Network and radio access technology selection for dual steering scenarios

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via a first protocol stack) indicating capability information for the first protocol stack, and may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the second protocol stack) indicating capability information for the second protocol stack. The network may assign to the UE one or more UE route selection policies (URSP) rules. The URSP rules may be assigned to each SIM with dual steering validity components, which may include RAT validity, subscription validity, and PLMN validity information. The UE may route traffic using a PLMN and a RAT for each of the protocol stacks, and may select the combinations of PLMNs and RATs according to the information in the URSP policies and the capabilities supported at the UE.

Description

NETWORK AND RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY SELECTION FOR DUAL STEERING SCENARIOSCROSS REFERENCE

[0001] The present Application for Patent claims priority to Greece Patent Application No. 20240100254 by ZHANG et al., entitled “NETWORK AND RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY SELECTION FOR DUAL STEERING SCENARIOS,” filed April 4, 2024, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

[0002] The following relates to wireless communications, including network and radio access technology (RAT) selection for dual steering scenarios.BACKGROUND

[0003] Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE- Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include one or more base stations, each supporting wireless communication for communication devices, which may be known as user equipment (UE).SUMMARY

[0004] The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios. For example, a user equipment (UE) may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via a first protocol stack) indicating capability information for the first protocol stack (e.g., which radio access technologies (RATs), networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the first protocol stack). Similarly, the UE may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the second protocol stack) indicating capability information for the second protocol stack (e.g., which RATs, networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the second protocol stack). The network may assign to the UE one or more UE route selection policies (URSP) rules. The URSP rules may be assigned to each SIM with dual steering validity components. The dual steering validity components may include RAT validity, subscription validity, and PLMN validity information. The UE may check its own capability information, and may determine whether to initiate dual steering procedures according to the URSP rules. The UE may determine if a current PLMN and RAT combination on the two SIMs (e.g., the two protocol stacks) satisfies the URSP rules. If so, the UE may maintain a current PLMN and RAT combination on each SIM. If not (e.g., if a current PLMN and RAT combination on one or both SIMs does not satisfy the URSP policies), then the UE may reselect a PLMN and a RAT for each of the protocol stacks (e.g., according to the information in the URSP policies and the capabilities supported at the UE).

[0005] A method for wireless communications by a UE is described. The method may include transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure, receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RAT under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set ofmultiple RATs, and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0006] A UE for wireless communications is described. The UE may include one or more memories storing processor executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may individually or collectively be operable to execute the code to cause the UE to transmit, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure, receive, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs, and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and base at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0007] Another UE for wireless communications is described. The UE may include means for transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure, means for receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs, and means for routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on thefirst set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0008] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications is described. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors to transmit, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure, receive, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs, and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and base at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0009] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first set of URSP rules may be received via the first protocol stack and the method, apparatuses, and non-transitory computer-readable medium may include further operations, features, means, or instructions for receiving, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, where the first set of URSP rules may be associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules may be associated with the second protocol stack.

[0010] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first set of URSP rules includes at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the first protocol stack, and the second set of URSP rules include at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the second protocol stack.

[0011] Some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for selecting, for the first protocol stack based on the first field, a first network and a first RAT from the first subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the first set of URSP rules and selecting, for the second protocol stack based on the second field, a second network and a second RAT from the second subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the second set of URSP rules.

[0012] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs may include operations, features, means, or instructions for a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0013] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first set of URSP rules may be received via the higher layer of the UE and may be associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack.

[0014] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, each the first set of URSP rules includes an indication of a first subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the first protocol stack and a second subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the second protocol stack.

[0015] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, first set of URSP rules includes at least an indication of a first valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the first protocol stack and one or more companion valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the second protocol stack.

[0016] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, each RSD of the set of RSDs may include operations, features, means, or instructions for a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure may be supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0017] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure may be supported may include operations, features, means, or instructions for an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations.

[0018] In some examples of the method, UEs, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations may be supported.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications system that supports network and radio access technology (RAT) selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an example of a wireless communications system that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIGs. 3-5 show an example of a user equipment (UE) and networks that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 6 shows an example of a process flow that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows an example of a process flow that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIGs. 8 and 9 show block diagrams of devices that support network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a communications manager that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 11 shows a diagram of a system including a device that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIGs. 12 through 14 show flowcharts illustrating methods that support network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a wireless communication device, such as a user equipment (UE), that may be configured with multiple subscriptions to support one or multiple wireless services over one or more access networks. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a new layer of a UE that may be configured to manage data traffic associated with the multiple subscriptions. For instance, the UE may be configured to support the multiple subscriptions via corresponding subscriber identity modules (SIMs) associated with the UE (e.g., included in the UE or electronically registered for the UE such as in an electronic SIM (eSIM)). By way of example, a multi-SIM (MSIM) UE having two SIMs may include a first SIM that provides a subscription for international voice calling services using a first network and a second SIM that provides a subscription for domestic voice calling services using a second network. As another example, the multi-SIM UE may include one SIM that is used for a personal subscription using a first network and another that is used for a business subscription using the same network.

[0029] Each of the SIMs may be configured to connect the UE to a core network through a network entity, such as a base station or an access network. The multiple SIMs may be configured to connect to one or more core networks through the same or different network entities. The core networks may provide the wireless services supported by the subscriptions. The UE may be configured with multiple protocol stacks to support the multiple SIMs and corresponding subscriptions. For instance, each SIM may be associated with a corresponding protocol stack. The protocol stacks may be configured in a modem of the UE and may be used to route data traffic (e.g., data from one or more applications of the UE) from an operating system of the UE and through a connection, such as a protocol data unit (PDU) session, to one or more core networks.

[0030] In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the UE may be configured, at the modem, with a layer or other functionality that is distinct from one or more protocol stacks associated with one or more subscriptions. The layer may be a higher layer, such as a dual-steer layer or a dual-steer control layer (DSCL), that manages the routing and steering of data traffic for the multiple protocol stacks of the UE, over the one or more access networks, and to one or more core networks. In some cases, the dual-steer layer may be configured to route or steer the data traffic over a single protocol stack of the UE. In other cases, the UE may be configured to enable the dual-steer layer to route or steer the data traffic over multiple ones of the protocol stacks at a given time. The steering of the data via the multiple protocol stacks may be referred to as dual steering.

[0031] The dual-steer layer may be configured with functionality to route or steer data traffic for the multiple protocol stacks, over the one or multiple access networks, based on one or more UE route selection policies (URSP) rules. The UE may receive the URSP rules from one or more of the core networks (either directly or indirectly via a radio access network (RAN) node, for instance). The URSP rules may provide rules or conditions under which the dual-steer layer is to route or steer the data traffic to one or more of the protocol stacks. In some cases, the routing rules may be based on capabilities associated with the UE, manufacturer configuration of the UE, subscription choices (such as whether the user is subscribed for a particular service, e.g., nonterrestrial network (NTN) or sixth generation (6G)), user preferences, traffic information associated with the data traffic, and the like.

[0032] According to techniques described herein, the UE may activate select a combination of a network (e.g., a public land mobile network (PLMN)) and a radio access technology (RAT) for communications via both SIMs (e.g., both protocol stacks). The UE may select the PLMN and RAT combination according to its own radio capability and limitations. The UE may report its own capability information (e.g., indicating its capability and limitations). For instance, the UE may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via a first protocol stack) indicating capability information for the first protocol stack (e.g., which RATs, networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the first protocol stack). Similarly, the UE may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the second protocol stack) indicating capability information for the second protocol stack (e.g., which RATs, networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the second protocol stack).

[0033] The network may assign to the UE URSP policies (e.g., one or more URSP rules). The URSP policies may be assigned to each SIM with dual steering validity components. As described herein, the dual steering validity components may include RAT validity, subscription validity, and PLMN validity information. The UE may check its own capability information, and may determine whether to initiate dual steering procedures (e.g., a dual steering session) according to the URSP policies. The UE may determine if a current PLMN and RAT combination on the two SIMs (e.g., the two protocol stacks) meets the dual steering rules or requirements (e.g., satisfies the URSP policies). If so, the UE may maintain a current PLMN and RAT combination on each SIM. If not (e.g., if a current PLMN and RAT combination on one or both SIMs does not satisfy the URSP policies), then the UE may reselect a PLMN and a RAT for each of the protocol stacks (e.g., according to the information in the URSP policies and the capabilities supported at the UE).

[0034] Aspects of the disclosure are initially described in the context of wireless communications systems. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to wireless communications systems, block diagrams, and process flows. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts that relate to network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications system 100 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more devices, such as one or more network devices (e.g., network entities 105), one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. In some examples, the wireless communications system 100 may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, an LTE- Advanced (LTE- A) network, an LTE-A Pro network, a New Radio (NR) network, or a network operating in accordance with other systems and radio technologies, including future systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein.

[0036] The network entities 105 may be dispersed throughout a geographic area to form the wireless communications system 100 and may include devices in different forms or having different capabilities. In various examples, a network entity 105 may be referred to as a network element, a mobility element, a radio access network (RAN) node, or network equipment, among other nomenclature. In some examples, network entities 105 and UEs 115 may wirelessly communicate via communication link(s) 125 (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) access link). For example, a network entity 105 may support a coverage area 110 (e.g., a geographic coverage area) over which the UEs 115 and the network entity 105 may establish the communication link(s) 125. The coverage area 110 may be an example of a geographic area over which a network entity 105 and a UE 115 may support the communication of signals according to one or more radio access technologies (RATs).

[0037] The UEs 115 may be dispersed throughout a coverage area 110 of the wireless communications system 100, and each UE 115 may be stationary, or mobile, or both at different times. The UEs 115 may be devices in different forms or having different capabilities. Some example UEs 115 are illustrated in FIG. 1. The UEs 115 described herein may be capable of supporting communications with various types of devices in the wireless communications system 100 (e.g., other wireless communication devices, including UEs 115 or network entities 105), as shown in FIG. 1.

[0038] As described herein, a node of the wireless communications system 100, which may be referred to as a network node, or a wireless node, may be a network entity 105 (e.g., any network entity described herein), a UE 115 (e.g., any UE describedherein), a network controller, an apparatus, a device, a computing system, one or more components, or another suitable processing entity configured to perform any of the techniques described herein. For example, a node may be a UE 115. As another example, a node may be a network entity 105. As another example, a first node may be configured to communicate with a second node or a third node. In one aspect of this example, the first node may be a UE 115, the second node may be a network entity 105, and the third node may be a UE 115. In another aspect of this example, the first node may be a UE 115, the second node may be a network entity 105, and the third node may be a network entity 105. In yet other aspects of this example, the first, second, and third nodes may be different relative to these examples. Similarly, reference to a UE 115, network entity 105, apparatus, device, computing system, or the like may include disclosure of the UE 115, network entity 105, apparatus, device, computing system, or the like being a node. For example, disclosure that a UE 115 is configured to receive information from a network entity 105 also discloses that a first node is configured to receive information from a second node.

[0039] In some examples, network entities 105 may communicate with a core network 130, or with one another, or both. For example, network entities 105 may communicate with the core network 130 via backhaul communication link(s) 120 (e.g., in accordance with an SI, N2, N3, or other interface protocol). In some examples, network entities 105 may communicate with one another via backhaul communication link(s) 120 (e.g., in accordance with an X2, Xn, or other interface protocol) either directly (e.g., directly between network entities 105) or indirectly (e.g., via the core network 130). In some examples, network entities 105 may communicate with one another via a midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., in accordance with a midhaul interface protocol) or a fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., in accordance with a fronthaul interface protocol), or any combination thereof. The backhaul communication link(s) 120, midhaul communication links 162, or fronthaul communication links 168 may be or include one or more wired links (e.g., an electrical link, an optical fiber link) or one or more wireless links (e.g., a radio link, a wireless optical link), among other examples or various combinations thereof. A UE 115 may communicate with the core network 130 via a communication link 155.

[0040] One or more of the network entities 105 or network equipment described herein may include or may be referred to as a base station 140 (e.g., a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an NR base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a next-generation NodeB or giga-NodeB (either of which may be referred to as a gNB), a 5GNB, a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), a Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or other suitable terminology). In some examples, a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140) may be implemented in an aggregated (e.g., monolithic, standalone) base station architecture, which may be configured to utilize a protocol stack that is physically or logically integrated within one network entity (e.g., a network entity 105 or a single RAN node, such as a base station 140).

[0041] In some examples, a network entity 105 may be implemented in a disaggregated architecture (e.g., a disaggregated base station architecture, a disaggregated RAN architecture), which may be configured to utilize a protocol stack that is physically or logically distributed among multiple network entities (e.g., network entities 105), such as an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network, an open RAN (O-RAN) (e.g., a network configuration sponsored by the O-RAN Alliance), or a virtualized RAN (vRAN) (e.g., a cloud RAN (C-RAN)). For example, a network entity 105 may include one or more of a central unit (CU), such as a CU 160, a distributed unit (DU), such as a DU 165, a radio unit (RU), such as an RU 170, a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), such as an RIC 175 (e.g., a Near-Real Time RIC (Near-RT RIC), a Non-Real Time RIC (Non-RT RIC)), a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) system, such as an SMO system 180, or any combination thereof. An RU 170 may also be referred to as a radio head, a smart radio head, a remote radio head (RRH), a remote radio unit (RRU), or a transmission reception point (TRP). One or more components of the network entities 105 in a disaggregated RAN architecture may be co-located, or one or more components of the network entities 105 may be located in distributed locations (e.g., separate physical locations). In some examples, one or more of the network entities 105 of a disaggregated RAN architecture may be implemented as virtual units (e.g., a virtual CU (VCU), a virtual DU (VDU), a virtual RU (VRU)).

[0042] The split of functionality between a CU 160, a DU 165, and an RU 170 is flexible and may support different functionalities depending on which functions (e.g., network layer functions, protocol layer functions, baseband functions, RF functions, orany combinations thereof) are performed at a CU 160, a DU 165, or an RU 170. For example, a functional split of a protocol stack may be employed between a CU 160 and a DU 165 such that the CU 160 may support one or more layers of the protocol stack and the DU 165 may support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. In some examples, the CU 160 may host upper protocol layer (e.g., layer 3 (L3), layer 2 (L2)) functionality and signaling (e.g., Radio Resource Control (RRC), service data adaptation protocol (SDAP), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)). The CU 160 (e.g., one or more CUs) may be connected to a DU 165 (e.g., one or more DUs) or an RU 170 (e.g., one or more RUs), or some combination thereof, and the DUs 165, RUs 170, or both may host lower protocol layers, such as layer 1 (LI) (e.g., physical (PHY) layer) or L2 (e.g., radio link control (RLC) layer, medium access control (MAC) layer) functionality and signaling, and may each be at least partially controlled by the CU 160. Additionally, or alternatively, a functional split of the protocol stack may be employed between a DU 165 and an RU 170 such that the DU 165 may support one or more layers of the protocol stack and the RU 170 may support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. The DU 165 may support one or multiple different cells (e.g., via one or multiple different RUs, such as an RU 170). In some cases, a functional split between a CU 160 and a DU 165 or between a DU 165 and an RU 170 may be within a protocol layer (e.g., some functions for a protocol layer may be performed by one of a CU 160, a DU 165, or an RU 170, while other functions of the protocol layer are performed by a different one of the CU 160, the DU 165, or the RU 170). A CU 160 may be functionally split further into CU control plane (CU-CP) and CU user plane (CU-UP) functions. A CU 160 may be connected to a DU 165 via a midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., Fl, Fl-c, Fl-u), and a DU 165 may be connected to an RU 170 via a fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., open fronthaul (FH) interface). In some examples, a midhaul communication link 162 or a fronthaul communication link 168 may be implemented in accordance with an interface (e.g., a channel) between layers of a protocol stack supported by respective network entities (e.g., one or more of the network entities 105) that are in communication via such communication links.

[0043] In some wireless communications systems (e.g., the wireless communications system 100), infrastructure and spectral resources for radio access may support wireless backhaul link capabilities to supplement wired backhaul connections,providing an IAB network architecture (e.g., to a core network 130). In some cases, in an IAB network, one or more of the network entities 105 (e.g., network entities 105 or IAB node(s) 104) may be partially controlled by each other. The IAB node(s) 104 may be referred to as a donor entity or an IAB donor. A DU 165 or an RU 170 may be partially controlled by a CU 160 associated with a network entity 105 or base station 140 (such as a donor network entity or a donor base station). The one or more donor entities (e.g., IAB donors) may be in communication with one or more additional devices (e.g., IAB node(s) 104) via supported access and backhaul links (e.g., backhaul communication link(s) 120). IAB node(s) 104 may include an IAB mobile termination (IAB-MT) controlled (e.g., scheduled) by one or more DUs (e.g., DUs 165) of a coupled IAB donor. An IAB-MT may be equipped with an independent set of antennas for relay of communications with UEs 115 or may share the same antennas (e.g., of an RU 170) of IAB node(s) 104 used for access via the DU 165 of the IAB node(s) 104 (e.g., referred to as virtual IAB-MT (vIAB-MT)). In some examples, the IAB node(s) 104 may include one or more DUs (e.g., DUs 165) that support communication links with additional entities (e.g., IAB node(s) 104, UEs 115) within the relay chain or configuration of the access network (e.g., downstream). In such cases, one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture (e.g., the IAB node(s) 104 or components of the IAB node(s) 104) may be configured to operate according to the techniques described herein.

[0044] For instance, an access network (AN) or RAN may include communications between access nodes (e.g., an IAB donor), IAB node(s) 104, and one or more UEs 115. The IAB donor may facilitate connection between the core network 130 and the AN (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection to the core network 130). That is, an IAB donor may refer to a RAN node with a wired or wireless connection to the core network 130. The IAB donor may include one or more of a CU 160, a DU 165, and an RU 170, in which case the CU 160 may communicate with the core network 130 via an interface (e.g., a backhaul link). The IAB donor and IAB node(s) 104 may communicate via an Fl interface according to a protocol that defines signaling messages (e.g., an Fl AP protocol). Additionally, or alternatively, the CU 160 may communicate with the core network 130 via an interface, which may be an example of a portion of a backhaul link, and may communicate with other CUs (e.g., including a CU 160 associated with analternative IAB donor) via an Xn-C interface, which may be an example of another portion of a backhaul link.

[0045] IAB node(s) 104 may refer to RAN nodes that provide IAB functionality (e.g., access for UEs 115, wireless self-backhauling capabilities). A DU 165 may act as a distributed scheduling node towards child nodes associated with the IAB node(s) 104, and the IAB-MT may act as a scheduled node towards parent nodes associated with IAB node(s) 104. That is, an IAB donor may be referred to as a parent node in communication with one or more child nodes (e.g., an IAB donor may relay transmissions for UEs through other IAB node(s) 104). Additionally, or alternatively, IAB node(s) 104 may also be referred to as parent nodes or child nodes to other IAB node(s) 104, depending on the relay chain or configuration of the AN. The IAB-MT entity of IAB node(s) 104 may provide a Uu interface for a child IAB node (e.g., the IAB node(s) 104) to receive signaling from a parent IAB node (e.g., the IAB node(s) 104), and a DU interface (e.g., a DU 165) may provide a Uu interface for a parent IAB node to signal to a child IAB node or UE 115.

[0046] For example, IAB node(s) 104 may be referred to as parent nodes that support communications for child IAB nodes, or may be referred to as child IAB nodes associated with IAB donors, or both. An IAB donor may include a CU 160 with a wired or wireless connection (e.g., backhaul communication link(s) 120) to the core network 130 and may act as a parent node to IAB node(s) 104. For example, the DU 165 of an IAB donor may relay transmissions to UEs 115 through IAB node(s) 104, or may directly signal transmissions to a UE 115, or both. The CU 160 of the IAB donor may signal communication link establishment via an Fl interface to IAB node(s) 104, and the IAB node(s) 104 may schedule transmissions (e.g., transmissions to the UEs 115 relayed from the IAB donor) through one or more DUs (e.g., DUs 165). That is, data may be relayed to and from IAB node(s) 104 via signaling via an NR Uu interface to MT of IAB node(s) 104 (e.g., other IAB node(s)). Communications with IAB node(s) 104 may be scheduled by a DU 165 of the IAB donor or of IAB node(s) 104.

[0047] In the case of the techniques described herein applied in the context of a disaggregated RAN architecture, one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture may be configured to support test as described herein. For example, some operations described as being performed by a UE 115 or a network entity 105 (e.g., abase station 140) may additionally, or alternatively, be performed by one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture (e.g., components such as an IAB node, a DU 165, a CU 160, an RU 170, an RIC 175, an SMO system 180).

[0048] A UE 115 may include or may be referred to as a mobile device, a wireless device, a remote device, a handheld device, or a subscriber device, or some other suitable terminology, where the “device” may also be referred to as a unit, a station, a terminal, or a client, among other examples. A UE 115 may also include or may be referred to as a personal electronic device such as a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a personal computer. In some examples, a UE 115 may include or be referred to as a wireless local loop (WLL) station, an Internet of Things (loT) device, an Internet of Everything (loE) device, or a machine type communications (MTC) device, among other examples, which may be implemented in various objects such as appliances, vehicles, or meters, among other examples.

[0049] The UEs 115 described herein may be able to communicate with various types of devices, such as UEs 115 that may sometimes operate as relays, as well as the network entities 105 and the network equipment including macro eNBs or gNBs, small cell eNBs or gNBs, or relay base stations, among other examples, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0050] The UEs 115 and the network entities 105 may wirelessly communicate with one another via the communication link(s) 125 (e.g., one or more access links) using resources associated with one or more carriers. The term “carrier” may refer to a set of RF spectrum resources having a defined PHY layer structure for supporting the communication link(s) 125. For example, a carrier used for the communication link(s) 125 may include a portion of an RF spectrum band (e.g., a bandwidth part (BWP)) that is operated according to one or more PHY layer channels for a given RAT (e.g., LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, NR). Each PHY layer channel may carry acquisition signaling (e.g., synchronization signals, system information), control signaling that coordinates operation for the carrier, user data, or other signaling. The wireless communications system 100 may support communication with a UE 115 using carrier aggregation or multi-carrier operation. A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrier aggregation may be used with both frequencydivision duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) component carriers. Communication between a network entity 105 and other devices may refer to communication between the devices and any portion (e.g., entity, sub-entity) of a network entity 105. For example, the terms “transmitting,” “receiving,” or “communicating,” when referring to a network entity 105, may refer to any portion of a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, a CU 160, a DU 165, a RU 170) of a RAN communicating with another device (e.g., directly or via one or more other network entities, such as one or more of the network entities 105).

[0051] In some examples, such as in a carrier aggregation configuration, a carrier may have acquisition signaling or control signaling that coordinates operations for other carriers. A carrier may be associated with a frequency channel (e.g., an evolved universal mobile telecommunication system terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) absolute RF channel number (EARFCN)) and may be identified according to a channel raster for discovery by the UEs 115. A carrier may be operated in a standalone mode, in which case initial acquisition and connection may be conducted by the UEs 115 via the carrier, or the carrier may be operated in a non- standalone mode, in which case a connection is anchored using a different carrier (e.g., of the same or a different RAT).

[0052] The communication link(s) 125 of the wireless communications system 100 may include downlink transmissions (e.g., forward link transmissions) from a network entity 105 to a UE 115, uplink transmissions (e.g., return link transmissions) from a UE 115 to a network entity 105, or both, among other configurations of transmissions. Carriers may carry downlink or uplink communications (e.g., in an FDD mode) or may be configured to carry downlink and uplink communications (e.g., in a TDD mode).

[0053] A carrier may be associated with a particular bandwidth of the RF spectrum and, in some examples, the carrier bandwidth may be referred to as a “system bandwidth” of the carrier or the wireless communications system 100. For example, the carrier bandwidth may be one of a set of bandwidths for carriers of a particular RAT (e.g., 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, or 80 megahertz (MHz)). Devices of the wireless communications system 100 (e.g., the network entities 105, the UEs 115, or both) may have hardware configurations that support communications using a particular carrier bandwidth or may be configurable to support communications using one of a set of carrier bandwidths. In some examples, the wireless communications system 100 mayinclude network entities 105 or UEs 115 that support concurrent communications using carriers associated with multiple carrier bandwidths. In some examples, each served UE 115 may be configured for operating using portions (e.g., a sub-band, a BWP) or all of a carrier bandwidth.

[0054] Signal waveforms transmitted via a carrier may be made up of multiple subcarriers (e.g., using multi-carrier modulation (MCM) techniques such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM)). In a system employing MCM techniques, a resource element may refer to resources of one symbol period (e.g., a duration of one modulation symbol) and one subcarrier, in which case the symbol period and subcarrier spacing may be inversely related. The quantity of bits carried by each resource element may depend on the modulation scheme (e.g., the order of the modulation scheme, the coding rate of the modulation scheme, or both), such that a relatively higher quantity of resource elements (e.g., in a transmission duration) and a relatively higher order of a modulation scheme may correspond to a relatively higher rate of communication. A wireless communications resource may refer to a combination of an RF spectrum resource, a time resource, and a spatial resource (e.g., a spatial layer, a beam), and the use of multiple spatial resources may increase the data rate or data integrity for communications with a UE 115.

[0055] One or more numerologies for a carrier may be supported, and a numerology may include a subcarrier spacing (A ) and a cyclic prefix. A carrier may be divided into one or more BWPs having the same or different numerologies. In some examples, a UE 115 may be configured with multiple BWPs. In some examples, a single BWP for a carrier may be active at a given time and communications for the UE 115 may be restricted to one or more active BWPs.

[0056] The time intervals for the network entities 105 or the UEs 115 may be expressed in multiples of a basic time unit which may, for example, refer to a sampling period of Ts=seconds, for which fmaxmay represent a supported subcarrier spacing, and Ay may represent a supported discrete Fourier transform (DFT) size. Time intervals of a communications resource may be organized according to radioframes each having a specified duration (e.g., 10 milliseconds (ms)). Each radio frame may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) (e.g., ranging from 0 to 1023).

[0057] Each frame may include multiple consecutively-numbered subframes or slots, and each subframe or slot may have the same duration. In some examples, a frame may be divided (e.g., in the time domain) into subframes, and each subframe may be further divided into a quantity of slots. Alternatively, each frame may include a variable quantity of slots, and the quantity of slots may depend on subcarrier spacing. Each slot may include a quantity of symbol periods (e.g., depending on the length of the cyclic prefix prepended to each symbol period). In some wireless communications systems, such as the wireless communications system 100, a slot may further be divided into multiple mini-slots associated with one or more symbols. Excluding the cyclic prefix, each symbol period may be associated with one or more (e.g., Ay) sampling periods. The duration of a symbol period may depend on the subcarrier spacing or frequency band of operation.

[0058] A subframe, a slot, a mini-slot, or a symbol may be the smallest scheduling unit (e.g., in the time domain) of the wireless communications system 100 and may be referred to as a transmission time interval (TTI). In some examples, the TTI duration (e.g., a quantity of symbol periods in a TTI) may be variable. Additionally, or alternatively, the smallest scheduling unit of the wireless communications system 100 may be dynamically selected (e.g., in bursts of shortened TTIs (sTTIs)).

[0059] Physical channels may be multiplexed for communication using a carrier according to various techniques. A physical control channel and a physical data channel may be multiplexed for signaling via a downlink carrier, for example, using one or more of time division multiplexing (TDM) techniques, frequency division multiplexing (FDM) techniques, or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques. A control region (e.g., a control resource set (CORESET)) for a physical control channel may be defined by a set of symbol periods and may extend across the system bandwidth or a subset of the system bandwidth of the carrier. One or more control regions (e.g., CORESETs) may be configured for a set of the UEs 115. For example, one or more of the UEs 115 may monitor or search control regions for control information according to one or more search space sets, and each search space set may include one or multiple control channelcandidates in one or more aggregation levels arranged in a cascaded manner. An aggregation level for a control channel candidate may refer to an amount of control channel resources (e.g., control channel elements (CCEs)) associated with encoded information for a control information format having a given payload size. Search space sets may include common search space sets configured for sending control information to UEs 115 (e.g., one or more UEs) or may include UE-specific search space sets for sending control information to a UE 115 (e.g., a specific UE).

[0060] A network entity 105 may provide communication coverage via one or more cells, for example a macro cell, a small cell, a hot spot, or other types of cells, or any combination thereof. The term “cell” may refer to a logical communication entity used for communication with a network entity 105 (e.g., using a carrier) and may be associated with an identifier for distinguishing neighboring cells (e.g., a physical cell identifier (PCID), a virtual cell identifier (VCID)). In some examples, a cell also may refer to a coverage area 110 or a portion of a coverage area 110 (e.g., a sector) over which the logical communication entity operates. Such cells may range from smaller areas (e.g., a structure, a subset of structure) to larger areas depending on various factors such as the capabilities of the network entity 105. For example, a cell may be or include a building, a subset of a building, or exterior spaces between or overlapping with coverage areas 110, among other examples.

[0061] A macro cell generally covers a relatively large geographic area (e.g., several kilometers in radius) and may allow unrestricted access by the UEs 115 with service subscriptions with the network provider supporting the macro cell. A small cell may be associated with a network entity 105 operating with lower power (e.g., a base station 140 operating with lower power) relative to a macro cell, and a small cell may operate using the same or different (e.g., licensed, unlicensed) frequency bands as macro cells. Small cells may provide unrestricted access to the UEs 115 with service subscriptions with the network provider or may provide restricted access to the UEs 115 having an association with the small cell (e.g., the UEs 115 in a closed subscriber group (CSG), the UEs 115 associated with users in a home or office). A network entity 105 may support one or more cells and may also support communications via the one or more cells using one or multiple component carriers.

[0062] In some examples, a carrier may support multiple cells, and different cells may be configured according to different protocol types (e.g., MTC, narrowband loT (NB-IoT), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)) that may provide access for different types of devices.

[0063] In some examples, a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) may be movable and therefore provide communication coverage for a moving coverage area, such as the coverage area 110. In some examples, coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) associated with different technologies may overlap, but the coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) may be supported by the same network entity (e.g., a network entity 105). In some other examples, overlapping coverage areas, such as a coverage area 110, associated with different technologies may be supported by different network entities (e.g., the network entities 105). The wireless communications system 100 may include, for example, a heterogeneous network in which different types of the network entities 105 support communications for coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) using the same or different RATs.

[0064] The wireless communications system 100 may support synchronous or asynchronous operation. For synchronous operation, network entities 105 (e.g., base stations 140) may have similar frame timings, and transmissions from different network entities (e.g., different ones of the network entities 105) may be approximately aligned in time. For asynchronous operation, network entities 105 may have different frame timings, and transmissions from different network entities (e.g., different ones of network entities 105) may, in some examples, not be aligned in time. The techniques described herein may be used for either synchronous or asynchronous operations.

[0065] Some UEs 115, such as MTC or loT devices, may be relatively low cost or low complexity devices and may provide for automated communication between machines (e.g., via Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication). M2M communication or MTC may refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with one another or a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140) without human intervention. In some examples, M2M communication or MTC may include communications from devices that integrate sensors or meters to measure or capture information and relay such information to a central server or application program that uses the information or presents the information to humans interactingwith the application program. Some UEs 115 may be designed to collect information or enable automated behavior of machines or other devices. Examples of applications for MTC devices include smart metering, inventory monitoring, water level monitoring, equipment monitoring, healthcare monitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather and geological event monitoring, fleet management and tracking, remote security sensing, physical access control, and transaction-based business charging.

[0066] Some UEs 115 may be configured to employ operating modes that reduce power consumption, such as half-duplex communications (e.g., a mode that supports one-way communication via transmission or reception, but not transmission and reception concurrently). In some examples, half-duplex communications may be performed at a reduced peak rate. Other power conservation techniques for the UEs 115 may include entering a power saving deep sleep mode when not engaging in active communications, operating using a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowband communications), or a combination of these techniques. For example, some UEs 115 may be configured for operation using a narrowband protocol type that is associated with a defined portion or range (e.g., set of subcarriers or resource blocks (RBs)) within a carrier, within a guard-band of a carrier, or outside of a carrier.

[0067] The wireless communications system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable communications or low-latency communications, or various combinations thereof. For example, the wireless communications system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). The UEs 115 may be designed to support ultra-reliable, low-latency, or critical functions. Ultra-reliable communications may include private communication or group communication and may be supported by one or more services such as push-to-talk, video, or data. Support for ultra-reliable, low-latency functions may include prioritization of services, and such services may be used for public safety or general commercial applications. The terms ultra-reliable, low-latency, and ultra-reliable low-latency may be used interchangeably herein.

[0068] In some examples, a UE 115 may be configured to support communicating directly with other UEs (e.g., one or more of the UEs 115) via a device-to-device (D2D) communication link, such as a D2D communication link 135 (e.g., in accordance with a peer-to-peer (P2P), D2D, or sidelink protocol). In some examples, one or more UEs 115of a group that are performing D2D communications may be within the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170), which may support aspects of such D2D communications being configured by (e.g., scheduled by) the network entity 105. In some examples, one or more UEs 115 of such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 or may be otherwise unable to or not configured to receive transmissions from a network entity 105. In some examples, groups of the UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications may support a one-to- many (1 :M) system in which each UE 115 transmits to one or more of the UEs 115 in the group. In some examples, a network entity 105 may facilitate the scheduling of resources for D2D communications. In some other examples, D2D communications may be carried out between the UEs 115 without an involvement of a network entity 105.

[0069] In some systems, a D2D communication link 135 may be an example of a communication channel, such as a sidelink communication channel, between vehicles (e.g., UEs 115). In some examples, vehicles may communicate using vehicle-to- everything (V2X) communications, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, or some combination of these. A vehicle may signal information related to traffic conditions, signal scheduling, weather, safety, emergencies, or any other information relevant to a V2X system. In some examples, vehicles in a V2X system may communicate with roadside infrastructure, such as roadside units, or with the network via one or more network nodes (e.g., network entities 105, base stations 140, RUs 170) using vehicle-to- network (V2N) communications, or with both.

[0070] The core network 130 may provide user authentication, access authorization, tracking, Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, and other access, routing, or mobility functions. The core network 130 may be an evolved packet core (EPC) or 5G core (5GC), which may include at least one control plane entity that manages access and mobility (e.g., a mobility management entity (MME), an access and mobility management function (AMF)) and at least one user plane entity that routes packets or interconnects to external networks (e.g., a serving gateway (S-GW), a Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway (P-GW), or a user plane function (UPF)). The control plane entity may manage non-access stratum (NAS) functions such as mobility, authentication, and bearer management for the UEs 115 served by the network entities105 (e.g., base stations 140) associated with the core network 130. User IP packets may be transferred through the user plane entity, which may provide IP address allocation as well as other functions. The user plane entity may be connected to IP services 150 for one or more network operators. The IP services 150 may include access to the Internet, Intranet(s), an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), or a Packet-Switched Streaming Service.

[0071] The wireless communications system 100 may operate using one or more frequency bands, which may be in the range of 300 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz). Generally, the region from 300 MHz to 3 GHz is known as the ultra-high frequency (UHF) region or decimeter band because the wavelengths range from approximately one decimeter to one meter in length. UHF waves may be blocked or redirected by buildings and environmental features, which may be referred to as clusters, but the waves may penetrate structures sufficiently for a macro cell to provide service to the UEs 115 located indoors. Communications using UHF waves may be associated with smaller antennas and shorter ranges (e.g., less than one hundred kilometers) compared to communications using the smaller frequencies and longer waves of the high frequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHF) portion of the spectrum below 300 MHz.

[0072] The wireless communications system 100 may also operate using a super high frequency (SHF) region, which may be in the range of 3 GHz to 30 GHz, also known as the centimeter band, or using an extremely high frequency (EHF) region of the spectrum (e.g., from 30 GHz to 300 GHz), also known as the millimeter band. In some examples, the wireless communications system 100 may support millimeter wave (mmW) communications between the UEs 115 and the network entities 105 (e.g., base stations 140, RUs 170), and EHF antennas of the respective devices may be smaller and more closely spaced than UHF antennas. In some examples, such techniques may facilitate using antenna arrays within a device. The propagation of EHF transmissions, however, may be subject to even greater attenuation and shorter range than SHF or UHF transmissions. The techniques disclosed herein may be employed across transmissions that use one or more different frequency regions, and designated use of bands across these frequency regions may differ by country or regulating body.

[0073] The wireless communications system 100 may utilize both licensed and unlicensed RF spectrum bands. For example, the wireless communications system 100 may employ License Assisted Access (LAA), LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) RAT, or NR technology using an unlicensed band such as the 5 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. While operating using unlicensed RF spectrum bands, devices such as the network entities 105 and the UEs 115 may employ carrier sensing for collision detection and avoidance. In some examples, operations using unlicensed bands may be based on a carrier aggregation configuration in conjunction with component carriers operating using a licensed band (e.g., LAA). Operations using unlicensed spectrum may include downlink transmissions, uplink transmissions, P2P transmissions, or D2D transmissions, among other examples.

[0074] A network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) or a UE 115 may be equipped with multiple antennas, which may be used to employ techniques such as transmit diversity, receive diversity, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications, or beamforming. The antennas of a network entity 105 or a UE 115 may be located within one or more antenna arrays or antenna panels, which may support MIMO operations or transmit or receive beamforming. For example, one or more base station antennas or antenna arrays may be co-located at an antenna assembly, such as an antenna tower. In some examples, antennas or antenna arrays associated with a network entity 105 may be located at diverse geographic locations. A network entity 105 may include an antenna array with a set of rows and columns of antenna ports that the network entity 105 may use to support beamforming of communications with a UE 115. Likewise, a UE 115 may include one or more antenna arrays that may support various MIMO or beamforming operations. Additionally, or alternatively, an antenna panel may support RF beamforming for a signal transmitted via an antenna port.

[0075] The network entities 105 or the UEs 115 may use MIMO communications to exploit multipath signal propagation and increase spectral efficiency by transmitting or receiving multiple signals via different spatial layers. Such techniques may be referred to as spatial multiplexing. The multiple signals may, for example, be transmitted by the transmitting device via different antennas or different combinations of antennas. Likewise, the multiple signals may be received by the receiving device via different antennas or different combinations of antennas. Each of the multiple signals may bereferred to as a separate spatial stream and may carry information associated with the same data stream (e.g., the same codeword) or different data streams (e.g., different codewords). Different spatial layers may be associated with different antenna ports used for channel measurement and reporting. MIMO techniques include single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO), for which multiple spatial layers are transmitted to the same receiving device, and multiple-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), for which multiple spatial layers are transmitted to multiple devices.

[0076] Beamforming, which may also be referred to as spatial filtering, directional transmission, or directional reception, is a signal processing technique that may be used at a transmitting device or a receiving device (e.g., a network entity 105, a UE 115) to shape or steer an antenna beam (e.g., a transmit beam, a receive beam) along a spatial path between the transmitting device and the receiving device. Beamforming may be achieved by combining the signals communicated via antenna elements of an antenna array such that some signals propagating along particular orientations with respect to an antenna array experience constructive interference while others experience destructive interference. The adjustment of signals communicated via the antenna elements may include a transmitting device or a receiving device applying amplitude offsets, phase offsets, or both to signals carried via the antenna elements associated with the device. The adjustments associated with each of the antenna elements may be defined by a beamforming weight set associated with a particular orientation (e.g., with respect to the antenna array of the transmitting device or receiving device, or with respect to some other orientation).

[0077] A network entity 105 or a UE 115 may use beam sweeping techniques as part of beamforming operations. For example, a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) may use multiple antennas or antenna arrays (e.g., antenna panels) to conduct beamforming operations for directional communications with a UE 115. Some signals (e.g., synchronization signals, reference signals, beam selection signals, or other control signals) may be transmitted by a network entity 105 multiple times along different directions. For example, the network entity 105 may transmit a signal according to different beamforming weight sets associated with different directions of transmission. Transmissions along different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by a transmitting device, such as a network entity 105, or by a receiving device,such as a UE 115) a beam direction for later transmission or reception by the network entity 105.

[0078] Some signals, such as data signals associated with a particular receiving device, may be transmitted by a transmitting device (e.g., a network entity 105 or a UE 115) along a single beam direction (e.g., a direction associated with the receiving device, such as another network entity 105 or UE 115). In some examples, the beam direction associated with transmissions along a single beam direction may be determined based on a signal that was transmitted along one or more beam directions. For example, a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the network entity 105 along different directions and may report to the network entity 105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highest signal quality or an otherwise acceptable signal quality.

[0079] In some examples, transmissions by a device (e.g., by a network entity 105 or a UE 115) may be performed using multiple beam directions, and the device may use a combination of digital precoding or beamforming to generate a combined beam for transmission (e.g., from a network entity 105 to a UE 115). The UE 115 may report feedback that indicates precoding weights for one or more beam directions, and the feedback may correspond to a configured set of beams across a system bandwidth or one or more sub-bands. The network entity 105 may transmit a reference signal (e.g., a cell-specific reference signal (CRS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI- RS)), which may be precoded or unprecoded. The UE 115 may provide feedback for beam selection, which may be a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) or codebook-based feedback (e.g., a multi-panel type codebook, a linear combination type codebook, a port selection type codebook). Although these techniques are described with reference to signals transmitted along one or more directions by a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170), a UE 115 may employ similar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times along different directions (e.g., for identifying a beam direction for subsequent transmission or reception by the UE 115) or for transmitting a signal along a single direction (e.g., for transmitting data to a receiving device).

[0080] A receiving device (e.g., a UE 115) may perform reception operations in accordance with multiple receive configurations (e.g., directional listening) when receiving various signals from a transmitting device (e.g., a network entity 105), such assynchronization signals, reference signals, beam selection signals, or other control signals. For example, a receiving device may perform reception in accordance with multiple receive directions by receiving via different antenna subarrays, by processing received signals according to different antenna subarrays, by receiving according to different receive beamforming weight sets (e.g., different directional listening weight sets) applied to signals received at multiple antenna elements of an antenna array, or by processing received signals according to different receive beamforming weight sets applied to signals received at multiple antenna elements of an antenna array, any of which may be referred to as “listening” according to different receive configurations or receive directions. In some examples, a receiving device may use a single receive configuration to receive along a single beam direction (e.g., when receiving a data signal). The single receive configuration may be aligned along a beam direction determined based on listening according to different receive configuration directions (e.g., a beam direction determined to have a highest signal strength, highest signal-to- noise ratio (SNR), or otherwise acceptable signal quality based on listening according to multiple beam directions).

[0081] The wireless communications system 100 may be a packet-based network that operates according to a layered protocol stack. In the user plane, communications at the bearer or PDCP layer may be IP -based. An RLC layer may perform packet segmentation and reassembly to communicate via logical channels. A MAC layer may perform priority handling and multiplexing of logical channels into transport channels. The MAC layer also may implement error detection techniques, error correction techniques, or both to support retransmissions to improve link efficiency. In the control plane, an RRC layer may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a network entity 105 or a core network 130 supporting radio bearers for user plane data. A PHY layer may map transport channels to physical channels.

[0082] The UEs 115 and the network entities 105 may support retransmissions of data to increase the likelihood that data is received successfully. Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback is one technique for increasing the likelihood that data is received correctly via a communication link (e.g., the communication link(s) 125, a D2D communication link 135). HARQ may include a combination of error detection(e.g., using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC)), forward error correction (FEC), and retransmission (e.g., automatic repeat request (ARQ)). HARQ may improve throughput at the MAC layer in relatively poor radio conditions (e.g., low signal -to-noise conditions). In some examples, a device may support same-slot HARQ feedback, in which case the device may provide HARQ feedback in a specific slot for data received via a previous symbol in the slot. In some other examples, the device may provide HARQ feedback in a subsequent slot, or according to some other time interval.

[0083] As described herein, a UE 115 may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via a first protocol stack) indicating capability information for the first protocol stack, and may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the second protocol stack) indicating capability information for the second protocol stack. The network may assign to the UE 115 one or more UE route selection policies (URSP) rules. The URSP rules may be assigned to each SIM with dual steering validity components, which may include RAT validity, subscription validity, and PLMN validity information. The UE may route traffic using a PLMN and a RAT for each of the protocol stacks, and may select the combinations of PLMNs and RATs according to the information in the URSP policies and the capabilities supported at the UE 115.

[0084] FIG. 2 shows an example of a wireless communications system 200 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, the wireless communications system 200 may implement or be implemented by aspects of the wireless communications system 100, as described with reference to FIG. 1. For example, the wireless communications system 200 may include a UE 115-a, an access network 145-a, an access network 145-b, and a core network 130-a, which may be examples of UEs 115, and core network 130, respectively, as described with reference to FIG. 1. The wireless communications system 200 may support multiple radio access technologies (RATs) including 4G LTE, 5GNR, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more of the access network 145-a or the access network 145-b may support one or more of 4G LTE or 5G NR. It should be noted that the wireless communications system 200 may support RATs beyond 5GNR.

[0085] The UE 115-a and the access network 145-a may perform wireless communication (e.g., one or more of receiving, obtaining, transmitting, or outputtingone or more of control information or data) via a communication link 125-a. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE 115-a and the access network 145-b may perform wireless communication (e.g., one or more of receiving, obtaining, transmitting, or outputting one or more of control information or data) via a communication link 125-b. The communication links 125-a and 125-b may be examples of communication links 125, as described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0086] The UE 115-a may support managing the routing or steering of data traffic for different wireless services over different access networks, such as one or more of the access networks 145-a or 145-b, each of which may communicate (e.g., one or more of receive, obtain, transmit, or output) one or more of control information or data to one or more core networks, such as the core network 130-a, to support the wireless services (e.g., applications enabled for the UE 115-a).

[0087] The one or more access networks 145-a and 145-b may provide connectivity to the UE 115-a with the core network 130-a to provide access to the wireless service (e.g., one or more applications enabled for the UE 115-a). For instance, the access network 145-a may communicate (e.g., one or more of receive, obtain, transmit, or output) one or more of control information or data with the core network 130-a via a communication link 125-c, or the access network 145-b may communicate (e.g., one or more of receive, obtain, transmit, or output) one or more of control information or data with the core network 130-a via a communication link 125-d. The communication links 125-c and 125-d may be examples of communication links 125, as described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0088] The UE 115-a may connect to the core network 130-a via the one or more of the access networks 145-a or 145-b, and based at least in part on a connection procedure. For example, the UE 115-a (or one or more of its protocol stacks) may perform a registration procedure, in which the UE 115-a (or one or more of its protocol stacks) may obtain an internet protocol (IP) address, and the core network 130-a may establish a context (e.g., also referred to as UE context) for the UE 115-a, allowing the UE 115-a to communicate with other network entities (e.g., network functions). In response to the UE 115-a successfully completing the registration procedure, the UE 115-a (or one or more of its protocol stacks) may be connected to the core network130-a. The core network 130-a may manage various functions, such as providing wireless services for subscriptions associated with the UE.

[0089] The UE 115-a may include, among other components, an operating system 225 and a modem 220. The operating system 225 may manage and support certain basic and common functions of the UE, such as scheduling tasks, managing hardware and software resources, controlling peripheral devices, executing applications, such as applications 230, and the like. The modem 220 may manage transmission of data to and from the UE 115-a. For instance, the modem 220 may manage the transmission of data associated with the applications 230 from the UE 115-a and to the core network 130-a. The UE 115-a may include one or more data interfaces 235 between the operating system 225 and the modem 220 to facilitate the transmission of data to and from the operating system 225 and the modem 220. For instance, the modem 220 may receive, from the operating system 225 and via the data interface 235, data traffic associated with one or more of the applications 230. Once received, the modem 220 may manage transmission of the data traffic to the core network 130-a. The modem 220 may also manage the reception of data traffic to the UE 115-a from the core network 130-a. Once received, the modem 220 may control transmission of the data traffic to the appropriate applications 230 via the data interface 235.

[0090] In some cases, the UE 115-a may be a multi-subscriber identity module (SIM) device and may be equipped with multiple SIMs. The multiple SIMs may allow the UE 115-a to register with and connect to one or more access networks and one or more core networks to access subscribed services associated with each SIM . For example, the UE 115-a may be equipped, such as at the modem 220, with a first SIM 202 and a second SIM 204. The first SIM 202 may be configured to connect with the access network 145-a to access services provided by one or more core networks, such as the core network 130-a. The second SIM 204 may be configured connect with the access network 145-b to access services provided by one or more core networks, such as the core network 130-a. In some cases, the access networks 145-a and 145-b may be the same access network. In other cases, the access networks 145-a and 145-b may be different networks. Further, although a single core network 130-a is shown in FIG. 2, in some cases, the services may be provided by more than one core network. The UE 115-a may register and connect to one or more of the access network 145-a or the accessnetwork 145-b using the first SIM 202 or the second SIM 204, respectively. The UE 115-a may further register and connect to the core network 130-a via one or more of the access network 145-a or the access network 145-b and using one or more of the first SIM 202 or the second SIM 204. Each of the first SIM 202 and the second SIM 204 of the UE 115-a may be associated with a subscriber identity, which may include an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and the mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSI SDN).

[0091] To support the multiple SIM s, the modem 220 of the UE 115-a may be configured with multiple protocol stacks. Each of the multiple protocol stacks may be associated with one of the multiple SIM s and corresponding subscriptions. For instance, the modem 220 may be configured with a first protocol stack 205 and a second protocol stack 210. It should be noted that the UE 115-a may be equipped with more than two protocol stacks. The protocol stack 205 may be associated with the first SIM 202 (which may be associated with a first subscription) and the protocol stack 210 may be associated with the second SIM 204 (which may be associated with a second subscription). Each of the first protocol stack 205 and the second protocol stack 210 may include one or more protocol layers, which may be ordered in a hierarchical architecture. In some examples, the protocol stack 205 may be referred to as a first UE (e.g., UE1) and the second protocol stack 210 may be referred to as a second UE (e.g., UE2).

[0092] For example, at a high level, each of the protocol stacks 205 and 210 may include one or more of a non-access stratum (NAS) layer 255, which may support traffic and signaling messages between the UE 115-a and the core network 130-a, as well as the establishment of communication sessions between the UE 115-a and the core network 130-a, an access stratum (AS) layer 260, which may support transporting data over the wireless connection, and a radio frequency (RF) layer 265, which may support radio transmission and reception. The protocol stacks 205 and 210 may not be limited to the layers shown, but may include different or additional layers.

[0093] The modem 220 may be further configured with a new layer that may be distinct from the protocol stacks 205 and 210. For instance, the modem 220 may be configured with a higher layer, such as a dual-steer layer 215. The dual-steer layer 215 may be distinct from both the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210. Forinstance, the dual-steer layer 215 may be separate (e.g., unencapsulated) from both the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210, including the different protocol layers within each of the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210. The dual-steer layer 215 may reside (e.g., located) above the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210. While the dual-steer layer 215 may reside above the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210, the dual-steer layer 215 may interface with other layers or components (e.g., hardware, software) above and below the dual-steer layer 215. As such, the dual-steer layer 215 may support interoperability with one or more of the different protocol layers within each of the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210.

[0094] The dual-steer layer 215 may also include a control plane and a user plane. The control plane of the dual-steer layer 215 may manage steering or routing data traffic to one or more protocol stacks 205 and 210 of the UE 115-a, based at least in part on steering rules, such as UE route selection policy (URSP) rules, that may be obtained (e.g., received) from a network (e.g., the core network 130-a). The dual-steer layer 215 may also be configured with a mechanism (e.g., a trigger condition) for the UE 115-a to receive the URSP rules, for example, in response to registration of the UE 115-a or one or more of the protocol stacks 205 and 210 of the UE 115-a with the core network 130-a, where the registration includes an indication of the capability to support dual steering, in response to a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment by one of the protocol stacks, such as the protocol stack 205. In some cases, the URSP rules may be updated rules, such as when the indication of the capability to support dual steering is provided to the core network 130-a. The updated URSP rules may be configured to support the dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-a or the one or more of the protocol stacks 205 and 210 of the UE 115.

[0095] In some cases, the user plane of the dual-steer layer 215 may support one or more of a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (e.g., HTTP3), a multipath QUIC (MP- QUIC) protocol, user datagram protocol (UDP), or an IP. The dual-steer layer 215 may determine to establish at least a quantity of MP-QUIC connections based at least in part on a quantity of quality of service (QoS) flows associated with both the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210. For instance, the UE 115-a may establish one MP-QUIC connection per QoS flow. Additionally, or alternatively, the user plane of the dual-steer layer 215 may support one or more of a multipath transmission control protocol(MPTCP), a TCP, an IP, or an Aware Traffic Steering, Switching, and Splitting-Lower Layer (ATSSS-LL) protocol.

[0096] The dual-steer layer 215 may further manage constraints on the UE 115-a depending on the hardware / software capabilities or device architecture configuration of the UE 115-a, e.g., RF bands combination capabilities, chipset capabilities, manufacturer configurations, user preferences, subscription choices, or a combination thereof. In this way, the decision of routing and steering may be UE-centric rather than network-based.

[0097] The dual-steer layer 215 may coordinate session management functionality for each of the first protocol stack 205 or the second protocol stack 210, triggering establishment of one or more corresponding PDU sessions and connections by one or more of the protocol stack 205 or the protocol stack 210. For instance, the dual-steer layer 215 may coordinate the establishment of a PDU session 295 between the first protocol stack 205 and the core network 130-a, and the establishment of a PDU session 297 between the second protocol stack 210 and the core network 130-a. The dual-steer layer 215 may cause the first protocol stack 205 to initiate the PDU session 295 at the UE 115-a and may cause transmission of a message (e.g., PDU session establishment request message), via the access network 145-a, to the core network 130-a requesting the establishment of the PDU session 295 between the core network 130-a and the first protocol stack 205 of the UE 115-a. The UE 115-a may receive, from the core network 130-a and via the access network 145-a, a PDU session establishment response message indicating whether the request was accepted or rejected. Upon acceptance of the request to establish the PDU session 295, a PDU session 295 connection may be established between the core network 130-a and the first protocol stack 205. For instance, the core network 130-a may associate (e.g., bind) the requested PDU session to the corresponding protocol stack. For instance, the core network 130-a may bind the PDU session 295 to the protocol stack 205. Similarly, the dual-steer layer 215 may cause the second protocol stack 210 to initiate the PDU session 297 at the UE 115-a and may cause transmission of a PDU session establishment request message, via the access network 145-b, to the core network 130-a requesting the establishment of the PDU session 297 between the core network 130-a and the second protocol stack 210 of the UE 115-a. The UE 115-a may receive, from the core network 130-a and via the accessnetwork 145-b, a PDU session establishment response message indicating whether the request was accepted or rejected. Upon acceptance of the request to establish the PDU session 297, a PDU session 297 connection may be established between the core network 130-a and the second protocol stack 210. For instance, the core network 130-a may bind the PDU session 297 to the protocol stack 210.

[0098] Once the PDU session is established the core network 130-a may transmit, to the UE 115-a, via the PDU session connection, one or more URSP rules. The core network 130-a may include a unified data repository (UDR), which may store UE information (e.g., subscription information) that may be used by other network entities, such as a policy control function (PCF) of the core network 130-a to manage (e.g., update, remove, modify, adjust, delete, store) URSP rules for the UE 115-a. The core network 130-a may also include a unified data management function (UDM), which may store the UE information. The core network 130-a may also include an access and mobility management function (AMF), which may obtain the UE information from the UDM and output (e.g., forward, transmit, route) the UE information to the PCF of the core network 130-a. Based at least in part on the UE information, the PCF of the core network 130-a may provide the URSP rules to one or more of the UE 115-a, the access network 145-a, or the access network 145-b.

[0099] In some cases, the URSP rules may be provided (e.g., transmitted) by the core network 130-a to the UE 115-a via one or more of the PDU sessions. For instance, URSP rules 292 may be transmitted from the core network 130-a to the protocol stack 205 of the UE 115-a via the PDU session 295 connection, or URSP rules 294 may be transmitted from the core network 130-a to the protocol stack 210 of the UE 115-a via the PDU session 297. Alternatively, both URSP rules 292 and URSP rules 294 may be transmitted to the UE 115-a via the PDU session 295 and PDU session 297 connections, respectively. In some cases, the access networks 145-a or 145-b may obtain one or more of the URSP rules 292 and 294 from the core network 130-a, and the access networks 145-a or 145-b may transmit signaling carrying one or more of the URSP rules 292 and URSP rules 294 to the UE 115-a, via one or both of the protocol stacks 205 and 210. The UE 115-a may process (e.g., demodulate, decode) the signaling, to identify the one or more URSP rules 292 and 294 associated with one or both of the protocol stacks 205and 210. The dual-steer layer 215 may obtain (e.g., receive) one or more of the URSP rules 292 and 294 from one or both of the protocol stacks 205 and 210,

[0100] In some cases, the URSP rules 292 and URSP rules 294 may be the same set of rules. In other cases, the URSP rules 292 and URSP rules 294 may be different rules that independently apply to a particular one of the protocol stacks. For instance, the URSP rules 292 may include rules to be applied by the first protocol stack 205, while the URSP rules 294 may include rules to be applied by the second protocol stack 210.

[0101] The URSP rules 292 and 294 may each include a set of rules to be used by one or more of the protocol stacks 205 and 210 to determine how to route traffic from the UE 115-a to the core network. For instance, URSP rules may provide one or more rules or conditions under which the dual-steer layer 215 is to coordinate the routing or steering of data traffic to one or more of the protocol stacks 205 and 210. In some cases, the URSP rules may be based on or dependent on the capabilities associated with the UE 115-a or the subscriptions associated with the different protocol stacks 205 and 210 (e.g., RAT capabilities associated with subscriptions), manufacturer configuration of the UE, subscription choices (such as whether the user is subscribed for a particular service, e.g., non-terrestrial network (NTN) or 6G), user preferences, traffic information associated with the data traffic, and the like.

[0102] Each URSP rule may include information mapping different types of data traffic to one or more rules that indicate where to route that type of data traffic when certain conditions are met. For instance, each URSP rule may include a traffic descriptor. The different types of data traffic may be indicated in the URSP rule by traffic information (also referred to as a “traffic descriptor”), which may determine when the particular URSP rule is applicable. The dual-steer layer 215 may determine that a URSP rule is applicable when the traffic descriptor matches corresponding information of an application, such as one of applications 230, associated with data traffic to be routed. The traffic descriptor may, in turn, be mapped in the URSP rule to one or more route selection descriptors (RSD). The RSDs may include one or more parameters or fields that indicate the different conditions under which the corresponding type of data traffic (as indicated by the traffic descriptor) should be routed to a particular PDU session (such as via an associated protocol stack) also indicated by the RSD. For instance, the RSD fields may indication information, such as an applicationdescriptor, a data network name (DNN), a protocol data unit (PDU) session information a preferred access type, etc.

[0103] The dual-steer layer 215 may determine, based at least in part on one or more of the traffic descriptor and the RSDs, whether a particular URSP rule applies to particular application data traffic and how (such as via which protocol stack and corresponding PDU session) to route such data traffic.

[0104] As described herein, the UE 115-a may support dual steering session (e.g., in which the UE 115-a routes the data traffic via one or both of the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210). In such examples, the UE 115-a may activate (e.g., boot up), and may select a combination of a network (e.g., a PLMN) and a RAT for communications via both SIM 202 and SIM 204 (e.g., independently according to a PLMN selection procedure for an MSIM UE). The UE may select the PLMN and RAT combination according to its own radio capability and limitations. For instance, a lower cost tier protocol stack may not support some RATs or some band combinations, and may therefore not support some combinations of PLMNs and those unsupported RATs or networks. Some UEs, or some protocol stacks, may be designed to only support specific RATs or networks (e.g., may only support 5G+4G, but not 5G+5G or 5G+NTN). In such examples, some networks or RATs may be unavailable to a given protocol stack, rendering some combinations of RATs and networks unsupported by the protocol stack invalid or unavailable. Such information may be indicated by the UE 115 in capability information, as described herein (e.g., indications of which RATs or networks are or are not supported by each protocol stack). For instance, the UE 115-a may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the protocol stack 205 to the network 130-a via the access network 145-a) indicating capability information for the protocol stack 205 (e.g., which RATs, networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the protocol stack 205). Similarly, the UE 115-a may transmit a capability information message (e.g., via the protocol stack 210 to the network 130-a via the access network 145-b) indicating capability information for the protocol stack 210 (e.g., which RATs, networks, network and RAT combinations, or any combination thereof, are supported or not supported by the protocol stack 210).

[0105] The network (e.g., the core network 130-a) may assign to the UE 115-a (e.g., via NAS signaling) URSP policies (e.g., one or more URSP rules, as described in greater detail with reference to FIGs. 3-7). The URSP policies may be assigned to each SIM with dual steering validity components. As described herein, the dual steering validity components may include RAT validity, subscription validity, and PLMN validity information. The UE 115-a may check its own capability information, and may determine whether to initiate dual steering procedures (e.g., a dual steering session). The UE 115-a may determine if a current PLMN and RAT combination on the two SIMs (e.g., the SIM 202 and the SIM 204) meets the dual steering rules or requirements (e.g., satisfies the URSP policies). If so, the UE 115-a may maintain a current PLMN and RAT combination on each SIM. If not (e.g., if a current PLMN and RAT combination on one or both SIM does not satisfy the URSP policies), then the UE may reselect a PLMN and a RAT for each of the protocol stack 205 and the protocol stack 210 (e.g., taking into account the information in the URSP policies and the capabilities supported at the UE 115-a). Such techniques are described in greater detail with reference to FIGs. 3-7.

[0106] FIG. 3 shows an example of a block diagram 300 of a UE 115-b and a core network 130-b that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, the UE 115-b and the core network 130-b may implement or be implemented by aspects of the wireless communications system 100 or the wireless communications system 200, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively. For example, the UE 115-b may be an example of UE 115 or UE 115-a, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively. The core network 130-b may be an example of core network 130 or core network 130-a, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively.

[0107] The UE 115-b may include an operating system 325 and a modem 320. The operating system 325 may support one or more applications 330. The operating system 325 may be an example of the operating system 225, as described with reference to FIG. 2. The modem 320 may interface with the operating system 325, via the data interface 335, to receive and transmit data traffic associated with the one or more applications 330. The modem 320 may be an example of modem 220, as described with reference FIG. 2.

[0108] The modem 320 may be configured with multiple subscriptions (such as via multiple SIMs) and corresponding protocol stacks to support one or multiple wireless services over one or more access networks, such as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2. For example, the UE 115-b may be configured with a protocol stack 305 and a protocol stack 310, which may be examples of protocol stacks 205 and 210, as described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0109] The modem 320 may additionally be configured to support dual steering and may be configured with a dual-steer layer 315, which may be an example of dual-steer layer 215 as described with reference to FIG. 2. The dual-steer layer 315 may be configured to route or steer data traffic received from the operating system 325, via the data interface 335, to one or more of the protocol stacks 305 and 310. The data may be routed from one or more of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 and to the core network 130-b via one or more corresponding PDU sessions 395 and 397.

[0110] In some cases, the UE 115-b may transmit an indication of its dual steering capabilities to the core network 130-b. For instance, one or more of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 of the UE 115-b may transmit, via one or more of the PDU sessions 395 and 397 (or in some cases via a corresponding access network), signaling comprising an indication of the dual steering capabilities of the protocol stack. In some cases, the signaling may comprise additional information, such as information identifying a quantity of subscriptions or protocol stacks for which the UE 115-b is configured, or information related to other capabilities of the UE 115-b. In some cases, the information indicating the dual steering information and the additional information may be provided to the core network 130-b as part of a process where one or more of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 of the UE 115-b register with the core network 130-b. That is, the protocol stacks 305 and 310 of the UE 115-e may register with the core network 130-b to obtain access to wireless services associated with the core network 130-b. To register with the network, the protocol stacks 305 and 310 of may perform a registration procedure, which may include exchange of signaling (e.g., information) with one or more of the corresponding access networks or the core network 130-b.[OHl] In response to receiving the information indicating the dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-b or one or more of the protocol stacks 305 and 310, the core network 130-b may transmit to the UE 115-b, via one or more of the PDU sessions 395and 397, one or more URSP rules. For instance, in the example of FIG. 3, the core network 130-b may send URSP rules via both the PDU sessions 395 and 397. For example, URSP rules 392 may be sent, via the PDU session 395, to the protocol stack 305 of the UE 115-b, and URSP rules 394 may be sent, via the PDU session 395, to the protocol stack 310 of the UE 115-b. The URSP rules 392 and 394 may be the same set of rules or different sets of rules. In this case, URSP rules 392 may be associated with the protocol stack 305, and the dual-steer layer 315 may use the URSP rules 392 to make routing decisions associated with the protocol stack 305. Similarly, in this example, URSP rules 394 may be associated with the protocol stack 310, and the dualsteer layer 315 may use the URSP rules 394 to make routing decisions associated with the protocol stack 310.

[0112] The URSP rules 392 and 394 may each be a set of URSP rules and may include one or more URSP rules. Some or all of the URSP rules may include a traffic descriptor identifying a type of data traffic (such as information identifying traffic from a particular one of the applications 330) and a mapping to one or more RSDs that indicate where or how to route the corresponding type of data traffic (as indicated by the traffic identifier) when certain conditions are met. For instance, each RSD may include one or more parameters or fields that provide the indications of where or how to route the corresponding type of data traffic and the conditions that are to be met in order to trigger such routing. In some cases, the RSD may be configured with a new field, such as a capability validity field that may indicate a device capability to be met in order for the RSD to be valid for use by the dual-steer layer 315 in routing data traffic. For instance, the capability validity field (also referred to as a “RAT validity field”) may be associated with one or a combination of RATs supported by a device for accessing one or more of the access networks or the core network 130-a. For instance, the capability validity field may provide an indication of one or a combination of RAT capabilities, associated one or more of the protocol stacks of the UE 115-b, to be met in order for the associated RSD to be valid for use by the dual-steer layer 315 in routing data traffic. Additionally, or alternatively, the URSP rules 392 and 394 may each include PLMN validity information (e.g., a new field indicating a PLMN validity that lists combinations of PLMNs and RATs where dual steering is applicable.

[0113] For example, URSP rules 392 may be received at the protocol stack 305. The URSP rules 392 may include a first URSP rule having a first RSD that may include a capability validity field that indicates a combination of NR and LTE. In this case, the first RSD may be determined, by the dual-steer layer 315, to be valid for managing routing of data traffic at the protocol stack 305 when one protocol stack, such as protocol stack 305, supports NR, and another protocol stack, such as protocol stack 310, supports LTE. As another example, a second RSD of the first URSP (received at the protocol stack 305) may include a capability validity field that indicates a combination of LTE and LTE. In this example, the second RSD may be determined, by the dual-steer layer 315, to be valid for managing routing of data traffic at the protocol stack 305 when one protocol stack, such as protocol stack 305, supports LTE, and another protocol stack, such as protocol stack 310, also supports LTE. In the case where the RATs of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 do not match any of the combinations of RATs indicated by the capability validity field of the first RSD or the second RSD of the URSP rules 392, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that neither of the first or second RSDs are valid for managing routing at the protocol stack 305. As a result, corresponding data traffic might not be routed using the protocol stack 305 and, thus, might not be transmitted to the core network 130-b (such as when no other RSDs of the first URSP or no other URSP rules of the URSP rules 392 are valid).

[0114] The capability validity field might not be limited to a combination of two RATs and may, instead, include any number of RATs, such as, for example, a number of RATs that corresponds to a number of protocol stacks configured for the UE 115-b. In some cases, the capability validity field may include fewer RAT indications than a number of protocol stacks configured for the UE 115-b. For instance, in some cases, the capability validity field of an RSD of a URSP rule may indicate a single RAT indication or no RAT indication (e.g., the capability validity field may be empty).

[0115] In the case where the capability validity field of an RSD indicates a single RAT, the dual-steer layer 315 may use the associated RSD to route the data traffic if the RAT associated with the protocol stack for which that URSP is applicable corresponds to the indicated RAT. For instance if URSP rules 392, received at and associated with the protocol stack 305, includes a first URSP rule including a first RSD having a capability validity field with a single RAT indication, such as LTE, then the dual-steerlayer 315 may determine that the first RSD is valid for the protocol stack 305 (the protocol stack that is associated with the URSP rules 392) only if the protocol stack 305 supports LTE. In this case, the dual-steer layer 315 may use the first RSD to manage routing of data traffic at the protocol stack 305. In this example, if the protocol stack 305 does not support LTE, then the first RSD might not be used to manage routing of data traffic at the protocol stack 305.

[0116] In the case where the capability validity field of an RSD is empty, e.g., does not indicate any RAT, the dual-steer layer 315 may use the associated RSD to route traffic irrespective of the RAT associated with protocol stack for which the associated URSP applies. For instance if URSP rules 394, received at and associated with the protocol stack 310, includes a first URSP rule including a first RSD having a capability validity field that is empty, then the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that the first RSD is valid for the protocol stack 310 (the protocol stack that is associated with the URSP rules 394) irrespective of the RAT supported by the protocol stack 310. In this case, the dual-steer layer 315 may use the first RSD to manage routing of data traffic at the protocol stack 310.

[0117] When an RSD of one or more of the URSP rules is identified as valid by the dual-steer layer 315, the dual-steer layer 315 may use the preferred access type field of the RSD to determine how or where to route the traffic. The preferred access type field of the RSD may provide an indication of whether the dual-steer layer 315 should perform single steering (e.g., steer the data traffic to a single protocol stack) or dual steering (e.g., steer the data traffic to multiple protocol stacks) when the conditions specified by the RSD are satisfied (e.g., when the RSD is determined to be valid). For instance, when the preferred access type field indicates that single steering should be performed (e.g., when the preferred access field has a value of “3GPP”), then the dualsteer layer 315 may steer or route the data traffic to the protocol stack associated with the corresponding URSP rule.

[0118] For instance, a simplified structure of the URSP rules 392 and URSP rules 394 are shown below in Tables 1 and 2.Table 1

[0119] Referring to Table 1, URSP rules 392 may be received at the protocol stack 305. The URSP rules 392 may be used by the dual-steer layer 315 for routing decisions at the protocol stack 305. The URSP rules 392 may include a first URSP rule, e.g., Rule 1, that may be applicable when the data traffic associated with App A (e.g., one of the applications 330) is to be routed, and a Rule 2 that may be applicable when data traffic associated with App B (e.g., one of the applications 330) is to be routed. Accordingly, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that RSD1 is valid for routing App A traffic if the protocol stacks 305 and 310 support a combination of NR and LTE RATs. If the protocol stacks 305 and 310 both support NR RAT, then the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that RSD2 is valid for routing App A traffic. If the protocol stacks 305 and 310 both support LTE RAT, then the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that RSD3 is valid for routing App A traffic. In this example, the dual-steer layer 315 may also determine that RSD4 is valid for routing App A traffic, irrespective of the RATs supported by protocol stacks 305 and 310. Accordingly, if the dual-steer layer 315 determines that RSD1 is valid for App A traffic, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine to perform dual steering to route the App A traffic. That is, the dual-steer layer 315 may route the App A traffic using both the protocol stack 305 and the protocol stack 310. If the dual-steer layer 315 determines RSD2, RSD3, or RSD4 to be valid for App A traffic, the dual-steer layer 315 may route the App A traffic using single steering. That is, only a single protocol stack, such as the protocol stack 305 that is associated with the URSP rules 392 may be used for routing the App A traffic in this case. The dual-steer layer 315 may make similar determinations about the validity of an RSD for the data traffic associated with App B.

[0120] In some cases when more than one RSD is determined to be valid for a particular type of data traffic and the RSDs indicate different preferred access types, apriority indicator (not shown) associated with the RSD may be used to determine which RSD to use. For instance, the dual-steer layer 315 may select the RSD with the highest priority to use to route the data traffic for that type of data traffic.Table 2

[0121] Referring to Table 2, URSP rules 394 may be received at the protocol stack 310. The URSP rules 394 may be used by the dual-steer layer 315 for routing decisions at the protocol stack 310. The URSP rules 394 may include a first URSP rule, e.g., Rule 1, that may be applicable when the data traffic associated with App B (e.g., one of the applications 330) is to be routed, and a Rule 2 that may be applicable when data traffic associated with App C (e.g., one of the applications 330) is to be routed.

[0122] Accordingly, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine that RSD1 is valid for routing App B traffic if the protocol stacks 305 and 310 support a combination of NR and LTE RATs. The dual-steer layer 315 may determine that RSD5 is valid for routing App B traffic if protocol stack 310 supports LTE. Accordingly, if the dual-steer layer 315 determines that RSD1 is valid for App B traffic, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine to perform dual steering to route the App B traffic. That is, the dual-steer layer 315 may route the App B traffic using both the protocol stack 310 and the protocol stack 305. If the dual-steer layer 315 determines RSD5 to be valid for App B traffic, the dual-steer layer 315 may route the App B traffic using single steering. That is, the protocol stack 310 associated with the URSP rules 394 may be used for routing the App B traffic in this case. The dual-steer layer 315 may make similar determinations about the validity of an RSD for the data traffic associated with App C.

[0123] Accordingly, when the URSP rules 392 and 394 are transmitted independently to each of the protocol stacks 305 and 310, when the dual-steer layer 315 processes the USRP rules at each of the protocol stacks, if the dual-steer layer 315identifies a valid RSD that includes an indication to perform single steering, the dualsteer layer 315 uses the protocol stack associated with the corresponding URSP rule. That is, valid single steering URSP rules on protocol stack 305 may result in routing via protocol stack 305, while valid single steering URSP rules on protocol stack 310 may result in routing via protocol stack 310.

[0124] In some cases, when the dual-steer layer 315 determines that dual steering is to be performed, each of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 may be triggered to establish a PDU session (e.g., establish a new or updated PDU session or, in some cases, use an existing PDU session) with the core network 130-a. In this case, each of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 may initiate (e.g., establish a new or updated PDU session or, in some cases, use an existing PDU session) a PDU session, such as PDU sessions 395 and 397, respectively. Additionally, each of the protocol stacks 305 and 310 may transmit, to the core network 130-b, a PDU session establishment request. The PDU session establishment request may include information identifying the protocol stack and the corresponding PDU session associated with the counterpart protocol stack. For instance, a PDU session establishment request transmitted by the protocol stack 305 to the core network 130-b may include information identifying the protocol stack 310 and corresponding PDU session 397. For instance, the PDU session establishment request from the protocol stack 305 may include an indication of a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI) associated with the protocol stack 310 and a PDU session identifier associated with the PDU session 397. Similarly, a PDU session establishment request transmitted by the protocol stack 310 to the core network 130-b may include information identifying the protocol stack 305 and corresponding PDU session 395. For instance, the PDU session establishment request from the protocol stack 310 may include an indication of a SUPI associated with the protocol stack 305 and PDU session identifier associated with the PDU session 395.

[0125] The core network 130-b may receive the PDU session establishment requests from the protocol stacks 305 and 310 and may determine to associate (e.g., bind) the requested PDU session to the corresponding protocol stack. For instance, the core network 130-b may bind the PDU session 395 to the protocol stack 305 and may bind the PDU session 397 to protocol stack 310. The core network 130-b may additionallyassociate or bind the PDU session 395 and the PDU session 397 to coordinate the dual steering at the UE 115-b.

[0126] Additionally, or alternatively, the URSP rules may include PLMN validity information. For example, the URSP rules 392 may include a field indicating PLMN validity (e.g., a list of PLMN-RAT combinations where dual-steer is applicable) for the protocol stack 305, and the URSP rules 394 may include a field indicating PLMN validity (e.g., a list of PLMN-RAT combinations where dual-steer is applicable) for the protocol stack 310.

[0127] The PLMN validity information (e.g., the supported or allowed PLMN and RAT combinations) may be per URSP policy list. For instance, as described above, the URSP rules 392 may indicate RAT validity (e.g., a new field in the RSD which species combinations of RATs on either or both SIMs under which an RSD is considered valid, where if no RAT validity is present, any RAT is considered valid), and PLMN validity information. For instance, for the protocol stack 305, the URSP rules 392 may indicate one or more rules. Some of the rules may correspond to one or more RSDs, where the RSD indicates an architecture framework (e.g., IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), internet, etc.), slice, preferred access type (e.g., 3GPP, dual steering, etc.), and validity information (e.g., RAT validity). For example, rule 1 for App A may correspond to an RSD indicating IMS, slicel, and a preferred access type: 3GPP. Rule 2 for APP B may correspond to RSD1 (internet, slicel, preferred access type: dual steering, RAT validity: NR-LTE), RSD2 (internet, slicel, preferred access type: 3GPP, RAT validity: NR-NR), RSD3 (internet, slicel, preferred access type: 3GPP, and RAT validity: LTE LTE), and RSD4 (internet, slicel, preferred access type: 3GPP, and in case of only one RAT (e.g., 5G or LTE) is available. The URSP rules 392 may also include a field indicating one or more supported or allowed PLMN and RAT combinations. Each PLMN and RAT combination may indicate a PLMN (e.g., a first candidate PLMN such as PLMN1, a second candidate PLMN such as PLMN2, etc.) and a candidate RAT (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN2-LTE, PLMN3-NTN, etc.). Similarly, the URSP rules 394 for the protocol stack 310 may include one or more rules (e.g., RSD1, RSD4 and RSD 5, as described with reference to Table 2). URSP rules 394 may also include a field indicating PLMN validity information (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN2-LTE, and PLMN3-NTN).

[0128] Both the protocol stack 305 (e.g., UE1) and the protocol stack 310 (e.g., UE2) of the UE 115-b may perform dual steering if both the protocol stack 305 and the protocol stack 310 are camped in one of the PLMN and RAT combinations specified in the PLMN validity list, and if the rest of the rules in the respective URSP rules 392 and 394 are satisfied (e.g., match). If the protocol stack 305 or the protocol stack 310 are not camped in a PLMN and RAT combination indicated in the PLMN validity information for the respective protocol stack, then the protocol stack 305, the protocol stack 310, or both, may perform a resection procedure (e.g., registering with a PLMN and initiating a PDU session 395 via the indicated RAT of a valid PLMN and RAT combination for the protocol stack) to attempt to camp on one of the PLMN and RAT combinations in the validity list. In case of multiple choices (e.g., multiple supported PLMN and RAT combinations in the URSP rules for the protocol stack), priority may be given to the PLMN and RAT combination that matches a rule having highest priority for the protocol stack. For instance, satisfying one of the satisfied rules of the URSP rules 392 may be higher priority than satisfying another rule of the URSP rules 392 for the protocol stack 305, then the protocol stack 305 may select a PLMN and RAT combination corresponding to the higher priority rule of the URSP rules 392 (e.g., the protocol stack 310 may do the same with reference to the URSP rules 394).

[0129] Additionally, or alternatively, one or more RSDs in the URSP rules 392, and one or more RSDs in the URSP rules 394, may include validity information for one or more PLMN and RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN-RAT validity). A field in an RSD may be a PLMN-RAT validity field. The PLMN-RAT validity information may specify combinations of PLMNs and RATs on either or both protocol layers under which the RSD is valid. If no RAT or PLMN-RAT validity is present, then any RAT, or any PLMN-RAT combination may be supported. For example, the URSP rules 392 may include one or more rules. One rule (e.g., rule 2 for APP B) may include RSD 1, RSD2, RSD3, and RSD4 (e.g., as described with reference to Table 1). RSD1 may include a PLMN-RAT validity field indicating a first set of PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN1-LTE), RSD2 may include a PLMN-RAT validity field indicating a second set of PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN*-NR, where PLMN* may indicate availability of multiple candidate PLMNs, or may indicate a specific PLMN), RSD3 may include a PLMN-RAT validity field indicating a third setof PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN2-LTE, PLMN*LTE), and RSD4 may not include a PLMN-RAT validity field (e.g., indicating that no PLMN-RAT combination is supported, or indicating that any candidate PLMN-RAT combination may be supported). Similarly, the URSP rules 394 for the protocol stack 310 may include one or more rules (e.g., rule 1 indicating RSD 1 and RSD 4, and rule 2 indicating another RSD such as RSD 5, as illustrated with reference to table 2). RSD1 may include a PLMN- RAT validity field indicating a set of PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN1-LTE), and RSD4 may include a PLMN-RAT validity field indicating a set of PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN*-LTE). In some examples, another RSD (e.g., RSD5) may not include a PLMN-RAT validity field. In some examples, the URSP rules 394 may also include a separate PLMN validity field, indicating one or more PLMN and RAT combinations (e.g., PLMN1-LTE, PLMN2-NTN).

[0130] Both the protocol stack 305 and the protocol stack 310 may perform dual steering if they are camped on the PLMN-RAT combinations specified in the PLMN-RAT validity information (e.g., in the PLMN-RAT validity list of a given RSD). The network (e.g., the core network 130-b) may thus maintain fine (e.g., granular) control over PLMN-RAT combinations for each protocol stack 305 (e.g., because each RSD that enables dual steering includes a component such as a PLMN-RAT validity field).

[0131] FIG. 4 shows an example of a block diagram 400 of a UE 115-c and a core network 130-c that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, the UE 115-c and the core network 130-c may implement or be implemented by aspects of the wireless communications system 100 and the wireless communications system 200, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively. The UE 115-c may be an example of UE 115, UE 115-a, or UE 115-b, as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The core network 130-c may be an example of core network 130, core network 130-a, or core network 130-b, as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

[0132] The UE 115-c may include an operating system 425 and a modem 420. The operating system 425 may support one or more applications 430. The operating system 425 may be an example of the operating systems 225 or 325, as described withreference to FIGs. 2 and 3. The modem 420 may interface with the operating system 425, via the data interface 435, to receive and transmit data traffic associated with the one or more applications 430. The modem 420 may be an example of modems 220 or 320, as described with reference FIGs. 2 and 3.

[0133] The modem 420 may be configured with multiple subscriptions (such as via multiple SIMs) and corresponding protocol stacks to support one or multiple wireless services over one or more access networks, such as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, and 3. For example, the UE 115-c may be configured with a protocol stack 405 and a protocol stack 410, which may be examples of protocol stacks 205 and 210 or protocol stacks 305 and 310, as described with reference to FIGs. 2 and 3.

[0134] The modem 420 may additionally be configured to support dual steering and may be configured with a dual-steer layer 415, which may be an example of dual-steer layers 215 or 315 as described with reference to FIGs. 2 and 3. The dual-steer layer 415 may be configured to route or steer data traffic received from the operating system 425, via the data interface 435, to one or more of the protocol stacks 405 and 410. The data may be routed from one or more of the protocol stacks 405 and 410 and to the core network 130-c via one or more corresponding PDU sessions 495 (e.g., PDU session 495-a or PDU session 495-b) and 497 (e.g., PDU session 497-a or PDU session 497-b) .

[0135] In some cases, the UE 115-c may transmit an indication of its dual steering capabilities to the core network 130-c. For instance, one or more of the protocol stacks 405 and 410 of the UE 115-c may transmit, via one or more of the PDU sessions 495 and 497 (or in some cases via a corresponding access network), signaling comprising an indication of the dual steering capabilities of the protocol stack. In some cases, the signaling may comprise additional information, such as information identifying a quantity of subscriptions or protocol stacks for which the UE 115-c is configured, or information related to other capabilities of the UE 115-c. In some cases, the information indicating the dual steering information and the additional information may be provided to the core network 130-c as part of a process where one or more of the protocol stacks 405 and 410 of the UE 115-c register with the core network 130-c. That is, the protocol stacks 405 and 410 of the UE 115-e may register with the core network 130-c to obtain access to wireless services associated with the core network 130-c. To register with the network, the protocol stacks 405 and 410 of may perform a registration procedure,which may include exchange of signaling (e.g., information) with one or more of the corresponding access networks or the core network 130-c.

[0136] In response to receiving the information indicating the dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-c or one or more of the protocol stacks 405 and 410, the core network 130-c may transmit to the UE 115-c, via one of the PDU sessions 495 or 497, a single set of URSP rules. The single set of URSP rules may be a consolidate set of URSP rules that may apply to each of the protocol stacks of the UE 115-c. The core network 130-c may transmit the consolidated URSP rules 492. The consolidated URSP rules 492 may be transmitted to a single protocol stack (instead of transmitting independent sets of URSP rules to each of the protocol stacks, as described with reference to FIG. 3). For instance, in the example of FIG. 4, the core network 130-c may transmit consolidated URSP rules 492 via the PDU session 495 to protocol stack 405. The core network 130-c may send the consolidated URSP rules 492 to the UE 115-c when the URSP rules are applicable to each of the protocol stacks of the UE 115-c. In this case, the dual-steer layer 415 may obtain (e.g., receive) the consolidated URSP rules 492 from the protocol stack 405 and may use the consolidated URSP rules 492 to make routing decisions associated with both the protocol stacks 405 and 410.

[0137] The consolidated URSP rules 492 may be similar to the URSP rules 392 and 394 described with respect to FIG. 3. For instance, each of the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include a traffic descriptor identifying a type of data traffic (such as information identifying traffic from a particular one of the applications 430) and a mapping to one or more RSDs that indicate where or how to route the corresponding type of data traffic (as indicated by the traffic identifier) when certain conditions are met. Each RSD may include one or more parameters or fields that provide the indications of where or how to route the corresponding type of data traffic and the conditions that are to be met in order to trigger such routing. In some cases, when the USRP rules, such as the consolidated URSP rules 492, are applicable to multiple protocol stacks, the RSDs may be configured with an additional field, such as a subscription validity field that may indicate which protocol stack (e.g., which subscriber) data traffic should be routed to in the case of a valid RSD.

[0138] For instance, a simplified structure of the consolidated URSP rules 492, including the subscriber validity field, is shown below in Table 3.Table 3

[0139] Referring to Table 3, consolidated URSP rules 492 may be received at the protocol stack 405 and may be sent to the dual-steer layer 415 for processing. The consolidated URSP rules 492 may be used by the dual-steer layer 415 for routing decisions at the both the protocol stacks 405 and 410. The consolidated URSP rules 492 may include a first URSP rule, e.g., Rule 1, that may be applicable when the data traffic associated with App A (e.g., one of the applications 430) is to be routed, a Rule 2 that may be applicable when data traffic associated with App B (e.g., one of the applications 430) is to be routed, and a Rule 3 that may be applicable when data traffic associated with App C (e.g., one of the applications 430) is to be routed.

[0140] Accordingly, the dual-steer layer 415 may determine that RSD1 is valid for routing App A traffic if the protocol stacks 405 and 410 support a combination of NR and LTE RATs. If the protocol stacks 405 and 410 both support NR RAT, then the dualsteer layer 415 may determine that RSD2 is valid for routing App A traffic. If the protocol stacks 405 and 410 both support LTE RAT, then the dual-steer layer 415 may determine that RSD3 is valid for routing App A traffic. The dual-steer layer 415 may further determine that RSD4 is valid for routing App A traffic, irrespective of the RATs supported by protocol stacks 405 and 410. In the case of RSD5, which includes a single RAT in the capability validity field, the dual-steer layer 415 may determine RSD5 to be valid for routing App A traffic if the protocol stack indicated by the subscription validity field supports LTE.

[0141] Accordingly, if the dual-steer layer 415 determines that RSD1 is valid for App A traffic, the dual-steer layer 315 may determine to perform dual steering to route the App A traffic. That is, the dual-steer layer 415 may route the App A traffic using both the protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410. If the dual-steer layer 415 determines RSD2, RSD3, RSD4, or RSD5 to be valid for App A traffic, the dual-steer layer 415 may route the App A traffic using single steering (such as indicated by the 3GPP value of the preferred access type field). That is, only a single protocol stack may be used for routing the App A traffic. In this case, the subscription validity field may be used to identify which of the protocol stacks to use to route the data. For instance, in the case that RSD2, RSD3, or RSD4 are determined to be valid for App A traffic, the traffic may be routed via Protocol Stack 1, which may correspond to protocol stack 405, for example. In the case that RSD5 is determined to be valid for App A traffic, the traffic may be routed via Protocol Stack 2, which may correspond to protocol stack 410. The dual-steer layer 415 may make similar determinations about the validity of an RSD for the data traffic associated with App B and App C.

[0142] Additionally, or alternatively, the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include PLMN validity information (e.g., a PLMN validity list) that lists PLMN-RAT combinations where dual steering is applicable. For example, the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include RAT validity information, subscription validity information, and PLMN validity information. The PLMN validity information may be per URSP policy (e.g., as opposed to appearing in one or more RSDs). The consolidated URSP rules 492 may include one or more rules (e.g., rule 1, rule 2, and rule 3), for one or more applications (e.g., APP A, APP B, APP C, etc.), one or more of the rules may correspond to RSDs, which may include a RAT validity field (e.g. indicating a RAT, such as NR-LTE, or NR NR), and may also include a subscription validity field (e.g., indicating UE1 or protocol stack 405, or UE 2 or protocol stack 410), as described with reference to Table 3. The consolidated URSP rules 492 may also include PLMN validity information (e.g., one or more fields in the URSP rules 492 may indicate PLMN validity information for subscription validity). For instance, the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include PLMN validity information for subscription validity for the protocol stack 405 (e.g., UE1), which may indicate a set of one or more PLMN-RAT combinations supported for the protocol stack 405 (e.g., PLMN1-NR, PLMN2-LTE,PLMN3-NTN). The consolidated URSP rules 492 may include PLMN validity information for subscription validity for the protocol stack 410 (e.g., PLMN1-LTE, PLMN2-NTN). Thus, the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include a set of supported PLMN and RAT combinations for the first subscription (e.g., the protocol stack 405), and a set of supported PLMN and RAT combinations for the second subscription (e.g., the protocol stack 410).

[0143] The protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410 may perform dual steering if they are camped in one of the PLMN-RAT combinations specified in the PLMN validity list and the rest of the rules match (e.g., are satisfied). If the protocol stack 405 or the protocol stack 410 are not camped in a PLMN and RAT combination indicated in the PLMN validity information for the respective protocol stack, then the protocol stack 405, the protocol stack 410, or both, may perform a resection procedure (e.g., registering with a PLMN and initiating a PDU session 495-a via the indicated RAT of a valid PLMN and RAT combination for the protocol stack) to attempt to camp on one of the PLMN and RAT combinations in the validity list for the respective protocol stack. In case of multiple choices (e.g., multiple supported PLMN and RAT combinations in the URSP rules 492 for the protocol stack), priority may be given to the PLMN and RAT combination that matches a rule having highest priority for the protocol stack. For instance, satisfying one of the satisfied rules of the URSP rules 492 may be higher priority than satisfying another rule of the URSP rules 492 for the protocol stack 405, then the protocol stack 405 may select a PLMN and RAT combination corresponding to the higher priority rule of the URSP rules 492 (e.g., the protocol stack 310 may do the same with reference to the URSP rules 492).

[0144] In some examples, the PLMN validity information may include an indication of a first PLMN-RAT combination, and one or more companion PLMN-RAT combinations. For instance, the consolidated URSP rules 492 may include a field indicating PLMN validity information. The PLMN validity information may include a list of PLMN-RAT combinations, and a corresponding list of companion PLMN-RAT combinations. For example, the PLMN validity information may include a first indication of a first (e.g., primary or initial) PLMN-RAT combination (e.g., PLMN- NR), which can be applied to a first protocol stack (e.g., the protocol stack 405). The PLMN validity information may also include one or more companion PLMNcombinations (e.g., PLMN2-LTE, PLMN3-NTN), which can be applied to the second protocol stack (e.g., the protocol stack 410) as a companion to the first (e.g., primary or initial) PLMN-RAT combination is applied to the first protocol stack. The PLMN validity information may include additional primary of initial PLMN-RAT combinations, and corresponding companion PLMN-RAT combinations (e.g., a primary PLMN-RAT combination of PLMN1-LTE for the protocol stack 405 and companion PLMN-RAT combinations of PLMN4-NR and PLMN5-NTN for the second protocol stack 410, and a primary PLMN-RAT combination of PLMN2-NR for the protocol stack 405 and a companion PLMN-RAT combination of PLMN5-NTN). Thus, the protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410 may perform dual steering if the rules are satisfied and the protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410 are satisfied, and if the protocol stack 405 is camped on (e.g., or reselects) one of the primary PLMN-RAT combinations, and if the protocol stack 410 is camped on (e.g., or reselects) one of the companion PLMN-RAT combinations that corresponds to the primary PLMN-RAT combination selected (e.g., or reselected) by the protocol stack 405.

[0145] In some examples, the PLMN-RAT validity information may be included in one or more RSDs of the consolidated URSP rules 492. For example, an RSD that indicates a preferred access type of dual steering may also include a field indicating one or more supported PLMN-RAT combinations. For instance, the first rule (e.g., rule 1) may include an RSD (e.g., RSD1, with reference to table 3). The RSD1 may include a PLMN-RAT validity field, which may specify combinations of PLMN-RAT s on either or both of the protocol stack 405 or the protocol stack 410 under which the RSD1 is valid. In some examples, RSDs that do not indicate a preferred access type of dual steering may not include the PLMN-RAT validity field. The protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410 may perform dual steering if the protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410 are camped on one of the PLMN-RAT combinations indicated in the PLMN- RAT validity field of the RSD. The core network 130-c may thus manage with a high level of control over the PLMN-RAT combinations, by including relevant PLMN-RAT combinations in RSD fields.

[0146] FIG. 5 shows an example of a block diagram 500 of a UE 115-d and a core network 130-d that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, theUE 115-d and the core network 130-d may implement or be implemented by aspects of the wireless communications system 100 and the wireless communications system 200, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively. The UE 115-d may be an example of UE 115, UE 115-a, UE 115-b, or UE 115-c, as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The core network 130-d may be an example of core network 130, core network 130-a, core network 130-b, or core network 130-c, as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

[0147] The UE 115-d may include an operating system 525 and a modem 520. The operating system 525 may support one or more applications 530. The operating system 525 may be an example of the operating systems 225, 325, or 425, as described with reference to FIGs. 2, 3, and 4. The modem 520 may interface with the operating system 525, via the data interface 535-1, 535-2, or a combination thereof, to receive and transmit data traffic associated with the one or more applications 530. The modem 520 may be an example of modems 220, 320, or 420, as described with reference FIGs. 2, 3, and 4.

[0148] The modem 520 may be configured with multiple subscriptions (such as via multiple SIMs) and corresponding protocol stacks to support one or multiple wireless services over one or more access networks, such as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. For example, the UE 115-d may be configured with a protocol stack 505 and a protocol stack 510, which may be examples of protocol stacks 205 and 210, protocol stacks 305 and 310, or protocol stacks 405 and 410 as, described with reference to FIGs. 2, 3, and 4.

[0149] The modem 520 may additionally be configured to support dual steering and may be configured with a dual-steer layer 515, which may be an example of dual-steer layers 215, 315, or 415, as described with reference to FIGs. 2, 3, and 4. The dual-steer layer 515 may be configured to route or steer data traffic received from the operating system 525, via one or more of the data interfaces 535-1 or 535-2, to one or more of the protocol stacks 505 and 510. The data may be routed from one or more of the protocol stacks 505 and 510 and to the core network 130-d via one or more corresponding PDU sessions 595 (e.g., PDU session 595-a or PDU session 595-b) and 597 (e.g., PDU session 597-a or PDU session 597-b).

[0150] In some cases, the UE 115-d may transmit an indication of its dual steering capabilities to the core network 130-d. For instance, one or more of the protocol stacks 505 and 510 of the UE 115-d may transmit, via one or more of the PDU sessions 595 and 495 (or in some cases via a corresponding access network), signaling comprising an indication of the dual steering capabilities of one or more of the protocol stack 505 and 510.

[0151] In response to receiving the information indicating the dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-d or one or more of the protocol stacks 505 and 510, the core network 130-d may transmit to the UE 115-d, via one of the PDU sessions 595 or 495. In some cases, rather than managing the routing and steering of the data traffic from the operating system 525 in accordance with the URSP rules 592 and 594, the dual-steer layer 515, may alternatively inform (e.g., transmit or send) the operating system 525 of the URSP rules 592 and 594 and the operating system 525 may control routing or steering of the data traffic in accordance with the URSP rules 592 and 594 and using the data interfaces 535-1 and 535-2 that interface with the protocol stack 505 and the protocol stack 510, respectively.

[0152] For instance, in some cases, the dual-steer layer 515 may provide to the operating system 525 with the URSP rules 592 and 594, and the operating system 525 make routing decisions in the manner described with respect to FIGs. 2-4.Alternatively, the dual-steer layer 515 might not provide the operating system 525 with the URSP rules 592 and 594, and may instead provide the operating system 525 with routing decisions determined by the dual-steer layer 515. Based on the routing decisions (determined by the operating system 525 or the dual-steer layer 515), the operating system 525 may use one or more of the data interfaces 535-1 and 535-2 to route the data traffic to the appropriate protocol stack. For instance, data interface 535-1 may interface with protocol stack 505 and may be used to route data traffic to protocol stack 505. Data interface 535-2 may interface with protocol stack 510 and may be used to route data traffic to protocol stack 510. In some cases, both data interfaces 535-1 and 535-2 may be used concurrently to route data traffic, such as in the case where the URSP rules 592 or 594 indicate that dual steering is to be performed.

[0153] In some examples, the network (e.g., the core network 130-c) may configure the UE 115-a (e.g., the protocol stack 405 and the protocol stack 410) for dual steering.For the network to control the dual steering on and off functionality per UE (e.g., per protocol stack), and to control which RATs, PLMNs, or both, are applicable for dual steering, the network may configure the dual steering such that the network is able to send a configuration to the relevant UE or protocol stack. Such configuration may be indicated via pre-configuration per carrier configuration information, via operation administration and management (OAM) inputs, via NAS signaling, or via any over-the- air updates by the network. The configuration of the dual steering information may indicate a set of rules (e.g., URSP rules 592, URSP rules 594, consolidated URSP rules 492, or other rules that are different from the URSP rules). The rules may direct the dual steer manager (e.g., the dual-steer layer 515) to enable or disable dual steering functionality (e.g., according to the one or more rules, current conditions, signaling, PLMN-RAT validity information as described herein, etc.).

[0154] The rules may include operator preferences, and the protocol stack 505 or the protocol stack 510 or both may select a PLMN-RAT combination according to the one or more preferences (e.g., if multiple PLMN-RAT combinations are available based on the PLMN-RAT validity information, the UE 115-d may select the PLMN-RAT combination for a given protocol stack according to the preferences, or the preferences may indicate rules under which PLMN-RAT combinations are or are not available). The operator preferences may include region-based RAT and PLMN combinations to enable for dual steering (e.g., PLMN-RAT combinations may be indicated as higher priority, preferred, or only valid, in specific geographical regions), or a list of bands in each PLMN-RAT combination (e.g., one or more frequency bands in which a PLMN-RAT combination is valid, or preferred, or supported). The rules may also include dual connectivity preferences to declare per RAT or per PLMN-RAT combination (e.g., evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (e-UTRAN) new radio (ENDC), new radio dual connectivity (NRDC), new radio E-UTRAN dual connectivity (NEDC), etc.), a time of day (e.g., during which a given RAT or PLMN-RAT combination is preferred or valid), a battery charge level (e.g., under which a given RAT or PLMN-RAT combination is preferred or valid), or any combination thereof. Based on the rules (e.g., the NW preference information), the UE 115-a may determine its own capabilities and preferences, and determine whether to perform dual steering and proceed with procedures described herein.

[0155] FIG. 6 shows an example of a process flow 600 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The process flow 600 may implement aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 and 200, as described with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, respectively. The process flow 600 may include a UE 115-e and access networks 145-c and 145-d, which may be examples of as the corresponding devices described herein. The UE 115-e may include a protocol stack 1 605, a protocol stack 2 610, and a dualsteer layer 615, as described herein with reference to FIGs. 1 through 5. the process flow 600 may additionally include a core network 130-e, which may be an example core networks 130 as described herein.

[0156] In the following description of the process flow 600, the operations between the UE 115-e, the access networks 145-c and 145-d, and the core network 130-e may be transmitted in a different order than the example order shown, or the operations may be performed in different orders or at different times. Some operations may also be omitted from the process flow 600, and other operations may be added to the process flow 600.

[0157] At 602 and 604, the protocol stack 1 605 of the UE 115-e may perform one or more procedures to connect and register with one or more of the access network 145-c and the core network 130-e. The connection and registration procedures may include an exchange of signaling (e.g., information) with one or more of the access network 145-c and the core network 130-e. In some cases, the signaling may include an indication of dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-e or the protocol stack 1 605 of the UE 115-e.

[0158] At 606 and 608, the protocol stack 2 610 of the UE 115-e may perform one or more procedures to connect and register with one or more of the access network 145-d and the core network 130-e. The connection and registration procedures may include an exchange of signaling (e.g., information) with one or more of the access network 145-d and the core network 130-e. In some cases, the signaling may include an indication of dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-e or the protocol stack 2 610 of the UE 115-e.

[0159] At 610, based on receiving the indication of the capability of the UE 115-e or one or more of protocol stacks 605 and 610, the core network 130-e may update oneor more URSP rules associated with the UE 115-e or one or more of protocol stacks 605 and 610. The updated URSP rules may be configured to support the dual steering capabilities of the UE 115-e or the one or more of the protocol stacks 605 and 610 of the UE 115-e.

[0160] At 612 and 614, the core network 130-e may transmit or send the updated URSP rules to the UE 115-e, such as via one or more of the protocol stacks 605 and 610, respectively. In some cases, the core network 130-e may send URSP rules to each of the one or more protocol stacks 605 and 610. In other cases, the core network 130-e may send a single consolidate set of URSP rules to one of the protocol stacks 605 and 610. The URSP rules may include an indication of one or more PLMN-RAT combinations supported for dual steering procedures.

[0161] At 616 and 618, in some cases, the dual-steer layer 615 of the UE 115-e, which may be responsible for managing the routing of data traffic in accordance with the rules, may obtain (e.g., receive) the URSP rules from one or more of the protocol stacks 605 and 610.

[0162] At 620, the dual-steer layer 615 may make routing determinations based on the URSP rules and traffic information associated with data traffic.

[0163] At 622 and 624, one or more of the protocol stacks 605 and 610 may send a PDU session establishment request to the to the core network 130-e. In some cases, the PDU session establishment requests may be sent in response to a determination (at 620) by the dual-steer layer 615 that dual steering is to be performed to route data traffic to one or more of the protocol stacks 605 and 610. The PDU session establishment request may include information identifying the protocol stack and the corresponding PDU session associated with the counterpart protocol stack. For instance, each PDU session establishment request may include an indication of a SUPI associated with the counterpart protocol stack and a PDU session identifier associated with the PDU session of the counterpart protocol stack. In some cases, when a first PDU session establishment request is received from the protocol stack 1 605, the core network 130-e may not be aware of an upcoming second PDU session from the protocol stack 2 610. In this case, the core network 130-e may ignore the dual-steer information provided by the first PDU session establishment request, and at a later time, when the second PDU sessionestablishment request is received by the core network 130-e, the core network 130-e may proceed to 626.

[0164] At 626, the core network 130-e, upon receiving the PDU session establishment requests, may associate or bind the PDU sessions associated with each of the PDU session establishment requests, so that the core network 130-e may be aware that the corresponding sessions are associated with a same UE 115-e.

[0165] At 628 and 630, the core network 130-e may, send to one or more of the protocol stack 1 605 and the protocol stack 2 610, an acknowledgement of acceptance of one or more of the PDU session establishment requests.

[0166] FIG. 7 shows an example of a process flow 700 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The process flow 700 may implement aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 and 200, and the process flow 600, as described with reference to FIGs. 1, 2, and 6 respectively. The process flow 700 may include a UE 115-f and core network 130-f, which may be examples of the corresponding devices described herein. The UE 115-f may include a protocol stack 705, a protocol stack 710, and a dual-steer layer 715, as described herein with reference to FIGs. 1 through 6. The process flow 700 may additionally include a core network 130-e, which may be an example core networks 130 as described herein. Although not shown with reference to FIG. 7, the core network 130-f may communicate with the UE 115-f via one or more network entities, which may be examples of network entities 145 described herein.

[0167] In the following description of the process flow 700, the operations between the UE 115-f, the core network 130-f may be transmitted in a different order than the example order shown, or the operations may be performed in different orders or at different times. Some operations may also be omitted from the process flow 700, and other operations may be added to the process flow 700.

[0168] The UE 115-f may transmit (e.g., via the first protocol stack 705 at 720 and the second protocol stack 710 at 725) one or more indications of capability of the UE 115-a to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack 705, the second protocol stack 710, or both, according to a dual steering procedure.

[0169] At 730, 735, or both, the UE 115-a may receive, based at least in part on the capability of the UE 115-f, a first set of URSP rules (e.g., URSP policies) for steering the data traffic associated with the UE 115-f. For example, the UE 115-f may receive a first set of URSP rules via the first protocol stack 705 at 730, and a second set of URSP rules via the second protocol stack 710 at 735 (e.g., as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3). In some examples, the UE 115-f may receive a single set of consolidated URSP rules, which the first protocol stack 705 may provide to the dual steer layer 715, or the second protocol stack 710, or both, as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 4. For instance, at 740, the first protocol stack 705 may forward the consolidated URSP rules to the dual steer layer 715. In some examples, in case of two sets of URSP rules indicated to the respective protocol stacks at 730 and 735, the first protocol stack 705 may provide the first set of URSP rules to the dual steer layer 715 at 740, and the second protocol stack 710 may provide the second set of URSP rules to the dual s teer layer 715 at 745. The first set of URSP rules, the second set of URSP rules, or both, may include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of PLMNs and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported. Each valid combination of the set of valid combinations may include a PLMN of multiple candidate PLMNs, and a RAT of multiple RATs.

[0170] In some examples, in the case of two separate sets of URSP rules, the first set of URSP rules may include at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack 705, and the second set of URSP rules may include at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack 710. The UE 115-a may select, for the first protocol stack 705 based at least in part on the first field, a first PLMN and a first RAT from the first subset of valid combinations of PLMNS and RATs according to the first set of URSP rules received at 730. The UE 115-a may select, for the second protocol stack 710 based at least in part on the second field, a second PLMN and a second RAT from the second subset of valid combinations of PLMNs and RATs according to the second set of URSP rules received at 735. In some examples, each rule of the first set of URSP rules and each rule of the second set of URSP rules may include a traffic descriptor and a set of RSDs. Each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSDof the second set of RSDs may include a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering, and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack 705, the second protocol stack 710, or both. Such techniques are described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0171] In some examples, in the case of a single consolidated set of URSP rules, the first set of URSP rules may be included an indication of a first subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack 705 and a second subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack 710. In some examples, the first set of URSP rules may include at least an indication of a first valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack 705 and one or more companion valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack 710. In some examples, each rule of the first set of URSP rules may a traffic descriptor and a set of RSDs. Each RSD of the set of RSDs may include a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering, and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack 705, the second protocol stack 710, or both. Such techniques are described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 4.

[0172] In some examples, the UE 115-f may receive control signaling (e.g., NAS signaling, over-the-air signaling, configuration information, control signaling, etc.) at 730, 735, or via separate signaling, including configuration information. The validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of operators and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported may include an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations, one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations are supported, or a combination thereof. Such information may be included in the validity information, or may be included in other signaling or other configuration information, or a combination thereof.

[0173] At 750, the dual-steer layer may perform a routing determination. The UE 115-a may (e.g., based on the routing determinations), route data traffic associated with the UE 115-f via one or both of the first protocol stack 705 and the second protocol stack 710. For example, the UE 115-a may route the traffic via the dual steer layer 715 and based on the USRP rules, traffic information associated with the data traffic for the UE 115-f, etc. In some examples, the UE 115-f may initiate the dual steering procedure (e.g., a dual steering session). The protocol stack 705 may initiate communications with the core network 130-f at 755, and the protocol stack 710 may initiate communications with the core network 130-f at 760. For instance, at 755, the first protocol stack 705 may send a PDU session establish net request, and receive a PDU session establishment accept message (e.g., if the core network 130-f associates the PDU sessions as described herein), as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 6. At 760, the second protocol stack 710 may send a PDU session establish net request, and receive a PDU session establishment accept message (e.g., if the core network 130-f associates the PDU sessions as described herein), as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 6. The communications established at 755 and 760 may be performed according to the routing at 750. The communications may be performed according to a first PLMN-RAT combination selected for the first protocol stack 705 (e.g., as determined at 750 according to the URSP rules) and a second PLMN-RAT combination selected for the second protocol stack 705 (e.g., as determined at 750 according to the URSP rules).

[0174] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram 800 of a device 805 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 805 may be an example of aspects of a UE 115 as described herein. The device 805 may include a receiver 810, a transmitter 815, and a communications manager 820. The device 805, or one or more components of the device 805 (e.g., the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, the communications manager 820), may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to, individually or collectively, support or enable the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0175] The receiver 810 may provide a means for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated withvarious information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios). Information may be passed on to other components of the device 805. The receiver 810 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.

[0176] The transmitter 815 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 805. For example, the transmitter 815 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios). In some examples, the transmitter 815 may be co-located with a receiver 810 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 815 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.

[0177] The communications manager 820, the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or various combinations or components thereof may be examples of means for performing various aspects of network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios as described herein. For example, the communications manager 820, the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or various combinations or components thereof may be capable of performing one or more of the functions described herein.

[0178] In some examples, the communications manager 820, the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communications management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure. In some examples, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., by one or more processors, individually or collectively, executing instructions stored in the at least one memory).

[0179] Additionally, or alternatively, the communications manager 820, the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in code (e.g., as communications management software or firmware) executed by at least one processor (e.g., referred to as a processor-executable code). If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functions of the communications manager 820, the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, a microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure).

[0180] In some examples, the communications manager 820 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or both. For example, the communications manager 820 may receive information from the receiver 810, send information to the transmitter 815, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0181] The communications manager 820 may support wireless communications in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 820 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The communications manager 820 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The communications manager 820 is capable of, configured to, oroperable to support a means for routing, via a higher layer of the UE and basing at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0182] By including or configuring the communications manager 820 in accordance with examples as described herein, the device 805 (e.g., at least one processor controlling or otherwise coupled with the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, the communications manager 820, or a combination thereof) may support techniques for PLMN and RAT combination selection and application, resulting in improved throughput, increased reliability of wireless communications, decreased system latency, and improved user experience.

[0183] FIG. 9 shows a block diagram 900 of a device 905 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 905 may be an example of aspects of a device 805 or a UE 115 as described herein. The device 905 may include a receiver 910, a transmitter 915, and a communications manager 920. The device 905, or one of more components of the device 905 (e.g., the receiver 910, the transmitter 915, the communications manager 920), may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to support the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0184] The receiver 910 may provide a means for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios). Information may be passed on to other components of the device 905. The receiver 910 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.

[0185] The transmitter 915 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 905. For example, the transmitter 915 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels,information channels related to network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios). In some examples, the transmitter 915 may be co-located with a receiver 910 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 915 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.

[0186] The device 905, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios as described herein. For example, the communications manager 920 may include a dual steering capability information 925, an URSP rules manager 930, a routing manager 935, or any combination thereof. The communications manager 920 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 820 as described herein. In some examples, the communications manager 920, or various components thereof, may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 910, the transmitter 915, or both. For example, the communications manager 920 may receive information from the receiver 910, send information to the transmitter 915, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 910, the transmitter 915, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0187] The communications manager 920 may support wireless communications in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The dual steering capability information 925 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The URSP rules manager 930 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The routing manager 935 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for routing, via a higherlayer of the UE and based on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0188] FIG. 10 shows a block diagram 1000 of a communications manager 1020 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The communications manager 1020 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 820, a communications manager 920, or both, as described herein. The communications manager 1020, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios as described herein. For example, the communications manager 1020 may include a dual steering capability information 1025, an URSP rules manager 1030, a routing manager 1035, a frequency band manager 1040, a network and RAT combination manager 1045, a validity field manager 1050, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or components or subcomponents thereof (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories), may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0189] The communications manager 1020 may support wireless communications in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The dual steering capability information 1025 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The URSP rules manager 1030 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The routing manager 1035 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on the first set ofURSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0190] In some examples, the first set of URSP rules is received via the first protocol stack, and the URSP rules manager 1030 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, where the first set of URSP rules is associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules is associated with the second protocol stack.

[0191] In some examples, the first set of URSP rules includes at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, and the second set of URSP rules include at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0192] In some examples, the network and RAT combination manager 1045 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for selecting, for the first protocol stack based on the first field, a first network and a first RAT from the first subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the first set of URSP rules. In some examples, the network and RAT combination manager 1045 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for selecting, for the second protocol stack based on the second field, a second network and a second RAT from the second subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the second set of URSP rules.

[0193] In some examples, to support each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs, the URSP rules manager 1030 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering. In some examples, to support each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs, the URSP rules manager 1030 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dualsteering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0194] In some examples, the first set of URSP rules is received via the higher layer of the UE and is associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack.

[0195] In some examples, the first set of URSP rules includes an indication of a first subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and a second subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0196] In some examples, first set of URSP rules includes at least an indication of a first valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and one or more companion valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0197] In some examples, to support each RSD of the set of RSDs, the URSP rules manager 1030 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering. In some examples, to support each RSD of the set of RSDs, the validity field manager 1050 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0198] In some examples, to support validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, the frequency band manager 1040 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations.

[0199] In some examples, one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations are supported.

[0200] FIG. 11 shows a diagram of a system 1100 including a device 1105 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 1105 may be an example of or include components of a device 805, a device 905, or a UE 115 as described herein. The device 1105 may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with one or more other devices (e.g., network entities 105, UEs 115, or a combination thereof). The device 1105 may include components for bi-directional voice and data communications including components for transmitting and receiving communications, such as a communications manager 1120, an input / output (I / O) controller, such as an I / O controller 1110, a transceiver 1115, one or more antennas 1125, at least one memory 1130, code 1135, and at least one processor 1140. These components may be in electronic communication or otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., a bus 1145).

[0201] The I / O controller 1110 may manage input and output signals for the device 1105. The I / O controller 1110 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the device 1105. In some cases, the I / O controller 1110 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral. In some cases, the I / O controller 1110 may utilize an operating system such as iOS®, ANDROID®, MS-DOS®, MS-WINDOWS®, OS / 2®, UNIX®, LINUX®, or another known operating system. Additionally, or alternatively, the EO controller 1110 may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, the EO controller 1110 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as the at least one processor 1140. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 1105 via the EO controller 1110 or via hardware components controlled by the EO controller 1110.

[0202] In some cases, the device 1105 may include a single antenna. However, in some other cases, the device 1105 may have more than one antenna, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. The transceiver 1115 may communicate bi-directionally via the one or more antennas 1125 using wired or wireless links as described herein. For example, the transceiver 1115 may represent a wireless transceiver and may communicate bi-directionally with another wireless transceiver. The transceiver 1115 may also include a modem to modulate the packets, to provide the modulated packets to one or more antennas 1125for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the one or more antennas 1125. The transceiver 1115, or the transceiver 1115 and one or more antennas 1125, may be an example of a transmitter 815, a transmitter 915, a receiver 810, a receiver 910, or any combination thereof or component thereof, as described herein.

[0203] The at least one memory 1130 may include random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). The at least one memory 1130 may store computer- readable, computer-executable, or processor-executable code, such as the code 1135. The code 1135 may include instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor 1140, cause the device 1105 to perform various functions described herein. The code 1135 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, the code 1135 may not be directly executable by the at least one processor 1140 but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein. In some cases, the at least one memory 1130 may include, among other things, a basic I / O system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0204] The at least one processor 1140 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., one or more general-purpose processors, one or more DSPs, one or more CPUs, one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), one or more neural processing units (NPUs) (also referred to as neural network processors or deep learning processors (DLPs)), one or more microcontrollers, one or more ASICs, one or more FPGAs, one or more programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, one or more discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, the at least one processor 1140 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some other cases, a memory controller may be integrated into the at least one processor 1140. The at least one processor 1140 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the at least one memory 1130) to cause the device 1105 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios). For example, the device 1105 or a component of the device 1105 may include at least one processor 1140 and at least one memory 1130 coupled with or to the at least one processor 1140,the at least one processor 1140 and the at least one memory 1130 configured to perform various functions described herein.

[0205] In some examples, the at least one processor 1140 may include multiple processors and the at least one memory 1130 may include multiple memories. One or more of the multiple processors may be coupled with one or more of the multiple memories, which may, individually or collectively, be configured to perform various functions described herein. In some examples, the at least one processor 1140 may be a component of a processing system, which may refer to a system (such as a series) of machines, circuitry (including, for example, one or both of processor circuitry (which may include the at least one processor 1140) and memory circuitry (which may include the at least one memory 1130)), or components, that receives or obtains inputs and processes the inputs to produce, generate, or obtain a set of outputs. The processing system may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. For example, the at least one processor 1140 or a processing system including the at least one processor 1140 may be configured to, configurable to, or operable to cause the device 1105 to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Further, as described herein, being “configured to,” being “configurable to,” and being “operable to” may be used interchangeably and may be associated with a capability, when executing code 1135 (e.g., processor-executable code) stored in the at least one memory 1130 or otherwise, to perform one or more of the functions described herein.

[0206] The communications manager 1120 may support wireless communications in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 1120 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The communications manager 1120 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of validcombinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The communications manager 1120 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for routing, via a higher layer of the UE and basing at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0207] By including or configuring the communications manager 1120 in accordance with examples as described herein, the device 1105 may support techniques for PLMN and RAT combination selection and application, resulting in improved throughput, increased reliability of wireless communications, more efficient utilization of communication resources, improved coordination between devices decreased system latency, and improved user experience.

[0208] In some examples, the communications manager 1120 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, monitoring, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the transceiver 1115, the one or more antennas 1125, or any combination thereof. Although the communications manager 1120 is illustrated as a separate component, in some examples, one or more functions described with reference to the communications manager 1120 may be supported by or performed by the at least one processor 1140, the at least one memory 1130, the code 1135, or any combination thereof. For example, the code 1135 may include instructions executable by the at least one processor 1140 to cause the device 1105 to perform various aspects of network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios as described herein, or the at least one processor 1140 and the at least one memory 1130 may be otherwise configured to, individually or collectively, perform or support such operations.

[0209] FIG. 12 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1200 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1200 may be implemented by a UE or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1200 may be performed by a UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 11. In some examples, a UE may execute a set of instructions to control the functionalelements of the UE to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0210] At 1205, the method may include transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The operations of 1205 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1205 may be performed by a dual steering capability information 1025 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0211] At 1210, the method may include receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The operations of 1210 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1210 may be performed by an URSP rules manager 1030 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0212] At 1215, the method may include routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure. The operations of 1215 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1215 may be performed by a routing manager 1035 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0213] FIG. 13 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1300 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1300 may be implemented by a UE or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1300 may be performed by a UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 11. Insome examples, a UE may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0214] At 1305, the method may include transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The operations of 1305 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1305 may be performed by a dual steering capability information 1025 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0215] At 1310, the method may include receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The operations of 1310 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1310 may be performed by an URSP rules manager 1030 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0216] At 1315, the method may include receiving, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, where the first set of URSP rules is associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules is associated with the second protocol stack. The operations of 1315 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1315 may be performed by an URSP rules manager 1030 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0217] At 1320, the method may include routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steeringprocedure. The operations of 1320 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1320 may be performed by a routing manager 1035 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0218] FIG. 14 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1400 that supports network and RAT selection for dual steering scenarios in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1400 may be implemented by a UE or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1400 may be performed by a UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 11. In some examples, a UE may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0219] At 1405, the method may include transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a set of multiple protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure. The operations of 1405 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1405 may be performed by a dual steering capability information 1025 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0220] At 1410, the method may include receiving, based on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, the first set of URSP rules received via the higher layer of the UE is associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack, where the first set of URSP rules include validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations including a network of a set of multiple networks and a RAT of a set of multiple RATs. The operations of 1410 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1410 may be performed by an URSP rules manager 1030 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0221] At 1415, the method may include routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure. The operations of 1415 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1415 may be performed by a routing manager 1035 as described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0222] The following provides an overview of aspects of the present disclosure:

[0223] Aspect 1 : A method for wireless communications at a UE, comprising: transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a plurality of protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure; receiving, based at least in part on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprise validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations comprising a network of a plurality of networks and a RAT of a plurality of RATs; and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

[0224] Aspect 2: The method of aspect 1, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the first protocol stack, the method further comprising: receiving, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, wherein the first set of URSP rules is associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules is associated with the second protocol stack.

[0225] Aspect 3 : The method of aspect 2, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprises at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, and the secondset of URSP rules comprise at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0226] Aspect 4: The method of aspect 3, further comprising: selecting, for the first protocol stack based at least in part on the first field, a first network and a first RAT from the first subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the first set of URSP rules; and selecting, for the second protocol stack based at least in part on the second field, a second network and a second RAT from the second subset of valid combinations of networks and RATs according to the second set of URSP rules.

[0227] Aspect 5: The method of any of aspects 2 through 4, wherein each rule of the first set of URSP rules and each rule of the second set of URSP rules comprises a traffic descriptor and a set of route selection descriptors (RSDs), and wherein each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs comprises: a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering; and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0228] Aspect 6: The method of any of aspects 1 through 5, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the higher layer of the UE and is associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack.

[0229] Aspect 7: The method of aspect 6, wherein each the first set of URSP rules comprises an indication of a first subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and a second subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0230] Aspect 8: The method of any of aspects 6 through 7, wherein first set of URSP rules comprises at least an indication of a first valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and one or more companion valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

[0231] Aspect 9: The method of any of aspects 6 through 8, wherein each rule of the first set of URSP rules comprises a traffic descriptor and a set of route selection descriptors (RSDs), and wherein each RSD of the set of RSDs comprises: a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering; and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

[0232] Aspect 10: The method of any of aspects 1 through 9, wherein the validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of networks and RATs under which the dual steering procedure is supported further comprises: an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations.

[0233] Aspect 11 : The method of any of aspects 1 through 10, wherein one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations are supported.

[0234] Aspect 12: A UE for wireless communications, comprising one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to perform a method of any of aspects 1 through 11.

[0235] Aspect 13 : A UE for wireless communications, comprising at least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 1 through 11.

[0236] Aspect 14: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method of any of aspects 1 through 11.

[0237] It should be noted that the methods described herein describe possible implementations. The operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and other implementations are possible. Further, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.

[0238] Although aspects of an LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR system may be described for purposes of example, and LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR terminology may be used in much of the description, the techniques described herein are applicable beyond LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR networks. For example, the described techniques may be applicable to various other wireless communications systems such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, as well as other systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein.

[0239] Information and signals described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0240] The various illustrative blocks and components described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, a CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor but, in the alternative, the processor may be any processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration). Any functions or operations described herein as being capable of being performed by a processor may be performed by multiple processors that, individually or collectively, are capable of performing the described functions or operations.

[0241] The functions described herein may be implemented using hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented using software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored as or transmitted using one or more instructions or code of a computer-readable medium. Other examplesand implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described herein may be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing functions may also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations.

[0242] Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that may be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of computer-readable medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc. Disks may reproduce data magnetically, and discs may reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media. Any functions or operations described herein as being capable of being performed by a memory may be performed by multiple memories that, individually or collectively, are capable of performing the described functions or operations.

[0243] As used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items (e.g., a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of’ or “one or more of’) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or Bor C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an example step that is described as “based on condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on.”

[0244] As used herein, including in the claims, the article “a” before a noun is open- ended and understood to refer to “at least one” of those nouns or “one or more” of those nouns. Thus, the terms “a,” “at least one,” “one or more,” and “at least one of one or more” may be interchangeable. For example, if a claim recites “a component” that performs one or more functions, each of the individual functions may be performed by a single component or by any combination of multiple components. Thus, the term “a component” having characteristics or performing functions may refer to “at least one of one or more components” having a particular characteristic or performing a particular function. Subsequent reference to a component introduced with the article “a” using the terms “the” or “said” may refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, a component introduced with the article “a” may be understood to mean “one or more components,” and referring to “the component” subsequently in the claims may be understood to be equivalent to referring to “at least one of the one or more components.” Similarly, subsequent reference to a component introduced as “one or more components” using the terms “the” or “said” may refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, referring to “the one or more components” subsequently in the claims may be understood to be equivalent to referring to “at least one of the one or more components.”

[0245] The term “determine” or “determining” encompasses a variety of actions and, therefore, “determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (such as via looking up in a table, a database, or another data structure), ascertaining, and the like. Also, “determining” can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data stored in memory), and the like. Also, “determining” can include resolving, obtaining, selecting, choosing, establishing, and other such similar actions.

[0246] In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If just the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label or other subsequent reference label.

[0247] The description set forth herein, in connection with the appended drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all the examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. The term “example” used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without these specific details. In some figures, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0248] The description herein is provided to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A user equipment (UE), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: transmit, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a plurality of protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure; receive, based at least in part on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprise validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations comprising a network of a plurality of networks and a radio access technology of a plurality of radio access technologies; and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and base at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the first protocol stack, and the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: receive, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, wherein the first set of URSP rules is associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules is associated with the second protocol stack.

3. The UE of claim 2, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprises at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, and the second set of URSP rules comprise at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

4. The UE of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: select, for the first protocol stack based at least in part on the first field, a first network and a first radio access technology from the first subset of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies according to the first set of URSP rules; and select, for the second protocol stack based at least in part on the second field, a second network and a second radio access technology from the second subset of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies according to the second set of URSP rules.

5. The UE of claim 2, wherein each rule of the first set of URSP rules and each rule of the second set of URSP rules comprises a traffic descriptor and a set of route selection descriptors (RSDs), and wherein each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs comprises: a preferred access type indicate whether to perform single steering or dual steering; and a validity field indicate a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the higher layer of the UE and is associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprises an indication of a first subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dualsteering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and a second subset of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

8. The UE of claim 6, wherein first set of URSP rules comprises at least an indication of a first valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack and one or more companion valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

9. The UE of claim 6, wherein each rule of the first set of URSP rules comprises a traffic descriptor and a set of route selection descriptors (RSDs), and wherein each RSD of the set of RSDs comprises: a preferred access type indicate whether to perform single steering or dual steering; and a validity field indicate a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

10. The UE of claim 1, wherein the validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies under which the dual steering procedure is supported further comprises: an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations.

11. The UE of claim 1, wherein one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations are supported.

12. A method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising: transmitting, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a plurality of protocol stacks of the UE, one or more indications of a capability of the UEto steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure; receiving, based at least in part on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprise validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations comprising a network of a plurality of networks and a radio access technology of a plurality of radio access technologies; and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and based at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the first protocol stack, the method further comprising: receiving, via the second protocol stack, a second set of URSP rules for steering the data traffic, wherein the first set of URSP rules is associated with the first protocol stack and the second set of URSP rules is associated with the second protocol stack.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprises at least a first field indicating a first subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, and the second set of URSP rules comprise at least a second field indicating a second subset of the valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the second protocol stack.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: selecting, for the first protocol stack based at least in part on the first field, a first network and a first radio access technology from the first subset of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies according to the first set of URSP rules; andselecting, for the second protocol stack based at least in part on the second field, a second network and a second radio access technology from the second subset of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies according to the second set of URSP rules.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each rule of the first set of URSP rules and each rule of the second set of URSP rules comprises a traffic descriptor and a set of route selection descriptors (RSDs), and wherein each RSD of the first set of RSDs and each RSD of the second set of RSDs comprises: a preferred access type indicating whether to perform single steering or dual steering; and a validity field indicating a valid combination of the set of valid combinations under which the dual steering procedure is supported at the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of URSP rules is received via the higher layer of the UE and is associated with both the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the validity information indicating the set of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies under which the dual steering procedure is supported further comprises: an indication of one or more frequency bands corresponding to each of the valid combinations of the set of valid combinations.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations correspond to a geographical region in which the respective one or more valid combinations of the set of valid combinations are supported.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to: transmit, via a first protocol stack and a second protocol stack of a plurality of protocol stacks of a user equipment (UE), one or more indications of acapability of the UE to steer data traffic associated with the UE via the first protocol stack, the second protocol stack, or both according to a dual steering procedure; receive, based at least in part on the capability of the UE, a first set of UE route selection policy (URSP) rules for steering the data traffic associated with the UE, wherein the first set of URSP rules comprise validity information indicating a set of valid combinations of networks and radio access technologies under which the dual steering procedure is supported, each valid combination of the set of valid combinations comprising a network of a plurality of networks and a radio access technology of a plurality of radio access technologies; and routing, via a higher layer of the UE and base at least in part on the first set of URSP rules and traffic information associated with the data traffic associated with the UE, the data traffic associated with the UE via one or both of the first protocol stack or the second protocol stack according to the dual steering procedure.

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