IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,192,759
Granted Patent B2
US 12,192,759 · App. 17/814,406 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Fifth generation (5G) authentication and key agreement user equipment authentication

Inventors: Eugen Octavian Nicoara (Highlands Ranch, CO); Nam Kim (Dunwoody, GA)
H04W12/06H04W12/0431
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,192,759
App. No.
17/814,406
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Providing 5G-AKA User Equipment (UE) authentication and, more specifically, providing 5G-AKA UE authentication at an edge of a network may be provided. An Authentication Server Function (AUSF) at an edge of a network, and the AUSF may request an Authentication Vector (AV) from a Unified Data Management (UDM). The AUSF may receive AV from the UDM and cache the AV at an AV cache. An authentication request may be received from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and the AV from the AV cache may be provided to the AMF.

Claims (73)

1. A method comprising:

executing an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) at an edge of a network;

requesting, by the AUSF, an Authentication Vector (AV) from a Unified Data Management (UDM);

receiving the AV from the UDM;

caching the AV at an AV cache;

receiving an authentication request from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF);

providing the AV from the AV cache to the AMF; and

determining the UDM is inaccessible, wherein providing the AV from the AV cache to the AMF is in response to determining the UDM is inaccessible.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

requesting, by the AUSF, a second AV from the UDM;

receiving the second AV from the UDM; and

caching the second AV at the AV cache.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising receiving an AV request from an AV request queue, wherein requesting the second AV from the UDM is in response to receiving the AV request.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request from the AMF to perform a re-synchronization procedure associated with a subscriber;

instructing the AV cache to remove a cached AV associated with the subscriber;

requesting a second AV associated with the subscriber from the UDM;

receiving the second AV; and

caching the second AV at the AV cache.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an authentication confirmation from the AMF;

sending the authentication confirmation to the UDM; and

receiving a confirmation of authentication confirmation success from the UDM.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

sending the authentication confirmation to an authentication confirmation and result removal queue; and

receiving the authentication confirmation from the authentication confirmation and result removal queue, wherein sending the authentication confirmation to the UDM is in response to receiving the authentication confirmation from the authentication confirmation and result removal queue.

7. A system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

executing an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) at an edge of a network;

cause the AUSF to request an Authentication Vector (AV) from a Unified Data Management (UDM);

receive the AV from the UDM;

cache the AV at an AV cache;

receive an authentication request from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF);

provide the AV from the AV cache to the AMF;

receive an authentication confirmation from the AMF;

send the authentication confirmation to the UDM;

receive a confirmation of authentication confirmation success from the UDM;

send the authentication confirmation to an authentication confirmation and result removal queue; and

receive the authentication confirmation from the authentication confirmation and result removal queue, wherein to send the authentication confirmation to the UDM is in response to receiving the authentication confirmation from the authentication confirmation and result removal queue.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to, determine the UDM is inaccessible, wherein to provide the AV from the AV cache to the AMF is in response to determining the UDM is inaccessible.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to,

cause the AUSF to request a second AV from the UDM;

receive the second AV from the UDM; and

cache the second AV at the AV cache.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to, receive an AV request from an AV request queue, wherein to request the second AV from the UDM is in response to receiving the AV request.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to, receive a request from the AMF to perform a re-synchronization procedure associated with a subscriber;

instruct the AV cache to remove a cached AV associated with the subscriber;

request a second AV associated with the subscriber from the UDM;

receive the second AV; and

cache the second AV at the AV cache.

12. A computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

executing an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) at an edge of a network;

requesting, by the AUSF, an Authentication Vector (AV) from a Unified Data Management (UDM);

receiving the AV from the UDM;

caching the AV at an AV cache;

receiving an authentication request from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF);

providing the AV from the AV cache to the AMF;

requesting, by the AUSF, a second AV from the UDM;

receiving the second AV from the UDM;

caching the second AV at the AV cache; and

receiving an AV request from an AV request queue, wherein requesting the second AV from the UDM is in response to receiving the AV request.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising determining the UDM is inaccessible, wherein providing the AV from the AV cache to the AMF is in response to determining the UDM is inaccessible.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving an authentication confirmation from the AMF;

sending the authentication confirmation to the UDM; and

receiving a confirmation of authentication confirmation success from the UDM.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving a request from the AMF to perform a re-synchronization procedure associated with a subscriber;

instructing the AV cache to remove a cached AV associated with the subscriber;

requesting a second AV associated with the subscriber from the UDM;

receiving the second AV; and

caching the second AV at the AV cache.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: NICOARA, EUGEN OCTAVIAN; KIM, NAM
To: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060598/0463 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240031804A1 · Jan 25, 2024
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