Dual-Connectivity User Plane Security Between Secondary Node and UE
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a 5G dual connectivity scenario, enabling user plane security protection between a user terminal and a secondary Node is a technical challenge that needs to be resolved to ensure confidentiality and integrity of data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a master Node sending a user plane security policy to a secondary Node, determining the security protection method, and communicating this information to the user terminal to enable appropriate security protocols between the secondary Node and the user terminal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a terminal establishes separate PDCP entities for split bearers in dual-connection communication, then communication reliability is improved through redundant transmission paths, but device complexity increases due to multiple PDCP entities and their associated buffering and reordering functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple PDCP entities into a single PDCP entity that can handle both master and secondary cell group transmissions. This consolidation maintains the reliability benefits of dual-connection communication while reducing device complexity by eliminating redundant PDCP entity structures and their associated buffering and reordering mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The single PDCP entity is designed to perform multiple functions: it manages both master and secondary cell group transmissions, handles segmentation and reassembly of data packets, and performs reordering of packets from different transmission paths. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require separate specialized PDCP entities.
2Measurement precision
If the terminal buffers data in multiple PDCP entities for reordering, then packet delivery accuracy is improved, but memory usage and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple PDCP buffers into a single unified buffer within the single PDCP entity. This unified buffer stores packets from both master and secondary cell groups, eliminating the need for separate buffer structures while maintaining the ability to perform accurate reordering and delivery of packets based on their sequence numbers.
3Reliability
If the network configures separate PDCP entities for master and secondary cell groups, then transmission reliability is improved through diversity, but signaling overhead and configuration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the configuration of separate PDCP entities into a single PDCP entity configuration that serves both master and secondary cell groups. This reduces signaling overhead by eliminating redundant configuration messages while maintaining the transmission reliability benefits of utilizing both cell groups for data transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a method, an apparatus, and a system for dual-connectivity communication. The method may include the following steps: sending, by a master Node, a first message to a secondary Node, where the first message includes a user plane security policy, and the user plane security policy is used by the secondary Node to determine a user plane security protection method between the secondary Node and a user terminal; receiving, by the master Node, a second message from the secondary Node, where the second message includes user plane security enabling type indication information, and the user plane security enabling type indication information is used to indicate a user plane security protection method between the secondary Node and the user terminal; and sending, by the master Node, a third message to the user terminal, where the third message includes the user plane security enabling type indication information. According to the embodiments of this application, a technical problem of how to enable user plane security between a user terminal and a secondary Node in a 5G dual connectivity scenario can be resolved, thereby ensuring confidentiality and integrity of user plane data transmission in the 5G dual connectivity scenario.