Mechanisms for roaming between 3GPP operators and WLAN service providers

• US 9,402,228 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Vivek
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US14/794,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/34 Reselection control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/085 involving hierarchical organized mobility servers, e.g. hierarchical mobile IP [HMIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments describe methods, apparatuses and logic for a user equipment (UE) to connect to an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) based on credentials from a UE'"'"'s home third generation partnership project (3GPP) network. In some embodiments, the UE may receive selection policy parameters from the WLAN including a network access identifier (NAI) realm. The UE may also receive selection policy parameters from the 3GPP network. The UE may compare the selection policy parameters of the WLAN with the selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network and discover roaming relationships between service providers and the relative priorities of different networks, and create a network list based on the comparison. The UE may then associate with an AP of the WLAN based on the prioritized network list.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions to cause a user equipment (UE), when executed by one or more processors of the UE, to:

compare a network access identifier (NAI) realm received from an access point (AP) of a wireless local access network (WLAN) to one or more selection policy parameters of a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network, wherein the NAI realm identifies the WLAN as associated with a service provider of the 3GPP network; and

associate with the AP based on the comparison.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the UE to associate with the AP based on a comparison of WLAN roaming consortium data or an organizationally unique identifier (OUI) of the WLAN with the one or more selection policy parameters.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network are 3GPP network roaming consortium data or organizationally unique identifier (OUI) data of the 3GPP network.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the UE to generate a prioritized network list based at least in part on the comparison of the NAI realm to the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the UE to receive the one or more selection policy parameters from a 3GPP Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) entity or an interworking wireless local area network interworking mobile object (I-WLAN IWK MO).

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the UE to:

transmit a query comprising the NAI realm; and

receive the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network in response to the query.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the UE to:

identify an identifier of the AP;

transmit a query that includes the identifier to the AP; and

receive, responsive to the query that includes the identifier, an indication of the NAI realm from the AP.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the query that includes the identifier is an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) query.

9. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a transceiver to communicate with an access point (AP) of a wireless local access network (WLAN) and communicate with an entity of a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network; and

a processor coupled with the transceiver , the processor to;

compare a network access identifier (NAI) realm received from the AP to one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network, wherein the NAI realm identifies the WLAN as associated with a service provider of the 3GPP network; and

associate with the AP based on the comparison.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to associate with the AP based on a comparison of WLAN roaming consortium data or an organizationally unique identifier (OUI) of the WLAN with the one or more selection policy parameters.

11. The UE of claim 9, wherein the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network are 3GPP network roaming consortium data or organizationally unique identifier (OUI) data of the 3GPP network.

12. The UE of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to generate a prioritized network list based at least in part on the comparison of the NAI realm to the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network.

13. The UE of claim 9, wherein the transceiver is further to receive the one or more selection policy parameters from a 3GPP Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) entity or an interworking wireless local area network interworking mobile object (I-WLAN IWK MO).

14. The UE of claim 9, wherein the transceiver if further to:

transmit a query comprising the NAI realm; and

receive the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network in response to the query.

15. The UE of claim 9, where the processor is further to identify an identifier of the AP, and the transceiver is further to;

transmit a query that includes the identifier to the AP; and

receive, responsive to the query that includes the identifier, an indication of the NAI realm from the AP.

16. The UE of claim 9, wherein the query that includes the identifier is an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) query.

17. An access point (AP) of a wireless local access network (WLAN) comprising:

a transmitter to transmit, to a user equipment (UE), an indication of a network access identifier (NAI) realm, wherein the NAI realm identifies the WLAN as associated with a service provider of the 3GPP network; and

a receiver coupled with the transmitter, the receiver to receive, from the UE based on a comparison of the NAI realm to one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network, an indication of an association of the UE with the AP.

18. The AP of claim 17, wherein the receiver is further to receive, from the UE, an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) query that includes an identifier of the AP;

and

the transmitter is to transmit the indication of the NAI realm based on the ANQP GAS query.

19. The AP of claim 17, wherein the indication of the association is further based on a comparison of WLAN roaming consortium data or an organizationally unique identifier (OUI) of the WLAN with the one or more selection policy parameters.

20. The AP of claim 17, wherein the one or more selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network are 3GPP network roaming consortium data or organizationally unique identifier (OUI) data of the 3GPP network.