Granted Patent B2

US 12,621,665 · App. 18/017,222 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Rohini Rajendran (Bangalore, IN); Rajavelsamy Rajadurai (Bangalore, IN); Nivedya Parambath Sasi (Bangalore, IN)

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

H04W12/06H04W12/041H04W12/0431

Abstract

Claims (45)

1 . A method for establishing secure communication in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving, by an Authentication Server Function entity, a key request message from a remote UE;

acquiring, by an Authentication Server Function entity, one of a subscription permanent identifier of the remote UEand a remote access via relay identifier associated with the SUPI of the remote UE;

generating, by the AUSF entity, a REAR key for a remote UE communication via a UE-to-network relay; and

sending, by the AUSF entity, a key response message to the remote UE for establishing secure communication, wherein the key response message comprises the generated REAR key, the REAR ID and at least one of a relay UE ID and a temporary ID of a relay.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the REAR key is used for deriving a first Proximity Services key.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

acquiring, by the AUSF entity, the REAR key, a freshness parameter, one of a Fifth Generation-Global Unique Temporary Identifier and a SUPI, and at least one of a relay service code and a service identifier;

generating, by the AUSF entity, a second ProSe key for a remote access via the relay based on the REAR key, the 5G-GUTI, the freshness parameter, and at least one of the relay service code and the service identifier, wherein the second ProSe key is used as a root key for ProSe UE-to-network relay communication; and

sending, by the AUSF entity, the freshness parameter in a key response message to a relay UE for establishing secure communication.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the freshness parameter comprises at least one of a nonce, a counter and a random number.

5 . The method of claim 3 ,

wherein the AUSF entity-sends the freshness parameter in the key response message to the relay UE in response to the AUSF entity receiving the key request message from the relay UE, and

wherein the AUSF entity-receives the key request message from the remote UE through an Access and Mobility Management Function entity.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein deriving the first ProSe key comprises:

obtaining a latest K AUSF , a SUPI of a remote UE, a REAR identifier, at least one parameter and one of a relay UE ID bound to a SUPI of relay and a temporary ID of relay; and

deriving the first ProSe key based on the K AUSF , the SUPI of the remote UE, the REAR ID, the at least one parameter and one of the Relay UE ID bound to SUPI of relay and the temporary ID of relay.

7 . The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the first ProSe key is a 256 bits in which first 128 bits MSB of key is the REAR key and second 128 bits is a REAR key identifier, and

wherein the REAR key ID is used to identify the REAR key.

8 . The method as claimed in of claim 1 , wherein the REAR identifier is associated with a SUPI of the remote UE and is stored in the UDM entity in a UE subscription data.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relay UE ID and the temporary ID of the relay is bound to a UE-to-network relay SUPI.

10 . A method for establishing secure communication in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

sending, by a remote UE, a key request message to an AMF entity, wherein the key request message comprises a ProSe remote access indication and at least one of a 5G-GUTI and a SUCI;

receiving, by the AMF entity, the key request message from the remote UE;

forwarding, by the AMF entity, the key request message to an AUSF entity; and

performing, by the AUSF entity, an action for establishing secure communication based on the key request message,

wherein the action comprises at least one of an authentication operation, an authorization operation and a key derivation operation for a ProSe UE-to-Network relay communication.

11 . An Authentication Server Function entity in a wireless communication network, the AUSF entity comprising:

memory;

a processor; and

a secure communication controller, coupled with the memoryand the processor, configured to:

receive a key request message from a remote UE,

acquire one of a subscription permanent identifier of the remote UE and a remote access via relay identifier associated with the SUPI of the remote UE,

generate a REAR key for remote UE communication via a UE-to-network relay, wherein the REAR key is used for deriving a first Proximity Services key, and

send a key response message to a remote UE for establishing secure communication, wherein the key response message comprises the generated REAR key, the REAR ID and at least one of a relay UE ID and a temporary ID of a relay.

12 . The AUSF entity of claim 11 , wherein the REAR key is used for deriving a first Proximity Services key.

13 . The AUSF entity of claim 11 , wherein the secure communication controller is configured to:

acquire the rear key, a Fifth Generation-Global Unique Temporary Identifier, a freshness parameter, and at least one of a relay service code and a service identifier,

generate a second ProSe key for a remote access via the relay based on the REAR key, the 5G-GUTI, the freshness parameter and at least one of the relay service code and the service identifier, wherein the second ProSe key is used as a root key, and

send the freshness parameter in a key response message to a relay UE for establishing secure communication.

14 . The AUSF entity of claim 13 , wherein the freshness parameter comprises at least one of a nonce, a counter and a random number.

15 . The AUSF entity of claim 13 ,

wherein the secure communication controller is configured to send the freshness parameter in the key response message to the relay UE in response to the AUSF entity receiving the key request message from the relay UE, and

wherein the AUSF entity receives the key request message from the remote UE through an Access and Mobility Management Function entity.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (24)