Network edge based access network discovery and selection

• US 9,629,076 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson, Dowlatkhah, Sangar
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US14/549,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20160150467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An edge device comprising access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) features is disclosed. An edge device can be a device located at a logical edge of a wireless network. An edge ANDSF component can rank access network resources. The rank can be based on characteristics of an access network resource, a user profile, device resource demands, or a user behavior model. The user profile can comprise information facilitating pre-authentication of a device to an access network resource. Further, the user profile can be considered portable with regard to localized aspects of edge ANDSF components. The user profile provides improved ANDSF feature performance.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

in response to receiving, via a mobile device, an identifier related to a user profile, receiving profile data representing the user profile, from a device associated with an access network discovery and selection function, wherein the profile data comprises a credential;

determining a resource request of the mobile device;

updating the profile data based on information related to an aggregate use of devices associated with the user profile;

determining a rank score of a resource available via a wireless network device having a service area proximate to the mobile device, wherein the rank score is based on a degree to which the resource satisfies the resource request;

selecting the wireless network device based on the rank score; and

facilitating access to the resource by the mobile device via the wireless network device by providing access to the credential.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the profile data further comprises a service level identifier and wherein the determining the rank score is further based on a service level of the wireless network device being determined to satisfy a rule associated with the service level identifier.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a cellular base station device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a Wi-Fi base station device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory and the processor are located at an edge device of a wireless provider network associated with the wireless network device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the edge device is an eNodeB device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the aggregate use of the devices comprises temporal information related to times in which the devices associated with the user profile are in use.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the updating the profile data comprises updating the credential.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device of a wireless provider network associated with a wireless network device, profile data representing a user profile in response to receiving, via a mobile device, an identifier related to the user profile, wherein the profile data comprises a credential and wherein the device is associated with an access network discovery and selection function;

receiving, by the device, information related to a resource request of the mobile device;

updating, by the device, the profile data in response to receiving information relating to uses of multiple devices associated with the user profile;

determining, by the device, a rank score of a resource available via the wireless network device having a service area proximate to the mobile device, wherein the rank score is based on a degree to which the resource satisfies the resource request;

selecting the wireless network device based on the rank score; and

facilitating access to the resource by the mobile device via the wireless network device by providing access to the credential.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the profile data further comprises receiving a service level identifier and wherein the determining the rank score is further based on a service level of the wireless network device being determined, by the device, to satisfy a rule associated with the service level identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a femtocell base station device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a Wi-Fi base station device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the device is a device located at an edge of the wireless provider network.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising, updating, by the device, the profile data in response to the use of the plurality of devices associated with the user profile.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the updating the profile data comprises updating the credential.

16. A machine-readable storage device comprising executable instructions, that in response to execution, cause an edge device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving profile data representing a user profile via a mobile device, wherein the profile data comprises a credential, wherein the edge device is located at a logical edge of a wireless provider network associated with a wireless network device, and wherein the edge device is associated with an access network discovery and selection function;

determining a resource need of the mobile device;

updating the profile data to reflect an aggregate use of devices associated with the user profile;

determining a rank score of a resource available via a wireless network device having a service area proximate to the mobile device, wherein the rank score is based on a degree to which the resource satisfies the resource need;

selecting the wireless network device based on the rank score; and

facilitating access to the resource by the mobile device via the wireless network device by providing access to the credential.

17. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the profile data further comprises a service level identifier and wherein the determining the rank score is further based on a service level of the wireless network device being determined to satisfy a rule associated with the service level identifier.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a non-macro cellular base station device.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the determining the rank score comprises determining the rank score of the resource available via a Wi-Fi base station device.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the updating the profile data comprises updating profile data based on resources accessed by the devices associated with the user profile.