Systems and methods for supporting a plurality of communication networks

Inventors: Omkar Dharmadhikari (Lakewood, CO); Sundar R. Sriram (Aurora, IL); Tao Wan (Ottawa, CA); Yunjung Yi (Vienna, VA)

Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.

H04W12/069 H04W12/08

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12684352
App. No.: 18/313,264
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A method operable by an authentication element for authenticating devices for a plurality of communication networks includes (1) supporting authentication of a first device for a private Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless communication network via an interface between a core network of the private 3GPP wireless communication network and the authentication element, and (2) supporting authentication of a second device for a wireline access network, the second device being communicatively coupled to the wireline access network via a residential gateway.

Claims (39)

1 . A method operable by an authentication element for authenticating devices for a plurality of communication networks, the method comprising:

supporting authentication of a first device for a private Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless communication network via an interface between a core network of the private 3GPP wireless communication network and the authentication element;

supporting authentication of a second device for a wireline access network, the second device being communicatively coupled to the wireline access network via a residential gateway;

supporting authentication of a third device for the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the interface between the core network of the private 3GPP wireless communication network and the authentication element; and

supporting authentication of the third device for the wireline access network, the third device being communicatively coupled to the wireline access network via the residential gateway.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the residential gateway is selected from a group consisting of a Fifth Generation Residential Gateway (5G-RG) and a Fixed Network Residential Gateway (FN-RG).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device is communicatively coupled to the residential gateway via a wireless access point.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supporting authentication of the second device for the wireline access network via a SWa interface between the authentication element and the residential gateway.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the private 3GPP wireless communication network is a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN).

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the SNPN is a Fifth Generation (5G) SNPN.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface between the core network of the private 3GPP wireless communication network and the authentication element comprises a Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF).

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication element is separate from each of the private 3GPP wireless communication network and the wireline access network.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using common credentials to support each of (a) authentication of the first device for the private 3GPP wireless communication network and (b) authentication of the second device for the wireline access network.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supporting authentication of each of the first device and the second device using a certificate-based authentication method.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using common credentials to support each of (a) authentication of the third device for the private 3GPP wireless communication network and (b) authentication of the third device for the wireline access network.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising authenticating a fourth device for a wireless local area network (WLAN) via a SWa interface between the authentication element and the WLAN.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device is a Non-3GPP (N3GPP) device.

14 . A method operable by a private Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless communication network to support direct access via a plurality of access networks, the method comprising:

supporting direct access to the private 3GPP wireless communication network via a 3GPP radio access network (RAN) communicatively coupled to a core network (CN) of the private 3GPP wireless communication network;

supporting direct access to the private 3GPP wireless communication network via a non-3GPP access network communicatively coupled to the CN of the private 3GPP wireless communication network via a network function of the private 3GPP wireless communication network; and

supporting authentication of each of (a) a first device accessing the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the 3GPP RAN and (b) a second device accessing the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the non-3GPP access network, using a common authentication element external to the private 3GPP wireless communication network.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the network function of the private 3GPP wireless communication network is selected from a group consisting of a Trusted Non-3GPP Gateway Function (TNGF), a Non-3GPP Interworking Function (N3IWF), and a Wireline Access Gateway Function (W-AGF).

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the non-3GPP access network is selected from a group consisting of a trusted wireless local area network, a non-trusted wireless local area network, and a wireline access network.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising supporting authentication of each of (a) the first device accessing the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the 3GPP RAN and (b) the first device accessing the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the non-3GPP access network, using common credentials.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the private 3GPP wireless communication network is a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN).

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the SNPN is a Fifth Generation (5G) SNPN.

20 . A method operable by a private Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless communication network for authenticating devices for a plurality of access networks, the method comprising:

authenticating a first device communicatively coupled to the private 3GPP wireless communication network via a 3GPP radio access network (RAN) at least partially using an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) of a core network (CN) of the private 3GPP wireless communication network;

authenticating a second device communicatively coupled to a residential gateway of a wireline access network using the AUSF of the CN of the private 3GPP wireless communication network, via a Non-Seamless Wi-Fi Offload Function (NSWOF) of the CN of the private 3GPP wireless communication network; and

using a common set of credentials to authenticate a third device irrespective of whether the third device connects to the private 3GPP wireless communication network via the 3GPP RAN or the third device connects to the residential gateway of the wireline access network.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the residential gateway is selected from the group consisting of a Fifth Generation Residential Gateway (5G-RG) and a Fixed Network Residential Gateway (FN-RG).

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the residential gateway is communicatively coupled to the NSWOF via a SWa interface.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the second device is communicatively coupled to the residential gateway via a wireless access point.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the private 3GPP wireless communication network is a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN).

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the SNPN is a Fifth Generation (5G) SNPN.

26 . A method operable by a private Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless communication network for authenticating devices for a plurality of access networks, the method comprising:

authenticating a third device communicatively coupled to a wireless local area network (WLAN) using the AUSF of the CN of the private 3GPP wireless communication network, via the NSWOF of the CN of the private 3GPP wireless communication network.