System and method for identifying user device

Abstract

A system and method for identifying a user device are provided. The method comprises: generating, by a base station, an RAN user equipment identifier (RAN UE ID) corresponding to a UE; when the UE makes a registration request to the extra information provider, receiving a packet of the UE through the base station, obtaining an IP address corresponding to the UE based on the packet, and transmitting the packet to the core network; the method comprises the following steps of: transmitting an IP (Internet Protocol) address corresponding to UE (User Equipment) and an ID (Identity) of RAN (Radio Access Network) UE to a Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC) through a base station; establishing pairing association of the IP address associated with the UE and the RAN UE ID in the pairing table through the RIC; and transmitting the packet to an additional information provider through the core network, obtaining an IP address corresponding to the UE through the additional information provider according to the packet, and accepting the registration requirement of the UE through the IP address.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for identifying a user device, and more particularly to a system and method for an additional information provider to identify a user device in a wireless access network. Background Art

[0002] The Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) provides open interfaces and software and hardware, making it easier to purchase and upgrade telecommunications equipment, reducing overall construction costs, and allowing the wireless access network to optimize the management of wireless resources based on application requirements. O-RAN also proposes an enrichment information (EI) interface to obtain external enrichment information services to enhance RAN optimization.

[0003] For security reasons, the radio access network uses a temporary identifier as the radio access network user equipment identifier (RAN UE ID). The RAN UE ID is dynamically updated when the connection changes, so that external additional information providers cannot obtain its RAN UE ID to identify a specific UE.

[0004] When the radio access network interacts with an external extra information provider, it is unable to map the association between the extra information identifier (EI UEID) and the RAN UE ID, and therefore is unable to adjust the behavior of a specific UE within the radio access network based on the status of the extra information.

[0005] In detail, in the O-RAN architecture, RIC can use RAN-related IDs (e.g. AMF UE NGAP ID, gNB-CU-CP UE E1AP ID, RAN UE ID, etc.) to identify UE. In the additional information provider, UE IP address, IMSI, and phone number can be used as IDs to identify UE. However, since there are no common rules, the correspondence between IDs cannot be known. Therefore, when RIC receives information sent by the additional information provider through the EI interface, it cannot tell which UE this information is related to.

[0006] Therefore, how to establish the correspondence between RAN UE ID and IP address so that RAN can use the additional information provided by the additional information provider to effectively configure resources and improve network system performance and user experience. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention provides a system for identifying a user equipment (UE), including a base station and a radio access network intelligent controller (RIC), wherein the base station is used to generate a RAN user equipment identifier (RAN UE Identifier, RAN UE ID) of the UE, and the RIC network is connected to the base station. The base station obtains the RAN UE ID corresponding to the UE from the RIC; when the UE makes a registration request to an additional information provider, the base station receives a packet from the UE, obtains an IP address corresponding to the UE based on the packet, and transmits the packet to a core network; the base station transmits the IP address corresponding to the UE and the RAN UE ID to the RIC; the RIC establishes a pairing association associated with the IP address of the UE and the RAN UE ID in a pairing table; the core network transmits the packet to the additional information provider, the additional information provider obtains the IP address corresponding to the UE based on the packet, and accepts the registration request of the UE with the IP address.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the additional information provider transmits the additional information and the IP address to the RIC, the RIC searches the pairing table according to the IP address to obtain the RAN UE ID, and the base station transmits the additional information to the UE corresponding to the RAN UE ID.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the base station receives the networking requirement of the UE, the base station transmits the RANUE ID corresponding to the UE to the RIC, and the RIC responds to the base station to complete the networking requirement.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the base station transmits the RAN UE ID corresponding to the UE to the RIC via the E2 interface.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the base station transmits the IP address corresponding to the UE and the RAN UE ID to the RIC via the E2 interface.

[0012] The present invention also provides a method for identifying a user equipment (UE), comprising: generating a RAN user equipment identifier (RAN UE Identifier, RAN UE ID) corresponding to the UE through a base station; when the UE makes a registration request to an additional information provider, receiving a packet of the UE through the base station, obtaining an IP address corresponding to the UE based on the packet and transmitting the packet to a core network; transmitting the IP address corresponding to the UE and the RAN UE ID to the RIC through the base station; establishing a pairing association associated with the IP address of the UE and the RAN UE ID in a pairing table through the RIC; transmitting the packet to the additional information provider through the core network, the additional information provider obtaining the IP address corresponding to the UE based on the packet, and accepting the registration request of the UE with the IP address.

[0013] Based on the above, the method and system for identifying a user device provided by the present invention can obtain the RAN UE ID from the RIC when the UE is connected to the base station. After the UE transmits a packet, the packet passes through the base station, and the base station obtains the IP address of the UE in the packet and establishes a mapping table (Mapping Table) between the RAN UE ID and the IP address in the RIC. When the additional information provider uses the IP address associated with the UE to communicate with the RIC, it can be found out which UE needs to be used for wireless resource control by looking up the table. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for identifying a user device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for identifying a user device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a system for using a positioning-assisted handoff application program on an RIC to make a handoff decision to identify an unmanned aerial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method for identifying an unmanned aerial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Description of Figure Numbers

[0020] 1: System for identifying user devices;

[0021] 11, 15: User Equipment (UE);

[0022] 12, 32: base station;

[0023] 13, 33: Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC);

[0024] 121: Radio Access Network (RAN);

[0025] 14, 34: Core Network;

[0026] 2: Method for identifying user device;

[0027] 3: A system that uses the positioning-assisted handover application on the RIC to make handover decisions to identify unmanned aerial vehicles;

[0028] 31, 35: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV);

[0029] 4: Methods for identifying unmanned aerial vehicles;

[0030] S201-S204, S221-S230, S241: steps;

[0031] S401-S404, S421-S430, S441: steps;

[0032] U: Ultra Wide Band (UWD). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Some exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The component symbols cited in the following description will be regarded as the same or similar components when the same component symbols appear in different drawings. These exemplary embodiments are only part of the present invention and do not disclose all possible implementation methods of the present disclosure. More specifically, these exemplary embodiments are only examples of methods, devices, and systems within the scope of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 1 for identifying user equipment (UE) 11, 15 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1The system 1 for identifying the UE 11 includes a base station 12 and a Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC) 13. The RIC 13 is connected to the base station 12 through a network.

[0035] In terms of hardware architecture, the 5G NR communication system mainly includes a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (Core Network). RAN 121 is mainly composed of base stations 12, which provide wireless access services and related management functions for UE 11, while the core network (not shown) mainly provides Internet access services and related management functions for UE 11. Base station 12 can be a Node B 5G base station (Next Generation Node B, gNB) in the 5G NR communication system, and the core network can be NGC (Next Generation Core).

[0036] RIC 13 is a software-defined component in the O-RAN architecture, responsible for controlling and optimizing RAN functions, making the RAN operable, intelligent, agile, and programmable, and having real-time and non-real-time management functions. RIC 13 is used to generate the RAN user equipment identifier (RAN UE Identifier, RAN UE ID) of UE 11.

[0037] Figure 2 The flowchart of a method 2 for identifying a user equipment (UE) 11, 15 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Specifically, the base station 12 and the RIC 13 in the system 1 for identifying the user equipment (UE) 11, 15 cooperate to perform the method 2 for identifying the UE 11, 15 so that the RIC 13 establishes a pairing association between the RANUE ID and the IP address of the UE 11, 15 in the pairing table, so that the additional information provider E can identify the UE 11, UE 15 in the wireless access network. The method 2 for identifying the UE 11, 15 includes steps S201-S204, S221-S230, and S241.

[0038] Please also refer to Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 Before UE 11 and UE 15 have completed the network establishment with base station 12, the pairing association between RAN UE ID and IP address of UE 11 and UE 15 has not been established in the pairing table of RIC 13. First, the network establishment between UE 11 and base station 12 is introduced.

[0039] In step S201, UE 11 wants to obtain network services from base station 12, so UE 11 initiates a connection establishment / re-establishment request to base station 12, that is, a networking request. In step S202, after base station 12 receives the networking request from UE 11, base station 12 generates a RAN UE ID assigned to UE 11, and transmits the RAN UE ID assigned to UE 11 to RIC 13 via the E2 interface of RIC 13. In one embodiment, base station 12 transmits the RAN UE ID corresponding to UE 11 to RIC 13 via the E2 interface. In step S203, RIC 13 responds to base station 12. In step S204, the networking request is completed.

[0040] Once step S204 is completed, ie, the UE 11 and the base station 12 have completed the network establishment, a pairing association between the RAN UE ID and the IP address of the UE 11 can be established in the pairing table of the RIC 13 .

[0041] In step S221 , when UE 11 submits a registration request to the additional information provider E, the base station 12 receives a packet from UE 11 .

[0042] In step S222, the base station 12 receives the packet from the UE 11, and obtains the IP address corresponding to the UE 11 based on the packet. In step S223, the base station 12 transmits the packet to the core network 14.

[0043] In step S224, the base station 12 transmits the IP address and RAN UE ID corresponding to the UE 11 to the RIC 13. In one embodiment, the base station 12 transmits the IP address and RAN UE ID corresponding to the UE 11 to the RIC 13 via the E2 interface. In step S225, the RIC 13 establishes a pairing association associated with the IP address and RAN UE ID of the UE 11 in the pairing table. Table 1 is an example of a pairing table of the RIC 13, which includes a pairing association associated with the IP address and RAN UE ID of the UE 11.

[0044] Table 1

[0045] RAN UE ID IP address of UE 11 21485977652 10.101.129.75 … …

[0046] In step S226, the core network 14 transmits the packet to the additional information provider E, and the additional information provider E obtains the IP address corresponding to the UE 11 according to the packet. In step S227, the additional information provider E accepts the registration request of the UE 11 with the IP address corresponding to the UE 11.

[0047] In step S228, when the additional information provider E transmits the additional information and the IP address corresponding to UE 11 to RIC 13, RIC 13 searches the pairing table for the pairing association according to the IP address corresponding to UE 11 to obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to UE 11. In detail, when RIC 13 wants to perform resource control on UE 11, it can obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to UE 11 in the pairing table according to the IP address corresponding to UE 11, and in step S229, send a control request with the RAN UE ID to the base station 12. In step S230, the base station transmits the additional information to UE 11 corresponding to the RAN UE ID, and performs relevant configuration on UE 11.

[0048] When another user device UE 15 wants to obtain network services from the base station 12, in step S241, UE 15 initiates a connection request to the base station 12, and completes the connection request by executing similar steps S202-S204. Once the connection between UE 15 and the base station 12 is established, similar steps S221-S225 can be executed to establish a pairing association between the RAN UE ID and the IP address of UE 15 in the pairing table of RIC 13. Then, similar steps S226-S230 are executed to transmit the packet of UE 15 to the additional information provider E through the core network 14. The additional information provider E obtains the IP address corresponding to UE 15 according to the packet and accepts the registration request of UE 15 with the IP address corresponding to UE 15. When the additional information provider E transmits the additional information and the IP address corresponding to UE 15 to RIC 13, RIC 13 searches the pairing association in the pairing table according to the IP address corresponding to UE 15 to obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to UE 15.

[0049] The process of a user device switching from one network to another is called a handover process. Usually, the user device measures the signal strength of surrounding base stations to decide whether to handover. The interval of the user device's report can be 20ms, 40ms, 80ms, 160ms, etc.

[0050] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 3 for identifying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 31 and a UAV 35 by using a location-assisted handover application 331 on a RIC 33 to make a handover decision according to an embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIG. Figure 1, the system 3 for identifying UAV 31 and UAV 35 includes a base station 32 and a RIC 33. The RIC 33 is connected to the base station 32 through a network, and the RIC 33 has a positioning-assisted handover APP 331. In this example, the location information of UAV 31 and UAV 35 is provided by an ultra-wideband (UWD) positioning provider U, and the positioning-assisted handover APP 331 on the RIC 33 makes a handover decision, and the interval time for the UWD positioning provider U to provide the UAV 31 and UAV 35 report can be 10ms.

[0051] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method 4 for identifying UAV 31 and UAV 35 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, a base station 32 and a RIC 33 in a system 3 for identifying UAV 31 and UAV 35 cooperate with each other. Figure 2 Method 2 for identifying UAV 31 and UAV 35 is performed so that RIC 33 establishes a pairing association between RAN UE ID and IP address of UAV 31 and UAV 35 in the pairing table, so that UWD positioning provider U can identify UAV 31 and UAV 35 in the wireless access network. Method 4 for identifying UAV 31 and UAV 35 includes steps S401-S404, S421-S430, and S441.

[0052] Please also refer to Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 Before UAV 31 and UAV 35 have completed the network establishment with base station 32, the pairing association between RAN UE ID and IP address of UAV 31 and UAV 35 has not been established in the pairing table of RIC 33. First, the network establishment between UAV 31 and base station 32 is introduced.

[0053] In step S401, UAV 31 wants to obtain network services from base station 32, so UAV 31 initiates a connection establishment / re-establishment request to base station 32, that is, a networking request. In step S402, when base station 32 receives the networking request from UAV 31, base station 12 generates a RAN UE ID (e.g., 21485977652) assigned to UAV 31, and transmits the RAN UE ID assigned to UAV 31 to RIC 33 via the E2 interface of RIC 33. In one embodiment, base station 32 transmits the RAN UE ID corresponding to UAV 31 to RIC 33 via the E2 interface. In step S403, RIC 33 responds to base station 32. In step S404, the networking request is completed.

[0054] Once step S404 is completed, ie, the UAV 31 and the base station 32 have completed the network establishment, the pairing association between the RAN UE ID and the IP address of the UAV 31 can be established in the pairing table of the RIC 33 .

[0055] In step S421 , when the UAV 31 submits a registration request to the UWD positioning provider U, the base station 32 receives the packet from the UAV 31 .

[0056] In step S422 , the base station 32 receives the packet from the UAV 31 , and obtains the IP address (eg, 10.101.129.7) corresponding to the UAV 31 based on the packet. In step S423 , the base station 32 transmits the packet to the core network 34 .

[0057] In step S424, the base station 32 transmits the IP address and RAN UE ID corresponding to the UAV 31 to the RIC 33. In one embodiment, the base station 32 transmits the IP address and RAN UE ID corresponding to the UAV 31 to the RIC 33 via the E2 interface. In step S425, the RIC 33 establishes a pairing association associated with the IP address and RAN UE ID of the UAV 31 in the pairing table. Table 1 is an example of a pairing table of the RIC 33, which includes a pairing association associated with the IP address and RAN UE ID of the UAV 31.

[0058] In step S426, the core network 34 transmits the packet to the UWD positioning provider U, and the UWD positioning provider U obtains the IP address corresponding to the UAV 31 according to the packet. In step S427, the UWD positioning provider U accepts the registration request of the UAV 31 with the IP address corresponding to the UAV 31.

[0059] In step S428, when the UWD positioning provider U transmits additional information and the IP address corresponding to the UAV 31 to the RIC 33, the RIC 33 searches the pairing table for the pairing association according to the IP address corresponding to the UAV 31 to obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to the UAV 31. In detail, when the RIC 33 wants to perform resource control on the UAV 31, it can obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to the UAV 31 in the pairing table according to the IP address corresponding to the UAV 31, and in step S429, send a control request with the RANUE ID to the base station 32. In step S330, the base station transmits the additional information to the UAV 31 corresponding to the RAN UE ID, and performs relevant configuration on the UAV 31.

[0060] When another user device UAV 35 wants to obtain network services from the base station 32, in step S441, UAV 35 initiates a connection request to the base station 32, and completes the connection request by executing similar steps S402-S404. Once the UAV 35 and the base station 32 have completed the network establishment, similar steps S421-S425 can be executed to establish a pairing association between the RAN UEID and the IP address of the UAV 35 in the pairing table of the RIC 33. Then, similar steps S426-S430 are executed to transmit the packet of the UAV 35 to the UWD positioning provider U through the core network 34. The UWD positioning provider U obtains the IP address corresponding to the UAV 35 according to the packet, and accepts the registration request of the UAV 35 with the IP address corresponding to the UAV 35. When the UWD positioning provider U transmits the additional information and the IP address corresponding to the UAV 35 to the RIC 33 , the RIC 33 searches the pairing table for the pairing association according to the IP address corresponding to the UAV 35 to obtain the RAN UE ID corresponding to the UAV 35 .

[0061] In summary, the method and system for identifying a user device provided by the present invention can obtain the RAN UE ID from the RIC when the UE is connected to the base station. After the UE transmits a packet, the packet passes through the base station, and the base station obtains the IP address of the UE in the packet and establishes a mapping table (Mapping Table) between the RAN UE ID and the IP address in the RIC. When the additional information provider uses the IP address associated with the UE to communicate with the RIC, it can be found out which UE needs to be used for wireless resource control by looking up the table.

Claims

1. A system for identifying a user device, include: A base station, configured to generate a wireless access network user device identifier of the user device; as well as A wireless access network intelligent controller, the network connecting the base station; When the user device makes a registration request to the additional information provider, the base station receives a packet from the user device, obtains an IP address corresponding to the user device based on the packet, and transmits the packet to the core network; wherein the base station transmits the IP address corresponding to the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier to the wireless access network intelligent controller; wherein the wireless access network intelligent controller establishes a pairing association associated with the IP address of the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier in a pairing table; The core network transmits the packet to the additional information provider, and the additional information provider obtains the IP address corresponding to the user device according to the packet and accepts the registration request of the user device with the IP address.

2. A system for identifying a user device according to claim 1, wherein when the additional information provider transmits additional information and the IP address to the wireless access network intelligent controller, the wireless access network intelligent controller queries the pairing association in the pairing table according to the IP address to obtain the wireless access network user device identifier, and the base station transmits the additional information to the user device corresponding to the wireless access network user device identifier.

3. A system for identifying user devices according to claim 1, wherein when the base station receives a networking request from the user device, the base station transmits the wireless access network user device identifier corresponding to the user device to the wireless access network intelligent controller, and the wireless access network intelligent controller responds to the base station to complete the networking request. 4 . The system for identifying a user device according to claim 3 , wherein the base station transmits the wireless access network user device identifier corresponding to the user device to the wireless access network intelligent controller through an E2 interface. 5 . The system for identifying a user device according to claim 1 , wherein the base station transmits the IP address corresponding to the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier to the wireless access network intelligent controller through an E2 interface.

6. A method for identifying a user device, include: generating, by the base station, a wireless access network user device identifier corresponding to the user device; When the user device makes a registration request to the additional information provider, receiving a packet of the user device through the base station, obtaining an IP address corresponding to the user device based on the packet and transmitting the packet to a core network; transmitting, via the base station, the IP address corresponding to the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier to a wireless access network intelligent controller; establishing, by the wireless access network intelligent controller, a pairing association in a pairing table associated with the IP address of the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier; as well as The packet is transmitted to the additional information provider through the core network. The additional information provider obtains the IP address corresponding to the user device according to the packet and accepts the registration request of the user device with the IP address.

7. The method for identifying a user device according to claim 6, include: When the additional information provider transmits additional information and the IP address to the wireless access network intelligent controller, the wireless access network intelligent controller queries the pairing association in the pairing table according to the IP address to obtain the wireless access network user device identifier, and transmits the additional information to the user device corresponding to the wireless access network user device identifier through the base station.

8. The method for identifying a user device according to claim 6, include: When the base station receives the network connection requirement of the user device, the base station transmits the wireless access network user device identifier corresponding to the user device to the wireless access network intelligent controller, and the wireless access network intelligent controller responds to the base station to complete the network connection requirement. 9 . The method for identifying a user device according to claim 8 , wherein the base station transmits the radio access network user device identifier corresponding to the user device to the radio access network intelligent controller via an E2 interface.

10. The method for identifying a user device according to claim 6, wherein the base station transmits the IP address corresponding to the user device and the wireless access network user device identifier to the wireless access network intelligent controller through an E2 interface.

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