# US 11,910,305 B2 · System and method of securing allocation of network functions for session slices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,305 B2 - Document ID: US11910305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/360,611 - Filed: 2021-06-28 - Published: 2022-12-29 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-28 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Feza H. Buyukdura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910305B2 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 12/10: Integrity - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 88/14: Backbone network devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device including a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations of receiving a query for 5G Session Management Functions (SMFs) to handle a connection request, wherein the query includes a slice ID and data network name; determining a list of SMFs that each have a blockchain ID immutably recorded on a blockchain, wherein the blockchain ID is authorized to provide service to the slice ID; and sending, responsive to the query, the list of SMFs. Other embodiments are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: receiving a query for 5G Session Management Functions (SMFs) to handle a connection request, wherein the query includes a slice ID and data network name; determining a list of SMFs that each have a blockchain ID immutably recorded on a blockchain, wherein the blockchain ID is authorized to provide service to the slice ID; and sending, responsive to the query, the list of SMFs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the query is received from an Access and Mobility Management Function. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the blockchain ID of each of the SMFs is recorded on the blockchain upon instantiation of each of the SMFs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the blockchain provides the blockchain ID of each of the SMFs to each of the SMFs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise registering the blockchain ID of each of the SMFs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise acknowledging the registering of the blockchain ID to each of the SMFs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise associating the blockchain ID with the slice ID. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise recording an association of the blockchain ID with the slice ID in a secure storage of the memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device provides a virtualized Network Resource Function (NRF). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed computing environment. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: receiving a query for network functions to handle a connection request, wherein the query includes a slice ID; determining a network function authorized to provide service for the slice ID based on a blockchain ID for the network function immutably recorded on a blockchain; and sending, responsive to the query, an identifier for the network function. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the identifier is the blockchain ID. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network function provides a Session Management Function, an Access and Mobility Management Function, a User Plane Function, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the blockchain ID of the network function is immutably recorded on the blockchain upon instantiation of the network function. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise associating the blockchain ID with the slice ID. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network function provides an Access and Mobility Management Function. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions provide a Network Slice Selection Function. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed computing environment. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a query for network functions to handle a connection request, wherein the query includes a slice ID; determining, by the processing system, a network function authorized to provide service for the slice ID based on a blockchain ID of the network function, wherein the blockchain ID is immutably recorded on a blockchain; and sending, by the processor responsive to the query, an identifier for the network function. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, comprising: associating, by the processing system, the blockchain ID with the slice ID, wherein the slice ID comprises single network slice selection assistance information.