# US 2021/0243170 A1 · Methods for processing encrypted domain name server, dns, queries received from user equipment in a telecommunication network

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- Number: US 2021/0243170 A1
- Document ID: US20210243170A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/054,819
- Filed: 2018-07-11
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-21
- Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
- Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
- Inventors: Miguel Angel PUENTE PESTAÑA; Miguel Angel MUÑOZ DE LA TORRE ALONSO; Maria Luisa MAS ROSIQUE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243170A1

## CPC

- H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring
- H04L 61/4511: using domain name system [DNS]
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- H04W 8/08: Mobility data transfer
- H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
- H04W 8/186: {Processing of subscriber group data}
- H04W 8/20: Transfer of user or subscriber data
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A method of processing a Domain Name Server, DNS, query received from a User Equipment, UE, in a telecommunication network, wherein said method comprises the steps of receiving (102), by a User Plane Function, UPF, an encrypted message from said UE, determining (103), by said UPF, that said encrypted message is an encrypted DNS query by establishing that a destination address in said encrypted message corresponds to an address of a DNS server comprised by said telecommunication network, and forwarding (104), by said UPF, said encrypted DNS query to said DNS server.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing a Domain Name Server (DNS) query received from a User Equipment (UE) in a telecommunication network, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
receiving, by a User Plane Function (UPF) an encrypted message from said UE;
determining, by said UPF, that said encrypted message is an encrypted DNS query by establishing that a destination address in said encrypted message corresponds to an address of a DNS server comprised by said telecommunication network; and
forwarding, by said UPF, said encrypted DNS query to said DNS server.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
forwarding, by said UPF, to a Session Management Function (SMF) comprised by said telecommunication network, a usage report thereby indicating said SMF of said received encrypted DNS query; and
receiving, by said UPF, from said SMF, a usage report acknowledgement.

### Claim 3

A method of activating encrypted Domain Name System (DNS) query functionality for a User Equipment (UE) in a telecommunication network, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
receiving, by a Policy Control Function (PCF) from a Session Management Function (SMF) a policy create message, wherein said policy create message comprises a subscriber identification (ID) of said UE;
retrieving, by said PCF, from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) a subscriber policy profile of said UE using said subscriber ID, wherein said subscriber policy profile comprises an indication that said UE is subject to encrypted DNS query functionality; and
activating, by said PCF, encrypted DNS query functionality for said UE.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said step of activating comprises:
sending, by said PCF, to said SMF, a policy create message comprising an indication that said UE is subject to encrypted DNS query functionality.

### Claim 5

A method of supporting encrypted Domain Name Server (DNS) query functionality for a User Equipment (UE) in a telecommunication network, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
receiving, by a Session Management Function (SMF) from a Policy Control Function (PCF) a policy create message comprising an indication that said UE is subject to encrypted DNS query functionality; and
sending, by said SMF, to a User Plane Function (UPF) a session establishment/modification request, wherein said request comprises a usage report rule for request said UPF to notify said SMF of received encrypted DNS queries origination from said UE.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
receiving, by said SMF, from said UPF, a usage report thereby indicating said SMF of a received encrypted DNS query originating from said UE; and
sending, by said SMF to said UPF, a usage report acknowledgement.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
sending, by said SMF, to a DNS server comprised by said telecommunication network, an Internet Protocol (IP) address query message, wherein said IP address query message comprises an IP address of said UE; and
receiving, by said SMF, from said DNS server, an IP address query response message, wherein said IP address query response message comprises an IP address and a Domain corresponding to said DNS query origination from said UE.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
sending, by said SMF, to said UPF, a session modification request message, wherein said session modification request message comprises said IP address and said Domain corresponding to said DNS query origination from said UE; and
receiving, by said SMF, from said UPF, a session modification response message.

### Claim at position 9

9-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A Session Management Function (SMF) arranged for supporting encrypted Domain Name Server (DNS) query functionality for a User Equipment (UE) in a telecommunication network, wherein said SMF comprises:
receive equipment arranged for receiving, from a Policy Control Function (PCF) a policy create message comprising an indication that said UE is subject to encrypted DNS query functionality; and
transmit equipment arranged for sending, to a User Plane Function (UPF) a session establishment/modification request, wherein said request comprises a usage report rule for request said UPF to notify said SMF of received encrypted DNS queries origination from said UE.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The SMF in accordance with claim 13, wherein said receive equipment is further arranged for receiving, from said UPF, a usage report thereby indicating said SMF of a received encrypted DNS query originating from said UE, and wherein said transmit equipment is further arranged for sending, to said UPF, a usage report acknowledgement.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The SMF in accordance with claim 14, wherein said transmit equipment is further arranged for sending, to a DNS server comprised by said telecommunication network, an Internet Protocol (IP) address query message, wherein said IP address query message comprises an IP address of said UE, and wherein said receive equipment is further arranged for receiving, from said DNS server, an IP address query response message, wherein said IP address query response message comprises an IP address and a Domain corresponding to said DNS query origination from said UE.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The SMF in accordance with claim 15, wherein said transmit equipment is further arranged for sending, to said UPF, a session modification request message, wherein said session modification request message comprises said IP address and said Domain corresponding to said DNS query origination from said UE, and wherein said receive equipment is further arranged for receiving, from said UPF, a session modification response message.

### Claim 17

(canceled)