3GPP Roaming Policy Federation via Multi-bit Broadcast Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP-based access networks do not support OpenRoaming features, which are essential for policy enablement and roaming in cellular networks, as they lack the necessary constructs and identifiers used in Wi-Fi networks.
Innovation Solution
A roaming policy federation architecture is developed for 3GPP networks using multi-bit 3GPP broadcast identifiers and user equipment provisioned identifiers to encode and configure roaming policies, allowing mobile devices to authenticate with identity providers and access networks, leveraging Closed Subscriber Group Identities, Network Identifiers, and Group Identifier for Network Selection codes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If OpenRoaming features are extended to 3GPP-based access networks, then roaming policy federation and authentication capabilities are improved, but 3GPP network complexity increases due to integration of non-native constructs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maps 3GPP broadcast identifiers (CGI, NID, CAG-ID, GIN) to serve multiple functions: traditional 3GPP network identification and new OpenRoaming-like policy federation. This allows existing 3GPP identifiers to dual-purpose as both network selectors and policy carriers, enabling roaming federation without adding separate construct types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replicates the OpenRoaming policy federation model in 3GPP networks by copying the essential construct of encoding policy information in broadcast identifiers. Instead of importing Wi-Fi's RCOI constructs, it creates a 3GPP-native equivalent using local identifier types, achieving functional equivalence through structural copying.
2Quantity of substance
If multi-bit 3GPP broadcast identifiers are used to encode roaming policies, then policy information capacity is improved, but identifier collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-bit broadcast identifier into distinct functional fields: network selection portion and policy information portion. This segmentation allows the identifier to simultaneously serve network access and policy communication functions while maintaining structured organization that reduces collision risk through field-specific validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different bit positions within the broadcast identifier to different policy attributes (e.g., specific bits for LIPA-only, home-routed, settlement-free indicators). This local quality assignment ensures that each policy feature has a dedicated representation space, preventing ambiguous interpretations and reducing collision probability.
3Productivity
If roaming policies are encoded in broadcast identifiers, then authentication efficiency is improved, but flexibility in policy updates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic policy updates by allowing network operators to modify the encoding of policy information in broadcast identifiers without changing the identifier structure itself. The multi-bit fields can be reconfigured to represent different policy combinations, enabling flexible updates while maintaining efficient broadcast-based authentication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-encodes multiple policy combinations into the broadcast identifier structure during network configuration. This preliminary encoding of potential policy states allows mobile devices to perform efficient local matching against pre-provisioned identifiers, enabling fast authentication decisions without real-time policy computation while retaining update flexibility through re-encoding.
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are techniques associated with replicating an OpenRoaming™ policy federation in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network environment. For example, techniques herein provide a roaming policy federation architecture for a 3GPP network environment. In one example a method is provided that may include encoding at least one multi-bit roaming policy for an identity provider and a plurality of bit-wise combinatorial permutations of the at least one multi-bit roaming policy within each of a plurality of multi-bit 3GPP broadcast identifiers, wherein the at least one multi-bit roaming policy includes bit-wise roaming policy information for the identity provider and configuring the multi-bit 3GPP broadcast identifiers for a mobile device associated with the identity provider, wherein the multi-bit 3GPP broadcast identifiers indicate that the mobile device is to connect to a visited radio access network associated with a local Internet Protocol (IP) access service or a home routed access service.