User Equipment RRC Resume Security Processing for IoT

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication technologies, such as NB-IoT and MTC, face significant signaling overheads and energy consumption issues when switching from an RRC idle state to a connected state for small data packet transmissions, leading to inefficient data processing and potential security vulnerabilities.

Innovation Solution

A method for user equipment (UE) that reduces signaling overheads by performing prior or subsequent security processing on RRC connection resume messages, allowing for efficient data transmission without reactivating security mechanisms until necessary, and using Early Data Transmission (EDT) to optimize small data packet handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the UE enters an RRC connected state for small data packet transmission, then data transmission can be performed, but signaling overheads increase and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing security processing (integrity verification and decryption) on the RRC response message before the UE enters the RRC connected state. Specifically, the PDCP layer verifies integrity and decrypts the message in advance during the random access procedure, allowing the UE to determine whether to enter connected state based on pre-processed security results, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption from entering connected state when not needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the UE enters an RRC connected state for small data packet transmission, then data transmission can be performed, but signaling overheads increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capabilityVSAvoidsignaling overheads
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs security processing preliminarily during the random access procedure before RRC connection establishment. The PDCP layer verifies integrity and decrypts the RRC response message in advance, allowing the network to indicate connected state entry or rejection through pre-processed security results embedded in the random access response, thereby reducing signaling overheads by avoiding separate RRC connection setup procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If security mechanisms are reactivated for small data transmission, then secure transmission is ensured, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs security processing preliminarily by verifying integrity and decrypting the RRC response message at the PDCP layer before the UE enters the RRC connected state. This preliminary security processing during the random access procedure eliminates the need for repeated security setup later, reducing processing time while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The PDCP layer performs self-service security processing by autonomously verifying integrity and decrypting the RRC response message using stored security contexts without requiring additional network assistance or time-consuming re-authentication procedures, thereby reducing processing time while ensuring security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3780759B1Method executed by user equipment and user equipment
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 SHARP KK
  • EP3780759B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3780759B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3780759B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a method performed by user equipment, a method performed by a base station, user equipment, and a base station. The method performed by user equipment comprises: transmitting to a base station a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection resume request; receiving an RRC response message transmitted by the base station and used as a response to the RRC connection resume request; in the case where the UE has transmitted the RRC connection resume request on the basis of Early Data Transmission (EDT), performing first security processing on the RRC response message; and in the case where the UE has not transmitted the RRC connection resume request on the basis of the EDT, performing second security processing on the RRC response message.