Systems and methods for access network selection and traffic routing

• US 10,582,366 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Vivek, Jain, Puneet K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US15/941,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20180227738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2614 Peak power aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2525 Translation at a client
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2592 using tunnelling or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/087 between radio units of access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 : using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 : switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 : Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 : Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 : Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for network selection and traffic routing are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) is configured to store an access network selection and detection function (ANDSF) management object (MO). The ANDSF MO may include network selection rules indicating relative priority based on a specific radio access technology (RAT) types of different access networks. The UE is configured to identify one or more available access networks. The UE is configured to establish a connection with an access network of the one or more available access networks. The UE establishes the connection with an access network having a RAT with a highest relative priority of the one or more available access networks based on the network selection rules.

Claims

1. An apparatus of a UE comprising:

a memory device to store an access network detection and selection function (ANDSF) management object (MO), wherein the ANDSF MO comprises network routing rules for routing IP traffic matching a specific IP flow, at least one network routing rule identifying cellular radio access technology (RAT) types and relative wireless local area network (WLAN) routing priorities for each of the cellular RAT types with respect to WLAN access for the IP traffic flows, the relative routing priorities of cellular RAT types with respect to WLAN access defined distinctly from cellular RAT mobility selection priorities, the cellular RAT types including global system for mobile communications (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN), universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) and evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN),

wherein the ANDSF MO comprises an XML data scheme with leaf nodes indicating a specific RAT type corresponding to the at least one network routing rule; and

a processor configured to;

select a cellular RAT comprising a cellular RAT type;

identify an available WLAN access;

simultaneously provide connections to the WLAN access and the cellular RAT;

compare, based on the at least one network routing rule, a relative WLAN routing priority of the cellular RAT type with respect to WLAN to form a comparison, without influencing the cellular RAT selection; and

when the relative WLAN priority of the selected cellular RAT is less than the selected cellular RAT, route traffic through the available WLAN access based on the comparison;

when the relative WLAN priority of the selected cellular RAT is greater than the WLAN, route traffic through the cellular RAT based on the comparison.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one network selection rule indicates that a first cellular access network with a first RAT type has a higher priority than the WLAN access, and that a second cellular access network with a second RAT type has a lower priority than the WLAN access.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one network selection rule comprises an inter-system mobility policy (ISMP).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one network selection rule comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) Selection Policy (WLANSP).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor manages radio functions of the UE.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cellular RAT is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) RAT.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cellular RAT types are 3GPP compatible RAT types.

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

means for establishing a plurality of active access network connections based at least in part on cellular radio access technology (RAT) mobility selection priorities, wherein the active access network connections include a cellular network using one or more cellular access technologies and a WLAN;

means for obtaining routing rules that specify how IP traffic flows are to be routed over the active access network connections based on a relative priority for a selected specific RAT type of the cellular network with respect to the WLAN, the relative routing priorities of cellular RAT types with respect to WLAN defined distinctly from cellular RAT mobility selection priorities, wherein the routing rules indicate the relative priority for access networks based on the WLAN RAT with respect to a plurality of different 3GPP RATs comprising a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), an evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), and a global system for mobile communications (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN); and

means for routing the IP traffic flows over the active access network connections based on the routing rules,

wherein each routing rule of the routing rules comprises an XML data scheme with leaf nodes indicating a specific RAT type.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cellular RAT is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) RAT.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cellular RAT types are 3GPP compatible RAT types.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the IP traffic flows comprise a first traffic flow and a second traffic flow and the active access networks comprise a first active access network and a second access network, and wherein the traffic component is configured to route the first traffic flow over the first active access network and route the second traffic flow over the second active access network based on the routing rules.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the routing rules indicate relative priority for access networks based on a plurality of different 3GPP RAT types as compared to a RAT type for the WLAN RAT.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein indicating a priority based on a WLAN RAT comprises indicating a priority for one or more of an 802.11a standard, an 802.11b standard, an 802.11g standard, an 802.11n standard, an 802.11ac standard, and an 802.11ad standard.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the routing rules comprise an inter-system routing policy (ISRP).

15. A method of providing routing selection to a mobile wireless device, the method comprising:

storing an access network detection and selection function (ANDSF) management object (MO) indicating routing selection rules for the mobile wireless device;

establishing communication with the mobile wireless device; and

synchronizing at least a portion of the ANDSF MO with the mobile wireless device, wherein the at least a portion of the ANDSF MO indicates a relative WLAN priority of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio access technologies (RATs) relative to a wireless local area network (WLAN) RAT, the ANDSF MO indicating a comparison between a selected 3GPP RAT and the WLAN RAT having simultaneous connections with the mobile wireless device and without influencing the 3GPP RAT selection, the routing selection rules indicating relative WLAN routing priorities of 3GPP RAT types with respect to the WLAN RAT that are defined distinctly from 3GPP RAT mobility selection priorities, the 3GPP RAT types including global system for mobile communications (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN), universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) and evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN),

wherein the ANDSF MO comprises an XML data scheme with leaf nodes indicating a specific RAT corresponding to a specific routing selection rule.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ANDSF MO is open mobile alliance (OMA) device management (DM) compliant.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the network selections rules comprise an inter-system mobility policy (ISMP).

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the network selections rules comprise an inter-system routing policy (ISRP).