IP Library Granted Patent US 12,425,867
Granted Patent B2
US 12,425,867 · App. 17/635,486 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Registration and security enhancements for a WTRU with multiple USIMs

Inventors: Behrouz Aghili (Commack, NY); Samir Ferdi (Kirkland, CA); Alec Brusilovsky (Downingtown, PA); Ulises Olvera-Hernandez (Montreal, CA); Xiaoyan Shi (Westmount, CA)
Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
H04W12/72H04L63/0853H04W8/18H04W12/06H04W12/40H04L65/1069H04L65/1073
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,425,867
App. No.
17/635,486
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described herein for registration and security for wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) with multiple universal subscriber identity modules (USIMs). Optimized registration and authentication procedures, that enable a WTRU to register and authenticate multiple USIMs during one registration and authentication procedure are described herein. The techniques described herein may eliminate the need for separate registration and authentication procedures for each USIM. A gateway device may inform the network in a Registration Request message that it is registering multiple devices (i.e., multiple WTRUs). The network and the gateway may then perform an authentication procedure with an aggregate challenge/response (i.e., a single challenge for each WTRU). A WTRU may inform the network in a Registration Request message that it is registering multiple USIMs. The network and the WTRU may then perform an authentication procedure with an aggregate challenge/response (i.e., a single challenge for all USIMs).

Claims (59)

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a processor configured to:

send, to a network, a request message indicative of a request to authenticate at least:

a first subscriber identity module associated with the WTRU, and

a second subscriber identity module associated with the WTRU;

receive, from the network, a first challenge message;

send, to the first subscriber identity module, the first challenge message;

receive, from the first subscriber identity module and based on the first challenge message, a first response message;

send, to the second subscriber identity module, the first response message that was received from the first subscriber identity module as an indication of a second challenge message;

receive, from the second subscriber identity module and based on the first response message, an aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and the second subscriber identity modules; and

send, to the network in response to the first challenge message, the aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and second subscriber identity modules.

2. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the first subscriber identity module comprises a first universal subscriber identity module (USIM) and the second subscriber identity module comprises a second USIM.

3. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the first challenge message comprises one or more of one or more random numbers (RAND) or a plurality of key set identifiers (KSIs).

4. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the aggregate response message enables authentication of the WTRU with the network.

5. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the request message comprises:

a first subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the first subscriber identity module, and

a second SUCI associated with the second subscriber identity module.

6. The WTRU of claim 5 , wherein the first SUCI is associated with a first subscription stored in a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN), and the second SUCI is associated with a second subscription stored in the HPLMN.

7. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the request message comprises:

a first subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the first subscriber identity module, and

a multiple universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) for MUSIM authentication indication.

8. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

sending, to a network, a request message indicative of a request to authenticate at least:

a first subscriber identity module associated with the WTRU, and

a second subscriber identity module associated with the WTRU;

receiving, from the network, a first challenge message;

sending, to the first subscriber identity module, the first challenge message;

receiving, from the first subscriber identity module and based on the first challenge message, a first response message;

sending, to the second subscriber identity module, the first response message that was received from the first subscriber identity module as an indication of a second challenge message;

receiving, from the second subscriber identity module and based on the first response message, an aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and the second subscriber identity modules; and

sending, to the network in response to the first challenge message, the aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and second subscriber identity modules.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first subscriber identity module comprises a first universal subscriber identity module (USIM) and the second subscriber identity module comprises a second USIM.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first challenge message comprises one or more of one or more random numbers (RAND) or a plurality of key set identifiers (KSIs).

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the aggregate response message enables authentication of the WTRU with the network.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the request message comprises:

a first subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the first subscriber identity module, and

a second SUCI associated with the second subscriber identity module.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first SUCI is associated with a first subscription stored in a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN), and the second SUCI is associated with a second subscription stored in the HPLMN.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the request message comprises:

a first subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the first subscriber identity module, and

a multiple universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) for MUSIM authentication.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to:

send, to a network, a request message indicative of a request to authenticate at least:

a first subscriber identity associated with a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and

a second subscriber identity associated with a second WTRU;

receive, from the network, a first challenge message;

send, to the first WTRU, the first challenge message;

receive, from the first WTRU and based on the first challenge message, a first response message;

send, to the second WTRU, the first response message that was received from the first subscriber identity module as an indication of a second challenge message;

receive, from the second WTRU and based on the first response message, an aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and the second subscriber identity modules; and

send, to the network in response to the first challenge message, the aggregate response message that is configured to authenticate the first and second subscriber identity modules.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first WTRU comprises a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and the second WTRU comprises a second IoT device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first challenge message comprises one or more of one or more random numbers (RAND) or a plurality of key set identifiers (KSIs).

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the aggregate response message enables authentication of the first WTRU and the second WTRU with the network.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the request message comprises:

a first subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the first WTRU, and

a second SUCI associated with the second WTRU.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first SUCI is associated with a first subscription stored in a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN), and the second SUCI is associated with a second subscription stored in the HPLMN.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY PATENT ASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 24, 2023
From: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
To: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 063163/0477 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2022
From: AGHILI, BEHROUZ; FERDI, SAMIR; BRUSILOVSKY, ALEC; OLVERA-HERNANDEZ, ULISES; SHI, XIAOYAN
To: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059014/0422 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62888109 · Aug 16, 2019
Related Publication 20220345894A1 · Oct 27, 2022
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