US 11,968,529 B2
Authentication of a radio communication device to a network
Patrik Salmela, Espoo (FI); Per Ståhl, Klagshamn (SE); Kristian Slavov, Espoo (FI); and Vesa Lehtovirta, Espoo (FI)
Assigned to TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL), Stockholm (SE)
Appl. No. 17/593,267
Filed by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (PUBL), Stockholm (SE)
PCT Filed Mar. 15, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/056564
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/187387, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0201479 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. H04W 12/06 (2021.01); H04W 12/041 (2021.01); H04W 12/0431 (2021.01); H04W 12/106 (2021.01)
CPC H04W 12/068 (2021.01) [H04W 12/041 (2021.01); H04W 12/0431 (2021.01); H04W 12/106 (2021.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for authenticating a first radio communication device with a network, the method being performed by the first radio communication device, the method comprising:
obtaining credentials for a network subscription to the network;
downloading a radio protocol stack from the network;
negotiating how the radio protocol stack is to be split between the first radio communication device and a second radio communication device, wherein the radio protocol stack comprises a user plane protocol and a control plane protocol, the user plane protocol and the control plane protocol are split between the first radio communication device and the second radio communication device;
based at least on the negotiation, obtaining an upper part of the radio protocol stack, according to which radio protocol stack the first radio communication device is configured to communicate with the network, wherein the upper part of the radio protocol stack corresponds to the user plane protocol;
authenticating with the network; and
providing, to the second radio communication device, at least one key, as derived from the credentials during the authenticating with the network, for use by the second radio communication device when executing the remaining part of the radio protocol stack for communication between the second radio communication device and the network.