Efficient transition between a trusted WLAN and a WWAN

• US 10,448,443 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Juan, Payyappilly, Ajith Tom, Santhanam, Arvind Vardarajan, Zhao, Suli, Veerepalli, Sivaramakrishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Shailendra
• Application Number:
  US15/217,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00226 wherein the core network technologies comprise IP multimedia system [IMS], e.g. single radio voice call continuity [SRVCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may prevent rejected attachment requests when connecting to a trusted wireless local area network (WLAN) and from a wireless wide area network (WWAN). For example, an attachment packet data network (PDN) connection may be maintained with the WWAN while connected to the trusted WLAN. In some cases, the connection used to maintain the attachment may be an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) connection. Alternatively, the UE may determine that the WLAN connection is a trusted connection and deactivate the WWAN connection. Should the WLAN become unavailable the UE may reactivate the connection with the WWAN.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) comprising:

establishing a user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection terminates at a wireless wide area network (WWAN) network entity, and wherein a high level operating system (HLOS) of the UE is unaware of the user-plane-traffic-free connection;

establishing a first packet data network (PDN) connection with the WWAN;

establishing a connection with a wireless local area network (WLAN);

determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN based at least in part on the established connection with the WLAN;

disconnecting the first PDN connection based at least in part on determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN;

maintaining the user-plane-traffic-free connection with the WWAN while connected to the WLAN;

determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable; and

responsive to determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable, establishing a second PDN connection with the WWAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein establishing the second PDN connection with the WWAN comprises refraining from performing an attachment procedure with the WWAN based at least in part on the maintained user-plane-traffic-free connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an attachment PDN that terminates at the WWAN network entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) connection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

refraining from establishing an IMS connection with the WLAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection; and

communicating using the IMS connection over the WWAN while connected to the WLAN.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a detach request from the WWAN based at least in part on the connection with the WLAN, wherein disconnecting the first PDN connection is based at least in part on the detach request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN is based at least in part on an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the WLAN, a service set identifier (SSID) associated with the WLAN, an authentication mode associated with the WLAN, or a combination thereof.

7. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) comprising:

means for establishing a user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection terminates at a wireless wide area network (WWAN) network entity, and wherein a high level operating system (HLOS) of the UE is unaware of the user-plane-traffic-free connection;

means for establishing a first packet data network (PDN) connection with the WWAN;

means for establishing a connection with a wireless local area network (WLAN);

means for determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN based at least in part on the established connection with the WLAN;

means for disconnecting the first PDN connection based at least in part on determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN;

means for maintaining the user-plane-traffic-free connection with the WWAN while connected to the WLAN;

means for determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable; and

means for establishing, responsive to determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable, a second PDN connection with the WWAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein establishing the second PDN connection with the WWAN refrains from performing an attachment procedure with the WWAN based at least in part on the maintained user-plane-traffic-free connection.

8. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to;

establish a user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection terminates at a wireless wide area network (WWAN) network entity, and wherein a high level operating system (HLOS) of the UE is unaware of the user-plane-traffic-free connection;

establish a first packet data network (PDN) connection with the WWAN;

establish a connection with a wireless local area network (WLAN);

determine the WLAN is a trusted WLAN based at least in part on the established connection with the WLAN;

disconnect the first PDN connection based at least in part on determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN;

maintain the user-plane-traffic-free connection with the WWAN while connected to the WLAN;

determine that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable; and

responsive to determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable, establish a second PDN connection with the WWAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein establishing the second PDN connection with the WWAN comprises refraining from performing an attachment procedure with the WWAN based at least in part on the maintained user-plane-traffic-free connection.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an attachment PDN that terminates at the WWAN network entity.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) connection.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to:

refrain from establishing an IMS connection with the WLAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection; and

communicate using the IMS connection over the WWAN while connected to the WLAN.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to:

receive a detach request from the WWAN based at least in part on the connection with the WLAN, wherein disconnecting the first PDN connection is based at least in part on the detach request.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), the code comprising instructions executable to:

establish a user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection terminates at a wireless wide area network (WWAN) network entity, and wherein a high level operating system (HLOS) of the UE is unaware of the user-plane-traffic-free connection;

establish a first packet data network (PDN) connection with the WWAN;

establish a connection with a wireless local area network (WLAN);

determine the WLAN is a trusted WLAN based at least in part on the established connection with the WLAN;

disconnect the first PDN connection based at least in part on determining the WLAN is a trusted WLAN;

maintain the user-plane-traffic-free connection with the WWAN while connected to the WLAN;

determine that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable; and

responsive to determining that the connection with the WLAN is unavailable, establish a second PDN connection with the WWAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection, wherein establishing the second PDN connection with the WWAN comprises refraining from performing an attachment procedure with the WWAN based at least in part on the maintained user-plane-traffic-free connection.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an attachment PDN that terminates at the WWAN network entity.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the user-plane-traffic-free connection comprises an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) connection.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

refrain from establishing an IMS connection with the WLAN based at least in part on the user-plane-traffic-free connection; and

communicate using the IMS connection over the WWAN while connected to the WLAN.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive a detach request from the WWAN based at least in part on the connection with the WLAN, wherein disconnecting the first PDN connection is based at least in part on the detach request.