Patent Publication Number: US-2023164728-A1

Title: Wireless communication service delivery to user equipment (ue) using an access and mobility management function (amf)

Description:
RELATED CASES 
     This United States Patent Application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/203,227 that was filed on Mar. 16, 2021 and is entitled “WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SERVICE DELIVERY TO USER EQUIPMENT (UE) USING AN ACCESS AND MOBILITY MANAGEMENT FUNCTION (AMF).” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/203,227 is hereby incorporated by reference into this United States Patent Application. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL BACKGROUND 
     Wireless communication networks provide wireless data services to wireless user devices. Exemplary wireless data services include machine-control, internet-access, media-streaming, and social-networking. Exemplary wireless user devices comprise phones, computers, vehicles, robots, and sensors. The wireless user devices execute user applications to support and use the wireless data services. For example, a robot may execute a machine-control application that communicates with a robot controller over a wireless communication network. 
     The wireless communication networks have wireless access nodes which exchange wireless signals with the wireless user devices over radio frequency bands. The wireless signals use wireless network protocols like Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (WIFI), and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LP-WAN). The wireless access nodes exchange network signaling and user data with network elements that are often clustered together into wireless network cores. The network elements comprise Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs), Session Management Functions (SMFs), Interworking functions (IWFs), User Plane Functions (UPFs), Policy Control Functions (PCFs), Uniform Data Repositories (UDRs), Network Exposure Functions (NEFs), and the like. 
     The wireless communication networks comprise user-planes that carry user data and control-planes that control the user-planes by the transfer of network signaling. A typical user-plane comprises a wireless user device, wireless access node, IWF, and UPF. A typical control-plane comprises the wireless user device, wireless access node, IWF—and also an AMF and SMF. The control-plane in the wireless communication network and the control-plane in the wireless user devices communicate over signaling links like N1. The N1 signaling links are used for user authentication, authorization, messaging, and other services. For example, wireless user devices and network AMFs use N1 signaling to perform Access Traffic Steering, Switching, and Splitting (ATSSS) operations. 
     At present, an AMF in the control-plane is limited to two N1 signaling links per wireless user device, although additional N1 options are often available to the wireless user device. The wireless user device and the AMF may stop using an active N1 signaling link and start using one of these N1 options by performing an AMF deregistration and re-registration. Unfortunately, the AMF deregistration and re-registration requires additional user reauthentication and reauthorization. Moreover, a huge amount of network signaling is needed to continuously reauthenticate and reauthorize the same user for the AMF de-registrations and re-registrations which are required to support ATSSS operations. 
     TECHNICAL OVERVIEW 
     A wireless communication network serves a wireless user device using N1 signaling. The wireless communication network establishes active N1 signaling links with the wireless user device and exchanges active N1 signaling with the wireless user device over the active N1 signaling links. The wireless communication network converts one of the active N1 signaling links for the wireless user device into an inactive N1 signaling link and exchanges inactive N1 signaling with the wireless user device to maintain the inactive N1 signaling link. The wireless communication network converts the inactive N1 signaling link for the wireless user device back into the one of the active N1 signaling links without performing a new registration for the wireless user device. The wireless communication network exchanges additional active N1 signaling with the wireless user device over the active N1 signaling links. 
     An Access and Mobility Management Function serves a wireless user device using N1 signaling. The AMF performs registrations for the wireless user device, and in response, establishes active N1 signaling links with the wireless user device. The AMF converts one of the active N1 signaling links for the wireless user device into an inactive N1 signaling link and exchanges inactive N1 signaling with the wireless user device to maintain the registration for the inactive N1 signaling link. The AMF converts the inactive N1 signaling link for the wireless user device into the one of the active N1 signaling links based on the registration and the inactive N1 signaling for the wireless user device. The AMF exchanges additional active N1 signaling with the wireless user device over the active N1 signaling links. 
     A wireless network core serves a wireless user device using N1 signaling. A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) is to execute an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) Virtual Network Function (VNF). The AMF VNF is to perform registrations for the wireless user device, and in response, establish active N1 signaling links with the wireless user device. The AMF VNF is to convert one of the active N1 signaling links for the wireless user device into an inactive N1 signaling link and exchange inactive N1 signaling with the wireless user device to maintain the registration for the inactive N1 signaling link. The AMF VNF is to convert the inactive N1 signaling link for the wireless user device into the one of the active N1 signaling links based on the registration and the inactive N1 signaling for the wireless user device. The AMF VNF is to exchange additional active N1 signaling with the wireless user device over the active N1 signaling links. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a data communication network to serve a User Equipment (UE) using an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF). 
         FIG.  2    illustrates an exemplary operation of the data communication network to serve the UE using the AMF. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates an exemplary operation of the data communication network to serve the UE using the AMF. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a Fifth Generation (5G) wireless communication network to serve a UE using an AMF. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates the UE in the 5G wireless communication network. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a Millimeter Wave Access Node (mmW AN) and an IEEE 802.11 Access Node (WIFI AN) in the 5G wireless communication network. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) AN and a Low Power Wide Area Network (LP WAN) AN in the 5G wireless communication network. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a wireless network core comprising the AMF in the wireless communication network. 
         FIG.  9    further illustrates the wireless network core comprising the AMF in the 5G wireless communication network. 
         FIG.  10    illustrates the UE and the AMF in the 5G wireless communication network. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    illustrates data communication network  100  serve User Equipment (UE)  101  using Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)  131 . UE  101  comprises a computer, phone, vehicle, sensor, robot, or some other data appliance with wireless and/or wireline communication circuitry. Data communication network  100  delivers services to UE  101  like internet-access, machine communications, media-streaming, or some other data communications product. Data communication network  100  comprises UE  101 , network control-planes  111 - 113 , network user-planes  121 - 123 , AMF  131 , and User Plane Function (UPF)  132 . UE  101  comprises user applications (USER), Third Generation Partnership Project Control-Plane Applications (3GPP CP), 3GPP User Plane Applications (3GPP UP), and Internet Protocol Applications (IP). AMF  131  comprises 3GPP CP, and UPF  132  comprises 3GPP UP. Control-planes  111 - 113  direct the operation of respective user-planes  121 - 123  though network signaling. User-planes  121 - 123  transfer user data in response to the network signaling. User-planes  121 - 123  comprise both 3GPP user-planes and non-3GPP user-planes. The amount of UEs, control-planes, user-planes, AMFs, and UPFs has been restricted for clarity, and data communication network  100  typically includes many more UEs, control-planes, user-planes, AMFs, and UPFs. 
     Various examples of network operation and configuration are described herein. In some examples, UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a first active registration with AMF  131  over control plane  111  and responsively establish an active N1. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a second active registration with AMF  131  over control plane  112  and responsively establish another active N1. AMF  131  and UE  101  deactivate the second active registration for UE  101 . UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a third active registration. The establishment of the active registrations entail the authentication and authorization of UE  101  by AMF  131 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration and the third active registration. AMF  131  and UE  101  also exchange the inactive N1 signaling for the second inactive registration. The inactive N1 signaling may be encapsulated within the active N1 signaling. The inactive N1 signaling may be used along with the active N1 signaling for steering, switching, and splitting. 
     Subsequently, AMF  131  and UE  101  deactivate the third active registration based on the active N1 signaling and the inactive N1 signaling. AMF  131  and UE  101  also reactivate the second inactive registration based on the active N1 signaling and the inactive N1 signaling. AMF  131  does not reauthenticate or reauthorize UE  101  during the reactivation of the second inactive registration when UE  101  has used its inactive N1 to maintain its original authentication and authorization for user-plane  122 . This change from the third registration back to the second registration can be based on the performance of all three user-planes  121 - 123  may be to: 1) steer some user traffic from one user-plane to another based on performance, 2) switch all user traffic from one user-plane to another for a handover, or 3) split user traffic across aggregated user-planes. AMF  131  and UE  101  now exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration and the second active registration. AMF  131  and UE  101  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the third inactive registration. Subsequently, AMF  131  and UE  101  may deactivate the first or second active registrations and reactivate the third inactive registration based on the active N1 signaling and the inactive N1 signaling. 
     Advantageously, UE  101  and AMF  131  effectively use more than two N1 signaling links at a time. Moreover, UE  101  and AMF  131  efficiently perform ATSSS operations using more than two N1 signaling links. 
     UE  101  communicates with network control planes  111 - 113  and network user planes  121 - 123  over technologies like Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Low-Power Wide Area Network (LP-WAN), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (WIFI), IEEE 802.3 (ENET), Bluetooth, Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT), and/or some other networking protocol. The wireless communication technologies use electromagnetic frequencies in the low-band, mid-band, high-band, or some other portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The communication links that support these technologies use metallic links, glass fibers, radio channels, or some other communication media. The communication links use ENET, Time Division Multiplex (TDM), Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS), Internet Protocol (IP), General Packet Radio Service Transfer Protocol (GTP), 5GNR, LTE, WIFI, Fifth Generation Core (5GC), virtual switching, inter-processor communication, bus interfaces, and/or some other data communication protocols. 
     UE  101 , control-planes  111 - 113 , and user-planes  121 - 123  comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters, modulation, analog/digital interfaces, microprocessors, software, memories, transceivers, bus circuitry, and the like. AMF  131  and UPF  132  comprise microprocessors, software, memories, transceivers, bus circuitry, and the like. The microprocessors comprise Digital Signal Processors (DSP), Central Processing Units (CPU), Graphical Processing Units (GPU), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), and/or the like. The memories comprise Random Access Memory (RAM), flash circuitry, disk drives, and/or the like. The memories store software like operating systems, user applications, radio applications, and network functions. The microprocessors retrieve the software from the memories and execute the software to drive the operation of data communication network  100  as described herein. 
     User-planes  121 - 123  may comprise: 5GNR gNodeBs, LTE eNodeBs, non-3GPP Access Nodes (ANs), non-3GPP Interworking Functions (IWFs), UPFs, and/or some other network elements that handle user data. Control-planes  111 - 113  may comprise: gNodeBs, eNodeBs, IWFs, CAARs, 3GPP Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs), Session Management Functions (SMFs), Policy Control Functions, (PCFs), Uniform Data Repositories (UDRs) and/or some other network elements that control user planes  121 - 123  with network signaling. AMF  131  could be integrated into one of control planes  111 - 113 . UPF  132  could be integrated into one of user planes  121 - 123 . 
       FIG.  2    illustrates an exemplary operation of data communication network  100  to serve UE  101  using AMF  131 . The operation may differ in other examples. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a first active registration over control plane  111  and responsively establish an active N1 ( 201 ). UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a second active registration over control plane  112  and responsively establish another active N1 ( 201 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  deactivate the first active registration ( 202 ). UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a third active registration ( 202 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the second active registration and the third active registration ( 203 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the first inactive registration ( 203 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  monitor the active N1s and the inactive N1 for Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) events for user planes  121 - 123  ( 204 ). When an ATSSS event is detected for event for user planes  121 - 123  ( 204 ), AMF  131  and UE  101  deactivate the third active registration based on the active N1 signaling and the inactive N1 signaling ( 204 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  reactivate the first inactive registration based on the active N1 signaling and the inactive N1 signaling ( 204 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration and the second active registration ( 205 ). AMF  131  and UE  101  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the third inactive registration ( 205 ). 
       FIG.  3    illustrates another exemplary operation of data communication network  100  to serve UE  101  using AMF  131 . The operation may differ in other examples. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a first active registration with AMF  131  over control-plane (CP)  111 . AMF  131  authenticates and authorizes UE  101  during the first active registration. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish an active N1 over control-plane  111 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-plane (UP)  121 . 
     UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a second active registration with AMF  131  over control-plane  112 . AMF  131  authenticates and authorizes UE  101  during the second active registration. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a second active N1 over control-plane  112 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-plane  122 . 
     UE  101  and AMF  131  determine to switch user data from user-plane  121  and to user-plane  123  in response to UE mobility. UE  101  and AMF  131  deactivate the N1 for the second active registration for user-plane  122 , and the second active registration becomes the second inactive registration with an inactive N1. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish a third active registration over control-plane  113 . AMF  131  authenticates and authorizes UE  101  during the third active registration. UE  101  and AMF  131  establish an active N1 over control-plane  113 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-plane  123 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration over control-plane  111 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the third active registration over control-plane  113 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange inactive N1 signaling for the second inactive registration over control-plane  111  and/or control-plane  113 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-planes  121  and  123 . 
     UE  101  and AMF  131  determine to split user data across user-plane  121  and user-plane  122  based on the performance of all three user-planes  121 - 123 . In response, UE  101  and AMF  131  deactivate the N1 for the third active registration and user-plane  123 , and the third active registration becomes the third inactive registration with an inactive N1. UE  101  and AMF  131  reactivate the second registration over control-plane  112  and re-establish its active N1, and the second inactive registration becomes the second active registration with an active N1. AMF  131  does not reauthenticate or reauthorize UE  101  during the reactivation of the second registration since UE  101  has properly used its inactive N1 to maintain the authentication and authorization for user-plane  122 . UE  101  and AMF  131  reestablish an active N1 over control-plane  112 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-plane  122 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration over control-plane  111 . AMF  131  and UE  101  exchange active N1 signaling for the second active registration over control-plane  112 . AMF  131  and UE  101  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the third inactive registration over control-plane  111  and/or control-plane  112 . UE  101  and UPF  132  may exchange user data over user-planes  121  and  122 . 
       FIG.  4    illustrates Fifth Generation (5G) wireless communication network  400  to serve UE  401  using AMF  431 . 5G wireless communication network  400  comprises an example of data communication network  100 , although network  100  may vary from this example. 5G communication network  400  comprises UE  401 , Millimeter Wave (mmW) Access Node (AN)  421 , IEEE 802.11 (WIFI) AN  422 , Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) AN  423 , and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LP WAN) AN  424 , non-3GPP Interworking Functions (IWF)  425 - 426 , Fifth Generation Core (5GC) User Plane Function (UPF)  427 , 5GC Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)  431 , 5GC Session Management Function (SMF)  432 . Other network elements like Policy Control Function (PCF), Uniform Data Repository (UDR), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and the like are typically included but are omitted for clarity. Additional SMFs and UPFs could be used as well. For example, N3GPP IWF  425  could be linked to external systems over a different UPF than UPF  427 , or LP WAN AN  423  could be linked to external systems over a different UPF and SMF than UPF  427  and SMF  432 . Four different network user planes are formed by: 1) UE  401 , mmW AN  421 , IWF  425 , and UPF  427 , 2) UE  401 , WIFI AN  422 , IWF  426 , and UPF  427 , 3) UE  401 , 5GNR AN  423 , and UPF  427 , and 4) UE  401 , LP WAN AN  424 , and UPF  427 . Four different network control planes are formed by: 1) UE  401 , mmW AN  421 , IWF  425 , AMF  431 , and SMF  432 , 2) UE  401 , WIFI AN  422 , IWF  426 , AMF  431 , and SMF  432 , 3) UE  401 , 5GNR AN  423 , AMF  431 , and SMF  432 , and 4) UE  401 , LP WAN AN  424 , AMF  431 , and SMF  432 . 
     UE  401  and AMF  431  establish a first active registration over mmW AN  421  and N3GPP IWF  425  and responsively establish an active N1. UE  401  and AMF  431  establish a second active registration over WIFI AN  422  and N3GPP IWF  426  and responsively establish a second active N1. The particular order used for these registrations is exemplary and other orders could be used. Both active registrations entail the authentication of UE  401  by AMF  431 —typically by comparing hashes of a UE ID. Both active registrations entail the authorization of UE  401  by AMF  431 —typically by dipping a subscriber database with the authentic UE ID to identify currently available services for UE  401 . 
     To build the group of N1s for UE  401 , AMF  431  and UE  401  deactivate the second active registration for UE  401  over WIFI AN  422  and N3GPP IWF  426  and establish a third active registration over 5GNR AN  423 . AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration over mmW AN  421  and N3GPP IWF  425 . AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange active N1 signaling for the third active registration over 5GNR AN  423 . AMF  431  and UE  401  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the second inactive registration for WIFI AN  422  and N3GPP IWF  426 , but AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange the inactive N1 signaling over one of the active N1 signaling links. For example, AMF  431  and UE  401  may mark inactive N1 signaling packets as inactive and then encapsulate the marked inactive N1 signaling packets within the active N1 signaling packets. AMF  431  and UE  401  then transfer the marked and encapsulated inactive N1 signaling packets within active N1 signaling packets that traverse the active N1 over mmW AN  421  and N3GPP IWF  425  and/or the other active N1 over 5GNR AN  423 . 
     To further build the group of N1s for UE  401 , AMF  431  and UE  401  deactivate the third active registration for UE  401  over 5GNR AN  423 . UE  401  and AMF  431  establish a fourth active registration over LP WAN AN  424 . AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange active N1 signaling for the first active registration over mmW AN  421  and N3GPP IWF  425 . AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange active N1 signaling for the fourth active registration over LP WAN AN  424 . AMF  431  and UE  401  also exchange inactive N1 signaling for the second inactive registration (WIFI AN  422  and N3GPP IWF  426 ) and the third inactive N1 registration (5GNR AN  423 ) over the active N1 signaling that traverses mmW AN  421  and N3GPP IWF  425  and/or LP WAN AN  424 . 
     UE  401  and AMF  431  use N1 information from both the active and inactive N1s to perform Access Traffic Steering, Switching, and Splitting (ATSSS). Thus, AMF  431  has continuous N1 data for all four user planes to use when selecting which two user planes and N1s should be active and which two user planes and N1s should be inactive. To switch traffic from a source user plane to target user plane, the active N1 for the source user-plane is deactivated and the inactive N1 for the target user plane is activated. The target user plane now carries user traffic. The inactive N1 signaling for the source user plane is now encapsulated within the active N1 of the target user plane or the other active user plane. To steer traffic away from poorly-performing user planes to a better-performing user plane, the active N1 for one of the poorly-performing user-planes is deactivated, and the inactive N1 for the better-performing user plane is activated. User traffic is steered away from the poorly-performing user plane and toward the better-performing user plane to improve service. The inactive N1 signaling for the deactivated and poorly-performing user plane is now encapsulated within the active N1s of the now better-performing user planes. To split traffic across aggregated user planes, the active N1s for the two non-aggregated user planes are deactivated if they were active, and the N1s for the two aggregated user-planes are reactivated if they were inactive. The inactive N1 signaling for the inactive user planes is now encapsulated within the active N1s of the aggregated user planes. 
     To deactivate an N1, UE  401  and AMF  131  mark the N1 signaling packets as inactive and encapsulate them within active N1 signaling packets. The encapsulated inactive signaling packets are decapsulated based on the inactive mark and handled by an inactive N1 signaling terminator that does not otherwise inhibit the active N1 signaling operations. The inactive N1 is used to transfer status information, make user requests, and maintain authentication and authorization for the inactive N1 through the inactive period. To reactivate an N1, UE  401  and AMF  131  stop marking the N1 signaling packets as inactive and stop encapsulating the active N1 signaling packets. The active N1 signaling packets now traverse their own user plane and may encapsulate other inactive N1 signaling packets. The active N1 packets are handled by an active N1 signaling terminator. The active N1 terminator and the inactive N1 terminator both transfer N1 status information to AMF  431  for ATSSS operations. 
     When an inactive N1 is able to maintain its original authentication and authorization with AMF  431  through an inactive period, AMF  131  does not reauthenticate or reauthorize UE  401  when the N1 is reactivated. Thus, AMF  431  and UE  401  do not rehash and re-compare the rehashes for UE  401 . For N1 registration reactivation, AMF  431  and UE  401  do not re-access the subscriber database to identify currently available services for UE  401 . Thus, UE  401  and AMF  431  may use a large number of N1s without excessive reauthentication and reauthorization. 
     AMF  431  may advertise its enhanced N1 registration capability in System Information Blocks (SIBs) that are broadcast over at least some of ANs  421 - 424 . UE  401  may report its enhanced N1 registration capability in UE capability messages that are signaled to AMF  431  over at least some of ANs  421 - 424 . AMF  431  may update the Radio Resource Control (RRC) Inactive Assistance Information to reflect the currently active and inactive N1 registrations. 
     In some examples, UE  401  and AMF  431  use active Public Land Mobile Network Identifiers (PLMN IDs) for the active N1 registrations and use inactive PLMN IDs for the inactive PLMN registrations. Thus, UE  401  may receive a SIB that indicates the active/inactive PLMNs. UE  401  requests and uses the active PLMN IDs for the active N1s and requests and uses the inactive PLMN IDs for the inactive N1s. The inactive PLMN IDs could be fake. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates UE  401  in 5G wireless communication network  400 . UE  401  comprises an example of UE  101 , although UE  101  may differ. UE  401  comprises mmW radio  501 , WIFI radio  502 , 5GNR radio  503 , LP WAN radio  504 , processing circuitry  505 , and user components  506 . Radios  501 - 504  comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters, modulation, analog-to-digital interfaces, DSP, memory, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. Processing circuitry  505  comprises memory, CPU, user interfaces and components, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. The memory in processing circuitry  505  stores an operating system, user applications (USER), and network applications for IP, 5GNR, WIFI, LP WAN, mmW, and 3GPP networking (NET)  506 . The network applications include physical layer, media access control, link control, convergence and adaption, radio resource control, and the like. 
     The antennas in mmW radio  501  are wirelessly coupled to mmW AN  421  over a mmW link that can transport an active N1 over IP. The antennas in WIFI radio  502  are wirelessly coupled to WIFI AN  422  over a WIFI link that can transport an active N1 over NWu. The antennas in 5GNR radio  503  are wirelessly coupled to 5GNR AN  423  over a 5GNR link that can transport an active N1 over RRC. The antennas in LP WAN radio  504  are wirelessly coupled to LP WAN AN  424  over an LP WAN link that can transport an active N1 over RRC. Transceivers in radios  501 - 504  are coupled to transceivers in processing circuitry  505 . Transceivers in processing circuitry  505  are coupled to user components  506  like displays, controllers, and memory. The CPU in processing circuitry  505  executes the operating system, user applications, and network applications to exchange network signaling and user data with ANs  421 - 424  over respective radios  501 - 504 . 
     3GPP networking  506  establishes a first active AMF registration over the mmW network applications, mmW radio  501 , and mmW AN  421 . During AMF registration, 3GPP networking  506  receives a random number over the mmW network applications, mmW radio  501 , and mmW AN  421 . 3GPP networking  506  retrieves a Subscriber Permanent Identifier (SUPI) UE  401  from the memory and hashes the random number with the SUPI to generate a result. 3GPP networking  506  transfers the result over the mmW network applications, mmW radio  501 , and mmW AN  421  to perform authentication. After successful authentication and authorization, 3GPP networking  506  establishes an active N1 over the mmW network applications, mmW radio  501  and mmW AN  421 . 3GPP networking  506  exchanges user data and N1 signaling over the mmW network applications, mmW radio  501  and mmW AN  421 . 
     3GPP networking  506  establishes a second active AMF registration over the WIFI network applications, WIFI radio  502 , and WIFI AN  422 . During the second AMF registration, 3GPP networking  506  receives another random number over the WIFI applications, WIFI radio  502 , and WIFI AN  422 . 3GPP networking  506  hashes the other random number with the SUPI to generate another result. 3GPP networking  506  transfers the other result over the WIFI applications, WIFI radio  502 , and WIFI AN  422  to perform another authentication. After successful authentication and authorization, 3GPP networking  506  establishes an active N1 over the WIFI applications, WIFI radio  502 , and WIFI AN  422 . 3GPP networking  506  exchanges user data and N1 signaling over the WIFI applications, WIFI radio  502 , and WIFI AN  422 . 
     To initially build N1s, 3GPP networking  506  transfers network signaling to deactivate the active mmW registration and mmW N1 and to establish an N1 for the 5GNR user plane. 3GPP networking  506  now transfers inactive N1 data for the mmW user plane over the active N1 for the WIFI user plane. 3GPP networking  506  then establishes a third active AMF registration over the 5GNR network applications, 5GNR radio  503 , and 5GNR AN  423 . During the third AMF registration, 3GPP networking  506  receives another random number over the 5GNR applications, 5GNR radio  503 , and 5GNR AN  423 . 3GPP networking  506  hashes the other random number with the SUPI to generate another result. 3GPP networking  506  transfers the other result over the 5GNR applications, 5GNR radio  503 , and 5GNR AN  423  to perform another authentication. After successful authentication and authorization, 3GPP networking  506  establishes an active N1 over the 5GNR applications, 5GNR radio  503 , and 5GNR AN  423 . 3GPP networking  506  exchanges user data and N1 signaling over the 5GNR applications, 5GNR radio  503 , and 5GNR AN  423 . 3GPP networking  506  may transfer inactive N1 data for the mmW user plane over the active N1 for the 5GNR user plane. 
     To continue building N1s, 3GPP networking  506  transfers network signaling to deactivate the active 5GNR registration and 5GNR N1 and to establish an N1 for the LP WAN user plane. 3GPP networking  506  starts to transfer inactive N1 data for the mmW user plane and the 5GNR user plane over the active N1 for the WIFI user plane. 3GPP networking  506  then establishes a fourth active AMF registration over the LP WAN network applications, LP WAN radio  504 , and LP WAN AN  424 . During the fourth AMF registration, 3GPP networking  506  receives another random number over the LP WAN applications, LP WAN radio  504 , and LP WAN AN  424 . 3GPP networking  506  hashes the other random number with the SUPI to generate another result. 3GPP networking  506  transfers the other result over the LP WAN applications, LP WAN radio  504 , and LP WAN AN  424  to perform another authentication. After successful authentication and authorization, 3GPP networking  506  establishes an active N1 over the LP WAN applications, LP WAN radio  504 , and LP WAN AN  424 . 3GPP networking  506  exchanges user data and N1 signaling over the LP WAN applications, LP WAN radio  504 , and LP WAN AN  424 . 3GPP networking  506  may transfer inactive N1 data for the mmW user plane and the 5GNR user plane over the active N1s for the WIFI user plane and the LP WAN user plane. 
     To transfer inactive N1 signaling, 3GPP networking  506  adds an inactive mark to the inactive N1 signaling packets. 3GPP networking  506  then encapsulate the marked inactive N1 signaling packets within active N1 signaling packets. 3GPP networking  506  then transfers the active N1 signaling packets over their active user planes. The active N1 signaling packets carry the inactive N1 signaling packets for the inactive user planes. To receive inactive N1 signaling, 3GPP networking  506  decapsulates the inactive N1 signaling packets from the active N1 signaling packets based on the inactive marks. 
     3GPP networking  506  uses N1 information from both the active and inactive N1s to perform Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS). Based on ATSSS rules, active N1 data, and inactive N1 data, 3GPP  506  maintains two active user planes and two active N1s. 3GPP  506  also maintains two inactive user planes and two inactive N1s. When 3GPP  506  maintains an inactive N1 link through its inactive periods by periodic signaling, handshakes, and the like, then 3GPP  506  does not have to get UE  401  reauthenticated and reauthorized to reactivate the user planes and the N1s. 
     3GPP networking  506  may receive network broadcasts that advertise the enhanced N1 registration capability. 3GPP networking  506  may report its enhanced N1 registration capability in UE capability messages that are signaled during wireless network attachment. In some examples, 3GPP networking  506  uses active PLMN IDs for the active N1 registrations and uses inactive PLMN IDs for the inactive PLMN registrations. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates Millimeter Wave Access Node (mmW AN)  421  and an IEEE 802.11 Access Node (WIFI AN)  422  in 5G wireless communication network  400 . ANs  421 - 422  comprise an example of control-planes  111 - 113  and user planes  121 - 123 , although control-planes  111 - 113  and user planes  121 - 123  may differ. WIFI AN  422  comprises WIFI radio  602  and node circuitry  604 , and mmW access node  421  comprises mmW radio  601  and node circuitry  603 . Radios  601 - 602  comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters, modulation, analog-to-digital interfaces, DSP, memory, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. Node circuitry  603 - 604  comprises memory, CPU, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. The memory in node circuitry  603 - 604  stores operating systems and network applications. In mmW AN  421 , the network applications comprise mmW PHY, mmW MAC, mmW LLC, IP, and 3GPP Networking (3GPP). In WIFI AN  422 , the network applications comprise WIFI PHY, WIFI MAC, WIFI LLC, IP, and 3GPP. 
     The antennas in mmW radio  601  are wirelessly coupled to UE  401  over wireless links that support N1 over IP. Transceivers in mmW radio  601  are coupled to transceivers in node circuitry  603 , and transceivers in node circuitry  603  are coupled to transceivers in IWF  425  over links that support N1 signaling over IP. The CPU in node circuitry  603  executes the operating system and mmW applications to exchange data and signaling with UE  401  over the wireless mmW link and to exchange data and signaling with IWF  425 . 
     The antennas in WIFI radio  602  are wirelessly coupled to UE  401  over wireless links that support N1 over NWu. Transceivers in WIFI radio  602  are coupled to transceivers in node circuitry  604 , and transceivers in node circuitry  604  are coupled to transceivers in IWF  425  over links that support N1 signaling over NWu. The CPU in node circuitry  604  executes the operating system and WIFI applications to exchange data and signaling with UE  401  over the wireless WIFI link and to exchange data and signaling with IWF  426 . 
       FIG.  7    illustrates Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) AN  423  and Low Power Wide Area Network (LP WAN) AN  424  in 5G wireless communication network  400 . 5GNR AN  423  and LP WAN AN  424  comprises an example of control-planes  111 - 113  and user planes  121 - 123 , although control-planes  111 - 113  and user planes  121 - 123  may differ. ANs  423 - 424  comprise 5GNR Radio Unit (RU)  701 , LP WAN RU  702 , 3GPP Distributed Unit (DU)  703 , and 3GPP Centralized Unit (CU)  704 . RUs  701 - 702  comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters, modulation, analog-to-digital interfaces, DSP, memory, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. DU  703  comprises memory, CPU, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. The memory in DU  703  stores operating systems and network applications like PHY, MAC, LLC, and RLC. CU  704  comprises memory, CPU, and transceivers that are coupled over bus circuitry. The memory in CU  704  stores an operating system and network applications like Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), Radio Resource Control (RRC), and IP. 
     The antennas in 5GNR RU  701  are wirelessly coupled to UE  401  over 5GNR links that support N1 over RRC. The antennas in LP WAN RU  702  are wirelessly coupled to UE  401  over LP WAN links that support N1 over RRC. Transceivers in RUs  701 - 702  are coupled to transceivers in DU  703  over fronthaul links like enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI). Transceivers in DU  703  coupled to transceivers in CU  704  over mid-haul links. Transceivers in CU  704  are coupled to AMFs  431  and UPF  427  over backhaul links. The CPU in DU  704  executes an operating system and network applications to exchange 5GNR and LP WAN data units with RUs  701 - 702  and to exchange 5GNR and LP data units with CU  704 . The CPU in CU  704  executes an operating system and network applications to exchange N2/N1 signaling with AMF  431  and N3 data with UPF  427 . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates wireless network core  800  comprising AMF  431  in 5G wireless communication network  400 . Network core  800  comprises an example of AMF  131  and UPF  132 , although AMF  131  and UPF  132  may differ. Network core  800  comprises Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) hardware  801 , NFVI hardware drivers  802 , NFVI operating systems  803 , NFVI virtual layer  804 , and NFVI Virtual Network Functions (VNFs)  805 . NFVI hardware  801  comprises Network Interface Cards (NICs), CPU, RAM, Flash/Disk Drives (DRIVE), and Data Switches (SW). NFVI hardware drivers  802  comprise software that is resident in the NIC, CPU, RAM, DRIVE, and SW. NFVI operating systems  803  comprise kernels, modules, applications, containers, hypervisors, and the like. NFVI virtual layer  804  comprises vNIC, vCPU, vRAM, vDRIVE, and vSW. NFVI VNFs  805  comprise non-3GPP IWF  825 , non-3GPP IWF  826 , UPF  827 , AMF  831 , and Other VNFs like Policy Control Functions (PCF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), and Network Repository Function (NRF) are typically present but are omitted for clarity. Network core  800  may be located at a single site or be distributed across multiple geographic locations. The NIC in NFVI hardware  801  are coupled to ANs  421 - 424  over data links that support IP, NWu, N1, N2, N3, and N6. NFVI hardware  801  executes NFVI hardware drivers  802 , NFVI operating systems  803 , NFVI virtual layer  804 , and NFVI VNFs  805  to form IWFs  425 - 426 , UPF  427 , AMF  431 , and SMF  432 . 
       FIG.  9    further illustrates wireless network core  400  comprising AMF  431  in 5G wireless communication network  400 . Non-3GPP IWFs  425 - 426  perform Y2 termination, N2 termination, NWu termination, and N1 transfer. UPF  427  performs packet routing &amp; forwarding, packet inspection and policy, QoS handling and lawful intercept, PDL; interconnection, and mobility anchoring. AMF  431  performs active N1 termination, inactive N1 termination, N2 termination, LT ciphering &amp; integrity protection, UE registration and connection, UE mobility and reachability, LT authentication and authorization, and UE short messaging. SMF  432  performs N1 termination, session establishment/management, UPF selection and control, policy and charging control, and traffic steering and routing. 
       FIG.  10    illustrates UE  401  and AMF  431  in the 5G wireless communication network  400 . UE  401  and AMF  431  establish two active registrations over at least one of mmW, WIFI, 5GNR, and LP WAN. UE  401  and AMF  431  establish two active N1s between their active N1 terminators responsive to the two registrations. The active registrations entail the authentication of UE  401  by AMF  431  by comparing hashes of a SUPI (or other ID) for UE  401 . Both active registrations entail the authorization of UE  401  by AMF  431  by dipping a UDM to identify currently available services for authenticated UE  401 . To build N1s for UE  401 , AMF  431  and UE  401  deactivate active registrations and establish new registrations over at least one of mmW, WIFI, 5GNR, and LP WAN. AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange active N1 signaling for the active registrations between the two active N1 terminators. AMF  431  and UE  401  exchange inactive N1 signaling for the inactive registrations between the two inactive N1 terminators over the active N1 terminators and the active N1 signaling links. The active N1 terminators encapsulate and decapsulate the inactive N1 signaling based on inactive marks in the signaling packets. The inactive N1 terminators maintain their original authentication and authorizations through their inactive periods by periodic messaging and handshakes with AMF  431 . AMF  131  does not reauthenticate or reauthorize UE  401  when N1s are reactivated. 
     In UE  401 , the active N1 terminators and the inactive N1 terminators exchange N1 information with 3GPP networking application  506 . In AMF  431 , the active N1 terminators and the inactive N1 terminators exchange N1 information with 3GPP networking application  1006 . 3GPP networking applications  506  and  1006  use the N1 information from both active and inactive N1s to perform ATSSS operations. 
     The wireless data network circuitry described above comprises computer hardware and software that form special-purpose network circuitry to serve UEs over inactive N1 links using an AMF. The computer hardware comprises processing circuitry like CPUs, DSPs, GPUs, transceivers, bus circuitry, and memory. To form these computer hardware structures, semiconductors like silicon or germanium are positively and negatively doped to form transistors. The doping comprises ions like boron or phosphorus that are embedded within the semiconductor material. The transistors and other electronic structures like capacitors and resistors are arranged and metallically connected within the semiconductor to form devices like logic circuitry and storage registers. The logic circuitry and storage registers are arranged to form larger structures like control units, logic units, and Random-Access Memory (RAM). In turn, the control units, logic units, and RAM are metallically connected to form CPUs, DSPs, GPUs, transceivers, bus circuitry, and memory. 
     In the computer hardware, the control units drive data between the RAM and the logic units, and the logic units operate on the data. The control units also drive interactions with external memory like flash drives, disk drives, and the like. The computer hardware executes machine-level software to control and move data by driving machine-level inputs like voltages and currents to the control units, logic units, and RAM. The machine-level software is typically compiled from higher-level software programs. The higher-level software programs comprise operating systems, utilities, user applications, and the like. Both the higher-level software programs and their compiled machine-level software are stored in memory and retrieved for compilation and execution. On power-up, the computer hardware automatically executes physically-embedded machine-level software that drives the compilation and execution of the other computer software components which then assert control. Due to this automated execution, the presence of the higher-level software in memory physically changes the structure of the computer hardware machines into special-purpose network circuitry to serve UEs over inactive N1 links using an AMF. 
     The above description and associated figures teach the best mode of the invention. The following claims specify the scope of the invention. Note that some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of the invention as specified by the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. Thus, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but only by the following claims and their equivalents.