Relay Session Establishment with Privacy-Preserving Service Codes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing session establishment methods in 5G networks do not ensure the privacy of traffic data during relay communication, particularly in layer 3 UE-to-network relay functions.

Innovation Solution

Introduce the concept of a relay service code (RSC) to characterize traffic attributes, allowing remote devices to determine and establish relay sessions with devices that support or are authorized to support the specific RSC, ensuring privacy by matching RSCs during the discovery process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional session establishment methods are used in 5G relay communication, then the network architecture can support both 3GPP and non-3GPP access technologies, but the privacy of traffic data cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic data privacyVSAvoidsession establishment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the traffic characterization by introducing relay service codes (RSCs) that divide traffic into distinct categories based on characteristics such as application identification, domain information, and IP address. This segmentation enables selective relay session establishment for specific traffic types while maintaining privacy, as only relevant RSCs are exchanged during discovery rather than exposing complete traffic data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The relay service code acts as an intermediary element between the remote UE and the network. Instead of directly exchanging detailed traffic attributes or full session parameters, the RSC serves as a mediator that characterizes traffic types and enables privacy-preserving relay session establishment, thus protecting traffic data privacy while simplifying the interaction protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If relay service codes are introduced to ensure traffic attribute privacy, then data transmission security is improved, but the discovery and establishment process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic attribute exposureVSAvoiddiscovery process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential traffic characterization information needed for relay session establishment by defining relay service codes that capture key traffic attributes (application identification, domain information, IP address characteristics). This extraction approach ensures privacy by including only necessary RSC information in discovery messages, avoiding the exposure of complete traffic data while enabling proper relay selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple relay devices broadcast their supported relay service codes, then the remote device can select an appropriate relay, but the number of discovery messages increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelay selection flexibilityVSAvoiddiscovery messages quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The relay service code serves multiple functions simultaneously: it characterizes traffic attributes, enables relay device discovery, facilitates relay selection, and ensures privacy protection. By making the RSC a multi-functional element that is broadcast once per relay device, the patent reduces the overall quantity of discovery messages needed compared to exchanging multiple separate parameters, while still providing comprehensive relay selection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4171168B1Relay session establishment method, apparatus, device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP LTD
  • EP4171168B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4171168B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4171168B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present application provides a relay session establishing method and apparatus, a device, and a storage medium. This solution provides a method for discovering a relay device by means of a relay service code and establishing a relay session. A remote device determines, according to description information of traffic, a relay service code that is used for indicating an attribute of the traffic, and discovers an appropriate relay device according to the relay service code, and then establishes a relay session with the relay device, so as to transmit data of the traffic. In this solution, the privacy of traffic attribute can be ensured during the process of discovering the relay device.