Grant-Free Transmission Security via Dedicated Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
In grant-free transmission scenarios, existing technologies face challenges in ensuring secure and efficient communication due to the absence of data transmission security mechanisms and the overhead of redundant protocol stack information, particularly in large-scale machine-type communication environments.
Innovation Solution
User equipment obtains a dedicated user equipment identifier and key from a core network device, encrypts and encapsulates data using these, and transmits it on a contention transmission unit resource, thereby ensuring security and reducing protocol stack overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user equipment establishes an RRC connection and maintains protocol stack context (PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY entities) for grant-free transmission, then data transmission security is ensured, but transmission efficiency decreases due to redundant protocol stack overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the redundant protocol stack (PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY entities) from the grant-free transmission path. By taking out these unnecessary protocol layers that are already maintained in the connected state, the system eliminates overhead while preserving security through the core network's authentication and encryption mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the transmission path into two parts: security-critical functions remain in the core network (authentication, encryption key management), while data transmission occurs directly through the radio interface without intermediate protocol processing. This segmentation allows security to be maintained at the source while enabling efficient direct transmission.
2Ease of operation
If user equipment transmits data in idle state without RRC connection establishment, then transmission simplicity and effectiveness are improved, but data transmission security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing authentication and security context in the core network before grant-free transmission occurs. The core network device performs authentication and generates encryption keys in advance, so that when idle-state transmission happens, security is already in place without requiring real-time connection establishment.
Solution Approach 2:
The core network device acts as an intermediary that provides security services to idle-state transmissions. Instead of requiring direct RRC connection between UE and base station for security setup, the core network mediates by authenticating the UE and providing encryption keys, enabling secure transmission without the overhead of connection establishment.
3Device complexity
If scheduling request mechanism is used for uplink data transmission, then resource allocation is controlled, but signaling overhead increases and transmission delay increases for machine type communication services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-allocating grant-free transmission resources through the CTU (Contention Transmission Unit) mechanism. Instead of requiring real-time scheduling requests and dynamic resource allocation, resources are prepared in advance and made available for immediate use, eliminating the time loss associated with scheduling procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables self-service by allowing user equipment to autonomously select and use grant-free transmission resources without requiring network scheduling intervention. The UE can directly transmit data on available CTU resources, eliminating the need for scheduling request signaling and reducing both overhead and delay.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a grant-free transmission method, user equipment, an access network device, and a core network device. The method includes: obtaining, by user equipment, a user equipment identifier and a key that are allocated by a core network device and that are used for grant-free transmission; encrypting and encapsulating, by the user equipment, data by using the key and the user equipment identifier; and transmitting, by the user equipment, the encrypted and encapsulated data to an access network device on a first contention transmission unit CTU resource in a grant-free transmission mode. According to technical solutions in the present invention, simple, effective, and secure communication can be implemented in a grant-free transmission scenario.