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EP-4738937-A2 - SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DUAL-SIM UES OPERATION IN 5G NETWORKS

EP4738937A2EP 4738937 A2EP4738937 A2EP 4738937A2EP-4738937-A2

Abstract

Many commercially deployed devices support more than one SIM cards. Support for multi-USIM is currently handled in an implementation-specific manner without any support from 3GPP specifications. With the increased complexity of 5G-capable UEs and with growing demand for multi-USIM devices in the market, it becomes important to consider system enhancements that would allow for more efficient solution involving required support to UE from 5G core and 5G-RAN.

Inventors

  • SINGH, SHUBHRANSHU
  • YOSHIZAWA, TAKAHITO

Assignees

  • NEC Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200501

Claims (10)

  1. A User Equipment, UE (3), comprising a Multi-Universal Subscriber Identity Module, USIM (45), the UE (3) comprising: means for sending, to an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF (10), apparatus, a first Non-Access Stratum, NAS message, wherein the first NAS message includes first information configured to indicate a Multi-USIM capability of the UE (3); and means for receiving, from the AMF (10) apparatus, a second NAS message, wherein the second NAS message includes second information, wherein the second information is based on the first information, and wherein the second information is configured to indicate whether a Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is supported by a network.
  2. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the second information is configured to indicate that the Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is not supported by the network.
  3. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the second information is configured to indicate that the Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is not supported by the network in a case where the network does not support the Multi-USIM feature.
  4. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the network includes the AMF apparatus.
  5. An Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF (10) apparatus, the AMF (10) comprising: means for receiving, from a User Equipment, UE (3), comprising a Multi-Universal Subscriber Identity Module, USIM (45), a first Non-Access Stratum, NAS, message, wherein the first NAS message includes first information configured to indicate a Multi-USIM capability of the UE (3); and means for sending, to the UE (3), a second NAS message, wherein the second NAS message includes second information, wherein the second information is based on the first information, and wherein the second information is configured to indicate whether a Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is supported by a network.
  6. The AMF apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second information is configured to indicate that the Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is not supported by the network.
  7. The AMF apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second information is configured to indicate that the Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is not supported by the network in a case where the network does not support the Multi-USIM feature.
  8. The AMF apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the network includes the AMF apparatus.
  9. A method performed by a User Equipment, UE (3), comprising a Multi-Universal Subscriber Identity Module, USIM (45), the method comprising: sending, to an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF (10), apparatus, a first Non-Access Stratum, NAS, message, wherein the first NAS message includes first information configured to indicate a Multi-USIM capability of the UE (3); and receiving, from the AMF (10) apparatus, a second NAS message, wherein the second NAS message includes second information, wherein the second information is based on the first information, and wherein the second information is configured to indicate whether a Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is supported by a network.
  10. A method performed by an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF (10), apparatus, the method comprising: receiving, from A User Equipment, UE (3), comprising a Multi-Universal Subscriber Identity Module, USIM (45), a first Non-Access Stratum, NAS, message, wherein the first NAS message includes first information configured to indicate a Multi-USIM capability of the UE (3); and sending, to the UE (3), a second NAS message, wherein the second NAS message includes second information, wherein the second information is based on the first information, and wherein the second information is configured to indicate whether a Multi-USIM feature related to the Multi-USIM capability is supported by a network.

Description

The present invention relates to a communication system. The invention has particular but not exclusive relevance to wireless communication systems and devices thereof operating according to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards or equivalents or derivatives thereof. The invention has particular although not exclusive relevance to multi-SIM user equipment (UE) in the so-called '5G' (or 'Next Generation') systems. Many commercially deployed devices support more than one SIM card (typically two SIMs). Support for multi-USIM is currently handled in an implementation-specific manner without any support from 3GPP specifications and 5G core and 5G RAN. With the increased complexity of 5G-capable UEs and with growing demand for multi-USIM devices in the market, it has become important to consider solutions and system enhancements that would allow for a more efficient solution involving required support to UE from 5G core and 5G-RAN, and to support various new use cases and applications. Related to a multi-SIM capable device, at least the following problems have been identified: 1. The 5G-RAN and the core network (e.g. an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in the core network) are not aware of the UE's multi-SIM capability (e.g. two/more SIMs in the same UE) and the UE's radio capability (e.g. number of supported transceivers). This causes a problem, for example: A multi-SIM UE may establish connection and access to a (R)AN that does not support and provide features required by the UE with more than one SIM. Thus, any subsequent request from the UE for specific services gets rejected or silently discarded.A multi-SIM UE may get registered to an AMF (and other core Network Entities) that does not support and provide features required by multi-SIM scenarios. Thus any subsequent request from the UE for specific services gets rejected or silently discarded.2. Currently the UE is not made aware of whether or not certain (R)AN and core Network Function instances (e.g. AMF) support functionalities and services requested and needed for its multi-SIM use case specific requirements. Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide methods and associated apparatus that provide improvements related to multi-SIM capability UEs, for example by at least partially addressing or at least alleviating one or more of the above issues. In one aspect, the invention provides a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), the method comprising: transmitting, to a node of a Radio Access Network (RAN), in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE, for use by said node in selecting, for the UE, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) supporting said Multi-SIM capability. In one aspect, the invention provides a method performed by a node of a Radio Access Network (RAN), the method comprising: receiving, from a User Equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE; and selecting, for the UE, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) supporting said Multi-SIM capability. In one aspect, the invention provides a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), the method comprising: transmitting, to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE, for use by said AMF in verifying whether the UE has a subscription for Multi-SIM. In one aspect, the invention provides a method performed by an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), the method comprising: receiving, from a User Equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE; and verifying whether the UE has a subscription for Multi-SIM. In one aspect, the invention provides a User Equipment (UE) comprising a controller, a transceiver, and a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs); wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver to transmit, to a node of a Radio Access Network (RAN), in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE, for use by said node in selecting, for the UE, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) supporting said Multi-SIM capability. In another aspect, the invention provides a User Equipment (UE) comprising: a plurality of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs); and means for transmitting, to a node of a Radio Access Network (RAN), in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, information indicating a Multi-SIM capability of the UE, for use by said node in selecting, for the UE, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) supporting said M