# US 12,114,380 B2 · Apparatus and method for providing interworking of network slices in wireless communication system

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- Number: US 12,114,380 B2
- Document ID: US12114380B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/153,582
- Filed: 2023-01-12
- Published: 2023-05-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-14
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hoyeon Lee; Sangsoo Jeong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114380B2

## CPC

- H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers
- H04W 8/20: Transfer of user or subscriber data
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W 12/08: Access security
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A method of selecting, by a control entity, a network slice is provided. The method includes receiving a create session request message from a Serving Gateway (S-GW) in response to a Packet Data Network (PDN) connectivity request message transmitted by a terminal, transmitting, to a storage entity, a request message for subscriber information including identification information of the terminal, receiving, from the storage entity, subscription data of the terminal corresponding to the identification information of the terminal, selecting at least one network slice based on the subscription data of the terminal and slice information supportable by the control entity, and transmitting a create session response message including information of the selected at least one network slice, wherein the subscription data of the terminal includes information about a subscribed network slice of the terminal and information regarding whether the subscribed network slice of the terminal is supported in an Evolved Packet Core (EPC).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method performed by a core network entity in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a storage entity, a request message for subscription data;
receiving, from the storage entity, the subscription data, wherein the subscription data includes at least one of subscribed single-network slice selection assistance informations (S-NSSAIs) and at least one subscribed S-NSSAI marked as subject to network slice-specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA); and
based on the subscription data, identifying, from among the subscribed S-NSSAIs, a S-NSSAI that is supported by the core network entity,
wherein the identified S-NSSAI is not subject to the NSSAA, and
wherein the core network entity comprises a combo-node of a session management function (SMF) and a packet data network gateway control plane function (PGW-C).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a create session request message from a serving gateway (S-GW); and
transmitting, to a terminal, information of the identified S-NSSAI,
wherein the create session request message is received based on a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request message transmitted from the terminal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2,
wherein the PDN connectivity request message comprises information of an access point name (APN) requested from the terminal, and
wherein the identifying comprises identifying, from among the subscribed S-NSSAIs of the terminal, a S-NSSAI that is not subject to NSSAA, supports the APN, and is supportable by the core network entity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein, when there is no S-NSSAI identifiable by the core network entity, the PDN connectivity request is rejected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein a case where there is no S-NSSAI identifiable by the core network entity comprises a case where S-NSSAIs that are supportable by the core network entity from among subscribed S-NSSAIs of the terminal are all subject to NSSAA.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the request message includes a type of subscription data and a key for the type of the subscription data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the key for the type of the subscription data is a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the identified S-NSSAI is valid for an access point name (APN).

### Claim 9

A core network entity in a wireless communication system, the core network entity comprising:
a transceiver; and
a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
transmit, to a storage entity, a request message for subscription data,
receive, from the storage entity, the subscription data, wherein the subscription data includes at least one of subscribed single-network slice selection assistance informations (S-NSSAIs) and at least one subscribed S-NSSAI marked as subject to network slice-specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA), and
based on the subscription data, identify, from among the subscribed S-NSSAIs, a S-NSSAI that is supported by the core network entity,
wherein the identified S-NSSAI is not subject to the NSSAA, and
wherein the core network entity comprises a combo-node of a session management function (SMF) and a packet data network gateway control plane function (PGW-C).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The core network entity of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, a create session request message from a serving gateway (S-GW); and
transmit, to a terminal, information of the identified S-NSSAI,
wherein the create session request message is received based on a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request message transmitted from the terminal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The core network entity of claim 10,
wherein the PDN connectivity request message comprises information of an access point name (APN) requested from the terminal, and
wherein the processor is further configured to identify, from among the subscribed S-NSSAIs of the terminal, a S-NSSAI that is not subject to NSSAA, supports the APN, and is supportable by the core network entity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The core network entity of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to reject the PDN connectivity when there is no S-NSSAI identifiable by the core network entity.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The core network entity of claim 12, wherein a case where there is no S-NSSAI identifiable by the core network entity comprises a case where S-NSSAIs that are supportable by the core network entity from among subscribed S-NSSAIs of the terminal are all subject to NSSAA.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The core network entity of claim 9, wherein the request message includes a type of subscription data and a key for the type of the subscription data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The core network entity of claim 14, wherein the key for the type of the subscription data is a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI).

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The core network entity of claim 9, wherein the identified S-NSSAI is valid for an access point name (APN).