# US 2021/0345236 A1 · Access Control in Communications Network Comprising Slices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0345236 A1 - Document ID: US20210345236A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/366,202 - Filed: 2021-07-02 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-31 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Branko Djordjevic; Peter Hedman; Ralf Keller; Ann-Christine Sander - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210345236A1 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - 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 8/22: Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities - H04W 12/08: Access security - 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 for operating a mobile entity in a mobile communications network having at least one slice is provided. The slice of the mobile communication to which the mobile entity intends to connect is determined. Additionally, whether a relationship can be identified in the mobile entity is determined. The relationship indicates whether the slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect is related to an access point of the that slice. A request message is then transmitted to a radio access network (RAN) of the mobile communications network that includes the identified relationship. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a mobile entity in a mobile communications network that supports at least one slice, the method implemented by the mobile entity and comprising: sending a request message to a radio access network (RAN) entity in the mobile communications network, the request message comprising a first network slice identifier identifying a slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect; receiving a response to the request message, wherein the response comprises a second network slice identifier the mobile entity is allowed to connect; and transmitting a connection request comprising the second network slice identifier and a related access point name when connecting to a slice of the mobile communication network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the request message is a registration/Attach request message. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, from the mobile communications network, a relationship indicating that the slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect is related to an access point name; and storing the relationship in the mobile entity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the access point name received from the mobile communications network as default access point if no information about an access point name has been transmitted to the mobile communications network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein, when information about the access point name has been transmitted to the mobile communications network before the relationship is received from the mobile communications network, the received relationship is stored as a new relationship relating the access point name identified in the received relationship to the slice mentioned in the relationship. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the relationship is stored in the mobile entity in a relation table providing a relation between the access point name, the network slice, and the mobile communications network in which the access point name and the network slice are provided. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the relationship also contains information about the mobile communications network with which the slice and the access point name belong are associated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein, if no relationship can be identified in the mobile entity, the request message is transmitted to the RAN without the relationship. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the relationship comprises a network slice identifier identifying the slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect and the access controlling function of the slice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first network slice identifier and the second network slice identifier are the same. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining the access point name to use when connecting to the slice of the mobile communication network; and wherein the connection request to connect to the slice of the mobile communication network further comprises an indication of the access point name to use for the connection. ### Claim 12 A mobile entity for operating in a mobile communications network comprising at least one slice, the mobile entity comprising: processing circuitry; memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the mobile entity is operative to: send a request message to a radio access network (RAN) entity in the mobile communications network, the request message comprising a first network slice identifier identifying a slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect; receive a response to the request message, wherein the response comprises a second network slice identifier the mobile entity is allowed to connect; and transmit a connection request comprising the second network slice identifier and a related access point name when connecting to a slice of the mobile communication network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the request message is a registration/Attach request message. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive, from the mobile communications network, a relationship indicating that the slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect is related to an access point name; and store the relationship in the mobile entity in the memory. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to store the access point name received from the mobile communications network as a default access point if no information about an access point name has been transmitted to the mobile communications network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The mobile entity of claim 14 wherein when information about the access point name has been transmitted to the mobile communications network before the relationship is received from the mobile communications network, the processing circuitry is further configured to store the received relationship as a new relationship relating the access point name identified in the received relationship to the slice mentioned in the relationship. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to store the relationship in the mobile entity in a relation table that provides a relation between the access point name, the network slice, and the mobile communications network in which the access point name and the network slice are provided. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the relationship further comprises information about the mobile communications network with which the slice and the access point name belong are associated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein, if no relationship can be identified in the mobile entity, the processing circuitry is further configured to send the request message to the RAN without the relationship. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the relationship comprises a network slice identifier identifying the slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect and the access controlling function of the slice. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the first network slice identifier and the second network slice identifier are the same. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The mobile entity of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine the access point name to use when connecting to the slice of the mobile communication network; and wherein the connection request to connect to the slice of the mobile communication network further comprises an indication of the access point name to use for the connection. ### Claim 23 A method for operating a network entity in a mobile communications network supporting at least one slice, the method implemented by the network entity and comprising: receiving, from a mobile entity, a request message in the mobile communications network, the request message comprising a first network slice identifier identifying a slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect; sending, to the mobile entity, a response to the request message, wherein the response comprises a second network slice identifier the mobile entity is allowed to connect, the second network identity selected based on subscription information of the mobile entity; and receiving, from the mobile entity, a connection request message to establish a connection using the second network slice identifier and a related access point name when connecting to a slice of the mobile communication network. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 further comprising: determining the second network slice identifier for the network slice to be used for the connection; determining the related access point name to be used when connecting to the slice of the mobile communication network; associating the access point name with the second network slice identifier; and sending the association of the access point name and the second network slice identifier in the response to the mobile entity. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 further comprising: determining the second network slice identifier for the network slice to be used for the packet data connection; associating the access point name with the network slice; and sending the association of the access point name and the second network slice identifier in the response to the mobile entity. ### Claim 26 A network entity configured to control a non-access stratum signaling of a mobile entity in a mobile communications network comprising at least one slice, the network entity comprising: processing circuitry; and memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the entity is operative to: receive, from the mobile entity, a request message in the mobile communications network, the request message comprising a first network slice identifier identifying a slice to which the mobile entity intends to connect; send, to the mobile entity, a response to the request message, wherein the response comprises a second network slice identifier the mobile entity is allowed to connect, the second network identity selected based on subscription information of the mobile entity; and receive, from the mobile entity, a connection request message to establish a connection using the second network slice identifier and a related access point name when connecting to a slice of the mobile communication network. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The network entity of claim 26 the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine the second network slice identifier for the network slice to be used for the connection; determine the related access point name to be used when connecting to the slice of the mobile communication network; associate the access point name with the second network slice identifier; and send the association of the access point name and the second network slice identifier in the response to the mobile entity. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The network entity of claim 26 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine the second network slice identifier for the network slice to be used for the packet data connection; associate the access point name with the network slice; and send the association of the access point name and the second network slice identifier in the response to the mobile entity. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The network entity of claim 26 wherein the network entity is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).