T-Mobile Innovations LLC

Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

Sprint Spectrum L.p.

Mark Richard Bales

Lyle W Paczkowski

Lyle Thomas Bertz

Farni B Weaver

Robert Keith Butler

Harry W Perlow

Galip Murat Karabulut

Charles Woodson

Jeffrey F Phillips

Tracy Lee Nelson

Anthony James Wageman

Arun Santharam

Chidambaram Pavanasam

Pei Hou

Alberto Lorente

Craig A Lee

Marouane Balmakhtar

Ahmad Arash Obaidi

Ronald R Marquardt

Serge M Manning

Mobility edge network systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, a mobility edge interface extends instantiation of a UPF and/or other network functions of the operator core network further from the traditional centralized network core, to a new edge that is launched and hosted at the UE level. The mobility edge interface may implement a mobility UPF instance that is launched by one or more applications executed on a primary UE and made accessible through a wireless communication link with a mobility edge RAN established by the primary UE. Through the mobility edge RAN and the mobility UPF instance, a secondary UE may establish a point-to-point wireless communication link (which may be a 3GPP link, or a non-3GPP link) and a user plane data path with the primary UE, in order to communicate data corresponding to a data session between the primary and secondary UE.

Mobility edge network systems and methods

Relationship entity management systems and methods for telecommunications network user equipment are disclosed. In some embodiments, two or more UEs may form relationship entity in which they operate together to provide a service using a telecommunications network. A UE acting on behalf of the relationship entity may communicate a registration request message to a network function of the operator core network that includes which the network function may use to assign a relationship ID to the relationship entity. Records of relationship entity actives and/or resources used may be recorded to a relationship history ledger under the relationship ID, such as a block-chain technology ledger for example. In some embodiments, a UE while operating on the operator core network as part of the relationship entity may be authorized to access network services otherwise not available to the UE when they are not part of the relationship entity.

Relationship entity management systems and methods for telecommunications network user equipment

A method of providing access to a blockchain to a third party. The method comprises receiving by a first application a request from the third party to read data from the blockchain, wherein the request identifies an item of data stored in the blockchain; sending by the first application a request to obtain a first encryption key that is operable to decrypt the item of data; receiving the item of data by the first application from a second application; decrypting the item of data by the first application using the first encryption key; identifying a first part and a second part of the item of data by the first application; encrypting the first part of the item of data by the first application using a second encryption key; and sending the encrypted first part of the item of data by the first application to the third party.

Computer based secure data records keeping

A collector ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) device for collecting and forwarding data is disclosed. The device includes an antenna, an AEPH circuit converting RF energy from the antenna into electrical power, and a memory and a controller powered by the AEPH circuit. The controller receives in a first RF signal information from a reporter AEPH device, including data and the reporter ID. The controller stores the data in the memory with an association to the reporter ID. The controller receives in a second RF signal an interrogation signal. In response, the controller transmits a response via the antenna including the reporter ID and data in the memory associated with the reporter ID. The interrogation signal may be received and the response transmitted in a first RF band and/or communication protocol, and the information may be received in a second RF band and/or communication protocol.

Ambient electromagnetic power harvesting device for collecting and forwarding data

A mobile communication device. The device comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, a cellular radio transceiver, and an in-kind payment client application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the client application initiates an in-kind payment from a first wireless communication service account that is associated with the mobile communication device to a second wireless communication service account associated with a second mobile communication device, sends a verification request message to the second mobile communication device, receives an in-kind payment verification response message from the second mobile communication device, where the response message comprises an indication of a location of the second mobile communication device and an indication of completion of an in-kind payment to the second wireless communication service account, and analyzes the indication of location of the second mobile communication device and the indication of completion of the in-kind payment.

Mobile communication device in-kind payment verification

Systems and methods for ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) chip reader-writer devices are provided that selectively control RF parameters of electro-magnetic (EM) signals transmitted to an AEPH chip. In embodiments, the selection of which RF parameter configuration is applied when transmitting an EM signal is determined by an RF parameter selection processor based on the function being invoked from the AEPH chip. In one embodiment, an AEPH chip reader-writer selects a first configuration of radio frequency (RF) parameters from a plurality of RF parameters based on a determination of a first operation for execution by an ambient electromagnetic power harvesting chip; configures an RF transmit path circuit to use the first configuration of RF parameters; and initiates execution of the first operation in the ambient electromagnetic power harvesting chip by transmitting via the RF transmit path circuit a first electromagnetic signal using the first configuration of RF parameters.

Systems and methods for an ambient electromagnetic power harvesting chip reader-writer apparatus

A method of controlling assignment and management of identities in ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) chips. The method comprises allocating a plurality of unique AEPH identities by an AEPH management application executing on a computer system, receiving a plurality of requests by the AEPH management application to update a state associated in a blockchain with the unique AEPH identity identified in each request; determining by the AEPH management application that the blockchain is to be terminated; adding by the AEPH management application a terminal block to the blockchain; receiving a request by the AEPH management application to update a state associated with a unique AEPH identity in the blockchain; and sending a request rejection by the AEPH management application to the affiliated device that sent the request to update the state associated with the unique AEPH identity in the blockchain after the terminal block was added to the blockchain.

System and method of controlling lifecycles of ambient electromagnetic power harvesting chips

A system for controlling assignment and management of identities in ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) chips. The system comprises a processor; a non-transitory memory; and an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor, allocates a plurality of unique AEPH identities, wherein each unique identity comprises an identity of a product item and an instance identity; stores the plurality of unique AEPH identities in a first immutable record in a datastore, wherein the unique AEPH identities are associated with an initial state; provides the plurality of unique AEPH identities to an original equipment manufacturer of AEPH chips; provides an application programming interface (API); authorizes a request to update a state associated with a first unique AEPH identity in the datastore; and adds a second immutable record to the database that associates the first unique AEPH identity with an updated state of the first unique AEPH identity.

System and method of controlling unique identities of ambient electromagnetic power harvesting chips

A method of providing read access to information stored in a distributed ledger. The method comprises building a distributed ledger comprising a plurality of blocks each comprising a data content, building a mirrored data store comprising a copy of the data, receiving a request for information by an authenticator application executing on a computer, authenticating a requestor by the authenticator application, determining an access privilege level of the requestor by the authenticator application, determining by the authenticator application that the access privilege level of the requestor is sufficient to authorize access to the information, reading the information from the mirrored data store by the authenticator application, returning the information by the authenticator application to the requestor, and building a transaction record by the authenticator application, wherein the transaction record comprises information about the authenticating, about the authorizing, and about the reading from the mirrored data store.

Multi-level access distributed ledger system

Systems and methods for performing high speed interactions with electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) chips are provided. In one embodiment, an AEPH initialization node emits a first electromagnetic field to charge the AEPH chip and/or initiate a boot-up sequence, and an AEPH interrogation node that transmits a second electromagnetic field to trigger processing operations within the AEPH chip. The first electromagnetic field and second electromagnetic fields are emitted respectively within an AEPH initialization zone and an AEPH interrogation zone that are offset from each other such that the first electromagnetic field emission in the AEPH initialization zone does not produce backscatter that interferes with the AEPH interrogation node receiving interrogation reply signals from the AEPH interrogation zone. Curtailing backscatter facilitates the ability to convey items with AEPH chips at faster line speeds so that a greater number of items per minute can be processed.

Systems and methods for performing high speed interactions with electromagnetic power harvesting chips

A wireless communication system tracks an item that wirelessly transfers a Fifth Generation Identifier (5GID) and a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). Transceivers wirelessly detect the 5GID and the GTIN and transfer messages indicating the 5GID and the GTIN to a ledger gateway. The ledger gateway receives the messages and selects a distributed application in a distributed ledger node based on the 5GID and/or the GTIN. The ledger gateway proposes an item-tracking transaction with the 5GID and the GTIN to the selected distributed application in the distributed ledger node. The distributed ledger node and distributed application execute the proposed item-tracking transaction with the 5GID and the GTIN to generate an item-tracking result and store the item-tracking result in a blockchain format.

Item tracking with a wireless communication system based on a fifth generation identifier (5GID) and a global tracking item number (GTIN)

In a wireless communication network, a wireless network controller authenticates a wireless receiver and transfers receiver instructions and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for wireless network slices to the wireless receiver. An item wirelessly transmits a network identifier (ID) and a product ID. The wireless receiver wirelessly detects the network ID and the product ID from the item at a geographic location. The receiver selects an API for a wireless network slice based on the receiver instructions and the network ID. The receiver transfers an API call to the wireless network slice. The wireless network slice selects a distributed Application (dAPP) based on the network ID, the product ID, and/or the geographic location for the item. The wireless network slice transfers the network ID, the product ID, and the geographic location for the item to selected dAPP.

Wireless communication service for items that wirelessly transmit product identifiers and network identifiers

A wireless communication network serves User Equipment (UEs) over a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Network Exposure Function (NEF). The wireless communication network comprises a non-3GPP Interworking Function (IWF) and the 3GPP NEF. The non-3GPP IWF receives NEF Application Programming Interface (API) calls that have UE data from the UEs over non-3GPP access nodes. The non-3GPP IWF transfers the NEF API calls that have the UE data to the 3GPP NEF. The 3GPP NEF receives the NEF API calls that have the UE data from the non-3GPP IWF. The 3GPP NEF exposes the UE data to an Application Functions (AF) in response to the NEF API calls.

User equipment (UE) service over a network exposure function (NEF) in a wireless communication network

A wireless communication network delivers policy enforcement to a wireless user device in another wireless communication network. The wireless communication network wirelessly serves the wireless user device based on a policy. The wireless communication network determines when the wireless user device is visiting the other wireless communication network, and in response, selects the policy for the wireless user device. The wireless communication network transfers the selected policy for the wireless user device to the other wireless communication network. The other wireless communication network receives and enforces the selected policy for the wireless user device.

Policy enforcement across wireless communication networks over application functions

A wireless communication network wirelessly receives a device Identifier (ID), network ID, and capability ID from a wireless user device. In response to the network ID, the wireless communication network transfers the device ID to the other communication network. The wireless communication network receives an authorization for the wireless user device from the other communication network. In response to the authorization, the wireless communication network wirelessly serves the wireless user device based on the capability ID. The wireless communication network transfers the capability ID used by the wireless user device to the other communication network in response to serving the wireless user device based on the capability ID.

Growing community of inventors

Lee's Summit, MO, United States of America

Mark Richard Bales