# US 12,771,674 B2 · Dual proxy deployments in communications networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,771,674 B2 - Document ID: US12771674B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/874,921 - Filed: 2022-08-29 - Published: 2026-05-21 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-15 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Marcus Ihlar; Maria Luisa Mas Rosique; Miguel Angel Muñoz De La Torre Alonso - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12771674B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/0281: {Proxies} - H04L 63/029: {Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes} - H04L 63/04: {for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Enabling dual-proxy relays in a communications network. The method includes transmitting from a second proxy node to a network exposure node a request for configuring a dual-proxy relay; transmitting from the network exposure node to a user data repository node at least one of an identifier and a network address information of the second proxy node; receiving at a policy control node from the user data repository node subscription data for the dual-proxy relay; transmitting from the policy control node to a session management node policy data for the dual-proxy relay; transmitting to a first proxy node user plane control data for the dual-proxy relay; determining that user plane traffic is traffic pertaining to the dual-proxy relay based on the received user plane control data; and transmitting from the first proxy node to the second proxy node the user plane traffic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enabling dual-proxy relays in a communications network, the method comprising: transmitting from a second proxy node to a network exposure node a request for configuring a dual-proxy relay including at least one of an identifier of the second proxy node and a network address information of the second proxy node; transmitting from the network exposure node to a user data repository node the at least one of an identifier of the second proxy node and a network address information of the second proxy node; receiving at a policy control node from the user data repository node subscription data for the dual-proxy relay including the at least one of an identifier of the second proxy node and a network address information of the second proxy node; transmitting from the policy control node to a session management node policy data for the dual-proxy relay including the at least one of an identifier of the second proxy node and a network address information of the second proxy node; transmitting from the session management node to a first proxy node user plane control data for the dual-proxy relay including the at least one of an identifier of the second proxy node and a network address information of the second proxy node; determining at the first proxy node that user plane traffic is traffic pertaining to the dual-proxy relay based on the received user plane control data; and transmitting from the first proxy node to the second proxy node the user plane traffic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting from the first proxy node to the session management node an indication of the support of the capability of acting as a proxy in dual-proxy relay deployments; and selecting at the session management node the first proxy node based on the transmitted indication. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving at the policy control node an indication originated in a User Equipment, UE, that the UE is dual-proxy enabled; and initiating at the policy control node the retrieval of the subscription data for the dual-proxy relay for the UE. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting from the first proxy node towards the UE, network address information of the first proxy node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the network address information of the first proxy node is transmitted via the session management node, wherein the network address information of the first proxy node is further transmitted via Extended Protocol Configuration Options, ePCO. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user plane traffic is traffic pertaining to the dual-proxy relay comprises determining that a connection has been established between the first proxy node and the UE. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the connection is a MASQUE connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the subscription data, the policy data, and the user plane control data further include a dual-proxy profile identifier, and wherein the first proxy node transmits the dual-proxy profile identifier to the second proxy node included in the user plane traffic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the subscription data, the policy data, and the user plane control data further include an indication to enable the dual-proxy relay, and wherein the first proxy node activates the dual-proxy relay functionality based on the indication. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the subscription data, the policy data, and the user plane control data further include one or both of: at least one allowed policy for the dual-proxy relay and at least one policy rule for the dual-proxy relay, and wherein the first proxy node performs the corresponding policy actions based on the one of both of the at least one allowed policy and the at least one policy rule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first proxy node is a User Plane Function, UPF, or a combination of a UPF and a proxy service function; the second proxy node is an Application Function, AF, the session management node is a Session Management Function, SMF, the policy control node is a Policy Control Function, PCF, the network exposure node is a Network Exposure Function, NEF, and the user data repository node is a User Data Repository, UDR.