IP Library Granted Patent US 12,170,903
Granted Patent B2
US 12,170,903 · App. 17/637,584 · Granted Dec 17, 2024

Methods and apparatuses for unmanned aerial system (UAS) identification, binding and pairing

Inventors: Arnab Roy (Phoenixville, PA); Ravikumar V. Pragada (Warrington, PA); Samir Ferdi (Kirkland, CA); Michelle Perras (Montreal, CA)
Assignee: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
H04W12/50H04W12/068H04W12/71H04W60/04H04W84/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,170,903
App. No.
17/637,584
Granted
Dec 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described herein for paring an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a UAV-controller (UAV-C). For example, a UAV having a UAV wireless transmit/receive unit (UAV WTRU) may transmit, to an access and mobility management function (AMF), a non-access stratum (NAS) request message that includes a paring request indication and a UAV-controller (UAV-C) identification (UAV-C ID). The UAV-C ID may be carried in a paring request to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) service supplier (USS)/UAS traffic management (UTM) for paring authorization of the UAV with a UAV-C associated with the UAV-C ID. The UAV may receive, from the AMF, a NAS response message that includes an unmanned aerial system (UAS) identification (UAS ID) indicating that the UAV is paired with the UAV-C, wherein the UAS ID is assigned by the USS/UTM.

Claims (47)

1. A method for use in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a UAV wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for cellular communication, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a network node, a first non-access stratum (NAS) request message that includes a registration request indication, a UAV identification (UAV ID), and a USS identification (USS ID);

receiving, from the network node, a first NAS response message that indicates that registration was accepted;

transmitting, to the network node, a second NAS request message comprising pairing information for the UAV and a UAV-controller (UAV-C) to be paired with the UAV, wherein transmitting the second NAS request message is performed after receipt of the first NAS response message;

receiving, from the network node, a second NAS response message that indicates that pairing was accepted;

transmitting, to the network node, after receipt of the indication that pairing was accepted, a request for command and control (C2) communication authorization between the UAV and the UAV-C; and

receiving, from the network node, based on the request for C2 authorization, a third NAS response message indicating rejection of authorization for C2 communication.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second NAS request message is a protocol data unit (PDU) session request message and the second NAS response message is a PDU session response message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon receiving the second NAS response message, establishing, via a network node performing a session management function (SMF), a PDU session with the UAV-C for the C2 communication.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second NAS response message includes a remote identification (Remote ID).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second NAS request message includes a UAV-controller (UAV-C) identification (UAV-C ID) and the UAV-C ID is a manufacturer assigned serial number.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein, based on the USS ID, the UAV ID is carried in a binding request to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) service supplier (USS)/UAS traffic management (UTM) for binding authorization of the UAV WTRU with the UAV associated with the UAV ID;

wherein the binding response indication is determined by the USS/UTM; and

wherein transmitting the second NAS request message is performed responsive to receipt of the binding response indication.

7. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein the second NAS request message is transmitted on a condition that the UAV is bound with the UAV WTRU, wherein the second NAS request message includes the UAV-C ID.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the network node, another NAS request message that includes an authentication and authorization request that includes a UAV WTRU identification (UAV WTRU ID) and one or more UAV WTRU capabilities for the cellular communication; and

receiving, from the network node, another NAS response message that includes an authentication and authorization response indicating whether the UAV WTRU is authenticated and authorized for access to the cellular network.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the UAV ID is a manufacturer assigned serial number and the UAV WTRU ID is an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second NAS request message includes a UAV ID associated with the UAV and a UAV-C ID associated with the UAV-C, and wherein an UAS comprises the UAV and the UAV-C.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a UAV wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for cellular communication; and

a processor,

the UAV WTRU and the processor configured to:

transmit, to a network node, a first non-access stratum (NAS) request message that includes a registration request indication, a UAV identification (UAV ID), and a USS identification (USS ID);

receive, from the network node, a first NAS response message that indicates that registration was accepted;

transmit, to the network node, a second NAS request message comprising pairing information for the UAV and a UAV-controller (UAV-C) to be paired with the UAV, wherein transmitting the second NAS request message is performed after receipt of the first NAS response message;

receive, from the network node, a second NAS response message that indicates that pairing was accepted;

transmit, to the network node, after receipt of the indication that pairing was accepted, a request for command and control (C 2 ) communication authorization between the UAV and the UAV-C; and

receive, from the network node, a third NAS response message indicating rejection of authorization for C2 communication.

12. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the second NAS request message is a protocol data unit (PDU) session request message and the second NAS response message is a PDU session response message.

13. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the UAV WTRU and the processor are further configured to, upon receiving the second NAS response message, establish, via a network node performing a session management function (SMF), a PDU session with the UAV-C for the C2 communication.

14. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the second NAS response message includes a remote identification (Remote ID).

15. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the second NAS request message includes a UAV-controller (UAV-C) identification (UAV-C ID) and the UAV-C ID is a manufacturer assigned serial number.

16. The UAV of claim 11 ,

wherein, based on the USS ID, the UAV ID is carried in a binding request to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) service supplier (USS)/UAS traffic management (UTM) for binding authorization of the UAV WTRU with the UAV associated with the UAV ID;

wherein the binding response indication is determined by the USS/UTM; and

wherein transmitting the second NAS request message is performed responsive to receipt of the binding response indication.

17. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the second NAS request message is transmitted on a condition that the UAV is bound with the UAV WTRU, wherein the second NAS request message includes the UAV-C ID.

18. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the UAV WTRU and the processor are further configured to:

transmit, to the network node, another NAS request message that includes an authentication and authorization request that includes a UAV WTRU identification (UAV WTRU ID) and one or more UAV WTRU capabilities for the cellular communication; and

receive, from the network node, another NAS response message that includes an authentication and authorization response indicating whether the UAV WTRU is authenticated and authorized for access to the cellular network.

19. The UAV of claim 18 , wherein the UAV ID is a manufacturer assigned serial number and the UAV WTRU ID is an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI).

20. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the second NAS request message includes a UAV ID associated with the UAV and a UAV-C ID associated with the UAV-C, and wherein an UAS comprises the UAV and the UAV-C.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2023
From: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC. BY ITS SUCCESSOR INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
To: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062401/0738 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62890920 · Aug 23, 2019
Related Publication 20220279355A1 · Sep 1, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,696,219