Radio Access Capabilities of a Wireless Device

Abstract

A network node ( 30 A, 30 B) is configured for use in a wireless communication network ( 10 ). The network node ( 30 A, 30 B) is configured to acquire radio access capability information ( 28 ) of a wireless device ( 14 ). The radio access capability information ( 28 ) of the wireless device ( 14 ) indicates radio access capabilities of the wireless device ( 14 ). The network node ( 30 A, 30 B) is configured to determine if the wireless communication network ( 10 ) received the radio access capability information ( 28 ) of the wireless device ( 14 ) before access stratum security ( 24 ) was activated for the wireless device ( 14 ). If the wireless communication network ( 10 ) received the radio access capability information ( 28 ) of the wireless device ( 14 ) before access stratum security ( 24 ) was activated for the wireless device ( 14 ) according to that determination, the network node ( 30 A, 30 B) is configured to re-acquire the radio access capability information ( 28 ) of the wireless device ( 14 ) after access stratum security ( 24 ) is activated for the wireless device ( 14 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a network node in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of a wireless device;   deriving a derivative of the received radio access capability information;   receiving a derivative of radio access capability information transmitted by the wireless device; and   verifying whether or not the derived derivative matches the received derivative.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving the received derivative within a message that is integrity protected and/or confidentiality protected, and receiving the radio access capability information from the wireless device over a control plane connection before access stratum security is activated over the control plane connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the derived derivative is a hash of the received radio access capability information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising triggering radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment or non-access stratum recovery responsive to verifying the derived derivative does not match the received derivative. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radio access capability information comprises:
 one of multiple Radio Resource Control (RRC) segments that indicate the radio access capabilities of the wireless device; or   a capability identity mapped to the radio access capabilities of the wireless device.   
     
     
         6 . A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:
 transmitting, to a wireless communication network, radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of the wireless device;   deriving a derivative of the transmitted radio access capability information; and   transmitting the derived derivative to the wireless communication network.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising transmitting the derived derivative within a message that is integrity protected and/or confidentiality protected, and transmitting the radio access capability information over a control plane connection before access stratum security is activated over the control plane connection. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the derived derivative is a hash of the transmitted radio access capability information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the radio access capability information comprises:
 one of multiple Radio Resource Control (RRC) segments that indicate the radio access capabilities of the wireless device; or   an identifier mapped to the radio access capabilities of the wireless device.   
     
     
         10 . A network node configured for use in a wireless communication network, the network node comprising:
 communication circuitry; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 receive radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of a wireless device; 
 derive a derivative of the received radio access capability information; 
 receive a derivative of radio access capability information transmitted by the wireless device; and 
 verify whether or not the derived derivative matches the received derivative. 
   
     
     
         11 . The network node of  claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
 receive the received derivative within a message that is integrity protected and/or confidentiality protected; and   receive the radio access capability information from the wireless device over a control plane connection before access stratum security is activated over the control plane connection.   
     
     
         12 . The network node of  claim 10 , wherein the derived derivative is a hash of the received radio access capability information. 
     
     
         13 . The network node of  claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to trigger radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment or non-access stratum recovery responsive to verifying the derived derivative does not match the received derivative. 
     
     
         14 . The network node of  claim 10 , wherein the radio access capability information comprises:
 one of multiple Radio Resource Control (RRC) segments that indicate the radio access capabilities of the wireless device; or   a capability identity mapped to the radio access capabilities of the wireless device.   
     
     
         15 . A wireless device comprising:
 communication circuitry; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 transmit, to a wireless communication network, radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of the wireless device; 
 derive a derivative of the transmitted radio access capability information; and 
 transmit the derived derivative to the wireless communication network. 
   
     
     
         16 . The wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
 transmit the derived derivative within a message that is integrity protected and/or confidentiality protected; and   transmit the radio access capability information over a control plane connection before access stratum security is activated over the control plane connection.   
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein the derived derivative is a hash of the transmitted radio access capability information. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein the radio access capability information comprises:
 one of multiple Radio Resource Control (RRC) segments that indicate the radio access capabilities of the wireless device; or   an identifier mapped to the radio access capabilities of the wireless device.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node in a wireless communication network, causes the network node to:
 receive radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of a wireless device;   derive a derivative of the received radio access capability information;   receive a derivative of radio access capability information transmitted by the wireless device; and   verify whether or not the derived derivative matches the received derivative.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a wireless device, causes the wireless device to:
 transmit, to a wireless communication network, radio access capability information indicating radio access capabilities of the wireless device;   derive a derivative of the transmitted radio access capability information; and   transmit the derived derivative to the wireless communication network.