Network elements, wireless communication system and methods therefor
First Claim
1. A method for determining a permanent subscriber identity of a wireless communication unit located within a cell of a wireless communication system comprising a radio access network and a core network, the method including, at a network element:
- serving said cell in the radio access network,receiving a request for services from a wireless communication unit wherein the request for services includes a temporary identity that comprises a System Architecture Evolution, SAE, Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, of the wireless communication unit,in response thereto generating and transmitting to the wireless communication unit a response message that comprises a non-authenticated Evolved Packet System Mobility Management, EMM Service Reject with Cause;
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User Equipment, UE, identity cannot be derived by the network’
wherein the response message prompts the wireless communication unit to make a second request for services including its permanent subscriber identity, andreceiving said second request for services including the permanent identity of the wireless communication unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio access network element (101) obtains a permanent subscriber identity (IMSI) of a User Equipment (103) in an LTE wireless communication system (100) by sending a “fake” service reject message to a User Equipment which has attempted to attach to a cell (102) in a request for services message which includes its S-TMSI. The reject message may include a cause code which results in the UE attempting to attach again, this time using its IMSI. The fake service reject message may be generated in a an eNode B serving one or more macrocells or a evolved Home Node B serving a small cell.
123 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for determining a permanent subscriber identity of a wireless communication unit located within a cell of a wireless communication system comprising a radio access network and a core network, the method including, at a network element:
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serving said cell in the radio access network, receiving a request for services from a wireless communication unit wherein the request for services includes a temporary identity that comprises a System Architecture Evolution, SAE, Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, of the wireless communication unit, in response thereto generating and transmitting to the wireless communication unit a response message that comprises a non-authenticated Evolved Packet System Mobility Management, EMM Service Reject with Cause;
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User Equipment, UE, identity cannot be derived by the network’
wherein the response message prompts the wireless communication unit to make a second request for services including its permanent subscriber identity, andreceiving said second request for services including the permanent identity of the wireless communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A radio access network element for determining a permanent subscriber identity of a wireless communication unit located in a cell of wireless communication system comprising a radio access network and a core network , the radio access network element being arranged to serve said cell and comprising:
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a receiver arranged to receive a request for services from a wireless communication unit wherein the request for services includes a temporary identity that comprises a System Architecture Evolution, SAE, Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, of the wireless communication unit, a signal processor arranged, in response thereto, to generate a response message that comprises a non-authenticated Evolved Packet System Mobility Management, EMM, Service Reject with Cause;
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User Equipment, UE, identity cannot be derived by the network’
wherein the response message prompts the wireless communication unit to make a second request for services including its permanent subscriber identity, anda transmitter arranged to transmit said generated response message to the wireless communication unit and wherein the receiver is further arranged to receive the second request for services including the permanent subscriber identity of the wireless communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory tangible computer program product comprising executable code stored therein for execution by a processor to perform a method for determining a permanent subscriber identity of a wireless communication unit located within a cell of a wireless communication system comprising a radio access network and a core network, wherein the code is operable for, when executed at a radio access network element:
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serving said cell in the radio access network, receiving a request for services from a wireless communication unit wherein the request for services includes a temporary identity that comprises a System Architecture Evolution, SAE, Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, of the wireless communication unit, in response thereto generating and transmitting to the wireless communication unit a response message that comprises a non-authenticated Evolved Packet System Mobility Management, EMM, Service Reject with Cause;
‘
User Equipment, UE, identity cannot be derived by the network’
wherein the response message prompts the wireless communication unit to make a second request for services including its permanent subscriber identity, andreceiving said second request for services including the permanent identity of the wireless communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification