Sidelink communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure proposes a sidelink communication method and apparatus, which relate to the field of communications, and includes the steps of receiving a direct communication request including a Layer 2 identifier and encryption information for sidelink communication, determining a security key for decrypting the encryption information based on the Layer 2 identifier, and decrypting the encryption information using the security key to perform sidelink communication, thereby helping to achieve secure sidelink communication.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of mobile communication technologies, and in particular to a sidelink communication method and apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In sidelink (SL) communication, a remote user equipment (UE) encrypts information for sidelink communication in a direct communication request (DCR) using security parameters used in a discovery process, and then transmits the direct communication request to a relay device from the UE to a network. After receiving the direct communication request, the relay device decrypts the DCR using the corresponding security parameters to obtain the information for sidelink communication. However, the existing technical specifications do not specify how the relay device obtains and decrypts the corresponding security parameters. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The present disclosure proposes a sidelink communication method and apparatus, in which after a UE receives a direct communication request, it can determine a security key for decrypting encrypted information in the direct communication request based on the destination Layer 2 ID in the direct communication request, thereby helping to realize secure sidelink communication. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] An embodiment of a first aspect of the present disclosure provides a sidelink communication method performed by a UE, the method including: receiving a direct communication request (DCR) including a destination Layer-2 identification (ID) and encryption information for sidelink communication; determining a security key for decrypting the encryption information based on the destination Layer-2 ID; and decrypting the encryption information using the security key to perform sidelink communication.

[0005] Optionally, determining a security key for decrypting the encrypted information based on the destination Layer 2 ID includes determining a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID from one or more pre-stored security contexts based on the destination Layer 2 ID; and determining the security key based on the matched security context.

[0006] Optionally, each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of the sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code.

[0007] Optionally, the service code includes any one of a relay service code (RSC), a proximity based service (ProSe) restriction code, a ProSe search code, a ProSe response code, and a ranging service code.

[0008] Optionally, each security context further includes one or more of a UE-to-network relay layer indicator and a control plane security indicator.

[0009] Optionally, the method further comprises creating and storing the security context based on a Layer 2 ID, a service code and a security key determined in a discovery process.

[0010] Optionally, the step of creating and storing the security context includes any one of the steps of: creating and storing the security context when a Layer 2 ID applicable to the discovery process is determined; creating and storing the security context after a discovery message applicable to the discovery process is transmitted; and creating and storing the security context after the discovery process is completed.

[0011] An embodiment of a second aspect of the present disclosure provides a sidelink communication apparatus applicable to a UE, the apparatus including: a transceiver module for receiving a direct communication request (DCR) including a destination Layer-2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication; and a processing module for determining, based on the destination Layer-2 ID, a security key for decrypting the encryption information, and decrypting the encryption information using the security key to perform sidelink communication.

[0012] Optionally, the processing module determines, based on the destination Layer 2 ID, a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID from one or more pre-stored security contexts, and determines the security key based on the matched security context.

[0013] Optionally, each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of the sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code.

[0014] Optionally, the service code includes any one of a relay service code (RSC), a proximity based service (ProSe) restriction code, a ProSe search code, a ProSe response code, and a Ranging service code.

[0015] Optionally, each security context further includes one or more of a UE-to-network relay layer indicator and a control plane security indicator.

[0016] Optionally, the processing module further creates and stores the security context based on a layer 2 ID, a service code, and a security key determined in the discovery process.

[0017] Optionally, the processing module performs one of the following steps: creating and saving the security context when a Layer 2 ID applicable to the discovery process is determined; creating and saving the security context after a discovery message applicable to the discovery process is sent; and creating and saving the security context after the discovery process is completed.

[0018] An embodiment of a third aspect of the present disclosure provides a communications device, comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor coupled to the transceiver and the memory, respectively, wherein the processor is configured to execute computer-executable instructions in the memory to control transmission and reception of wireless signals by the transceiver and to implement a method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0019] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides a computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, realizing the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0020] The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for sidelink communication, in which a UE receives a DCR including a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication, determines a security key based on the destination Layer 2 ID, and decrypts the encryption information using the security key for sidelink communication, thereby helping to achieve secure sidelink communication. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be set forth in part in the description that follows, or will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent and readily understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery process of Mode A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery process of Mode B according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a sidelink communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram of a chip provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be given, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. Here, the same or similar reference numerals throughout the drawings indicate the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are illustrative and are intended to explain the present disclosure, but cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0024] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the appended claims also include the plural forms. Furthermore, the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more associated and listed items.

[0025] It should be understood that, although various pieces of information may be described using terms such as first, second, and third in the embodiments of the present disclosure, these pieces of information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish between pieces of information of the same type. For example, first information could be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information could be referred to as first information, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Depending on the context, the term "when" as used herein can be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determining."

[0026] For ease of understanding, some details relating to the embodiments of the present application will be described below.

[0027] Sidelink (SL) The Long Term Evolution (LTE) system supports sidelink from the 12th release onwards. Sidelink, also known as side link or side link, is used to transmit data directly between UEs without going through a network device. The LTE sidelink design can be applied to specific public security services (e.g., emergency communications at disaster sites such as fires and earthquakes) or telematics (V2X, Vehicle to Everything) communications. Telematics communications include a variety of tasks, such as basic security communications, autonomous driving, fleet formations, and sensor augmentation. Because the LTE sidelink only supports broadcast communications, it is primarily used for basic security communications. Other advanced V2X services with strict Quality of Service (QoS) requirements in terms of latency and reliability are supported by the New Radio (NR) sidelink.

[0028] 5G Proximity Service (ProSe) ProSe refers to sidelink communication between devices or between nearby mobile devices. With UE-to-UE relaying, 5G ProSe can further extend the range of sidelink communication.

[0029] User Equipment to Network Relay (U2N Relay, UE to Network Relay) The U2N relay mode allows a UE to access the network by connecting to another relay UE, whether the UE is located within the coverage area or not.

[0030] Ranging Ranging can be used to determine the distance and / or direction and / or relative position between two or more UEs.

[0031] To better understand the sidelink communication method and apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, a communication system to which the embodiments of the present application are applied will first be described.

[0032] 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system to which an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied. The wireless communication system includes a first user equipment (UE) 11, a second UE 12, and a network device 13. The communication links between the network device and the UE are uplink and downlink, and the link between the first UE and the second UE is a sidelink.

[0033] It can be understood that the wireless communication system shown in Fig. 1 is for schematic illustration only, and the wireless communication system may further include other network devices not shown in Fig. 1, such as a core network device, a wireless relay device, and a wireless forwarding device. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the number of network devices and the number of terminals included in the wireless communication system.

[0034] Furthermore, the wireless communication system of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be understood as a network providing wireless communication functions. The wireless communication system can employ different communication technologies, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA), single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), and carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA). Based on factors such as different network capacities, speed rates, and time lags, networks can be divided into 2G (English: generation) networks, 3G networks, 4G networks, or future evolution networks such as 5G networks, which may also be referred to as New Radio (NR) networks. For ease of explanation, this disclosure may refer to a wireless communication network as a network.

[0035] Furthermore, a network device according to the present disclosure may also be referred to as a radio access network device. This radio access network device may be a base station, an evolved node B (eNB), a femtocell, an access point (AP), a radio relay node, a radio forwarding node, a transmission point (TP), or a transmission and reception point (TRP) in a wireless fidelity (WIFI) system, or a gNB in ​​an NR system, or may be a component or part of a device constituting a base station. In the case of a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication system, the network device may be an in-vehicle device. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to a specific technology adopted by the network device or a specific device form.

[0036] Furthermore, the UE according to the present disclosure may also be referred to as a terminal device, terminal, mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., and is a device for providing voice and / or data communication to a user. For example, the terminal may be a handheld device with wireless connectivity, an in-vehicle device, etc. Currently, some examples of terminals include a mobile phone, a pocket personal computer (PPC), a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop, a tablet PC, a wearable device, or an in-vehicle device. In addition, in the case of a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication system, the terminal device may be an in-vehicle device. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to a specific technology adopted by the terminal or a specific device form.

[0037] It should be noted that the communication system described in the embodiments of the present application is intended to more clearly explain the technical matters of the embodiments of the present application and does not limit the technical matters provided by the embodiments of the present application. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical matters provided by the embodiments of the present application can be similarly applied to similar technical issues.

[0038] Currently, in sidelink communication, the 5G ProSe remote UE encrypts information such as the User Plane Prose Remote User Key (UP-PRUK ID) / Control Plane Prose Remote User Key (CP-PRUK ID) and service code (which identifies the service type of the sidelink communication) in the direct communication request (DCR) using the code reception security parameters used for the discovery process, and after receiving the DCR, the relay device from the 5G ProSe UE to the network decrypts the encrypted information using the code transmission security parameters used for the discovery process.

[0039] To decrypt the encrypted information in the DCR, it is necessary to use the code transmission security parameter associated with the service code. However, since the service code is encrypted, the relay device cannot obtain the corresponding code transmission security parameter. Therefore, how to decrypt the encrypted information in the DCR is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0040] Therefore, the present application provides a sidelink communication method and apparatus, in which after receiving the DCR, the UE can determine a security key for decrypting the encrypted information in the DCR based on the Layer 2 ID in the direct communication request, thereby helping to realize secure sidelink communication.

[0041] It should be noted that the code transmission security parameters, code reception security parameters, and code security parameters referred to in this disclosure include security keys for encryption and decryption.

[0042] Hereinafter, the sidelink communication method and apparatus provided by the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] 2 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the method can be performed by a UE and can include the following steps S201 to S203.

[0044] In S201, a direct communication request (DCR) is received.

[0045] Here, the DCR includes a destination Layer 2 identification (ID) and encryption information for sidelink communication.

[0046] In sidelink communication, the remote UE sends a DCR to the relay UE to request the creation of a PC5 link for sidelink communication between the remote UE and the relay UE. The remote UE sends the DCR to the relay UE with its own Layer 2 ID as the source Layer 2 ID and the Layer 2 ID of the relay UE as the destination Layer 2 ID. In addition to the Layer 2 ID, the DCR also includes encryption information for sidelink communication to ensure secure sidelink communication.

[0047] In S202, a security key for decrypting the encrypted information is determined based on the destination layer 2 ID.

[0048] After receiving the DCR, the UE can determine the security key for decrypting the encrypted information in the DCR based on the destination Layer 2 ID contained in the DCR.

[0049] In S203, the encrypted information is decrypted using the security key so as to perform sidelink communication.

[0050] After the security key is determined, the UE can realize sidelink communication by decrypting the encrypted information in the DCR using the security key to obtain information for sidelink communication.

[0051] According to the sidelink communication method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a UE receives a DCR including a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication, and the UE determines a security key based on the destination Layer 2 ID and decrypts the encryption information using the security key for sidelink communication, thereby helping to achieve secure sidelink communication.

[0052] 3 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the method can be performed by a UE and includes the following steps S301 to S303.

[0053] In S301, a direct communication request (DCR) is received.

[0054] Here, the DCR contains the destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication.

[0055] For a detailed description of the above step S301 and related details, please refer to the description of step S201 and related details, and the description will be omitted here.

[0056] In S302, a security key for decrypting the encrypted information is determined based on the destination layer 2 ID.

[0057] In some embodiments, the above step S302 may include the following steps S3021 to S3022.

[0058] In S3021, a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID is determined from one or more pre-stored security contexts based on the destination Layer 2 ID.

[0059] At least one security context is pre-stored in the UE. After receiving the DCR, the UE can select a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID from the at least one security context based on the destination Layer 2 ID in the DCR. Note that the security context may also be called a discovery security context or something similar, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0060] In some embodiments, each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of the sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code.

[0061] As an example, a UE may store a list of security contexts, which includes three security contexts: Context1, Context2, and Context3. Here, Context1 includes service code 1, L2-ID1 (the Layer 2 ID corresponding to service code 1), and Key1 (the security key associated with service code 1), Context2 includes service code 2, L2-ID2 (the Layer 2 ID corresponding to service code 2), and Key2 (the security key associated with service code 2), and Context3 includes service code 3, L2-ID3 (the Layer 2 ID corresponding to service code 3), and Key3 (the security key associated with service code 3). If the destination Layer 2 ID in the DCR received by the UE is L2-ID2, the UE can determine that the security context matched with the destination Layer 2 ID is Context2.

[0062] In S3022, a security key is determined based on the matching security context.

[0063] After the matching security context is determined, a security key can be determined based on the matching security context.

[0064] As in the above example, after Context2 is determined to be a matching security context, Key2 included in Context2 can be used as the security key.

[0065] In S303, the encrypted information is decrypted using the security key to perform sidelink communication.

[0066] For a detailed description of the above step S303 and related details, please refer to the description of step S203 and related details, and the description will be omitted here.

[0067] For example, in a practical application scenario, after receiving the DCR, the 5G ProSe U2N relay decrypts the UP-PRUK ID / CP-PRUK ID and RSC therein using the code transmission security parameters including the security key, where the 5G ProSe U2N relay obtains the security key of the code transmission security parameters based on the security context, for example, by searching for a security context including a Layer 2 ID that matches the destination Layer 2 ID in the DCR.

[0068] In addition, the 5G ProSe U2N relay verifies whether the RSC matches the RSC sent in the discovery message, and if not, the 5G ProSe U2N relay abandons the PC5 direct link communication process.

[0069] According to the sidelink communication method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a UE receives a DCR including a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication, and the UE determines a security key based on the destination Layer 2 ID and decrypts the encryption information using the security key for sidelink communication, thereby helping to achieve secure sidelink communication.

[0070] In some embodiments, the service code may include any of a relay service code (RSC), a ProSe restriction code, a ProSe search code, a ProSe response code, and a ranging service code.

[0071] In some embodiments, each security context may further include one or more of a UE-to-network relay layer indicator and a control plane security indicator.

[0072] The relay layer indicator from the UE to the network indicates whether the associated service code provides a 5G ProSe Layer 2 relay service or a 5G ProSe Layer 3 relay service.

[0073] If a control plane security indicator is provided for a service code, the relay communication from the UE to the network for this service code will undergo a control plane-based security process; otherwise, a user plane-based security process will be performed.

[0074] 4 is a schematic flowchart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the method can be performed by a UE and includes the following steps S401 to S405.

[0075] At S401, a security context is created and stored based on the layer 2 ID, service code and security key determined in the discovery process.

[0076] The UE may create a security context including the Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key based on the Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key determined in the discovery process, and store the security context. Note that the security context may also be referred to as a discovery security context or the like, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] In some embodiments, when the UE determines the Layer 2 ID to be used in the discovery process, it may create and store a security context.

[0078] In some other embodiments, the UE may create and store a security context after sending a discovery message used in the discovery process.

[0079] In some other embodiments, the UE may create and store a security context after completing the discovery process.

[0080] Currently, there are only two modes used in the discovery process: Mode A and Mode B.

[0081] Figure 5 shows a schematic flowchart of the discovery process in Mode A. In Mode A, two types of UEs participate in ProSe direct discovery, as follows: - Announcing UE: A UE that announces specific information that can be used by nearby UEs that have discovery rights. - Monitoring UE: A UE that monitors broadcast messages to discover nearby announcing UEs.

[0082] In this model, announcing UEs broadcast discovery messages and nearby monitoring UEs read and process these messages.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the announcing UE broadcasts a discovery message, which may include a discovery message type, a service code (such as a ProSe application code, a ProSe restriction code, or a relay service code) that identifies the service type of the sidelink communication, and other metadata. Here, application layer metadata can be used as metadata in the discovery message. The content in the discovery message is protected by a code discovery security parameter or a code security parameter.

[0084] To realize the discovery process, the announcing UE selects a source Layer 2 ID for the discovery process (such as 5G ProSe direct discovery / 5G ProSe U2N discovery / ranging / SL positioning discovery process) by itself, and determines a destination Layer 2 ID for the discovery process based on the information configured by the network.

[0085] As an example, after broadcasting a discovery message, the announcing UE may create a security context including a source Layer 2 ID selected by itself, a service code, and a security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0086] As another example, after selecting a source Layer 2 ID, the announcing UE may create a security context of the selected source Layer 2 ID, a service code, and a security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0087] As a further example, after completing the discovery process, the announcing UE may create a security context of its selected source Layer 2 ID, service code and security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0088] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the discovery process in Mode B. In Mode B, two types of UEs participate in ProSe direct discovery, as follows: - Discoverer UE: A UE that sends a request containing specific information about the discovery content of interest. Discoveree UE: A UE that receives a request message and can reply with some information related to the discoverer's request.

[0089] The discoverer UE sends information about other UEs that it wants to receive a response from, for example, the information may be about the UE's identity, the information may be about a Prose search code, or the information may be about a ProSe application identity corresponding to a group, and members of the group can respond.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 6, a discoverer UE broadcasts a discovery message, which may include a discovery message type, a service code (such as a ProSe search code or a relay service code) that identifies the service type of the sidelink communication, etc., and the content in the discovery message is protected by a code discovery security parameter or a code security parameter.

[0091] To realize the discovery process, the discoverer UE selects a source Layer 2 ID for the discovery process (such as 5G ProSe direct discovery / 5G ProSe U2N discovery / ranging / SL positioning discovery) by itself, and determines a destination Layer 2 ID for the discovery process based on the configuration by the network.

[0092] As an example, after broadcasting a discovery message, the discoverer UE may create a security context including a source Layer 2 ID selected by itself, a service code, and a security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0093] As another example, after selecting a source Layer 2 ID, the discoverer UE may create a security context of the source Layer 2 ID, a service code, and a security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0094] As a further example, after completing the discovery process, the discoverer UE may create a security context of its selected source Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0095] After a discoveree UE receives a discovery message, the discoveree UE that matches the discovery message can send a response message to the discoverer UE. The response message can include a type of discovery message, a service code (e.g., a ProSe response code or a relay service code) that identifies a service type of sidelink communication, and metadata. Here, application layer metadata can be used as metadata in the discovery message. The content of the discovery message is protected by a code reception security parameter or a code security parameter.

[0096] The discoveree UE selects the source Layer 2 ID for the discovery process (5G ProSe direct discovery / 5G ProSe U2N discovery / ranging / SL positioning discovery, etc.) by itself, and the target source Layer 2 ID of the received discovery message is set as the destination Layer 2 ID.

[0097] As an example, after sending a response message, the discoveree UE may create a security context of its selected source Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0098] As another example, after selecting a source Layer 2 ID, the discoveree UE may create a security context of the source Layer 2 ID, a service code, and a security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0099] As a further example, after completing the discovery process, the discoveree UE may create a security context of its selected source Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key associated with the service code, and store the security context.

[0100] At S402, a direct communication request (DCR) is received.

[0101] Here, the DCR contains the destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication.

[0102] For a detailed description of the above step S301 and related details, please refer to the description of step S201 and related details, and the description will be omitted here.

[0103] In S403, based on the destination Layer 2 ID, a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID is determined from one or more pre-stored security contexts.

[0104] At S404, a security key is determined based on the matching security context.

[0105] In S405, the encrypted information is decrypted using the security key to perform sidelink communication.

[0106] For a detailed explanation of the above steps S402 to S405 and the details related thereto, please refer to the explanation of steps S301 to S303 and the details related thereto, and the explanation will be omitted here.

[0107] According to the sidelink communication method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a UE receives a DCR including a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication, and the UE determines a security key based on the destination Layer 2 ID and decrypts the encryption information using the security key for sidelink communication, thereby helping to achieve secure sidelink communication.

[0108] In some embodiments, the service code may include any of a relay service code (RSC), a ProSe restriction code, a ProSe search code, a ProSe response code, and a ranging service code.

[0109] In some embodiments, each security context may further include one or more of a UE-to-network relay layer indicator and a control plane security indicator.

[0110] In the above embodiments provided by the present application, the methods provided by the embodiments of the present application are described in terms of user equipment. To realize each function of the above methods provided by the present application, the user equipment may include a hardware structure and a software module, and each function is realized in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module. Some of the functions can be implemented in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module.

[0111] The present disclosure further provides a sidelink communication device corresponding to the sidelink communication method provided by the above embodiments. Since the sidelink communication device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure corresponds to the sidelink communication method provided by the above embodiments, the embodiments of the sidelink communication method are also applicable to the sidelink communication device provided by the embodiments, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted in the embodiments.

[0112] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a sidelink communication apparatus 700 provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, which is applicable to a UE.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 7, the device 700 may include a transceiver module 701 .

[0114] The transceiver module 701 receives a direct communication request (DCR) that includes a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication.

[0115] The processing module 702 determines a security key for decrypting the encrypted information based on the destination Layer 2 ID, and decrypts the encrypted information using the security key for sidelink communication.

[0116] According to the sidelink communication device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a UE receives a DCR including a destination Layer 2 ID and encryption information for sidelink communication, and the UE determines a security key based on the destination Layer 2 ID and decrypts the encryption information using the security key for sidelink communication, thereby helping to realize secure sidelink communication.

[0117] In some embodiments, the processing module 702 determines, based on the destination Layer 2 ID, a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID from among one or more pre-stored security contexts, and determines the security key based on the matched security context.

[0118] In some embodiments, each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code.

[0119] In some embodiments, the service code includes any of a relay service code (RSC), a proximity based service (ProSe) restriction code, a ProSe search code, a ProSe response code, and a Ranging service code.

[0120] In some embodiments, each security context further includes one or more of a UE-to-network relay layer indicator and a control plane security indicator.

[0121] In some embodiments, the processing module 702 further creates and stores the security context based on the layer 2 ID, service code, and security key determined during the discovery process.

[0122] In some embodiments, the processing module 702 performs one of the following steps: creating and storing the security context when a Layer 2 ID that applies to the discovery process is determined; creating and storing the security context after a discovery message that applies to the discovery process is sent; and creating and storing the security context after the discovery process is completed.

[0123] 8, which is a schematic diagram of a communication device 800 provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication device 800 may be a user equipment, a chip, a chip system, a processor, etc. that supports a network device to implement the above method, or a chip, a chip system, a processor, etc. that supports a user equipment to implement the above method. The device may be used to implement the method described in the above method embodiment, and for details, please refer to the description of the above method embodiment.

[0124] The communication device 800 may include one or more processors 801. The processor 801 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor. For example, it may be a baseband processor or a central processor. The baseband processor may be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit may be used to control a communication device (e.g., a base station, a baseband chip, a terminal device, a terminal device chip, a DU or CU, etc.), execute a computer program, and process data of the computer program.

[0125] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include one or more memories 802 capable of storing computer programs 804, and the processor 801 executes the computer programs 804 so that the communication device 800 performs the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, data may also be stored in the memory 802. The communication device 800 and the memory 802 may be provided separately or integrated.

[0126] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include a transceiver 805 and an antenna 806. The transceiver 805 may be referred to as a transmitting / receiving unit, a transceiver, or a transmitting / receiving circuit for realizing a transmitting / receiving function. The transceiver 805 may include a receiver and a transmitter, and the receiver may be referred to as a receiver or a receiving circuit for realizing a receiving function, and the transmitter may be referred to as a transmitter or a transmitting circuit for realizing a transmitting function.

[0127] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include one or more interface circuits 807. The interface circuits 807 are used to receive and transmit code instructions to the processor 801. The processor 801 executes the code instructions to cause the communication device 800 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0128] In one embodiment, the processor 801 may include a transceiver for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transmitting and receiving circuit, an interface, or an interface circuit. The transmitting and receiving circuit, interface, or interface circuit for implementing the receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated. The transmitting and receiving circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be used to read or write code or data, or the transmitting and receiving circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be used to transmit or communicate signals.

[0129] In one implementation, the processor 801 may store a computer program that, when executed on the processor 801, causes the communication device 800 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. The computer program may be hardened within the processor 801, in which case the processor 801 may be implemented by hardware.

[0130] In one implementation, the communication device 800 can include circuitry capable of performing the transmitting, receiving, or communication functions of the above method embodiments. The processors and transceivers described in this disclosure can be implemented in an integrated circuit (IC), an analog IC, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a hybrid signal IC, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a printed circuit board (PCB), an electronic device, etc. The processors and transceivers can also be fabricated in various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), n-type metal oxide semiconductor (nMOS), p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS), bipolar junction transistor (BJT), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0131] The communication device described in the above embodiment may be user equipment, but the scope of the communication device described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may not be limited to that shown in FIG. 8. The communication device may be an independent device or part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be as follows: (1) An independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) having a set of one or more ICs, optionally including a memory component for storing data, computer programs; (3) ASICs such as modems, (4) Modules that can be incorporated into other devices; (5) Receivers, terminal devices, smart terminal devices, mobile phones, wireless devices, handhelds, mobile units, in-vehicle devices, network-side devices, cloud devices, artificial intelligence devices, etc. (6) Others.

[0132] When the communication device can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic block diagram of the chip shown in Fig. 9. The chip shown in Fig. 9 includes a processor 901 and an interface 902. Here, the number of processors 901 may be one or more, and the number of interfaces 902 may be more than one.

[0133] Optionally, the chip further includes a memory 903 for storing necessary computer programs and data.

[0134] Those skilled in the art can also understand that various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be realized by electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. Whether such functions are realized by hardware or software is determined by the specific application and the overall system design requirements. Those skilled in the art can realize the described functions using various methods for each specific application, but this implementation should not be understood as exceeding the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0135] The present disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computer, implement the functionality of any of the method embodiments described above.

[0136] The present disclosure further provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functionality of any of the above method embodiments.

[0137] The above-described embodiments may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, they may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs. The processes or functions according to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are generated in whole or in part when the computer programs are loaded and executed by a computer. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another; for example, the computer program may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wire (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, radio, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer, or may include a data storage device such as a server, data center, or the like integrated with one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., digital video disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid state disk (SSD)).

[0138] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various numerals such as first, second, etc. in the present disclosure are merely for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor do they represent priority.

[0139] At least one of the features of the present disclosure may be described as one or more, and the more may be two, three, four or more, and is not limited to the present disclosure. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, for one technical feature, the technical features in the technical feature category are distinguished by "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," and "D," etc., and there is no order of precedence or chronology between the technical features described as "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," and "D."

[0140] As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, device, and / or apparatus (e.g., magnetic disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, and include a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0141] The systems and techniques described herein may be implemented as a computing system that includes background components (e.g., as a data server), or a computing system that includes middleware components (e.g., an application server), or a computing system that includes front-end components (e.g., with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with embodiments of the systems and techniques described herein), or a computing system that includes such background, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system may be interconnected via any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communications network). Examples of communications networks include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet.

[0142] A computer system may include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally remote and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server is created by computer programs running on appropriate computers and having a client-server relationship.

[0143] It should be understood that steps can be rearranged, added, or deleted using the various types of processes shown above. For example, the steps described in the present disclosure can be performed in parallel, sequentially, or in a different order, as long as the technical solution of the present disclosure can achieve the expected results, and are not limited thereto.

[0144] Additionally, it should be understood that the various embodiments described herein can be practiced alone or in combination with other embodiments wherever possible.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or software is determined by the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art may realize the described functions using different methods for each specific application, but such realization should not be considered beyond the scope of the present disclosure.

[0146] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, for convenience and brevity of description, the specific operating processes of the above-described systems, devices and units may refer to the corresponding processes in the above-described method embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0147] As described above, the present disclosure only covers specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can easily imagine that modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be determined based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. A sidelink communication method performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving a Direct Communication Request (DCR) including a destination Layer 2 identifier (ID) and encryption information for sidelink communication; determining a security key for decrypting the encrypted information based on the destination Layer 2 ID; and decrypting the encrypted information using the security key to perform sidelink communication. A sidelink communication method comprising:

2. determining a security key for decrypting the encrypted information based on the destination Layer 2 ID, determining, based on the destination Layer 2 ID, from one or more pre-stored security contexts, a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID; and determining the security key based on the matched security context. The sidelink communication method according to claim 1 .

3. Each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code. The sidelink communication method according to claim 2 .

4. The service code is a relay service code (RSC); a Proximity Services (ProSe) restriction code; and a ProSe search code; and a ProSe response code; and a ranging service code; 4. The sidelink communication method according to claim 3 .

5. Each security context is a relay layer indicator from the UE to the network; and and a control plane security indicator; 5. The sidelink communication method according to claim 3 or 4.

6. creating and storing the security context based on the Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key determined in the discovery process; The sidelink communication method according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The step of creating and storing a security context comprises: creating and storing the security context when a Layer 2 ID that applies to the discovery process has been determined; creating and storing the security context after a discovery message applied to the discovery process is sent; creating and saving the security context after the discovery process is complete.

7. The sidelink communication method according to claim 6,

8. A sidelink communication device applied to a user equipment (UE), comprising: a transceiver module for receiving a direct communication request (DCR) including a destination Layer 2 identifier (ID) and encryption information for sidelink communication; a processing module for determining a security key for decrypting the encrypted information based on the destination Layer-2 ID, and for decrypting the encrypted information using the security key to perform sidelink communication. A sidelink communication device comprising:

9. the processing module: determining a security context that matches the destination Layer 2 ID from one or more pre-stored security contexts based on the destination Layer 2 ID; determining the security key based on the matched security context; The sidelink communication device according to claim 8 .

10. Each security context includes a service code for identifying a service type of sidelink communication, a Layer 2 ID corresponding to the service code, and a security key associated with the service code.

10. The sidelink communication device according to claim 9 .

11. The service code is a relay service code (RSC); a Proximity Services (ProSe) restriction code; and a ProSe search code; and a ProSe response code; and Ranging service code, The sidelink communication device according to claim 10 .

12. Each security context is a relay layer indicator from the UE to the network; and and a control plane security indicator; 12. The sidelink communication device according to claim 10 or 11.

13. the processing module further comprising: creating and storing the security context based on the Layer 2 ID, service code, and security key determined during the discovery process; The sidelink communication device according to any one of claims 8 to 12.

14. the processing module: creating and storing the security context when a Layer 2 ID that applies to the discovery process has been determined; creating and storing the security context after a discovery message applied to the discovery process is sent; creating and saving the security context after the discovery process is complete.

14. The sidelink communication device of claim 13.

15. 1. A communication device, comprising: a transceiver, a memory, and a processor connected to the transceiver and the memory, respectively, the processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions in the memory to control transmission and reception of radio signals by the transceiver and to implement a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7; A communication device characterized by:

16. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is realized. A computer storage medium comprising:

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