Method and apparatus to deliver multiple NAS containers via a single access stratum message

A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a IE, cause the IE at least to perform:

• receiving, at an access stratum (AS) layer of the IE, a plurality of non access stratum (NAS) payloads, wherein a first NAS payload of the plurality of NAS payloads is received from a first NAS sublayer and a subsequent payload of the plurality of NAS payloads is received from a subsequent NAS sublayer;
• encrypting, by the IE, the first payload with a first encryption generating a first encrypted payload and the subsequent payload with a subsequent encryption generating a subsequent encrypted payload, wherein the first encryption is associated with a first network function and the subsequent encryption is associated with a subsequent network function;
• generating, by the IE, a first message that includes a first temporary identifier comprising of routing information for the first network function and a first container, and a subsequent container, wherein the first container includes the first encrypted payload and the subsequent container includes the subsequent encrypted payload;
• and transmitting, by the UE, the first message to a first apparatus.

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE at least to perform:
• receiving, at an access stratum (AS) layer of the UE, a plurality of non access stratum (NAS) payloads, wherein a first NAS payload of the plurality of NAS payloads is received from a first NAS sublayer and a subsequent payload of the plurality of NAS payloads is received from a subsequent NAS sublayer;
• encrypting, by the UE, the first payload with a first encryption generating a first encrypted payload and the subsequent payload with a subsequent encryption generating a subsequent encrypted payload, wherein the first encryption is associated with a first network function and the subsequent encryption is associated with a subsequent network function;
• generating, by the UE, a first message that includes a first temporary identifier comprising of routing information for the first network function and a first container, and a subsequent container, wherein the first container includes the first encrypted payload and the subsequent container includes the subsequent encrypted payload;
• and
• transmitting, by the UE, the first message to a first apparatus.