Group RRC Configuration Integrity for Non-Terrestrial Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in managing group configurations, particularly in non-terrestrial networks, due to the need for individual signaling during handover procedures, which can be resource-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a group radio resource control (RRC) configuration secured with hash values, cyclic redundancy checks, or radio network temporary identifiers to manage group configurations, allowing UEs and network entities to determine the trust status of the configuration and perform handover procedures efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual signaling is used during handover procedures, then configuration security and accuracy are improved, but signaling overhead and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual configuration signaling into a single group RRC configuration message that can be received by multiple UEs simultaneously. The group configuration includes a group identifier and configuration parameters that apply to all member UEs, eliminating the need for separate individual signaling for each UE and thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining configuration security through integrity protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The group RRC configuration message serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides handover configuration, establishes group membership, delivers integrity protection information, and enables efficient resource allocation. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate signaling procedures, reducing overall signaling overhead while maintaining the security and accuracy benefits of individual configuration.
2Loss of energy
If group RRC configuration is used, then signaling overhead is reduced, but configuration security and trust verification become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary integrity check mechanism where the group RRC configuration includes integrity protection information (such as cryptographic hashes or authentication tags) that serves as a mediator between the configuration message and the UEs. Each UE can independently verify the integrity and authenticity of the received group configuration using this intermediary information, ensuring configuration security without requiring individual dedicated signaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The network entity performs preliminary integrity protection and security verification before broadcasting the group RRC configuration. The configuration message is pre-signed or pre-authenticated with security information that enables UEs to verify trust status before applying the configuration. This preliminary action ensures that security verification is built into the group configuration mechanism itself, eliminating the need for subsequent individual verification procedures.
3Reliability
If integrity check is performed on group configuration, then trust status determination is improved, but processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the integrity verification process into a separate, dedicated step that operates independently from the main handover execution. The group RRC configuration includes standalone integrity information (such as cryptographic hashes) that can be verified quickly without reprocessing the entire configuration. This extraction allows UEs to perform fast trust status determination by comparing the extracted integrity information against expected values, minimizing processing time while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive first control signaling indicating a configuration associated with a target network node in a non-terrestrial network. The configuration may include a first UE-group configuration and a UE-specific configuration including integrity information for the first UE-group configuration. The UE may perform a connection operation based on a trust status of the first UE-group configuration.