USIM-Based Key Derivation for Multi-Device Subscription Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to efficiently manage 3GPP subscriptions across multiple User Equipment (UE) devices without compromising security, as current methods require separate subscriptions for each device, leading to unnecessary costs and resource usage.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allow multiple communication devices to share a single subscription by using a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) to generate unique keys for each device, enabling secure communication with a 3GPP network using a single subscription identity and access protection keys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate subscriptions are assigned to each UE device, then security is maintained, but cost and resource usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple UE devices under a single subscription identity, allowing multiple devices to share one subscription instead of each requiring a separate subscription. This reduces the quantity of subscription information stored in the network while maintaining security through device-specific key derivation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single subscription identity serves multiple functions by enabling access for multiple different UE devices. The subscription becomes universal across devices, with each device deriving its own access keys from the shared subscription, eliminating the need for device-specific subscriptions.
2Reliability
If separate subscriptions are assigned to each UE device, then device-specific security is ensured, but additional cost is incurred for each subscription
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter structure by deriving device-specific security keys dynamically from a single subscription identity rather than using static device-specific subscriptions. Each UE device generates its own access keys through key derivation functions using the shared subscription, maintaining device-specific security without incurring additional subscription costs.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple UEs share a single subscription, then cost and resource usage are reduced, but security management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security management into two layers: a shared subscription identity layer for cost efficiency and device-specific key derivation layer for security. Each UE device performs independent key derivation from the shared subscription, creating segmented security contexts that simplify overall management while maintaining device-specific security.
4Ease of operation
If separate subscriptions are used for each UE, then network access control is simplified, but communication resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of the subscription access rights for each UE device through key derivation, rather than creating physical separate subscriptions. Each device receives derived keys that function as copies of the original subscription credentials, enabling network access control without duplicating the full subscription infrastructure and reducing resource waste.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for establishing communication between a plurality of communication devices and a communication network using a single subscription is provided. The method receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. The method then sends the first request to a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) associated with the first communication device. Thereafter, the method receives a response from the USIM including subscription identity, access protection keys and capabilities of the subscription. Then the method generates unique key for the second communication device based on the response received from the USIM. The method then sends the response along with the generated unique key to the second communication device to establish communication between the second communication device and the communication network using the subscription of first communication device.