Apparatus, system and method of user-equipment (UE) centric access network selection

• US 9,414,392 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sirotkin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US14/093,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20140153511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 982 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems of User Equipment (UE) centric access network selection. For example, a cellular node may include a transmitter to transmit to a User Equipment (UE) a cellular communication message over a cellular communication medium, the message including a value of a predefined parameter, which is based on a cellular network load of a cellular network controlled by the cellular node.

Claims

1. A cellular node comprising:

a transmitter to transmit to a User Equipment (UE) a cellular communication message over a cellular communication medium, the message including UE-assistance information to assist in access network selection, the UE-assistance information including a Wireless-Local-Area-Network (WLAN) load threshold value, which is based on a cellular network load of a cellular network controlled by said cellular node, the WLAN load threshold value is different from the cellular network load, the WLAN load threshold value is comparable to a WLAN load of at least one WLAN, the UE-assistance information is to assist access network selection at the UE without the cellular network load being disclosed to the UE.

2. The cellular node of claim 1, wherein said UE-assistance information comprises a resource allocation parameter representing an amount of resource for allocation by the cellular node to said UE.

3. The cellular node of claim 2, wherein said UE-assistance information comprises a maximal resource block parameter representing a maximal number of resource blocks for allocation by the cellular node to said UE.

4. The cellular node of claim 1, wherein said UE-assistance information comprises a cellular network signal strength threshold parameter.

5. The cellular node of claim 1, wherein said cellular communication message comprises a Radio-Resource Control (RRC) signaling message.

6. The cellular node of claim 5, wherein said RRC signaling message comprises a RRCConnectionConfiguration message.

7. The cellular node of claim 1, wherein said cellular communication message comprises a System Information block (SIB).

8. The cellular node of claim 1 comprising an Evolved node B (eNB).

9. A User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver;

a cellular transceiver to receive from an Evolved node B (eNB) of a cellular network

a cellular communication message including a value of a WLAN load threshold parameter, the value of the WLAN load threshold parameter is different from the load of the cellular network; and

a controller to control access network selection at said UE based on a predefined selection criterion applied to the value of the WLAN load threshold parameter and a WLAN load of a WLAN, without the cellular network load being disclosed to the UE.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein said selection criterion is a function of a measured received signal strength indication (RSSI) measured by said UE with respect to said WLAN, an RSSI threshold, the WLAN load of said WLAN and the value of said WLAN load threshold parameter.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein said selection criterion is based on a ratio between a first difference between the measured RSSI and the RSSI threshold, and a second difference between the WLAN load of said WLAN and the value of said WLAN load threshold parameter.

12. The UE of claim 9, wherein said selection criterion is a function of a WLAN bandwidth of said WLAN, the WLAN load of said WLAN and the value of said WLAN threshold parameter.

13. The UE of claim 12, wherein said controller is to select said WLAN when a product of the WLAN bandwidth of said WLAN and the WLAN load of said WLAN is greater than the value of said WLAN threshold parameter.

14. The UE of claim 9, wherein said cellular transceiver is to receive said cellular communication message when said UE is at an Idle state.

15. The UE of claim 9, wherein said cellular transceiver is to receive said cellular communication message when said UE is at a connected state.

16. A User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver;

a cellular transceiver to receive from a cellular network a cellular communication message including a Wireless-Local-Area-Network (WLAN) load threshold value, which is based on a cellular network load of said cellular network, the WLAN load threshold value is different from the cellular network load; and

a controller to control access network selection at said UE with respect to a WLAN based on the WLAN load threshold value, without the cellular network load being disclosed to the UE.

17. The UE of claim 16, wherein the cellular communication message comprises a resource allocation parameter representing an amount of resource for allocation by the cellular network to said UE.

18. The UE of claim 16, wherein said controller is configured to control said access network selection based on a predefined selection criterion applied to the WLAN load threshold value and a WLAN load of said WLAN.

19. A product including a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, result in:

communicating between a cellular node and a User Equipment (UE) at least one cellular communication message over a cellular communication medium, the message including a Wireless-Local-Area-Network (WLAN) load threshold value, which is based on a cellular network load of a cellular network, the WLAN load threshold value is different from the cellular network load, wherein the WLAN load threshold value is to assist access network selection at the UE without the cellular network load being disclosed to the UE.

20. The product of claim 19, wherein said message comprises a resource allocation parameter representing an amount of resource for allocation to said UE.

21. The product of claim 19, wherein said instructions result in receiving said cellular communication message at said UE.

22. The product of claim 21, wherein said instructions result in controlling access network selection of said UE with respect to a WLAN based on the WLAN load threshold value.