Network mapping of policy portions in wireless communication network

Abstract

A method in a first network function of a first wireless communication network is provided, the method comprising: determining, for a wireless communication device, a policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and including the policy configuration in the individual policy portion identified by the unique policy portion identifier; and sending the policy configuration to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to the field of implementing network mapping of policy parts in wireless communication networks.The present specification defines a first network function, a method in the first network function, a wireless communication device, and a method in the wireless communication device. Background Art

[0002] Since Release 15, UE Routing Policy (URSP) rules have been defined to allow the UE to determine how to route application traffic via untrusted or trusted WLAN access, via 3GPP access or via non-3GPP access, via the mobile communication network, or how to route traffic non-seamlessly via a WLAN connection bypassing the mobile communication network. URSP rules contain traffic descriptors that allow the UE to determine whether the URSP rules match the application traffic currently being processed by the UE in the uplink and / or downlink. Traffic descriptors may include application descriptors (OSID / OSAppID) and IP flow descriptors. The IP flow descriptor may be, for example, the target address of the application traffic, the requested DNN of the application, or the connection capabilities requested by the application (e.g., IMS connection).

[0003] Each URSP rule contains a routing descriptor (RSD), which defines how the UE routes a PDU session. The RSD includes one or more of the following: SSC mode selection, network slice selection, DNN selection, PDU session type selection, non-seamless offload indication, and access type preference. The UE routes traffic via the PDU session that matches the RSD components. Routing can include both 3GPP and non-3GPP access.

[0004] Currently, URSP rules are only provided to the UE from the PCF of the home PLMN (i.e., H-PCF). The UE uses the provided URSP rules in any PLMN to which the UE may be registered. For example, when the UE roams to a visited PLMN, the UE will apply the same URSP rules as those provided by the home PLMN in the visited PLMN. However, conventionally, the home PLMN will issue URSP rules suitable for services on the home PLMN, regardless of any visited PLMNs that the UE may use. When the UE is roaming, the PCF on the V-PLMN (i.e., V-PCF) is not allowed to create / provision URSP rules, but is allowed to create / provision ANDSP (Access Network Discovery and Selection Policy) rules. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In conventional wireless communication networks, URSP rules are provided only by the HPMN, and the UE applies the same URSP rules in any PLMN to which the UE is registered. This can cause problems when the UE is roaming, as the V-PLMN operator may require specific traffic routing for specific applications. In addition, in some cases, the V-PLMN operator cannot interface with the HPMN (for example, if the UE is registered in the SNPN using credentials from the HPMN).

[0006] Disclosed herein is a process for network mapping of a policy portion in a wireless communication network. The process may be implemented by a first network function, a method in the first network function, a wireless communication device, and a method in the wireless communication device.

[0007] Therefore, a first network function of a first wireless communication network is provided, the first network function comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to cause the first network function to: determine a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and include the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; and send the policy configuration to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

[0008] Thus, the first wireless communication network can indicate to the wireless communication device in which wireless communication networks the wireless communication device can use the policy issued from the first wireless communication network. This can be facilitated by providing a mapping of policy parts to wireless communication network identifications.

[0009] Also provided is a method in a first network function of a first wireless communication network, the method comprising: determining a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and including the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; and sending the policy configuration to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

[0010] A wireless communication device is also provided, the wireless communication device including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to cause the wireless communication device to: send a registration request to a wireless communication network, the registration request including a policy container including an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks.

[0011] A method in a wireless communication device is also provided, the method comprising sending a registration request to a wireless communication network, the registration request comprising a policy container comprising an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] To illustrate how the advantages and features of the present disclosure can be obtained, the present disclosure is described with reference to certain devices and methods shown in the accompanying drawings. Each of these figures depicts only certain aspects of the present disclosure and, therefore, should not be considered as limiting the scope thereof. The drawings may have been simplified for clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0013] Methods and apparatus for network mapping of policy portions in a wireless communication network will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 An embodiment of a wireless communication system for network mapping of policy portions in a wireless communication network is depicted;

[0015] Figure 2 depicts a user equipment apparatus that may be used to implement the methods described herein;

[0016] Figure 3 depicts further details of a network node that may be used to implement the methods described herein;

[0017] Figure 4 A modified version of the class markup is illustrated;

[0018] Figure 5 Illustrated is a method for delivering a policy part to PLMN configuration mapping to a UE;

[0019] Figure 6 A method in a first network function of a first wireless communication network is illustrated; and

[0020] Figure 7 A method in a wireless communication device is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied as systems, devices, methods, or program products. Thus, the arrangements described herein may be implemented in a completely hardware form, a completely software form (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or a combination of software and hardware aspects.

[0022] For example, the disclosed methods and apparatus may be implemented as hardware circuits, including custom very large scale integrated ("VLSI") circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. The disclosed methods and apparatus may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices, such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, and the like. As another example, the disclosed methods and apparatus may include one or more physical or logical blocks of executable code, which may be organized, for example, as objects, procedures, or functions.

[0023] Furthermore, the methods and apparatus may take the form of a program product embodied in one or more computer-readable storage devices storing machine-readable code, computer-readable code, and / or program code, hereinafter referred to as code. The storage device may be tangible, non-transitory, and / or non-transmitting. The storage device may not embody a signal. In some arrangements, the storage device utilizes only a signal for accessing the code.

[0024] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. The computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may be a storage device that stores code. For example, the storage device may be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0025] More specific examples of storage devices (a non-exhaustive list) would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory ("RAM"), a read-only memory ("ROM"), an erasable programmable read-only memory ("EPROM" or flash memory), a portable compact disk read-only memory ("CD-ROM"), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this specification, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0026] Throughout this specification, references to examples of particular methods or devices or similar language indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that example is included in at least one implementation of the methods and devices described herein. Therefore, unless expressly provided otherwise, references to features of examples of particular methods or devices or similar language may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same examples, but rather to "one or more but not all examples." Unless expressly provided otherwise, the terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to." Unless expressly provided otherwise, a list of enumerated items does not imply that any or all items are mutually exclusive. Unless expressly provided otherwise, the terms "a," "an," and "the" also mean "one or more."

[0027] As used herein, a list with the conjunction "and / or" includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, a list of A, B, and / or C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. As used herein, a list using the term "one or more of..." includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, one or more of A, B, and C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. As used herein, a list using the term "one of..." includes one and only one of any single item in the list. For example, "one of A, B, and C" includes only A, only B, or only C, but does not include a combination of A, B, and C. As used herein, "a member selected from the group including A, B, and C" includes one and only one of A, B, or C, but does not include a combination of A, B, and C. As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C and combinations thereof” includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C, or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0028] In addition, the features, structures, or characteristics described herein may be combined in any suitable manner. In the following description, many specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the disclosed methods and apparatus can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the present disclosure.

[0029] Aspects of the disclosed methods and apparatus are described below with reference to schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and program products. It will be understood that each block of the schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams, as well as combinations of blocks in the schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams, can be implemented by code. The code can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine such that instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device can create components for implementing the functions / actions specified in the schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams.

[0030] The code may also be stored in a storage device that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to operate in a specific manner so that the instructions stored in the storage device produce an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing the functions / actions specified in the schematic flowchart and / or schematic block diagram.

[0031] The code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operating steps to be executed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the code executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provides a process for implementing the functions / actions specified in the schematic flowcharts and / or schematic block diagrams.

[0032] The schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functions and operations of possible implementations of devices, systems, methods and program products. In this regard, each box in the schematic flow charts and / or schematic block diagrams may represent a code module, segment or portion, which includes one or more executable instructions of a code for implementing (multiple) specified logical functions.

[0033] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions shown in the blocks may not occur in the order shown in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. Other steps and methods are contemplated that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the figures shown.

[0034] The description of an element in each figure may refer to the elements in the subsequent figures. In all figures, the same numbers refer to the same elements.

[0035] Figure 1 An embodiment of a wireless communication system 100 for network mapping of policy portions in a wireless communication network is depicted. In one embodiment, the wireless communication system 100 includes a remote unit 102 and a network unit 104. Although Figure 1A specific number of remote units 102 and network units 104 are depicted in the figure, but those skilled in the art will recognize that any number of remote units 102 and network units 104 may be included in the wireless communication system 100. A wireless communication system may include a wireless communication network and at least one wireless communication device. The wireless communication device is typically a 3GPP user equipment (UE). The wireless communication network may include at least one network node. A network node may be a network unit.

[0036] In one embodiment, the remote unit 102 may include a computing device such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), a tablet computer, a smartphone, a smart TV (e.g., a TV connected to the Internet), a set-top box, a game console, a security system (including a security camera), an in-vehicle computer, a network device (e.g., a router, a switch, a modem), an aircraft, a drone, etc. In some embodiments, the remote unit 102 includes a wearable device such as a smart watch, a fitness band, an optical head-mounted display, etc. Furthermore, the remote unit 102 may be referred to as a subscriber unit, a mobile station, a mobile station, a user, a terminal, a mobile terminal, a fixed terminal, a subscriber station, a UE, a user terminal, a device, or other terms used in the art. The remote unit 102 may communicate directly with one or more of the network units 104 via UL communication signals. In some embodiments, the remote unit 102 may communicate directly with other remote units 102 via sidelink communications.

[0037] The network elements 104 may be distributed over a geographical area. In some embodiments, the network elements 104 may also be referred to as access points, access terminals, base stations, base stations, node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, home node Bs, relay nodes, devices, core networks, air servers, radio access nodes, APs, NRs, network entities, access and mobility management functions (“AMFs”), unified data management functions (“UDMs”), unified databases (“UDRs”), UDM / UDRs, policy control functions (“PCFs”), radio access networks (“RANs”), network slice selection functions (“NSSFs”), operations, maintenance, and management (“OAMs”), conference 1 . The network elements 104 may be speech management functions ("SMF"), user plane functions ("UPF"), application functions, authentication server functions ("AUSF"), security anchor functions ("SEAF"), trusted non-3GPP gateway functions ("TNGF"), application functions, service enabler architecture layer ("SEAL") functions, vertical application enabler servers, edge enabler servers, border configuration servers, mobile edge computing platform functions, mobile edge computing applications, application data analytics enabler servers, SEAL data delivery servers, middleware entities, network slice capability management servers, or any other term used in the art. The network elements 104 are typically part of a radio access network that includes one or more controllers communicatively coupled to one or more corresponding network elements 104. The radio access network is typically communicatively coupled to one or more core networks, which may be coupled to other networks, such as the Internet and public switched telephone networks, among other networks. These and other elements of the radio access network and core network are not shown, but are generally familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0038] In one implementation, the wireless communication system 100 conforms to the New Radio (NR) protocol standardized in 3GPP, wherein the network unit 104 transmits on the downlink (DL) using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access ("OFDM") modulation scheme, and the remote unit 102 transmits on the uplink (UL) using a single carrier frequency division multiple access ("SC-FDMA") scheme or an OFDM scheme. More generally, however, the wireless communication system 100 may implement some other open or proprietary communication protocol, such as WiMAX, an IEEE 802.11 variant, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, an LTE variant, CDMA2000, ZigBee, Sigfox, LoraWAN, and other protocols. This disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular wireless communication system architecture or protocol implementation.

[0039] The network unit 104 can serve multiple remote units 102 within a service area (e.g., a cell or cell sector) via wireless communication links. The network unit 104 sends DL communication signals to serve the remote units 102 in the time, frequency, and / or spatial domains.

[0040] Figure 2 A user equipment device 200 is depicted that can be used to implement the methods described herein. The user equipment device 200 is used to implement one or more of the solutions described herein. The user equipment device 200 conforms to one or more of the user equipment devices described in the embodiments herein. Specifically, the user equipment device 200 may include a wireless communication device as described herein. The user equipment device 200 may include a UE 510 as described herein. The user equipment device 200 includes a processor 205, a memory 210, an input device 215, an output device 220, and a transceiver 225.

[0041] The input device 215 and the output device 220 can be combined into a single device, such as a touch screen. In some implementations, the user equipment apparatus 200 does not include any input device 215 and / or output device 220. The user equipment apparatus 200 can include one or more of the following: a processor 205, a memory 210, and a transceiver 225, and may not include an input device 215 and / or an output device 220.

[0042] As depicted, the transceiver 225 includes at least one transmitter 230 and at least one receiver 235. The transceiver 225 can communicate with one or more cells (or wireless coverage areas) supported by one or more base units. The transceiver 225 can operate on an unlicensed spectrum. In addition, the transceiver 225 can include multiple UE panels supporting one or more beamforms. Additionally, the transceiver 225 can support at least one network interface 240 and / or application interface 245. The application interface(s) 245 can support one or more APIs. The network interface(s) 240 can support 3GPP reference points such as Uu, N1, PC5, etc. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, other network interfaces 240 may be supported.

[0043] The processor 205 may include any known controller capable of executing computer-readable instructions and / or capable of performing logical operations. For example, the processor 205 may be a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a central processing unit ("CPU"), a graphics processing unit ("GPU"), an auxiliary processing unit, a field programmable gate array ("FPGA"), or a similar programmable controller. The processor 205 may execute instructions stored in the memory 210 to perform the methods and routines described herein. The processor 205 is communicatively coupled to the memory 210, the input device 215, the output device 220, and the transceiver 225.

[0044] Processor 205 may control user equipment device 200 to implement the user equipment device behaviors described herein. Processor 205 may include an application processor (also referred to as a "main processor") that manages application domain and operating system ("OS") functions and a baseband processor (also referred to as a "baseband radio processor") that manages radio functions.

[0045] Memory 210 may be a computer-readable storage medium. Memory 210 may include volatile computer storage media. For example, memory 210 may include RAM, including dynamic RAM ("DRAM"), synchronous dynamic RAM ("SDRAM"), and / or static RAM ("SRAM"). Memory 210 may include non-volatile computer storage media. For example, memory 210 may include a hard drive, flash memory, or any other suitable non-volatile computer storage device. Memory 210 may include both volatile computer storage media and non-volatile computer storage media.

[0046] Memory 210 may store data related to implementing the traffic class field as described herein.Memory 210 may also store program code and related data, such as an operating system or other controller algorithms operating on device 200.

[0047] Input device 215 may include any known computer input device, including a touchpad, buttons, keyboard, stylus, microphone, etc. Input device 215 may be integrated with output device 220, for example, as a touch screen or similar touch-sensitive display. Input device 215 may include a touch screen so that text can be entered using a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen and / or by handwriting on the touch screen. Input device 215 may include two or more different devices, such as a keyboard and a touchpad.

[0048] The output device 220 may be designed to output visual, auditory, and / or tactile signals. The output device 220 may include an electronically controllable display or display device capable of outputting visual data to a user. For example, the output device 220 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), a light emitting diode ("LED") display, an organic LED ("OLED") display, a projector, or a similar display device capable of outputting images, text, and the like to a user. As another non-limiting example, the output device 220 may include a wearable display that is separate from but communicatively coupled to the rest of the user device apparatus 200, such as a smart watch, smart glasses, a head-up display, and the like. In addition, the output device 220 may be a component of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a television, a desktop computer, a notebook (laptop) computer, a personal computer, a vehicle dashboard, and the like.

[0049] The output device 220 may include one or more speakers for generating sound. For example, the output device 220 may generate an audible alarm or notification (e.g., a beep or buzzer). The output device 220 may include one or more haptic devices for generating vibration, motion, or other tactile feedback. All or part of the output device 220 may be integrated with the input device 215. For example, the input device 215 and the output device 220 may form a touch screen or similar touch-sensitive display. The output device 220 may be located near the input device 215.

[0050] The transceiver 225 communicates with one or more network functions of the mobile communication network via one or more access networks. The transceiver 225 operates under the control of the processor 205 to transmit messages, data, and other signals, and also receives messages, data, and other signals. For example, the processor 205 can selectively activate the transceiver 225 (or portions thereof) at specific times to transmit and receive messages.

[0051] The transceiver 225 includes at least one transmitter 230 and at least one receiver 235. One or more transmitters 230 can be used to provide uplink communication signals to a base unit of a wireless communication network. Similarly, one or more receivers 235 can be used to receive downlink communication signals from the base unit. Although only one transmitter 230 and one receiver 235 are shown, the user equipment device 200 can have any suitable number of transmitters 230 and receivers 235. In addition, the (multiple) transmitters 230 and (multiple) receivers 235 can be any suitable type of transmitter and receiver. The transceiver 225 may include a first transmitter / receiver pair for communicating with a mobile communication network via a licensed radio spectrum, and a second transmitter / receiver pair for communicating with a mobile communication network via an unlicensed radio spectrum.

[0052] A first transmitter / receiver pair that can be used to communicate with a mobile communication network via a licensed radio spectrum and a second transmitter / receiver pair that can be used to communicate with a mobile communication network via an unlicensed radio spectrum can be combined into a single transceiver unit, such as a single chip that performs functions for use with both the licensed radio spectrum and the unlicensed radio spectrum. The first transmitter / receiver pair and the second transmitter / receiver pair can share one or more hardware components. For example, some of transceiver 225, transmitter 230, and receiver 235 can be implemented as physically separate components that access shared hardware resources and / or software resources, such as network interface 240.

[0053] One or more transmitters 230 and / or one or more receivers 235 may be implemented and / or integrated into a single hardware component, such as a multi-transceiver chip, a system on a chip, an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"), or other type of hardware component. One or more transmitters 230 and / or one or more receivers 235 may be implemented and / or integrated into a multi-chip module. Other components, such as a network interface 240 or other hardware components / circuits, may be integrated into a single chip with any number of transmitters 230 and / or receivers 235. The transmitters 230 and receivers 235 may be logically configured as transceivers 225 using one or more common control signals, or as modular transmitters 230 and receivers 235 implemented on the same hardware chip or in a multi-chip module.

[0054] Figure 3

[0066] Further details of a network node 300 that can be used to implement the methods described herein are depicted. The network node 300 can be one implementation of an entity in a wireless communication network (e.g., one or more of the wireless communication networks described herein). The network node 300 can include a first network function as described herein. The network node 300 can include a policy control function 530 as described herein. The network node 300 includes a processor 305, a memory 310, an input device 315, an output device 320, and a transceiver 325.

[0055] Input device 315 and output device 320 can be combined into a single device, such as a touch screen. In some implementations, network node 300 does not include any input device 315 and / or output device 320. Network node 300 can include one or more of the following: processor 305, memory 310, and transceiver 325, and may not include input device 315 and / or output device 320.

[0056] As depicted, transceiver 325 includes at least one transmitter 330 and at least one receiver 335. Here, transceiver 325 communicates with one or more remote units 200. Additionally, transceiver 325 may support at least one network interface 340 and / or application interface 345. Application interface(s) 345 may support one or more APIs. Network interface(s) 340 may support 3GPP reference points such as Uu, N1, N2, and N3. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, other network interfaces 340 may be supported.

[0057] The processor 305 may include any known controller capable of executing computer-readable instructions and / or performing logical operations. For example, the processor 305 may be a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, an FPGA, or a similar programmable controller. The processor 305 may execute instructions stored in the memory 310 to perform the methods and routines described herein. The processor 305 is communicatively coupled to the memory 310, the input device 315, the output device 320, and the transceiver 325.

[0058] Memory 310 may be a computer-readable storage medium. Memory 310 may include volatile computer storage media. For example, memory 310 may include RAM, including dynamic RAM ("DRAM"), synchronous dynamic RAM ("SDRAM"), and / or static RAM ("SRAM"). Memory 310 may include non-volatile computer storage media. For example, memory 310 may include a hard drive, flash memory, or any other suitable non-volatile computer storage device. Memory 310 may include both volatile computer storage media and non-volatile computer storage media.

[0059] The memory 310 may store data related to establishing a multipath unicast link and / or mobile operations. For example, as described herein, the memory 310 may store parameters, configurations, resource allocations, policies, etc. The memory 310 may also store program code and related data, such as an operating system or other controller algorithms operating on the network node 300.

[0060] Input device 315 may include any known computer input device, including a touchpad, buttons, keyboard, stylus, microphone, etc. Input device 315 may be integrated with output device 320, for example, as a touch screen or similar touch-sensitive display. Input device 315 may include a touch screen so that text can be entered using a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen and / or by handwriting on the touch screen. Input device 315 may include two or more different devices, such as a keyboard and a touchpad.

[0061] Output device 320 may be designed to output visual, auditory, and / or tactile signals. Output device 320 may include an electronically controllable display or display device capable of outputting visual data to a user. For example, output device 320 may include, but is not limited to, an LCD display, an LED display, an OLED display, a projector, or a similar display device capable of outputting images, text, etc. to a user. As another non-limiting example, output device 320 may include a wearable display that is separate from but communicatively coupled to the rest of network node 300, such as a smartwatch, smart glasses, a head-up display, or the like. In addition, output device 320 may be a component of a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a television, a desktop computer, a notebook (laptop) computer, a personal computer, a vehicle dashboard, or the like.

[0062] Output device 320 may include one or more speakers for generating sound. For example, output device 320 may generate an audible alarm or notification (e.g., a beep or buzzer). Output device 320 may include one or more haptic devices for generating vibration, motion, or other tactile feedback. All or part of output device 320 may be integrated with input device 315. For example, input device 315 and output device 320 may form a touch screen or similar touch-sensitive display. Output device 320 may be located near input device 315.

[0063] The transceiver 325 includes at least one transmitter 330 and at least one receiver 335. The one or more transmitters 330 can be used to communicate with the UE, as described herein. Similarly, the one or more receivers 335 can be used to communicate with network functions in the PLMN and / or RAN, as described herein. Although only one transmitter 330 and one receiver 335 are shown, the network node 300 can have any suitable number of transmitters 330 and receivers 335. Furthermore, the transmitter(s) 330 and the receiver(s) 335 can be any suitable type of transmitter and receiver.

[0064] Since Release 15, UE Routing Selection Policy (URSP) rules have been defined to allow the UE to determine how to route application traffic via an untrusted or trusted WLAN access, via a 3GPP access, or via a non-3GPP access, via a mobile communications network, or how to route traffic non-seamlessly via a WLAN connection bypassing the mobile communications network. URSP rules and procedures for UEs to apply URSP rules are described in 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0 (December 2022), entitled "Procedures for 5G System (5GS)" and 3GPP TS 23.503 v18.0.0 (December 2022), entitled "Policy and Charging Control Framework for 5G System (5GS); Stage 2" (URSP rule definitions and procedures are included in Release 15.0.0 after 23.502 and 23.503).

[0065] The URSP rule contains a service descriptor that allows the UE to determine whether the URSP rule matches the application service currently being processed by the UE in the uplink and / or downlink. The service descriptor may include an application descriptor (OSID / OSAppID) and an IP flow descriptor. The IP flow descriptor may be, for example, the target address of the application service, the DNN requested by the application, or the connection capability requested by the application (e.g., IMS connection).

[0066] Each URSP rule contains a routing descriptor that defines how the UE routes a PDU session. The RSD includes one or more of the following: SSC mode selection, network slice selection, DNN selection, PDU session type selection, non-seamless offload indication, and access type preference. The UE routes traffic via the PDU session that matches the RSD component. Routing can include both 3GPP and non-3GPP access.

[0067] Currently, URSP rules are only provided to the UE from the PCF of the home PLMN (i.e., H-PCF). The UE uses the provided URSP rules in any PLMN to which the UE may be registered. For example, when the UE roams to a visited PLMN, the UE will apply the same URSP rules as those provided by the home PLMN in the visited PLMN. However, traditionally, the home PLMN will issue URSP rules suitable for services on the home PLMN, regardless of any visited PLMNs that the UE may use. When the UE is roaming, the PCF on the V-PLMN (i.e., V-PCF) is not allowed to create / provision URSP rules, but is allowed to create / provision ANDSP (Access Network Discovery and Selection Policy) rules.

[0068] The H-PCF provisions the URSP and / or ANDSP policy to the UE within the UE policy information provided to the UE via NAS signaling. The H-PCF allocates the URSP and ANDSP rules within the policy parts within the UE policy information, with each policy part identified by a specific policy part identifier. The H-PCF stores the policy parts and policy part identifiers in a database, which serves as a means for the H-PCF to determine whether the UE requires an updated policy. When the UE registers with a PLMN, the UE includes a policy part identifier associated with the policy part stored in the UE in the registration request, which allows the PCF (in both the VPLMN and the HPLMN) to identify whether an updated policy is required at the UE.

[0069] As part of the Release 18 work in the eUEPO work item, it has been agreed to allow a solution where the network indicates to the UE which URSP rules apply when the UE roams into a V-PLMN. This is supported by the home network (i.e., H-PCF) providing a mapping of policy part identifiers to a list of one or more V-PLMN identifiers. When the UE registers with a V-PLMN, the UE uses the UE policy for that V-PLMN as a higher priority than other URSP rules.

[0070] Provided herein is an improvement to the operation of a wireless communication network, wherein:

[0071] The PCF is aware of the mapping of policy part identifiers to PLMN identifiers on a per-UE basis; and

[0072] • The mapping of policy part identifiers to PLMN identifiers is encoded within the provisioned UE policy.

[0073] 3GPP TS 23.503 v18.0.0 (December 2022), entitled "Policy and Charging Control Framework for 5G Systems (5GS); Phase 2," states that the PCF can provide a mapping of policy part identifiers to PLMN IDs. Such a PCF can provide a tuple (PLMN ID, a list of PSIs associated with the PLMN ID), and a policy part containing URSP rules to the UE. However, the standard does not provide details on how the PCF can encode the tuple or how the tuple can be provided.

[0074] A tuple included in a separate standalone policy section is provided herein. The tuple includes a PLMNID and a list of PSIs associated with the PLMNID.

[0075] The solution proposed herein comprises a mapping of a policy part identifier (or PSI) to a V-PLMN within the policy part of the policy supplied to the UE.For simplicity, such a policy may be defined herein as a "per PLMN policy part configuration" policy.

[0076] Such a policy section is configured to indicate that the content includes a per-PLMN policy section configuration policy. The policy section may identify a routing policy and the wireless communication network to which the policy section will be applied. The UE policy section types defined in Table D.6.2.7 of 3GPP TS 24.501 v18.1.0 (January 2023), entitled "Non-Access Stratum (NAS) Protocol for 5G Systems (5GS); Phase 3," define the types of policies. Such a UE policy section is modified to include a new binary encoding to identify the "per-PLMN policy section configuration" rules (PPPSC rules), as shown in Table 1 below and highlighted with bold and italic text.

[0077]

[0078] Table 1: Coding of PPPSC information within the policy section

[0079] The policy sections described in this article can include one or more of the following pieces of information:

[0080] UE Routing Selection Policy (URSP) rules;

[0081] Access and Network Discovery Policy (ANDSP) rules (including the SSID applicable to each PLMN);

[0082] V2X policy (V2XP) rules;

[0083] ProSe Policy (ProSeP) rules; and / or

[0084] • "Per PLMN Policy Section Configuration", containing the mapping of Policy Section identifiers to PLMN identifiers (as described herein).

[0085] The PCF may ensure that each policy section contains one type of rules, i.e., URSP rules, ANDSP, V2X, ProSe policies, or per-PLMN policy section configuration.

[0086] The Per PLMN Policy Part Configuration (PPPSC) includes, for each Policy Part Identifier (PSI), a list of PLMNs to which the UE should apply the rules within the policy part. The PCF ensures that the Policy Part Identifiers (PSIs) in this list are part of the Policy Part Identity associated with the policy part provisioned to the UE.

[0087] When the PCF provides Per PLMN Policy Section Configuration (PPPSC), the PCF includes such policies in a policy section identified by a specific PSI. The PCF may store the PSI in the UDR within the policy set entry data identified by the UE's SUPI to ensure that each time the UE registers in the PLMN, the UE always has a consistent Per PLMN Policy Section Configuration (PPPSC). For example, if all stored UE policies are deleted at the UE (e.g., due to UE being turned on / off), then during the initial registration with the PLMN, the UE will not include any PSI in the Registration Request, which will allow the PCF to determine that the UE needs to be provisioned with UE policies (including PPPSC) based on the Registration Request and the information stored in the UDR. The policies provisioned to the UE are based on the information stored in the UDR.

[0088] When the UE receives a Per PLMN Policy Section Configuration (PPPSC) as part of the UE policy sent to the UE by the PCF, the UE limits the priority list of policy sections for each PLMN based on the policy section identifier(s) in the Per PLMN Policy Section Configuration. When the UE is registered to a specific PLMN, routing policy rules identified as specific to the specific PLMN are applied by the UE with a higher priority than routing policy rules that are not identified.

[0089] To facilitate implementation of per-PLMN policy section configuration rules, the UE may be arranged to indicate to the PCF support for receiving and applying such rules. When the UE registers to a 5G network, the UE may indicate support for receiving per-PLMN policy section configuration (PPSC). For example, the UE may include per-PLMN policy section configuration capabilities within a policy container in the initial registration request.

[0090] When the UE sends a UE Status Indication message in a Registration Request, the UE may include an indication that it supports PPPSC rules at the time of initial registration in the UE Policy Class Flag information element. Conventional UE Policy Class Flags are described in 3GPP TS 24.501 clause D.6.5.1. A modified version of this class flag 400 is described in Figure 4 Middle picture.

[0091] The class tag 400 includes a first octet including a policy information element identifier (IEI) and a second octet including the length of the policy information element. The class tag 400 includes a third octet including a field "SupportANDSP". The class tag 400 described herein is modified to include the fields highlighted with bold and italic text in the third octet "SupportPPPSC".

[0092] Figure 5A method 500 for delivering a policy portion to a PLMN configuration mapping to a UE is illustrated. The method 500 is implemented by a UE 510, an AMF 520, a PCF 530, and a UDR 540. The UE 510 may include a wireless communication device as described herein. The UE 510 may include a user equipment device 200 as described herein. The PCF 530 may include a first network function as described herein. The PCF 530 may include a network node 300 as described herein.

[0093] The process 500 begins at 571 when the UE 510 decides to register with the 5G network. The UE 510 is configured to support PPPSC rules.

[0094] At 572, because UE 510 is configured to support PPPSC rules (or support the ability to apply URSP rules in V-PLMN), UE 510 includes a policy container in the registration request, which includes a policy part identifier and an indication of support for PPPSC rules. If UE 510 has stored policies, UE 510 also includes a list of policy part identifiers in the registration request.

[0095] At 573, the AMF 520 performs the registration procedure described in 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0 (December 2022) entitled "Procedures for 5G System (5GS)".

[0096] At 574, at one point in the registration process, the AMF 520 selects the PCF 530 (for UE 510 policy) as described in 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0.

[0097] At 575, the AMF 520 establishes a UE 510 policy association with the selected PCF 530 by sending an Npcf_UEPolicyAssociationCreateRequest. The AMF 520 includes the policy container received by the UE 510.

[0098] At 576 , the PCF 530 confirms the establishment of the UE 510 policy association.

[0099] At 577 , the process for UE 510 registration continues as described in 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0.

[0100] At 578 , the PCF 530 may store in the UDR 540 the capability of the UE 510 to support PPPSC rules (or the capability to support application of URSP rules in a specific V-PLMN).

[0101] At 579 , the PCF 530 may check with the UDR 540 the current UE 510 policy / policy part stored in the UE 510 (based on the policy part identifier).

[0102] At 580 , based on the information provided by UE 510 (PSI identifier) ​​and information provided by UDR 540 , PCF 530 determines whether UE 510 requires an updated UE 510 policy (ie, comparing the PSI sent by UE 510 and the PSI retrieved by UDR 540 ).

[0103] At 581, if the PCF 530 determines that an updated UE 510 policy is needed (e.g., UDR 540 information indicating that some policy parts are not stored in the UE 510, or based on updated subscription information), the PCF 530 sends the updated UE 510 policy by triggering a UE 510 configuration update for transparent policy delivery, as described in Section 4.2.4.3 of 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0. The UE 510 policy may include a policy part identified by a PSI identifier containing PPPSC rules. The PCF 530 may determine to create PPPSC rules based on the PPPSC capabilities reported by the UE 510 or based on the PPPSC capabilities retrieved from the UDR 540.

[0104] At 582a, UDR 540 may inform PCF 530 of VPLMN-specific URSP rules (as described in 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0) for one or more VPLMNs identified by the VPLMN identifier.

[0105] At 582b, the PCF 530 may receive a request for V-PLMN-specific URSP rules from the PCF 530 in the V-PLMN.

[0106] At 583, the PCF 530 determines the V-PLMN specific URSP rules and includes them in the policy part (containing only the URSP rules) associated with the policy part identifier. The PCF 530 assigns the policy part identifier.

[0107] At 584, PCF 530 includes a mapping of the policy part identifier (of the policy part that includes the VPLMN-specific rules) to a list of (multiple) VPLMN identifiers (based on the information provided in steps 581a / 581b) and includes it within the PPPSC rules. PCF 530 includes the PPPSC rules in a separate policy part (containing only PPPSC rules) associated with the policy part identifier. PCF 530 assigns the policy part identifier. If there is an existing policy part that contains PPPSC rules (i.e., UE 510 has already been provisioned with such rules), PCF 530 updates the PPPSC rules with the updated information and may include the updated rules in the existing policy part that contains PPPSC rules.

[0108] At 585, the PCF 530 sends the updated UE 510 policy by triggering a UE 510 configuration update for transparent policy delivery as described in section 4.2.4.3 of 3GPP TS 23.502 v18.0.0. The UE 510 policy includes a policy part identified by a PSI identifier containing PPPSC rules.

[0109] At 586, the UE 510 extracts the mapping of PSI to PLMN identifier from the PPPSC rules and prioritizes the URSP rules of the policy part(s) identified by the PSI when registering to the PLMN according to the mapping information.

[0110] Therefore, a first network function of a first wireless communication network is provided, the first network function comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to cause the first network function to: determine a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and include the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; and send the policy configuration to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

[0111] Thus, the first wireless communication network can indicate to the wireless communication device in which wireless communication networks the wireless communication device can use the policy issued from the first wireless communication network. This can be facilitated by providing a mapping of policy parts to wireless communication network identifications.

[0112] The first network function may include a policy control function (PCF).The second network function may include an access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0113] The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a UE policy. The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a routing policy rule. The routing policy may be a UE routing policy (URSP) rule.

[0114] The wireless communication device may include a UE. The UE may be defined according to 3GPP.

[0115] The wireless communication network may be identified by a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.The first wireless communication network may be a home wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network may be a visited wireless communication network.

[0116] The processor may be further arranged to receive an indication of a list of routing policies for the wireless communication device, the list of routing policies comprising an indication of an identification of a wireless communication network in which each routing policy should be applied.

[0117] Each policy configuration may include a tuple containing a policy part identifier and a wireless communication network identifier. The policy part identifier may be associated with the wireless communication network identifier. The wireless communication network identifier may be associated with the policy part identifier. Each policy configuration may be defined as a new rule within the policy part.

[0118] A policy configuration for the wireless communication device may be determined based on a stored policy identified by a policy portion identifier received by the wireless communication device during a registration process. The configuration may be specific to a wireless communication network. The configuration may be specific to more than one wireless communication network. For example, the wireless communication device may send a list of policy portion identifiers corresponding to stored policies, and based on the list, the first network function may determine that the wireless communication device does not have a policy portion that includes a per-wireless communication network configuration.

[0119] The processor may be further arranged to determine a policy configuration indicating one or more policies based on receiving information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks. The information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks may be received from a unified data repository (UDR).

[0120] Figure 6 A method 600 is illustrated in a first network function of a first wireless communication network, the method comprising: determining 610 a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and including the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; and sending 620 the policy configuration to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

[0121] Thus, the first wireless communication network can indicate to the wireless communication device in which wireless communication networks the wireless communication device can use the policy issued from the first wireless communication network. This can be facilitated by providing a mapping of policy parts to wireless communication network identifications.

[0122] In certain embodiments, the method 600 may be performed by a processor (eg, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, an FPGA, etc.) that executes program code.

[0123] The first network function may include a policy control function (PCF).The second network function may include an access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0124] The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a UE policy. The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a routing policy rule. The routing policy may be a UE routing policy (URSP) rule.

[0125] The wireless communication device may include a UE. The UE may be defined according to 3GPP.

[0126] The wireless communication network may be identified by a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.The first wireless communication network may be a home wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network may be a visited wireless communication network.

[0127] The method may also include receiving an indication of a list of routing policies for the wireless communication device, the list of routing policies including an indication of an identification of a wireless communication network in which each routing policy should be applied.

[0128] Each policy configuration may include a tuple including a policy portion identifier and a wireless communication network identifier. The policy portion identifier may be associated with the wireless communication network identifier. The wireless communication network identifier may be associated with the policy portion identifier.

[0129] Each policy configuration can be defined as a new rule within the policy section.

[0130] The policy configuration for the wireless communication device may be determined based on a stored policy identified by a policy portion identifier received by the wireless communication device during a registration process.

[0131] The configuration may be specific to a wireless communication network. The configuration may be specific to more than one wireless communication network. For example, the wireless communication device may send a list of policy part identifiers (corresponding to stored policies), and based on the list, the first network function may determine that the wireless communication device does not have a policy part that includes a per-wireless communication network configuration.

[0132] The method may also include determining a policy configuration indicating one or more policies based on receiving information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks. The information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks may be received from a unified data repository (UDR).

[0133] A wireless communication device is also provided, the wireless communication device including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to cause the wireless communication device to: send a registration request to a wireless communication network, the registration request including a policy container including an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks.

[0134] Thus, the wireless communication device can receive from the first wireless communication network an indication of a wireless communication network in which the wireless communication device can use the policy issued from the first wireless communication network.This can be facilitated by provisioning a mapping of policy parts to wireless communication network identifications.

[0135] The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a UE policy. The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a routing policy rule. The routing policy may be a UE routing policy (URSP) rule.

[0136] The processor may be further arranged to store within the wireless communication device policy class flag information element an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks.

[0137] The registration request may be sent to the first network function.An indication that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different routing policy rules in different wireless communication networks may be received by the PCF and may be stored by the PCF in the UDR.

[0138] Figure 7 Illustrated is a method 700 in a wireless communication device that includes sending 710 a registration request to a wireless communication network, the registration request including a policy container including an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks.

[0139] Thus, the wireless communication device can receive from the first wireless communication network an indication of a wireless communication network in which the wireless communication device can use the policy issued from the first wireless communication network.This can be facilitated by provisioning a mapping of policy parts to wireless communication network identifications.

[0140] In certain embodiments, the method 700 may be performed by a processor (eg, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, an FPGA, etc.) that executes program code.

[0141] The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a UE policy. The policy applied by the wireless communication device may be a routing policy rule. The routing policy may be a UE routing policy (URSP) rule.

[0142] The method may further include storing, within a wireless communication device policy class flag information element, an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks. The registration request may be sent to the first network function.

[0143] An indication that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different routing policy rules in different wireless communication networks may be received by the PCF and may be stored by the PCF in the UDR.

[0144] In conventional wireless communication networks, URSP rules are provided only by the HPMN, and the UE applies the same URSP rules in any PLMN to which the UE is registered. This can create problems when the UE is roaming, as the V-PLMN operator may require specific traffic routing for specific applications. Furthermore, in some cases, the V-PLMN operator cannot interface with the HPMN (for example, if the UE is registered in the SNPN using credentials from the HPMN). Currently, there are no details on how the PLMN supplies URSP-PLMN mapping information to the UE.

[0145] A method is provided herein for the PCF to understand the mapping of policy part identifiers to PLMNs on a per-UE basis. A method is also provided for encoding the mapping of policy part identifiers to PLMNs within the provisioned UE policy.

[0146] Therefore, the PCF of the H-PLMN (H-PCF) includes a tuple (PLMNID, policy part identifier) ​​in a separate policy part identifier and is identified by the policy part identifier.

[0147] Thus, a PCF in a first mobile communications network is provided and is arranged to: receive an indication of a list of URSP policies for a UE applicable to a second mobile communications network identified by a PLMN identifier; determine a per-PLMN policy configuration for the UE and include such PLMN configuration in a policy part identified by a policy part identifier; and send a first message to a first network function (AMF), the first message comprising: a policy part including the PLMN policy configuration and an associated policy part identifier.

[0148] The per-PLMN policy configuration may comprise a tuple containing a policy part identifier and an associated PLMN identifier (or vice versa, ie a PLMN identifier and associated policy part identifier(s).

[0149] Per-PLMN policy configuration may be defined as a new rule within the policy section.

[0150] The PCF may determine the per-policy configuration information based on the per-policy PLMN configuration received by the UE during the registration request.

[0151] The PCF may determine the per-policy configuration information based on receiving information from the UDR indicating that the UE is capable of applying URSP rules in a specific PLMN.

[0152] Also provided is a UE in a first mobile communication network, the UE being arranged to: determine to register to a 5G mobile communication network; and send a registration request, the request including a policy container including a capability to support per-PLMN policy configuration.

[0153] The capability may be stored in the UE policy class flag information element.

[0154] A policy container containing per-PLMN policy configuration capabilities may be received by the PCF.

[0155] The capability to support per-PLMN policy configuration may be stored in the UDR by the PCF.

[0156] It should be noted that the above-described methods and apparatus illustrate rather than limit the present invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative arrangements without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality, and a single processor or other unit may perform the functions of several units recited in a claim. Any reference signs in a claim should not be construed as limiting its scope.

[0157] Furthermore, while examples have been given in the context of specific communication standards, these examples are not intended to limit the communication standards to which the disclosed methods and apparatus may be applied. For example, while specific examples have been given in the context of 3GPP, the principles disclosed herein may also be applied to other wireless communication systems, and indeed any communication system that uses routing rules.

[0158] The method may also be embodied in a set of instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, which, when loaded into a computer processor, digital signal processor (DSP), etc., causes the processor to perform the above-described method.

[0159] The described methods and apparatus may be practiced in other specific forms. The described methods and apparatus are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is therefore indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims are intended to be included within their scope.

[0160] The following abbreviations are relevant to the areas covered by this specification: URSP, UE Routing Policy; PCF, Policy and Charging Function; UE, User Equipment; NEF, Network Exposure Function; UDR, Unified Data Repository; PSI, Policy Part Identifier; and RSD, Routing Descriptor.

Claims

1. A first network function of a first wireless communication network, the first network function comprising: processor; as well as a memory coupled to the processor, the processor being configured to cause the first network function to: determining a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and including the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; as well as The policy configuration is sent to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

2. The first network function of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further arranged to receive an indication of a list of routing policies for the wireless communication device, the list of routing policies comprising an indication of an identification of a wireless communication network to which each routing policy should be applied.

3. The first network function of claim 1 , wherein each policy configuration comprises: A tuple containing a policy part identifier and a wireless communication network identifier.

4. A first network function according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each policy configuration is defined as a new rule within a policy part.

5. A first network function according to any preceding claim, wherein the policy configuration for the wireless communication device is determined based on a stored policy identified by a policy part identifier received by the wireless communication device during a registration process.

6. The first network function of any preceding claim, the processor being further arranged to determine the policy configuration indicating one or more policies based on receiving information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks.

7. A method in a first network function of a first wireless communication network, the method comprising: determining a policy configuration for a wireless communication device, the policy configuration indicating one or more policies to be applied by the wireless communication device in a second wireless communication network, and including the policy configuration in a separate policy part identified by a unique policy part identifier; as well as The policy configuration is sent to a second network function of the first wireless communication network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving an indication of a list of routing policies for the wireless communication device, the list of routing policies including an indication of an identification of a wireless communication network to which each routing policy should be applied.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein each policy configuration comprises: A tuple containing a policy part identifier and a wireless communication network identifier.

10. A method according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein each policy configuration is defined as a new rule within a policy part.

11. The method of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the policy configuration for the wireless communication device is determined based on a stored policy identified by a policy part identifier received by the wireless communication device during a registration process.

12. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, further comprising: The policy configuration indicating one or more policies is determined based on receiving information indicating that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks.

13. A wireless communication device comprising: processor; as well as a memory coupled to the processor, the processor being configured to cause the wireless communication device to: A registration request is sent to a wireless communication network, the registration request including a policy container including an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further arranged to store, within a wireless communication device policy class flag information element, an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of applying different policies in different wireless communication networks.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 13 or 14, wherein the registration request is sent to a first network function.

16. A method in a wireless communication device, the method comprising: A registration request is sent to a wireless communication network, the registration request including a policy container including an indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises: An indication that the wireless communication device can apply different policies in different wireless communication networks is stored in the wireless communication device policy class flag information element.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the registration request is sent to a first network function.

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