Wireless network slice access based on encrypted slice certificates that indicate slice characteristics

1. A method of operating a wireless communication network to serve a wireless user device over a wireless network slice that has an encrypted slice certificate that has slice characteristics, the method comprising:

a wireless access node receiving the encrypted slice certificate from the wireless user device and transferring the encrypted slice certificate to a network control-plane;

the network control-plane receiving the encrypted slice certificate from the wireless access node, decrypting the encrypted slice certificate, determining a correspondence between expected characteristics and the slice characteristics from a decrypted slice certificate, authorizing the wireless user device for the wireless network slice based on the correspondence, and in response to authorization, transferring user context for the wireless network slice to the wireless access node and a network user-plane;

the wireless access node receiving the user context for the wireless network slice, exchanging user data with the wireless user device per the user context, and exchanging the user data with the network user-plane per the user context; and

the network user-plane receiving the user context for the wireless network slice, exchanging the user data with the wireless access node per the user context, and exchanging the user data with a data system per the user context.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate a slice identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the slice identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the slice identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate an application identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the application identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the application identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate Radio Access Network (RAN) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the RAN information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the RAN information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate server information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the server information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the server information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate User Plane Function (UPF) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the UPF information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the UPF information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate Session Management Function (SMF) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the SMF information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the SMF information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network slice comprises at least one of a massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) slice, an Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) slice, or an enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) slice.

9. A wireless communication network to serve a wireless user device over a wireless network slice that has an encrypted slice certificate that has slice characteristics, the wireless communication network comprising:

a wireless access node configured to receive the encrypted slice certificate from the wireless user device and transfer the encrypted slice certificate to a network control-plane;

the network control-plane configured to receive the encrypted slice certificate from the wireless access node, decrypt the encrypted slice certificate, determine a correspondence between expected characteristics and the slice characteristics from a decrypted slice certificate, authorize the wireless user device for the wireless network slice based on the correspondence, and in response to authorization, transfer user context for the wireless network slice to the wireless access node and a network user-plane;

the wireless access node configured to receive the user context for the wireless network slice, exchange user data with the wireless user device per the user context, and exchange the user data with the network user-plane per the user context; and

the network user-plane configured to receive the user context for the wireless network slice, exchange the user data with the wireless access node per the user context, and exchange the user data with a data system per the user context.

10. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate a slice identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the slice identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the slice identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

11. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate an application identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the application identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the application identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

12. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate Radio Access Network (RAN) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the RAN information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the RAN information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

13. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate server information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the server information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the server information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

14. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate User Plane Function (UPF) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the UPF information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the UPF information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

15. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate Session Management Function (SMF) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the SMF information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the SMF information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

16. The wireless communication network of claim 9 wherein the wireless network slice comprises at least one of a massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) slice, an Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) slice, or an enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) slice.

17. A method, the method comprising:

receiving an encrypted slice certificate transferred by a wireless user device over a wireless access node, wherein the encrypted slice certificate has slice characteristics and corresponds to a wireless network slice;

decrypting the encrypted slice certificate;

determining a correspondence between expected characteristics and the slice characteristics from a decrypted slice certificate;

authorizing the wireless user device for the wireless network slice based on the correspondence;

in response to authorization, transferring user context for the wireless network slice to the wireless user device over the wireless access node;

exchanging user data with the wireless user device over the wireless access node based on the user context for the wireless network slice and

exchanging the user data with a data system based on the user context for the wireless network slice.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate a slice identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the slice identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the slice identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate an application identifier for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the application identifier for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the application identifiers in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the slice characteristics indicate Radio Access Network (RAN) information for the wireless network slice;

the expected characteristics indicate the RAN information for the wireless network slice; and

the correspondence comprises a match between the RAN information in the slice characteristics and the expected characteristics.