Partial Integrity Protection for 5G User Plane Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G wireless communication systems, the hardware limitations of user equipment (UE) restrict the data rate at which full integrity protection for user plane data can be maintained, necessitating a mechanism to determine thresholds, monitor data rates, and switch between full and partial integrity protection schemes to ensure effective protection without performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
The UE and network devices collaborate to determine the maximum data rate for full integrity protection, adjust data rates, and dynamically switch between integrity protection schemes based on error indications and data rate thresholds, using error indications to adjust and retransmit user plane data with reduced rates when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full integrity protection is applied to user plane data, then security reliability is improved, but data transmission rate deteriorates due to hardware limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between full integrity protection mode and partial integrity protection mode based on real-time data rate conditions. When data rate exceeds a threshold, the system switches from full protection to partial protection, allowing the protection level to adapt dynamically to network conditions and hardware capabilities, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining high security and achieving high data rates
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the integrity protection parameter (from full to partial) based on data rate thresholds. By monitoring the data rate and comparing it against predefined thresholds, the system adjusts the integrity protection level accordingly, enabling the transition between different protection modes to optimize both security and performance
2Productivity
If partial integrity protection is used to maintain data rate, then productivity is improved, but security coverage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial integrity protection to specific packets (e.g., first and last packets of a data burst) rather than attempting to protect all packets equally. This partial action approach ensures that critical boundary packets are secured while allowing intermediate packets to be transmitted at higher rates, thus achieving a balance between security coverage and data rate productivity
3Adaptability or versatility
If integrity protection switching mechanism is implemented, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the UE monitors its own data rate performance and sends feedback to the network about whether it can handle full integrity protection. Based on this feedback, the network adjusts the integrity protection level accordingly. This feedback-driven approach enables adaptability while keeping the complexity manageable by using simple threshold-based decisions rather than complex optimization algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
This invention introduces methods and mechanisms of partial integrity protection in mobile systems. A user equipment (UE), comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: receive, from a network device, user plane data having integrity protection; send an error indication indicating an integrity protection error relating to the user plane data; and receive retransmitted user plane data from the network device with a reduced data rate, based on the error indication.