Apparatus and method for network access discovery and selection
First Claim
1. A method implemented by a communications device operative in a communications network in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, comprising:
- determining a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective first preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, the rules of the set being potentially in conflict between each other concerning which access is most preferred;
deriving by the device from the set of active rules a new rule specifying respective second preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses by combining the specified respective first preferences of the active rules according to a predetermined scheme to generate the new rule, wherein the active rules are assigned respective priority values and the respective first preferences specified by the active rules are represented by first preference values, and wherein the new rule is derived by weighting the first preference values specified by the active rule based on the respective assigned priority values and combining the weighted preference values; and
selecting an access for use by the user entity based on the second preferences specified by the new rule.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for use in a communications network in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, comprising: determining a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, with potential for conflict between the rules of the set concerning which access is most preferred; deriving from the set of active rules network discovery and selection rules a new rule specifying respective preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses; and selecting an access for use by the user entity based on the new rule.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a communications device operative in a communications network in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, comprising:
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determining a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective first preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, the rules of the set being potentially in conflict between each other concerning which access is most preferred; deriving by the device from the set of active rules a new rule specifying respective second preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses by combining the specified respective first preferences of the active rules according to a predetermined scheme to generate the new rule, wherein the active rules are assigned respective priority values and the respective first preferences specified by the active rules are represented by first preference values, and wherein the new rule is derived by weighting the first preference values specified by the active rule based on the respective assigned priority values and combining the weighted preference values; and selecting an access for use by the user entity based on the second preferences specified by the new rule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus operative in a communications network in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, comprising:
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a rule determining processing circuit operative to determine a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective first preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, with potential for conflict between the rules of the set concerning which access is most preferred; a new rule deriving processing circuit operative to derive from the set of active rules a new rule specifying respective second preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses by weighting first preference values of the active rules based on assigned priority values of the active rules, and combining the weighted first preference values, wherein the first preference values of the active rules represent the respective first preferences specified by the active rules; and an access selection processing circuit operative to select an access for use by the user entity based on the second preferences specified by the new rule.
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13. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium including program instructions operative to cause a processor in a node of a communications network, in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, to perform the steps of:
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determining a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective first preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, the rules of the set being potentially in conflict between each other concerning which access is most preferred; deriving from the set of active rules a new rule specifying respective second preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, wherein deriving a new rule comprises weighting first preference values of each active rule based on an assigned priority value of each active rule, and combining the weighted first preference values, wherein the first preference values of the active rules represent the respective first preferences of the active rules; and selecting an access for use by the user entity based on the second preferences specified by the new rule.
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Specification