Application-Specific GPSI Authentication in 5G Edge Computing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G networks, authenticating user equipment (UE) for Edge Computing applications is challenging due to the complexity of managing multiple generic public subscription identifiers (GPSIs) associated with a single UE subscription, which complicates the authentication process between UE and Edge Computing Servers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves using application-specific GPSIs and associated information to facilitate authentication, where the UE sends an application service request with an application-specific GPSI and app-info to the Application Function (AF), and the AF derives an application-specific key to authenticate the UE, ensuring that the GPSI used matches the one stored in the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple GPSIs are stored in association with a single UE subscription to support multiple services and applications, then service versatility is improved, but authentication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single UE subscription into multiple application-specific GPSIs, where each GPSI is associated with specific application information (app-info). This allows the network to present different GPSIs to different applications based on their requirements, thereby maintaining service versatility while simplifying authentication for each individual application through dedicated identifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by associating specific attributes (app-info) with each GPSI, such that each identifier has specialized characteristics tailored to its intended application. This enables the network to select the appropriate GPSI with the correct attributes for each authentication request, improving versatility while keeping each authentication instance simple and focused.
2Productivity
If application-specific GPSIs are used to simplify authentication, then authentication efficiency is improved, but identifier management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces application information (app-info) as an intermediary that links the UE to the appropriate application-specific GPSI. The app-info contains attributes that enable the network to automatically determine which GPSI to use for a given application, thereby simplifying the authentication process while providing a systematic method for managing multiple identifiers through their associated attributes.
3Measurement precision
If GPSI matching is performed to ensure correct authentication, then authentication accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-associating application information (app-info) with each GPSI during identifier creation. This pre-linking of attributes to identifiers enables the network to quickly match the appropriate GPSI to an application based on the app-info provided in authentication requests, thereby ensuring accurate authentication while minimizing processing time through efficient attribute-based matching.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with an application function (AF) via a communication network is provided. The method comprises sending, to the AF, an application service request including: a second identifier (GPSI) specific to one or more applications, including an application associated with the UE and the AF; and information (app-info) associated with the second identifier and descriptive of the one or more applications. The method further comprises authenticating the AF based on an application-specific key (KAF) derived from a security key (KAKMA) associated with the UE; and receiving, from the AF, an application service response indicating whether the second identifier (GPSI) matches a corresponding second identifier (GPSI*) derived from the information associated with the second identifier.