USIM Routing ID Redirection for 5GC Authentication Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 5G Core Network (5GC) systems face challenges in routing user equipment (UE) authentication requests when Universal Subscriber Identity Modules (USIMs) are provisioned with incorrect Routing IDs, leading to rejection errors such as 'HN Public Key ID Not Supported' or 'UNKNOWN USER', preventing proper network connection and configuration.

Innovation Solution

A mechanism to detect misconfigured USIMs by generating an 'Incorrect Routing ID' error code, allowing redirection to the correct AUSF/UDM/UDR segment within the network, enabling authentication and registration, and subsequent update of the correct Routing ID.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If USIMs are provisioned with Routing IDs for network segmentation, then network organization and management capability is improved, but USIMs with incorrect Routing IDs are rejected causing connection failures and requiring offline updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork segmentation capabilityVSAvoidconnection success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of misconfiguration during the authentication process by checking whether the SUPI can be resolved or the HN Public Key ID is supported. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify misconfigured USIMs before they are permanently blocked, enabling online correction without requiring offline updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The error messages that were previously harmful (causing connection rejection) are transformed into beneficial detection signals. The 'HN Public Key ID Not Supported' and 'UNKNOWN USER' errors are now used to identify misconfigured USIMs, and the system responds by providing corrective guidance to redirect to the correct network segment, converting the harmful rejection into a useful correction opportunity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If strict routing validation is enforced, then network security and proper routing is improved, but misconfigured USIMs are permanently blocked requiring costly offline updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting accuracyVSAvoidconfiguration maintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service correction by providing automated detection and guidance to end users. When a USIM with incorrect Routing ID is detected, the system generates an error code that directs the user to update the Routing ID in their USIM configuration. This self-service approach eliminates the need for operator intervention and expensive offline update processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by returning specific error codes to the UE when misconfiguration is detected. This feedback mechanism provides real-time information about the routing mismatch, allowing the system to guide the user toward the correct configuration without requiring manual intervention or offline updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If segment-specific AUSF/UDM/UDR instances are deployed, then service specialization and management efficiency is improved, but complexity of detecting and handling misconfigured USIMs increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice management efficiencyVSAvoidmisconfiguration detection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the detection logic for misconfiguration from the complex segment-specific authentication流程 and consolidates it into a unified error detection mechanism. By checking whether the SUPI can be resolved or the HN Public Key ID is supported, the system creates a simple, universal detection method that works across all network segments without requiring complex segment-specific detection logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The error detection mechanism serves multiple functions: it detects misconfigured USIMs, identifies the correct network segment, and provides guidance for correction. This universal mechanism works across all AUSF/UDM/UDR segments and handles both SUPI resolution failures and HN Public Key ID mismatches through a single unified approach, reducing the complexity that would otherwise require separate detection logic for each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12512985B2Handling USIMs with misconfigured routing IDs in 5GC

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for redirecting a user equipment with a routing misconfiguration. An exemplary method includes detecting a potential misconfiguration associated with the user equipment or a subscriber identity module (SIM) associated with the user equipment and generating an error code indicating the potential misconfiguration associated with the user equipment of the SIM associated with the user equipment. The error code is transmitted to an authentication module and indicates that the misconfiguration is an incorrect routing identifier and includes additional user information.