Cellular Communication Physical-Layer Integrity Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless cellular networks lack security protection for signaling and data at protocol layers below the PDCP layer, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.

Innovation Solution

Implement physical layer integrity protection by using a payload of a physical channel, check code, anti-replay parameter, and downlink control information as inputs for a security algorithm to enhance security between transmit and receive ends.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a terminal sends a single communication message containing both uplink data and uplink control information, then signaling overhead is reduced, but the message may be lost if the uplink grant is not received in time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidmessage delivery reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the uplink transmission into two separate messages: a first message for uplink data and a second message for uplink control information. This segmentation allows the terminal to send the first message using a first uplink grant and the second message using a second uplink grant, ensuring that if one message is lost, the other can still be delivered reliably through retransmission mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a terminal sends separate communication messages for uplink data and uplink control information, then message delivery reliability is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage delivery reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a message determination module that acts as an intermediary to intelligently select the transmission mode. This module determines whether to send the first message, the second message, or both separately based on channel conditions and grant availability, thereby optimizing the balance between reliability and signaling overhead without requiring separate fixed allocations for both message types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a terminal waits to send uplink control information until receiving an uplink grant, then transmission reliability is improved, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the terminal to perform preliminary actions by sending the first message (uplink data) immediately upon receiving the first uplink grant, without waiting for the second uplink grant. The message determination module then decides whether to send the second message (uplink control information) separately or combine it, thereby reducing transmission delay while maintaining reliability through selective separate transmission when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4601240A1Communication method and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4601240A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4601240A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4601240A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus. At least one of all or a part of a payload of a physical channel, a check code, an anti-replay parameter, a key, and downlink control information may be used as an input of a security algorithm, and information used to perform integrity protection on the payload of the physical channel is obtained through calculation. This can implement physical layer integrity protection, and help improve security of signaling or data between a transmit end and a receive end.