Wi-Fi”. Wi-Fi (WLAN) networks are distinct from cellular networks.

[0130] Automatic – refers to an action or operation performed by a computer system (e.g., software executed by a computer system) or a device (e.g., a circuit, a programmable hardware element, an ASIC, etc.) without the need for user input to directly specify or perform the action or operation. Thus, the term “automatic” is in contrast to a user manually performing or specifying an action, where the user provides input to directly perform the action. An automatic process may be initiated by input provided by a user, but subsequent actions performed “automatically” are not specified by the user, i.e., are not performed “manually”, where the user specifies each action to be performed. For example, a user filling out an electronic form by selecting each field and providing input specifying information (e.g., by typing in information, selecting checkboxes, radio selections, etc.) is manually filling out the form, even though the computer system must update the form in response to the user action. The form may be automatically filled out by a computer system, where the computer system (e.g., software executed on the computer system) analyzes the fields of the form and fills out the form without any user input specifying the answers to the fields. As indicated above, a user may invoke automatic filling out of a form, but not participate in the actual filling out of the form (e.g., the user does not manually specify the answers to the fields but rather they are automatically completed). This specification provides various examples of operations that are automatically performed in response to actions taken by a user.

[0131] About - refers to a value that is close to a correct or exact value. For example, about can refer to a value that is within 1% to 10% of an exact (or desired) value. However, it should be noted that the actual threshold (or tolerance) may depend on the application. For example, in some aspects, "about" may mean within 0.1% of some specified or desired value, while in various other aspects, the threshold may be, for example, 2%, 3%, 5%, etc., depending on the desires or requirements of a particular application.

[0132] Concurrency - refers to parallel execution or implementation, where tasks, processes, or programs are executed in an at least partially overlapping manner. For example, concurrency can be achieved using "strong" or strict parallelism, where tasks are executed (at least partially) in parallel on respective computing elements, or using "weak parallelism", where tasks are executed in an interleaved manner (e.g., by time multiplexing of execution threads).

[0133] Station (STA) - The term "station" herein refers to any device that has the ability to communicate wirelessly (e.g., using the 802.11 protocol). A station may be a laptop, desktop PC, PDA, access point, or Wi-Fi phone or any type of device similar to a UE. A STA may be fixed, mobile, portable, or wearable. Generally speaking, in wireless networking terminology, a station (STA) broadly covers any device that has wireless communication capabilities, and the terms station (STA), wireless client (UE), and node (BS) are therefore often used interchangeably.

[0134] Configured to – Various components may be described as being “configured to” perform one or more tasks. In such environments, “configured to” is a broad statement that generally means “having a structure” that performs one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a component can be configured to perform a task even when the component is not currently performing the task (e.g., a set of electrical conductors can be configured to electrically connect a module to another module even when the two modules are not connected). In some environments, “configured to” can be a broad statement that generally means “having a circuit system that performs one or more tasks during operation.” Thus, the component can be configured to perform a task even when the component is not currently turned on. Typically, circuits that form the structure corresponding to “configured to” may include hardware circuits.

[0135] Transmission Scheduling – refers to the scheduling of transmissions (such as wireless transmissions). In some specific implementations of cellular radio communications, signals and data transmissions may be organized according to designated time units of a specific duration for which transmissions are performed. As used herein, the term “time slot” has the full range of its usual meaning and refers at least to the smallest (or shortest) scheduled time unit in wireless communications. For example, in 3GPP LTE, transmissions are divided into radio frames, each of which has an equal (time) duration (e.g., 10 ms). Radio frames in 3GPP LTE may be further divided into a specified number (e.g., ten) of subframes, each of which has an equal duration, and subframes are designated as the smallest (shortest) scheduling unit, or a designated time unit for transmission. Therefore, in the 3GPP LTE example, a “subframe” may be considered an example of a “time slot” as defined above. Similarly, the smallest (or shortest) scheduled time unit for 5G NR (or simply NR) transmissions is referred to as a “time slot”. The smallest (or shortest) scheduled time unit may also be named differently in different communication protocols.

[0136] Resource – The term “resource” has the full range of its usual meaning and may refer to frequency resources and time resources used during wireless communication. As used herein, a resource element (RE) refers to a specific amount or number of resources. For example, in the context of time resources, a resource element may be a time period of a specific length. In the context of frequency resources, a resource element may be a specific frequency bandwidth or a specific amount of frequency bandwidth centered on a specific frequency. As a specific example, a resource element may refer to a resource unit having 1 symbol (with reference to a time resource, such as a time period of a specific length) per 1 subcarrier (with reference to a frequency resource, such as a specific frequency bandwidth, which may be centered on a specific frequency). A resource element group (REG) has the full range of its usual meaning and refers to at least a specified number of consecutive resource elements. In some implementations, a resource element group may not include resource elements reserved for reference signals. A control channel element (CCE) refers to a group of a specified number of consecutive REGs. A resource block (RB) refers to a specified number of resource elements consisting of a specified number of subcarriers per a specified number of symbols. Each RB may include a specified number of subcarriers. A resource block group (RBG) refers to a unit including multiple RBs. The number of RBs within one RBG may vary according to the system bandwidth.

[0137] Bandwidth Part (BWP) – A carrier Bandwidth Part (BWP) is a contiguous set of physical resource blocks selected from a contiguous subset of common resource blocks for a given parameter set on a given carrier. For the downlink, the UE may be configured with up to a specified number of carrier BWPs (e.g., four BWPs per some specifications), with one BWP active per carrier at a given time (per some specifications). For the uplink, the UE may similarly be configured with up to a number (e.g., four) of carrier BWPs, with one BWP active per carrier at a given time (per some specifications). If the UE is configured with a supplemental uplink, the UE may additionally be configured with up to a specified number (e.g., four) of carrier BWPs in the supplemental uplink, with one carrier BWP active at a given time (per some specifications).

[0138] Multi-cell arrangement – ​​A master node is defined as a node (radio access node) that provides a control plane connection to the core network in the case of multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC). The master node can be, for example, a master eNB (3GPP LTE) or a master gNB (3GPP NR). A secondary node is defined as a radio access node that does not have a control plane connection to the core network, providing additional resources to the UE in the case of MR-DC. A master cell group (MCG) is defined as a set of serving cells associated with a master node, including a primary cell (PCell) and optionally one or more secondary cells (SCells). A secondary cell group (SCG) is defined as a set of serving cells associated with a secondary node, including a special cell, i.e., the primary cell (PSCell) of the SCG, and optionally one or more SCells. The UE can generally apply radio link monitoring to the PCell. If the UE is configured with an SCG, the UE can also apply radio link monitoring to the PSCell. Radio link monitoring is generally applied to active BWPs, and the UE does not need to monitor inactive BWPs. The PCell is used to initiate initial access, and the UE can communicate with the PCell and SCell via carrier aggregation (CA). The currently modified capabilities mean that the UE can receive and / or transmit to and / or from multiple cells. The UE initially connects to a PCell, and once the UE is in a connected state, one or more SCells may be configured for the UE.

[0139] Core Network (CN) – The Core Network is defined as a part of the 3GPP system that is independent of the UE’s connection technology (e.g., Radio Access Technology, RAT). A UE may connect to the Core Network via a Radio Access Network RAN, which may be RAT-specific.

[0140] For ease of description, various components may be described as performing one or more tasks. Such descriptions should be interpreted as including the phrase "configured to". The description of a component being configured to perform one or more tasks is expressly intended to not invoke the interpretation of the sixth paragraph of Section 112 of Title 35 of the United States Code on that component.

[0141] Figure 1 and Figure 2 -Exemplary Communication System

[0142] Figure 1 An exemplary (and simplified) wireless communication system according to some embodiments is shown. Note that Figure 1 The system is only an example of one possible system, and the embodiments may be implemented in any of a variety of systems as desired.

[0143] As shown, the exemplary wireless communication system includes base stations 102A to 102N, also collectively referred to as multiple base stations 102 or base stations 102. Figure 1As shown, the base station 102A communicates with one or more user equipment 106A to 106N via a transmission medium. Each user equipment may be referred to herein as a "user equipment" (UE) or a UE device. Therefore, the user equipment 106A to 106N are referred to as UEs or UE devices, and are also collectively referred to as UE 106 or UE 106. Each of the UE devices is operable to identify a private LTE / NR network and communicate via the private LTE / NR network, having the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including private LTE / NR networks, and to operate on those networks according to various aspects disclosed herein.

[0144] The base station 102A may be a base transceiver station (BTS) or a cell site, and may include hardware for enabling wireless communications with UEs 106A to 106N. The base station 102A may also be configured to communicate with a network 100, such as a core network of a cellular service provider, a telecommunications network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and / or the Internet, a neutral host or various CBRS (Citizen Broadband Radio Service) deployments, and various possibilities. Thus, the base station 102A may facilitate communications between user devices 106 and / or between user devices 106 and the network 100. In particular, the cellular base station 102A may provide UEs 106 with various communication capabilities such as voice, short message service (SMS) and / or data services. The communication area (or coverage area) of the base station 106 may be referred to as a "cell". Note that a "cell" may also refer to a logical identity for a given wireless communication coverage area at a given frequency. In general, any independent cellular wireless coverage area may be referred to as a "cell". In such a case, the base station may be located at a specific intersection of three cells. In this uniform topology, a base station may serve three 120 degree beam width areas called cells. Moreover, for carrier aggregation, small cells, relays, etc. may all represent cells. Therefore, particularly in carrier aggregation, there may be primary cells and secondary cells that may serve at least partially overlapping coverage areas but at different corresponding frequencies. For example, a base station may serve any number of cells, and the cells served by a base station may or may not be collocated (e.g., a remote radio head). Also as used herein, with respect to a UE, a base station may sometimes be considered to represent a network, taking into account the uplink and downlink communications of the UE. Therefore, a UE communicating with one or more base stations in a network may also be interpreted as a UE communicating with the network, and may also be considered to be at least a part of a UE communicating on or through a network.

[0145] The base station 102 and the user equipment 106 may be configured to communicate over a transmission medium using any of a variety of radio access technologies (RATs), which are also referred to as wireless communication technologies or telecommunication standards, such as GSM, UMTS (WCDMA), LTE, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LAA / LTE-U, 5G-NR (abbreviated as NR), 3GPP2CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), Wi-Fi, WiMAX, etc. It should be noted that if the base station 102A is implemented in the context of LTE, it may alternatively be referred to as an "eNodeB" or "eNB". Similarly, if the base station 102A is implemented in the context of 5G NR, it may alternatively be referred to as a "gNodeB" or "gNB". In some embodiments, the base station 102 (e.g., an eNB in ​​an LTE network or a gNB in ​​an NR network) may communicate with at least one UE capable of identifying and communicating through a private LTE / NR network, having the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including the private LTE / NR network, and operating on those networks in accordance with the various aspects disclosed herein. Depending on a given application or specific considerations, for convenience, some different RATs may be functionally grouped according to overall defining characteristics. For example, all cellular RATs may be collectively considered to represent a first (form / type) RAT, while Wi-Fi communications may be considered to represent a second RAT. In other cases, each cellular RAT may be individually considered to be a different RAT. For example, when distinguishing between cellular communications and Wi-Fi communications, "first RAT" may collectively refer to all cellular RATs considered, while "second RAT" may refer to Wi-Fi. Similarly, when applicable, different forms of Wi-Fi communications (e.g., over 2.4 GHz vs. over 5 GHz) may be considered to correspond to different RATs. Furthermore, cellular communications performed in accordance with a given RAT (e.g., LTE or NR) may be distinguished from one another based on the spectrum over which those communications occur. For example, LTE or NR communications may be performed on a primary licensed spectrum and on a secondary spectrum such as an unlicensed spectrum and / or spectrum allocated to a private network. In general, the use of various terms and expressions will always be clearly noted with respect to and in the context of the various applications / implementations under consideration.

[0146] As shown, the base station 102A may also be equipped to communicate with a network 100 (e.g., in various possibilities, a core network of a cellular service provider, a telecommunications network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and / or the Internet). Thus, the base station 102A may facilitate communication between user devices 106 and / or between user devices 106 and the network 100. In particular, the cellular base station 102A may provide UEs 106 with various communication capabilities such as voice, SMS, and / or data services. The UE 106 may be capable of communicating using multiple wireless communication standards. For example, the UE 106 may be configured to communicate using any or all of a 3GPP cellular communication standard (such as LTE or NR) or a 3GPP2 cellular communication standard (such as a cellular communication standard in the CDMA2000 family of cellular communication standards). Base station 102A and other similar base stations (such as base stations 102B…102N) operating according to the same or different cellular communication standards can therefore be provided as one or more cell networks that can provide continuous or nearly continuous overlapping services to UE 106 and similar devices over a wide geographic area via one or more cellular communication standards.

[0147] Thus, although base station 102A may function as Figure 1 106A-106N, but each UE 106 may also be able to receive signals from (and possibly be within communication range of) one or more other cells (possibly provided by base stations 102B-102N and / or any other base stations), which may be referred to as "neighboring cells." Such cells may also be able to facilitate communications between user devices 106 and / or between user devices 106 and network 100. Such cells may include "macro" cells, "micro" cells, "pico" cells, and / or cells of any various other granularity of service area size. For example, in Figure 1 The base stations 102A-102B shown in FIG. 1 may be macro cells, while the base station 102N may be a micro cell. Other configurations are also possible.

[0148] In some embodiments, base station 102A may be a next generation base station, e.g., a 5G New Radio (5G NR) base station or "gNB". In some embodiments, a gNB may be connected to a legacy Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and / or to a New Radio Communications Core (NRC) network. In addition, a gNB cell may include one or more transmission and reception points (TRPs). In addition, a UE capable of operating in accordance with 5G NR may be connected to one or more TRPs within one or more gNBs.

[0149] UE 106 may also or alternatively be configured to use WLAN, BLUETOOTHTM 、BLUETOOTH TM The UE 106 may communicate with the network 100 through one or more base stations or through other devices, stations, or any apparatus not explicitly shown but considered to be part of the network 100. Therefore, the UE 106 communicating with the network may be interpreted as the UE 106 communicating with one or more network nodes that are considered to be part of the network, and may interact with the UE 106 to communicate with the UE 106, and in some cases affect at least some communication parameters and / or the use of communication resources of the UE 106.

[0150] For example, Figure 1 As shown in , at least some UEs (e.g., UE 106D and 106E) may represent vehicles that communicate with each other and with base station 102, for example, via cellular communications such as 3GPP LTE and / or 5G-NR communications. In addition, UE 106F may represent pedestrians that are communicating and / or interacting with the vehicles represented by UEs 106D and 106E in a similar manner. For example, in the context of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications (such as communications specified by certain versions of 3GPP standards, etc.), disclosed in Figure 1 Various aspects of a vehicle communicating in a network illustrated in FIG.

[0151] Figure 2 An exemplary user equipment 106 (e.g., one of UEs 106A to 106N) is shown communicating with base station 122 and access point 112 according to some embodiments. UE 106 may be a user equipment having cellular communication capabilities and non-cellular communication capabilities (e.g., BLUETOOTH TM, Wi-Fi, etc.), such as a mobile phone, a handheld device, a computer or a tablet computer, or almost any type of wireless device. UE 106 may include a processor configured to execute program instructions stored in a memory. UE 106 may execute any of the method implementation schemes described in the present invention by executing such stored instructions. Alternatively or in addition, UE 106 may include programmable hardware elements, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) configured to execute any of the method implementation schemes described in the present invention or any part of any of the method implementation schemes described in the present invention. UE 106 may be configured to communicate using any one of a plurality of wireless communication protocols. For example, UE 106 may be configured to communicate using two or more of CDMA 2000, LTE, LTE-A, NR, WLAN, or GNSS. Other combinations of wireless communication standards are also possible.

[0152] UE 106 may include one or more antennas for communicating using one or more wireless communication protocols according to one or more RAT standards, such as those previously described above. In some embodiments, UE 106 may share one or more parts of a receive chain and / or transmit chain between multiple wireless communication standards. The shared radio component may include a single antenna, or may include multiple antennas for performing wireless communication (e.g., for MIMO). Alternatively, UE 106 may include an independent transmit chain and / or receive chain (e.g., including independent antennas and other radio components) for each wireless communication protocol configured to communicate with it. As another alternative, UE 106 may include one or more radio components or radio circuits shared between multiple wireless communication protocols, and one or more radio components used exclusively by a single wireless communication protocol. For example, UE 106 may include a radio circuit for communicating using any one of LTE or CDMA2000 1xRTT or NR, and a radio circuit for communicating using Wi-Fi and BLUETOOTH. TM Independent radio components for each of the communications. Other configurations are also possible.

[0153] Figure 3 - Block diagram of an exemplary UE

[0154] Figure 3A block diagram of an exemplary UE 106 according to some aspects is shown. As shown, the UE 106 may include a system on chip (SOC) 300, which may include various elements / components for various purposes. For example, as shown, the SOC 300 may include a processor 302 that can execute program instructions for the UE 106, and a display circuit 304 that can perform graphics processing and provide display signals to a display 360. The processor 302 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 340, and / or other circuits or devices (such as display circuit 304, radio circuit 330, connector I / F 320 and / or display 360), which may be configured to receive addresses from the processor 302 and convert those addresses to locations in a memory (e.g., memory 306, read-only memory (ROM) 350, NAND flash memory 310). The MMU 340 may be configured to perform memory protection and page table conversion or setup. In some embodiments, the MMU 340 may be included as part of the processor 302.

[0155] As shown, SOC 300 may be coupled to various other circuits of UE 106. For example, UE 106 may include various types of memory (e.g., including NAND flash memory 310), a connector interface 320 (e.g., for coupling to a computer system), a display 360, and wireless communication circuits (e.g., for LTE, LTE-A, NR, CDMA2000, BLUETOOTH TM , Wi-Fi, GPS, etc.). The UE device 106 may include at least one antenna (e.g., 335a), and may include multiple antennas (e.g., as shown by antennas 335a and 335b) for performing wireless communications with base stations and / or other devices. Antennas 335a and 335b are shown by way of example, and the UE device 106 may include fewer or more antennas. In general, one or more antennas are collectively referred to as antennas 335. For example, the UE device 106 may use antenna 335 to perform wireless communications with the aid of radio circuitry 330. As described above, in some embodiments, the UE may be configured to perform wireless communications using multiple wireless communication standards.

[0156] As further described herein, the UE 106 (and / or the base station 102) may include hardware and software components for implementing methods for at least the UE 106 to identify a private LTE / NR network and communicate via the private LTE / NR network, with the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including the private LTE / NR network, and to operate on those networks in accordance with the various aspects disclosed herein. Thus, in some embodiments, among other things, the UE 106 may use information indicating a private cellular network to potentially connect to the private network and switch from operating on a public cellular network to operating on a private cellular network, and vice versa. One or more processors 302 of the UE device 106 may be configured to implement part or all of the methods described herein, for example by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium). In other embodiments, one or more processors 302 may be configured as a programmable hardware element, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). In addition, the processor 302 may be coupled to other components and / or may interoperate with other components, such as Figure 3 As shown, to enable communication by UE 106, the communication includes identifying a private LTE / NR network and communicating through the private LTE / NR network, which has the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including private LTE / NR networks and operate on those networks according to various aspects disclosed herein. Specifically, processor 302 may be coupled to Figure 3 The other components shown in and / or may interoperate with these components to facilitate the UE 106 to communicate in a manner that attempts to optimize the RAT selection. The one or more processors 302 may also implement various other applications and / or end-user applications running on the UE 106.

[0157] In some embodiments, the radio circuit 330 may include a separate controller dedicated to controlling communications for various corresponding RATs and / or RAT standards. Figure 3 As shown, the radio circuit 330 may include a Wi-Fi controller 356, a cellular controller (eg, LTE and / or NR controller) 352, and a BLUETOOTH controller. TM Controller 354, and according to at least some aspects, one or more or all of these controllers can be implemented as respective integrated circuits (referred to as ICs or chips) that communicate with each other and with SOC 300 (e.g., with processor 302). For example, Wi-Fi controller 356 can communicate with cellular controller 352 via a cell-ISM link or WCI interface, and / or BLUETOOTH TMThe controller 354 may communicate with the cellular controller 352 via a cell-ISM link, etc. Although three separate controllers are shown within the radio circuit 330, other embodiments may have fewer or more similar controllers for various different RATs and / or RAT standards that may be implemented in the UE device 106. For example, in Figure 5 At least one exemplary block diagram illustrating some embodiments of the cellular controller 352 is shown in FIG. 1 and will be further described below.

[0158] Figure 4 - Block diagram of an exemplary base station

[0159] Figure 4 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary base station 102 according to some embodiments. Note that Figure 4 The base station of is only one example of a possible base station. As shown, the base station 102 may include a processor 404 that may execute program instructions for the base station 102. The processor 404 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 440 or other circuit or device, which may be configured to receive addresses from the processor 404 and convert these addresses to locations in memory (e.g., memory 460 and read-only memory (ROM) 450).

[0160] Base station 102 may include at least one network port 470. Network port 470 may be configured to couple to a telephone network and provide access to the telephone network described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The network port 470 may be configured to couple to a plurality of devices such as the UE device 106 of the telephone network described in the embodiment of the present invention. The network port 470 (or an additional network port) may also be configured or alternatively configured to couple to a cellular network, such as a core network of a cellular service provider. The core network may provide mobility-related services and / or other services to a plurality of devices such as the UE device 106. In some cases, the network port 470 may be coupled to the telephone network via the core network, and / or the core network may provide the telephone network (e.g., in other UE devices served by the cellular service provider).

[0161] The base station 102 may include at least one antenna 434a, and may include multiple antennas (e.g., shown by antennas 434a and 434b) for performing wireless communications with mobile devices and / or other devices. Antennas 434a and 434b are shown as examples, and the base station 102 may include fewer or more antennas. In general, one or more antennas that may include antenna 434a and / or antenna 434b are collectively referred to as antenna 434 or multiple antennas 434. Antenna 434 may be configured to operate as a wireless transceiver, and may be further configured to communicate with UE device 106 via radio circuit 430. Antenna 434 communicates with radio component 430 via communication chain 432. Communication chain 432 may be a receiving chain, a transmitting chain, or both. Radio circuit 430 may be designed to communicate via various wireless telecommunication standards, including but not limited to LTE, LTE-A, 5G-NR (NR), WCDMA, CDMA2000, etc. The processor 404 of the base station 102 may be configured to implement part or all of the methods described herein, for example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium), for the base station 102 to communicate with a UE device, which is capable of identifying a private LTE / NR network and communicating via the private LTE / NR network, and has the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including private LTE / NR networks and operate on those networks. Alternatively, the processor 404 may be configured as a programmable hardware element such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) or a combination thereof. In the case of certain RATs (e.g., Wi-Fi), the base station 102 may be designed as an access point (AP), in which case the network port 470 may be implemented to provide access to a wide area network and / or one or more local area networks, for example, it may include at least one Ethernet port, and the radio component 430 may be designed to communicate according to the Wi-Fi standard. The base station 102 can operate according to the various methods disclosed herein to communicate with a mobile device that recognizes a private LTE / NR network and communicates through the private LTE / NR network, and has the ability to effectively move between various wireless communication systems including private LTE / NR networks, and operate on those networks according to the various embodiments disclosed herein.

[0162] Figure 5 —Exemplary Cellular Communications Circuit

[0163] Figure 5 An exemplary simplified block diagram of an exemplary cellular controller 352 according to some embodiments is shown. Note that Figure 5The block diagram of the cellular communication circuitry of is only one example of possible cellular communication circuitry; other circuitry, such as circuitry that includes or is coupled to sufficient antennas for different RATs to perform uplink activities using separate antennas, or circuitry that includes or is coupled to fewer antennas, such as circuitry that can be shared between multiple RATs, is also possible. According to some embodiments, the cellular communication circuitry 352 may be included in a communication device such as the communication device 106 described above. As described above, the communication device 106 may be a user equipment (UE) device, a mobile device or mobile station, a wireless device or wireless station, a desktop computer or computing device, a mobile computing device (e.g., a laptop, notebook, or portable computing device), a tablet computer, and / or a combination of devices, among other devices.

[0164] Cellular communication circuitry 352 may be (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) coupled to one or more antennas, such as antennas 335a-b and 336 as shown. In some embodiments, cellular communication circuitry 352 may include dedicated receive chains (including and / or coupled to (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) dedicated processors and / or radio components) for multiple RATs (e.g., a first receive chain for LTE and a second receive chain for 5G NR). For example, Figure 5 As shown, the cellular communication circuit 352 may include a first modem 510 and a second modem 520. The first modem 510 may be configured for communication according to a first RAT (e.g., such as LTE or LTE-A), and the second modem 520 may be configured for communication according to a second RAT (e.g., such as 5G NR).

[0165] As shown, the first modem 510 may include one or more processors 512 and a memory 516 in communication with the processor 512. The modem 510 may communicate with a radio frequency (RF) front end 530. The RF front end 530 may include circuits for transmitting and receiving radio signals. For example, the RF front end 530 may include a receiving circuit (RX) 532 and a transmitting circuit (TX) 534. In some embodiments, the receiving circuit 532 may communicate with a downlink (DL) front end 550, which may include circuits for receiving radio signals via an antenna 335a.

[0166] Similarly, the second modem 520 may include one or more processors 522 and a memory 526 in communication with the processor 522. The modem 520 may communicate with the RF front end 540. The RF front end 540 may include circuits for transmitting and receiving radio signals. For example, the RF front end 540 may include a receiving circuit 542 and a transmitting circuit 544. In some embodiments, the receiving circuit 542 may communicate with the DL front end 560, which may include circuits for receiving radio signals via the antenna 335b.

[0167] In some embodiments, the switch 570 may couple the transmit circuit 534 to an uplink (UL) front end 572. In addition, the switch 570 may couple the transmit circuit 544 to the UL front end 572. The UL front end 572 may include circuitry for transmitting radio signals via the antenna 336. Thus, when the cellular communication circuit 352 receives an instruction to transmit according to a first RAT (e.g., via a transmit chain including the transmit circuit 534 and the UL front end 572) supported by the first modem 510, the switch 570 may be switched to a first state that allows the first modem 510 to transmit signals according to the first RAT (e.g., via a transmit chain including the transmit circuit 534 and the UL front end 572). Similarly, when the cellular communication circuit 352 receives an instruction to transmit according to a second RAT (e.g., via a transmit chain including the transmit circuit 544 and the UL front end 572) supported by the second modem 520, the switch 570 may be switched to a second state that allows the second modem 520 to transmit signals according to the second RAT (e.g., via a transmit chain including the transmit circuit 544 and the UL front end 572).

[0168] As described herein, the first modem 510 and / or the second modem 520 may include hardware and software components for implementing any of the various features and techniques described herein. For example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium), the processors 512, 522 may be configured to implement part or all of the features described herein. Alternatively (or in addition), the processors 512, 522 may be configured as programmable hardware elements, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). Alternatively (or in addition), in combination with one or more of the other components 530, 532, 534, 540, 542, 544, 550, 570, 572, 335, and 336, the processors 512, 522 may be configured to implement part or all of the features described herein.

[0169] In addition, as described herein, the processors 512, 522 may include one or more components. Thus, the processors 512, 522 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of the processors 512, 522. In addition, each integrated circuit may include circuits (e.g., first circuits, second circuits, etc.) configured to perform the functions of the processors 512, 522.

[0170] In some embodiments, the cellular communication circuit 352 may include only one transmit / receive chain. For example, the cellular communication circuit 352 may not include the modem 520, the RF front end 540, the DL front end 560, and / or the antenna 335b. As another example, the cellular communication circuit 352 may not include the modem 510, the RF front end 530, the DL front end 550, and / or the antenna 335a. In some embodiments, the cellular communication circuit 352 may also not include the switch 570, and the RF front end 530 or the RF front end 540 may communicate with the UL front end 572, for example, directly.

[0171] Figure 6 – Exemplary Communication System

[0172] Figure 6 An exemplary wireless communication system 600 is shown in which a device can communicate in accordance with multiple radio access technologies (RATs) using different corresponding radio circuits for each RAT. System 600 is a system that implements an LTE (or NR) access network and a Wi-Fi radio access network. System 600 may include UE 106 and an LTE (or NR) network 602 and a Wi-Fi network 604.

[0173] LTE (or NR) access network 602 represents some embodiments of first RAT access, and Wi-Fi access network 604 represents some embodiments of second RAT access. LTE (or NR) access network 602 can interact with a wider cellular network (e.g., LTE or NR), and Wi-Fi access network 604 can interact with the Internet 612. More specifically, LTE (or NR) access network 602 can interact with a serving base station (BS) 606, which in turn can provide access to a wider cellular network 610. Wi-Fi access network 604 can interact with an access point (AP) 608, which in turn can provide access to the Internet 612. Thus, UE 106 can access the Internet 612 via AP 608, and can access the cellular network 610 via LTE access network 602. In some embodiments (not shown), UE 106 can also access the Internet 612 via LTE (or NR) access network 602. More specifically, the LTE (or NR) access network 602 may interact with a serving gateway, which in turn may interact with a packet data network (PDN) gateway. The PDN gateway may in turn interact with the Internet 612. Thus, the UE 106 may access the Internet 612 via one or both of the LTE (or NR) access network 602 and the Wi-Fi access network 604. Thus, the UE 106 may perform various communications, such as data transmission or audio voice calls, via either or both of the LTE (or NR) access network 602 and the Wi-Fi access network 604. In addition, although Figure 6 An LTE (or NR) access network is shown, but the UE 106 can also access other cellular networks (not shown, e.g., private networks) in a manner similar to accessing the LTE (or NR) access network 602.

[0174] Public and non-public (private) cellular networks

[0175] The rapid expansion and use of wireless communications has led to an increasing deployment of distributed antenna systems (DAS). For many years, statewide and nationwide auctioned license spectrum allocations have been exclusively acquired by Tier 1 cellular operators because it has proven to be too expensive for Tier 2 / 3 operators and other potential local operators. As a result, Tier 1 operators have been able to use the allocated spectrum as a strategic asset for 3GPP technologies, which has proven to be an obstacle that prevents innovation in wireless services and also slows down service improvements. For example, deployments have been concentrated in Tier 1 sites, leaving Tier 2 / 3 sites and indoor sites with poor coverage. According to some estimates, approximately 30 billion square feet of commercial floor space in the United States experience poor cellular coverage. Tier 2 / 3 network operators, enterprises, small communities, and site owners have not yet been able to acquire spectrum that would allow them to improve wireless coverage in Tier 2 / 3 sites and indoor private buildings, which has slowed down the density and installation of small cells.

[0176] At least for the above reasons, the wireless industry as a whole has been seeking a variety of service delivery models that are designed to offset high costs while ensuring reliable and favorable in-building coverage and capacity. One specific solution that has received widespread attention is the neutral host. The neutral host transfers the ownership of the system from the operator to the building owner, DAS integrator, or third-party system provider. Such private mobile networks are designed and deployed specifically for enterprise users to provide opportunities to optimize and redefine business processes in an impractical or impossible manner within the limitations of wired and Wi-Fi networks. Under the neutral host model, an independent third-party (e.g., private or non-public) host assumes all financial, regulatory, legal and technical responsibilities for deploying, installing and maintaining the system. The host can rent space or access the system from one or more operators. The neutral host model provides many attractive benefits, mainly the increase in the number of providers who are able and willing to help meet the growing needs in the market. In order to facilitate installation, reduce costs, and simplify the processing and dissemination of effective neutral hosts, a new citizen broadband wireless service (CBRS) for shared wireless broadband use in the 3550MHz-3700MHz band (3.5GHz band) has been established. CBRS provides the potential benefits of indoor and outdoor cellular services (e.g., LTE / NR services within the shared 3.5 GHz spectrum) by opening these bands for commercial use, such as carrier-based cellular service extensions and private LTE / NR networks within enterprises, stadiums, and convention centers, etc. In other words, cellular networks can use the CBRS bands to provide private LTE / NR and neutral host networks (e.g., Wi-Fi type deployments in buildings and enterprises) using LTE and / or 5G / NR small cells and networks.

[0177] The welcome increase of these new wireless services also brings new problems. It is expected that devices recognize these new wireless networks and effectively connect to and operate on these new wireless networks. In addition, improved device mobility is needed to allow devices to seamlessly move from operating on one wireless service to operating on another wireless service.

[0178] As mentioned above, non-public (or private) cellular networks provide multiple benefits next to public land mobile networks (PLMNs). PLMN refers to a mobile wireless network that uses ground stations instead of satellites. PLMNs can be independent, but are also usually interconnected with fixed systems such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN). PLMNs typically include several cellular technologies, such as GSM / 2G, UMTS / 3G, LTE / 4G and / or 5G / NR (to name a few) provided by a single operator in a given country, commonly referred to as cellular networks. PLMNs are identified by a globally unique PLMN code, which includes an MCC (Mobile Country Code) and an MNC (Mobile Network Code). International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI; used in pre-5G / NR cellular technologies) and Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI; used in 5G / NR cellular technologies) are numbers that uniquely identify each user of pre-5G / NR and 5G NR cellular networks, respectively.

[0179] Non-public cellular networks (NPNs) have been deployed in factories as enterprise information technology (IT) networks, etc., for Internet of Things (IOT) devices. In some cases, an NPN is a cellular network specific to an organization or corporate entity, where the content of the entity is hosted on a private data network. NPNs can generally be deployed as standalone NPNs (SNPNs), which can be operated by an NPN operator that does not rely on network functions provided by a PLMN, or they can be deployed as public network integrated NPNs, which can be network slice instances of conventional PLMNs, for example. Wireless communication devices (UEs) can be classified based on access capabilities. Such classification can distinguish between UEs that are only authorized to access NPNs or NPN services, UEs that are only authorized to access conventional PLMN services, and UEs that can access both NPN services and PLMN services at the same time. In terms of 3GPP NR, as an example, a UE can be configured with a SUPI and a credential for each SNPN that it is authorized to access. Emergency services are currently not supported in SNP access mode, but research is underway on supporting the enabling of emergency calls through NPNs in the near future. It should be noted that SUPI is a 5G / NR globally unique subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) assigned to each user and defined in 3GPP specification TS 23.501. The SUPI value is provided in the USIM and unified data management (UDM) / universal resource management (UDR) functions in the 5G core and is usually a string of 15 decimal digits.

[0180] When switched on, the UE typically starts searching for a network. There is the possibility that there are many networks or many frequencies from different network operators to which the UE can connect. Therefore, the UE needs to synchronize with each frequency and determine which of those frequencies it will connect to. The UE performs this function by going through an initial synchronization process. Once the UE has completed the synchronization process, the UE starts using system information to establish wireless communication with the network (establish wireless communication within the network). System information includes a master information block (MIB) and multiple system information blocks (SIBs). The MIB is broadcast on a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), while the SIB is sent on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) via a radio resource control (RRC) message (i.e., via an RRC message / signaling). A system information (SI) message may contain one or several SIBs.

[0181] Currently, a SNPN is identified using a network identifier (NID) dedicated to the SNPN. Therefore, the SNPN is generally identified by using a PLMN ID and NID [PLMN ID + NID]. A network node (e.g., a gNB) that provides access to an NPN may broadcast a list of PLMN IDs and NIDs that identify each unique NPN. The UE will reselect to other cells that support the SNPN, for example, to a cell identified by the broadcasted [PLMN ID + NID]. As part of the registration process, the UE may first camp on (connect to) a cell that supports a [PLMN ID + NID] combination that identifies the network that the UE is attempting to access (e.g., a SNPN for which the UE has SUPI credentials). The UE then performs a non-access stratum (NAS) registration process with the SNPN through the corresponding access and mobility management function (AMF) and session management function (SMF). Each NPN defines a unified access control (UAC) for access control management.

[0182] Equivalent SNPN (eSNPN)

[0183] In this specification, SNPN is an independent network and does not have access or visibility to other peer SNPNs. Therefore, a UE with credentials for a given SNPN may not be able to access other SNPNs, even if the UE may have reason to access those other SNPNs. However, in many cases, different private networks may be considered to be part of the same entity or enterprise. For example, a company, a corporate entity, or an educational entity may have different branches or locations all identified by the same PLMN ID, wherein each branch / location has its own deployed SNPN. In some cases, it may be desirable to provide UE access to all different branches / satellite SNPNs. As an example, three universities may each have SNPNs represented by SNPN1, SNPN2, and SNPN3 in a region identified by the same PLMN ID, and these universities may also have shared resources that students are provided with access to. However, since each SNPN is an independent network, a UE with, for example, SNPN1 credentials will not be able to access SNPN2 and SNPN3. In order to solve this problem, according to some aspects, an equivalent SNPN (eSNPN) may be established.

[0184] Therefore, in order to improve ready access to the desired SNPN, the network (e.g., a base station in the network) may broadcast a list of equivalent SNPNs (eSNPNs) corresponding to a given SNPN to the UE, if such eSNPNs are available. For example, a base station in the network may broadcast such a list in a SIB. Upon receiving the SIB, the UE may save the list of eSNPNs in a local database. Referring to the above example, the network may broadcast the following list to the UE, depending on whether the UE's home SNPN is SNPN1, SNPN2, or SNPN3, where NIDx (for x=1, 2, 3) represents the NID of the corresponding SNPNx.

[0185] · The attributed SNPN is SNPN1

[0186] οSNPN1=PLMN+NID1

[0187] οeSNPN1=PLMN+NID2

[0188] οeSNPN2=PLMN+NID3

[0189] The attributed SNPN is SNPN2

[0190] οSNPN2=PLMN+NID2

[0191] οeSNPN1=PLMN+NID1

[0192] οeSNPN2=PLMN+NID3

[0193] · The attributed SNPN is SNPN3

[0194] οSNPN3=PLMN+NID3

[0195] οeSNPN1=PLMN+NID1

[0196] οeSNPN2=PLMN+NID2

[0197] When a UE associated with a given home SNPN, such as SNPN1, is in a location / branch where one of the other SNPNs is deployed, the UE may lose access to its home SNPN and may begin scanning all SNPN networks in the location / area. The UE may obtain access to the visited SNPN because the visited SNPN has been indicated to the UE as an eSNPN corresponding to its home SNPN. For example, for a UE having SNPN1 as its home SNPN, eSNPN1 and eSNPN2 (as shown in the list above) represent SNPNs equivalent to or corresponding to SNPN1, so they are the eSNPNs of the UE and can be accessed by the UE. In some embodiments, the order in which the eSNPNs are broadcast (or listed) may also indicate the recommended priority of the eSNPNs that are broadcast (listed). For example, for a UE having SNPN1 as its home SNPN, eSNPN1 may have a higher priority than eSNPN2. This may be particularly useful when multiple eSNPNs overlap in certain deployments.

[0198] As described above, the list of eSNPNs may be broadcast by the network in the SIB. However, when the list of eSNPNs is too large with too many multiple SNPNs, the SIB may become too large, and it may be preferred not to transmit a relatively large broadcast message. Therefore, according to some aspects, the list of eSNPNs may be transmitted to the UE as part of a NAS registration accept message. In such a case, in response to the NAS registration request, the list of eSNPNs may be transmitted to the UE by the (radio access) network in a registration accept message. In some aspects, the registration accept message may be a unicast message for (or intended for) a specific UE, rather than being transmitted as a broadcast message, thereby reducing the load on the network.

[0199] Roaming eSNPN

[0200] As discussed above, multiple NPNs or SNPNs may be associated with or correspond to a single entity or enterprise, wherein those multiple different NPNs or SNPNs are deployed at one or more locations and / or regions identified by the same PLMN ID. In addition, for a given enterprise (e.g., a corporate entity or other enterprise), the corresponding corresponding SNPNs may also be deployed at multiple locations, regions and / or countries identified by different corresponding PLMN IDs. It may be desirable for UEs associated with the enterprise to have the ability to seamlessly connect to those SNPNs. The SNPN may again be defined / indicated as [PLMN ID+NID]. However, in this case, the PLMN ID may be different. For example, with respect to different countries, the PLMN ID is based on the mobile country code (MCC), and the PLMN ID may therefore be different in each different location / region / country (or for each different location / region / country). In addition, the NID identifying the SNPN may be the same in all locations / regions / countries because it indicates a specific entity or enterprise, rather than indicating a specific local SNPN. For example, assuming that the UE is configured to camp on (remain connected to) the SNPN corresponding to enterprise A in a first location / region / country, when the UE travels to a different second location / region / country and scans for SNPNs (for enterprise A), there is a PLMN ID mismatch and the UE cannot obtain access to the SNPN of the second location / region / country.

[0201] In order to allow access to different SNPNs in different locations / regions / countries / , roaming eSNPN (ReSNPN) may be introduced. Similar to the example provided above for eSNPNs based on different NIDs of different local SNPNs, a ReSNPN list may be provided to the UE to allow the UE to access the SNPN corresponding to the enterprise in each location / region / country where an SNPN has been deployed for the enterprise. As an example, enterprise A may be identified by "NID". The home SNPN of enterprise A may be at the first location identified by PLMNID1 in the country where the UE is local. The UE may access the SNPN of enterprise A in different locations / regions / countries based on the following method, where PLMN IDx (x=1, 2, 3 for local countries, and x=4, 5, 6 for foreign countries) represents the PLMN ID of the corresponding location / region / country:

[0202] SNPN1=PLMN ID1+NID

[0203] ·SNPN2(eSNPN1)=PLMN ID2+NID

[0204] ·SNPN3(eSNPN2)=PLMN ID3+NID

[0205] ·SNPN4(ReSNPN1)=PLMN ID4+NID

[0206] ·SNPN5(ReSNPN2)=PLMN ID5+NID

[0207] ·SNPN6(ReSNPN3)=PLMN ID6+NID

[0208] A network that deploys a home SNPN (SNPN1) may broadcast a list of eSNPNs and ReSNPNs in a SIB. Upon receiving the SIB, the UE may save the list of eSNPNs and ReSNPNs in a local database and utilize this information when camping on other SNPNs on either the local network or the global network. It should be noted that the above method is also applicable to public integrated NPNs, not just SNPNs. In addition, since SNPNs in different countries belong to the same enterprise (e.g., Enterprise A), human-readable enterprise names may also be the same in different countries. Therefore, in some embodiments, human-readable names may also be broadcast in the SIB, such as where an ASCII string or a string encoded in UTF-8 format represents the enterprise name to be broadcast.

[0209] According to some aspects, an enterprise may use a globally unique NID for each different SNPN deployed in different countries, where each country's SNPN has a unique NID (e.g., as opposed to Enterprise A, which is identified by the same NID in all countries, as described above). In such embodiments, in order to uniquely identify an enterprise across different countries and display the SNPN network name in a human-readable format, an additional "EnID" field may be introduced in the SIB. Thus, a SNPN may then be defined as SNPN=PLMN ID+NID+EnID, where EnID stands for "Enterprise ID". The EnID is expected to be the same for all NPNs of a particular enterprise worldwide.

[0210] NID Management Function (NMF)

[0211] As the size and number of eSNPN lists (and ReSNPN lists) increase, broadcasting such lists via SIBs may become problematic. For example, a business or organization may have offices in multiple countries and may add associations to various different partners / suppliers in different locations, all of which may be considered eSNPNs. Therefore, in order to support the creation and management of eSNPNs and ReSNPNs, a new network identity management function (NID management function or NMF for short) may be introduced. NMF may implement various tasks / features related to eSNPNs and ReSNPNs. NMF may be introduced as a core network function, for example, in the 5G / NR network architecture (5GC) to maintain a database of SNPN lists (e.g., NID lists and / or [NID+PLMN] lists). NMF may also maintain a list of equivalent PLMNs for all UEs registered in a given SNPN.

[0212] Figure 7 A simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless network architecture with NMF is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the core network functions of the wireless network include an application function (AF) 702 and an access and mobility management function (AMF) 708, which can update the NMF 706 by adding and removing eSNPNs for UEs or UE sets. According to some aspects, the NMF can also be composed of Figure 7 The unified data management (UDM) function not shown in the figure is updated. Other network functions include a network repository function (NRF) 704, a session management function (SMF) 710, and a user plane function (UPF) 716. Figure 7As shown, UE 712 interacts with AMF 708 and radio access network (RAN) 714, wherein UPF 176 provides a link between RAN 714 and data network (DN) 718. In some embodiments, when AMF 708 receives a registration request from UE 712 located in eSNPN, AMF 708 may query NMF 706 to verify credentials and retrieve the eSNPN list of UE 712. NMF 706 may accept the query and map eSNPN of UE 712. The list of eSNPNs may then be retrieved by AMF 708, which may transmit the eSNPN list to UE 712 as part of a registration accept (RA) message. In order for the RA message to carry the eSNPN list, a new "eSNPN" information element (IE) may be added to the RA message. In some embodiments, NMF 706 may be implemented as a SW in a unified data management (UDM) / user data repository (UDR) module. According to some aspects, AF 702 may be a cloud service that may be controlled by an enterprise entity (e.g., a corporate entity) and may populate the NMF database with new eSNPNs. In summary, NMF 706 may create and maintain a list of eSNPNs and / or ReSNPNs, where AF 702 and AMF 708 have access to the NMF. When AMF 708 transmits a configuration update command using the eSNPN IE, it may transmit the newly added eSNPN with a flag indicating that the included eSNPN is to be added to an existing list, or it may transmit the entire eSNPN list.

[0213] Example network architecture with a single NMF - Figure 8

[0214] Figure 8 A simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless network architecture with a single NMF 802 is shown. A first network 806 represents the home PLMN of a UE 826, while a second network 816 represents the eSNPN of the UE 826. Network 806 operates over a RAN 808, while network 816 operates over a RAN 818. Each respective network has its own set of network functions, such as AMF (810 and 820, respectively), SMF (812 and 822, respectively), and UPF (814 and 824, respectively). Figure 8 In the architecture of , both networks 806 and 816 use a single NMF 802 accessed by AF 804. Both AMF 810 and AMF 820 can communicate with NMF 802, for example to query NMF 802 to verify the credentials of UE 826 when UE 826 is registered on the network served by the corresponding AMF, and to retrieve the eSNPN list of UE 826.

[0215] Example network architecture with multiple NMFs - Fig. 9

[0216] Fig. 9 A simplified schematic diagram showing an exemplary wireless network architecture with multiple NMFs. Fig. 9 The network architecture shown is similar to Figure 8 The architecture shown in FIG. 8 is similar to that shown in FIG. 8 , but instead of a single NMF 802, two NMFs 904 and 906 are used to maintain and manage the eSNPN and / or ReSNPN lists. Fig. 9 In the architecture of FIG. 8 , two networks 806 and 816 use corresponding respective NMFs 904 and 906, both of which communicate with AF 804. AMF 810 can communicate with NMF 904, and AMF 820 can communicate with NMF 906. For example, when UE 826 is registering on network 816 served by AMF 820, AMF 820 can query NMF 906 to verify the credentials of UE 826 and retrieve the eSNPN / ReSNPN list of UE 826. Similarly, when UE 826 is registering on network 806 served by AMF 810, AMF 810 can query NMF 904 to verify the credentials of UE 826 and retrieve the eSNPN / ReSNPN list of UE 826.

[0217] Example procedure for providing eSNPN / ReSNPN list to UE - Fig.10

[0218] Fig.10 A simplified flowchart of an exemplary process for updating a UE with an eSNPN / ReSNPN list (eg, providing / transmitting such a list to a UE) is shown. With respect to the use of various core network functions as described above, the exemplary process may refer to Figure 7-Figure 9 . With the addition of an NMF for mapping and maintaining lists of eSNPNs / ReSNPNs, these lists may be provided to the UE as part of the registration process when the UE is registering in (or on) a SNPN. The UE may be powered on with a User Identity Module (USIM) of the SNPN, e.g., a USIM that stores credentials and information corresponding to or associated with a particular SNPN (1002). Once powered on, the UE may send a Registration Request (RR) to the AMF serving the SNPN, where the RR includes the necessary credentials (1004). After authentication of the UE is complete, the AMF may query the NMF to retrieve a list of eSNPNs / ReSNPNs mapped for the UE (1006). The NMF may forward the list of eSNPNs / ReSNPNs to the AMF, and the AMF may add the data received from the NMF (e.g., the list) to a RA message or a Registration Reject (RR) message, and transmit the list to the UE as part of the RA message or the RR message (1008).

[0219] Example Procedure for Adding a SNPN to the eSNPN / ReSNPN List - Fig.11

[0220] Fig.11 A simplified flowchart of an exemplary process for adding a SNPN to the eSNPN / ReSNPN list maintained by the NMF is shown. Similarly, with respect to the use of various core network functions as described above, the exemplary process can be referred to in Figure 7-Figure 9 . In the case where the NMF maintains an eSNPN / ReSNPN list, SNPNs may be added to or deleted from the eSNPN / ReSNPN list. Thus, for operational reasons, one or more SNPNs may be added to the eSNPN / ReSNPN list stored in the NMF. The AF 1108 may instruct (e.g., request) the NMF 1106 to add the new SNPN to the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1110). The NMF 1106 may confirm the request and add the new SNPN to the eSNPN / ReSNPN list, and send a response to the AF 1108 indicating that the list has been updated (1112). The NMF 1106 may then notify the AMF 1104 of the update of the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1114). The AMF 1104 may send a configuration update command to the UE 1102, wherein the command includes the entire eSNPN / ReSNPN list or one or more SNPNs to be added to the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1116). UE 1102 may update its eSNPN / ReSNPN list and transmit a configuration update complete message to AMF 1104 (1118).

[0221] Example Procedure for Deleting a SNPN from the eSNPN / ReSNPN List - Fig.12

[0222] Fig.12 A flowchart of an exemplary process for deleting an SNPN from an eSNPN list maintained by an NMF is shown. Similarly, with respect to the use of various core network functions as described above, the exemplary process may refer to Figure 7-Figure 9. For operational reasons, one or more SNPNs may be removed from the eSNPN / ReSNPN list stored / maintained in the NMF. The AF 1108 may instruct (e.g., request) the NMF 1106 to delete the SNPN from the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1202). The NMF 1106 may confirm the request and delete the SNPN from the eSNPN / ReSNPN list, and send a response to the AF 1108 indicating that the list has been updated (1204). The NMF 1106 may then notify the AMF 1104 of the update of the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1214). The AMF 1104 may send a configuration update command to the UE 1102, wherein the command includes the entire eSNPN / ReSNPN list or one or more SNPNs to be deleted from the eSNPN / ReSNPN list (1216). The UE 1102 may update its eSNPN / ReSNPN list and transmit a configuration update complete message to the AMF 1104 (1218).

[0223] Example onboard process using NMF - Fig.13

[0224] Onboard refers to the process by which a new device first gains access to a wired or wireless network. When a UE is powered on for the first time, it may need to determine which network (e.g., which SNPN) to connect to (e.g., camp on or remain connected to) because there may be a requirement (e.g., 3GPP requirement) that the UE does not send a registration request to an SNPN that the UE cannot access. For example, the UE may be required not to send a registration request to an SNPN that the UE is not authorized to access and / or may not have the credentials necessary for access. Eliminating such access attempts saves resources and time, and therefore NMF can be used for more efficient UE onboarding. Fig.13 A simplified flowchart of an exemplary onboard process using NMF is shown. Similarly, with respect to the use of various core network functions as described above, the exemplary process can be referred to Figure 7-Figure 9 .for Fig.131304. The process illustrated in FIG. 1305 assumes that the UE 1102 has the manufacturer credentials and NMF address stored internally, for example, in non-volatile memory within the UE 1102 or as part of the UE software itself. The UE 1102 may find and select a SNPN via automatic or manual selection, and send a RR to the AMF 1104 using the manufacturer credentials and the NMF address (1302). The AMF 1104 may locate the NMF 1106 via the address provided by the UE, and may provide the manufacturer credentials to the NMF 1106 in a verification request to verify the UE's subscription (1304). The NMF 1106 may verify the received credentials and retrieve matching subscription data, and then provide the subscription data and the eSNPN / ReSNPN list to the AMF 1104 in a verification response (1306). The AMF 1104 may forward the subscription data and the eSNPN / ReSNPN list to the UE 1102 as part of a RA message or as part of a RR message (1308). For example, AMF 1104 may send a registration rejection message to UE 1102 and include the eSNPN / ReSNPN list in the message, which may cause UE 1102 to initiate a new registration process for the "preferred" NPN included in the eSNPN / ReSNPN list. This process may be referred to as "steering of NPN roaming".

[0225] Service operations provided by NMF— Fig.14

[0226] Fig.14 A simplified table 1400 listing exemplary service operations that may be provided by an NMF is shown.

[0227] "SNPN Not Allowed" Reason Codes

[0228] Relative to SNPN, the current standard defines only two reason codes:

[0229] · The SNPN is not authorized yet (No. 74), and

[0230] The SNPN is permanently unauthorized (No. 75).

[0231] However, there may be situations where access to a particular SNPN may be prohibited (not allowed) until further notice, at which time access to that particular SNPN may be allowed / provided. For example, an entity or enterprise may have SNPN1 for all employees and SNPN2 for projects to which only selected employees are allowed access. A new employee may join an entity / enterprise and receive access to SNPN1 instead of SNPN2, but at a later point in time the new employee may be authorized to access SNPN2. For such situations, a new reason code "SNPN not allowed" may be introduced. Upon receiving this reason code, the UE may delete the list of eSNPN / ReSNPNs, reset the registration attempt counter, and store the SNPN identity in the database. Therefore, not only is access to a particular SNPN not authorized, but the list of eSNPN / ReSNPNs is also refreshed. Once the UE gains access to SNPN2, the AMF may update the UE via a configuration update command, which may include information about the updated list of eSNPN / ReSNPNs.

[0232] SNPN specific cell identification

[0233] Radio Access Network (RAN) support may be provided for identifying SNPN specific cells. Cells with SNPN-only access may need to broadcast a "Reserved for SNPN use" field in SIB messages to help prevent regular PLMN users from pre-camping on SNPN-only access cells. This may be particularly important in areas with overlapping PLMN and SNPN access cells.

[0234] Integrate non-public networks

[0235] NPNs can be implemented as network slices of a PLMN. Network slicing refers to the separation of multiple virtual networks operating on the same physical hardware for different applications, services, or purposes. Network slicing separates the control plane from the user plane to move user plane functions toward the edge of the network. Each network slice may have its own architecture, provisioning management, and security to support specific use cases. With low-latency connections and sufficient bandwidth, software-level partitioning of the network can be used to prioritize different tasks. Slices occupying a single physical network are isolated, which means that traffic and security vulnerabilities from one slice will not interfere with another slice. Identification of network slices is performed via single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). NSSAI is a collection of S-NSSAIs. For example, 3GPP currently allows up to eight (8) S-NSSAIs in the requested and allowed NSSAIs sent in signaling messages between the UE and the network (e.g., between the UE and a base station in the network). This means that a single UE can be served by up to eight network slices at a time. The S-NSSAI signaled by the UE to the network helps the network select a specific network slice instance. S-NSSAI usually includes:

[0236] Slice / Service Type (SST), which refers to the expected network slice behavior in terms of characteristics and services, and

[0237] • Slice Differentiator (SD), which represents optional information that supplements the SST to differentiate among multiple network slices of the same SST.

[0238] The S-NSSAI may be associated with a PLMN (eg, a PLMN ID) and may have a network-specific value or a standard value. The UE may use the S-NSSAI to access a network in the PLMN to which the S-NSSAI is associated.

[0239] Currently, network slices are configured during the registration process and apply to the entire PLMN. However, certain slice features may only be available or authorized in some specific locations. When network slicing is allowed, the UE may assume that the slice is allowed for all UEs accessing the PLMN. However, the NPN may not be intended to be accessible to all UEs on the PLMN. Therefore, a corresponding process for negotiating network slices for each registration area and / or tracking area may be used to introduce the concept of network slice support for each registration / tracking area. During each mobility registration update, the UE and the network may renegotiate the list of allowed NSSAIs. For example, each time the UE moves into a new registration / tracking area, the UE and the network may renegotiate the list of allowed NSSAIs. Therefore, the network may indicate to the UE whether the UE is allowed to access the network slice. Additionally or alternatively, the network (e.g., a base station in the network) may also actively update the UE with an "allowed NSSAI" indication via a UE configuration update command at any time.

[0240] Public integrated NPN roaming

[0241] When the NPN is implemented as a network slice instance (NSI), some additional issues may need to be considered. For example, an enterprise or entity may have a common integrated NPN in each of its geographical locations. A UE associated with a home NPN in one location may also need to seamlessly camp on (or remain connected to) a network in a different location and access the NSI corresponding to the NPN. Although there are currently provisions for mapping the home PLMN (HPLMN), no such mapping exists for the NPN. According to some aspects, in order to seamlessly access the NSI corresponding to the NPN as described above, the UE may send a packet data unit (PDU) session establishment request with an S-NSSAI (containing the NPNNSI), and may also provide an HPLMN mapping for the S-NSSAI. This can be achieved by introducing new values ​​into the S-NSSAI IE. Therefore, the following new parameters (or parameter values) may be added to the S-NSSAI IE for the NPN:

[0242] SST and mapped NPN SST,

[0243] SST, SD and mapped NPN SST,

[0244] SST, SD, mapped NPN SST and mapped NPN SD,

[0245] SST and mapped SNPN SST,

[0246] SST, SD, and mapped SNPN SST, and

[0247] SST, SD, mapped SNPN SST, and mapped SNPN SD.

[0248] New values ​​can be introduced by assigning some of the previously reserved values ​​to the parameters listed above. That is, the previously reserved values ​​can be used as different values ​​corresponding to the newly introduced parameters listed above, respectively.

[0249] There are currently no provisions for indicating whether a particular S-NSSAI or a set of S-NSSAIs is associated with an NPN or a PLMN or both. In order to make such provisions, an NPN may require an SD. For example, a hospital enterprise may contain an NPN with multiple slices or multiple instances of an S-NSSAI, each of which serves a specific feature (e.g., operations, finance, doctor login, etc.). The UE may receive UE routing selection policy (URSP) rules with a DNN, as well as routing and traffic descriptor details for each NSI on how to access the NPN, along with an indication of the association of the S-NSSAI (NPN, PLMN, or both). This may help the UE identify whether the NSI is used to serve a PLMN, an NPN, or both.

[0250] UE specific implementation

[0251] In some embodiments, NPN access can be implemented in a UE with a dual SIM setup with independent subscriptions. For example, SIM1 can be a subscription to normal / conventional 3GPP PLMN access (e.g., a primary service provider), while SIM2 can be configured for SNPN access. A UE that supports simultaneous connection to SNPN and PLMN can perform network selection suitable for obtaining access to SNPN networks and PLMN networks, respectively. Whether the UE uses SNPN or PLMN for its services may depend on the specific implementation. For example, certain applications executed on (or by) the UE may be restricted to use only PLMN, while other applications (e.g., internal or enterprise applications) may be restricted to use only SNPN. Mapping applications to corresponding networks indicating or expecting the use of applications can be internal to the device, for example, where the applications are mapped to corresponding corresponding SIMs. For UEs that can be connected to SNPN and PLMN simultaneously, settings for operating in SNPN access mode may only be applied to the Uu interface for connecting to SNPN. The details of activation and deactivation of SNPN access mode can be implemented as needed for each UE. Thus, when invoking certain applications, the UE may use its SIM1 connection (e.g., by relying on credentials / data stored in SIM1), and when invoking applications related to the SNPN (e.g., enterprise applications), the UE may use its SIM2 connection (e.g., by relying on credentials / data stored in SIM2). The UE may need to determine whether the SNPN allows access to the SNS application, but this is tracked by the private network. The use of SIM1 may not be tracked.

[0252] Regarding the configuration and subscription information of the UE, if the UE is not set to operate in SNPN access mode, even if it enables SNPN, the UE may not select SNPN and register with SNPN. A UE that is not set to operate in SNPN access mode may perform a PLMN selection process as currently defined (e.g., in the 3GPP standard; clause 4.4 of TS 23.122). For example, in the case where SNPN is used for office (business) communications and PLMN is used for personal communications, SNPN can be automatically activated / deactivated by PLMN as follows. Depending on the geographical location or registration area of ​​SNPN, if the UE is relocated to the office, SNPN access can be enabled / activated and PLMN access can be disabled / deactivated, otherwise SNPN access can be disabled / deactivated and PLMN access can be enabled / activated. Enabling / disabling or activation / deactivation can be configured based on timing considerations. For example, an office time period (e.g., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) can be specified, and if the UE is in the SNPN registration area during this time period, SNPN access can be (automatically) activated and PLMN access can be (automatically) deactivated. Outside of specified office hours, SNPN access may be (automatically) deactivated and PLMN access may be (automatically) activated.

[0253] Network selection in SNPN access mode may be performed as follows. When set to operate in SNPN access mode, the UE may not perform the normal PLMN selection process as currently defined (e.g., in the current 3GPP standard; clause 4.4 of TS 23.122). A UE operating in SNPN access mode may read the available PLMN ID and the available NID list from the broadcast system information and take them into account during network selection. For automatic network selection, the UE may select and attempt to register with an available SNPN identified by the PLMN ID and NID for which the UE has a SUPI and a credential. If multiple SNPNs for which the UE has corresponding SUPIs and credentials are available, the priority order for selecting and attempting to register with the SNPN may be based on a specific implementation of the UE. For example, a priority list may be maintained based on the access frequency (frequency of accessing / accessing the SNPN), the broadcast order in the SIB (e.g., the highest level in the SIB broadcast order is the highest priority, and the lowest level is the lowest priority), and / or the SUPI. For example, when the UE has credentials for multiple SNPNs, the priority order for SNPN access may depend on the frequency of accessing the corresponding SNPNs within a day / week / month, the order in which the SNPNs are broadcast in the SIB, and / or the SUPI (PLMN+NID; for example, the home country may have the highest priority). Alternatively, the UE may have a user input (UI) feature for the user to dynamically update the priority of the SNPNs and update the list.

[0254] For example, an enterprise may maintain multiple SNPNs for each specific project. An employee may use the primary enterprise SNPN as the highest priority SNPN. Once an employee obtains disclosure of a specific project, the corresponding SNPN (e.g., the SNPN corresponding to the project) may be added to the employee's subscription list. The UE may also have the ability to set SNPN priorities.

[0255] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly stated to users.

[0256] Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in any of a variety of forms. For example, in some embodiments, the present invention may be implemented as a computer-implemented method, a computer-readable storage medium, or a computer system. In other embodiments, one or more custom-designed hardware devices such as ASICs may be used to implement the present invention. In other embodiments, one or more programmable hardware elements such as FPGAs may be used to implement the present invention.

[0257] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory storage element) may be configured to store program instructions and / or data, wherein if the program instructions are executed by a computer system, the computer system is caused to perform a method, such as any of the method embodiments described herein, or any combination of the method embodiments described herein, or any subset of any method embodiments described herein, or any combination of such subsets.

[0258] In some embodiments, a device (e.g., a UE) may be configured to include a processor (or a group of processors) and a memory medium (or a memory element), wherein the memory medium stores program instructions, wherein the processor is configured to read and execute the program instructions from the memory medium, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement any of the various method implementations described herein (or any combination of the method implementations described herein, or any subset of any method implementations described herein or any combination of such subsets). The device may be implemented in any of various forms.

[0259] Although the above embodiments have been described in considerable detail, numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to encompass all such variations and modifications.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising: Obtaining, by a device, a list of equivalent independent non-public networks, eSNPNs, corresponding to a home SNPN of the device, wherein an eSNPN is a SNPN remote from the home SNPN and accessible by the device using credentials used by the device to access the home SNPN; as well as A first SNPN is accessed by the device, the first SNPN being at a location different from the location of the home SNPN and / or at a higher priority than a second SNPN, in response to: identifying the first SNPN; and The list includes the first SNPN as an eSNPN corresponding to the home SNPN of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the list from one or more of: Access and Mobility Function (AMF); or Radio Access Network. 3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining and managing the list via a network identifier management function.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Sending a registration request by the device to a third SNPN; as well as The list is received in response to at least the registration request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving the list in one of: Register to receive messages; or Registration rejection message.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the registration request comprises the credentials of the device and the address of a Network Identifier Management Function NMF; The method further comprises: The registration request is received by an access and mobility function (AMF) serving the first SNPN; Locating, by the AMF, the NMF via the address; as well as The credentials are provided to the NMF in an authentication request.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: verifying the subscription of the device through the NMF; retrieving, by the NMF, matching subscription data corresponding to the device; as well as The subscription data and the list are provided by the NMF to the AMF in a verification response.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: The subscription data and the list are forwarded to the UE by the AMF in one of the following ways: Register to receive messages; or Registration rejection message.

9. A user equipment device, the device comprising: A processor configured to perform operations comprising: obtaining a list of equivalent independent non-public networks, eSNPNs, corresponding to a home SNPN of a device, wherein an eSNPN is a SNPN remote from the home SNPN and accessible by the device using credentials used by the device to access the home SNPN; and Accessing a first SNPN that is at a location different from the location of the home SNPN and / or at a higher priority than a second SNPN in response to: identifying the first SNPN; and The list includes the first SNPN as an eSNPN corresponding to the home SNPN of the device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the operations further comprising receiving the list from one or more of: Access and Mobility Function (AMF); or Radio Access Network. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the list originates from a network identifier management function.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: Sending a registration request to a third SNPN; as well as The list is received in response to at least the registration request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the operations further comprising receiving the list in one of: Register to receive messages; or Registration rejection message.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the registration request comprises credentials of the device and an address of a Network Identifier Management Function (NMF) that maintains and manages the list.

15. A device for wireless communication, comprising: a radio circuit configured to enable wireless communications of the device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the radio circuitry and configured to perform operations comprising: obtaining a list of equivalent independent non-public networks, eSNPNs, corresponding to a home SNPN of the device, wherein an eSNPN is a SNPN remote from the home SNPN and accessible by the device using credentials used by the device to access the home SNPN; as well as Accessing a first SNPN that is at a location different from the location of the home SNPN and / or at a higher priority than a second SNPN in response to: identifying the first SNPN; and The list includes the first SNPN as an eSNPN corresponding to the home SNPN of the device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the operations further comprising receiving the list from one or more of: Access and Mobility Function (AMF); or Radio Access Network.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the list originates from a network identifier management function.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the operations further comprising: Sending a registration request to a third SNPN; as well as The list is received in response to at least the registration request.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the operations further comprising receiving the list in one of: Register to receive messages; or Registration rejection message.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the registration request comprises credentials of the device and an address of a Network Identifier Management Function (NMF) that maintains and manages the list.

21. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium having program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions, when executed by a user equipment device, causing the user equipment device to perform the method of any one of claims 1-8.

22. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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