NETWORK INTERWORKING

• US 20140295843A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: VAN DER VELDE, Himke, VAN LIESHOUT, Gert-Jan, JANG, Jaehyuk
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile terminal for network interworking is provided. The method includes receiving at the mobile terminal a first parameter from a first wireless communication network indicating a preference for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range. The method further comprises obtaining at the mobile terminal a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range. The method further comprises determining whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and the random or pseudorandom value.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile terminal for network interworking, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile terminal, a first parameter from a first wireless communication network indicating a preference for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range;

obtaining, at the mobile terminal, a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range; and

determining whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and the random or pseudorandom value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow comprises evaluating a first criterion by comparing the random or pseudorandom number or a function of the random or pseudorandom number to the first parameter or a function of the first parameter.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile terminal, at least one second parameter comprising a scaling factor or an offset; and

applying the at least one second parameter to the random or pseudorandom number to calculate the function of the random or pseudorandom number, or applying the at least one second parameter to the first parameter to calculate the function of the first parameter.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving multiple second parameters at the mobile terminal; and

determining which second parameter to use to calculate the function of the random or pseudorandom number or the first parameter according to a classification of the at least one data flow to be initiated or maintained.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the evaluating of the first criterion comprises determining whether:

the random or pseudorandom number or the function of the random or pseudorandom number is less than the first parameter or the function of the first parameter;

the random or pseudorandom number or the function of the random or pseudorandom number is less than or equal to the first parameter or the function of the first parameter;

the random or pseudorandom number or the function of the random or pseudorandom number is greater than the first parameter or the function of the first parameter;

or

the random or pseudorandom number or the function of the random or pseudorandom number is greater than or equal to the first parameter or the function of the first parameter.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile terminal, a third parameter from a second wireless communication network indicating a network load level of the second wireless communication network,

wherein the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow further comprises;

evaluating a second criterion by comparing the third parameter or a function of the third parameter to a threshold or a function of the threshold; and

determining whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or the second network according to the evaluation of the first and second criteria.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow comprises:

performing a determination of whether to initiate a new data flow when it is determined that a new data flow is required;

performing a determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow in response to receiving a notification from the first network;

or

performing the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow periodically.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the performing of the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow in response to the receiving of the notification from the first network or periodically comprises:

receiving an offload direction indicator from the first network indicating either the first network or another network;

identifying at least one data flow between the UE and the indicated first network or another network; and

performing the determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow for the at least one identified data flow.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the performing of the determination to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow in response to receiving a notification from the first network further comprises applying a randomly selected first delay before performing the determination.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the receiving of the notification from the first network comprises receiving a new first parameter from the first network.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a compliant cellular wireless communication network and at least one other network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

12. A method of operating a network device in a first wireless communication network for network interworking, the method comprising:

transmitting a first parameter indicating a preference of the first network for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range; and

receiving, from a mobile terminal, a determination of whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range.

13. A mobile terminal for network interworking, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to:

receive a first parameter from a first wireless communication network indicating a preference for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range;

obtain a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range; and

determine whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and the random or pseudorandom value.

14. A network device in a first wireless communication network for network interworking, wherein the network device is configured to:

transmit a first parameter indicating a preference of the first network for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range; and

receive, from a mobile terminal, a determination of whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range.

15. A communication system for network interworking, the communication system comprising:

a first wireless communication network including a network device;

another network; and

a mobile terminal;

wherein the mobile terminal is configured to;

receive a first parameter from the network device indicating a preference of the first network for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range;

obtain a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range; and

determine whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and the random or pseudorandom value;

wherein the network device being is configured to;

transmit a first parameter indicating a preference of the first network for offloading new or current data flows to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range; and

receive, from a mobile terminal, a determination of whether to initiate or maintain the at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range.