VPLMN Priority Management via SOR Security Check Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, the existing technologies face challenges in maintaining priority of visited public land mobile networks (VPLMNs) due to multiple Steering of Roaming (SoR) security check failures, leading to unnecessary consideration of VPLMNs as malicious, which can result in delayed selection of higher priority networks and revenue loss for home operators.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a User Equipment (UE) that determines SoR security check failures and configures a timer for steering of roaming connected mode control information (SOR-CMCI), adjusting priorities based on successful or unsuccessful security checks, and managing timers to trigger higher priority PLMN searches or registrations, thereby maintaining VPLMN priority during PLMN selection procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE considers VPLMN as lowest priority after SOR security check failure, then network security is improved, but network selection time and revenue loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic priority adjustment for VPLMN based on SOR security check results. Instead of statically marking VPLMN as lowest priority after any security check failure, the system dynamically modifies the priority only when necessary (multiple failures), allowing flexible adaptation between security enforcement and network selection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the priority parameter of VPLMN conditionally based on the number of SOR security check failures. When the failure count exceeds a threshold, the VPLMN priority is reduced to lowest; otherwise, the original priority is maintained. This parameter-based control resolves the contradiction by adjusting the priority attribute according to security conditions.
2Reliability
If the UE marks VPLMN as malicious after security check failure, then security reliability is improved, but network selection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that counts SOR security check failures before marking VPLMN as malicious. Instead of immediate marking after a single failure, the system accumulates failure information and only applies the malicious marking when the failure count exceeds a threshold, thereby reducing false positives and improving network selection accuracy while maintaining security reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a cushioning mechanism by introducing a threshold-based delay before marking VPLMN as malicious. This cushioning prevents hasty conclusions from single security check failures, allowing the system to withstand temporary or transient security issues without incorrectly labeling the network as malicious, thus preserving selection accuracy.
3Reliability
If the UE performs multiple SOR security checks, then security verification is improved, but network selection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network selection process into distinct phases: initial network selection, SOR security check phase, and priority adjustment phase. By dividing the complex security verification process into manageable segments with clear transition conditions, the system improves security verification while keeping overall complexity可控 through structured process separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the SOR security check mechanism and priority adjustment rules before actual network selection occurs. The UE is pre-equipped with the capability to perform multiple SOR security checks and automatically adjust VPLMN priority based on failure counts, reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making while maintaining rigorous security verification.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a fifth generation (5G) or sixth generation (6G) communication system. Embodiments herein disclose methods for maintaining priority of a VPLMN during a PLMN selection procedure by a UE. The method includes ignoring a pre-configured priority for a VPLMN and considering the VPLMN as a lowest priority in response to determining that the UE has entered a state and the second SOR information is not received before the UE enters the state or the received second SOR information security check is not successful. The method includes considering a priority of the VPLMN as the pre-configured priority by not considering the VPLMN as a lowest priority and stopping the timer associated with the “first SOR security check not successful” in response to determining that the UE receives the second SOR information and a second SOR security check is successful before the UE enters the state.