Electronic device using network slice, operating method thereof, and storage medium

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device may comprise: one or more processors including processing circuitry; and a memory for storing instructions. When executed individually or collectively by the one or more processors, the instructions can instruct the electronic device to: identify a data setup request received from a first application; identify a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request; select one route selection descriptor (RSD) from among one or more unified RSDs corresponding to the first TD identified on the basis of a plurality of user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP) rules associated with each of a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors; and perform, on the basis of the selected RSD, at least one operation for establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first application with a network associated with an SIM corresponding to the selected RSD from among the plurality of SIMs. Other embodiments are possible.

Description

Electronic device utilizing network slice, method of operation thereof, and storage medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, an operating method, and a storage medium utilizing a network slice.

[0002] To meet the increasing demand for wireless data traffic since the commercialization of 4G communication systems, efforts are being made to develop improved 5G or pre-5G communication systems. For this reason, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are also called beyond 4G networks or post-LTE systems. To achieve high data transmission rates, 5G communication systems are being considered for implementation in ultra-high frequency (mmWave) bands (e.g., 60 GHz bands). To mitigate path loss and increase transmission range of radio waves in ultra-high frequency bands, beamforming, massive multi-input multiple-output (MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and large-scale antenna technologies are being discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0003] One of the most prominent new architectural features of 5G networks is the introduction of network slicing technology into the radio access network (RAN) and core network (CN) architecture. This technology aims to apply properties such as isolation, customization, and independent management and orchestration of network system functions and resources to the mobile communications network architecture by bundling network resources and network functions into independent network slices based on individual services. This network slicing technology enables the selection and combination of network functions within a 5G system based on service, user, and business model criteria, enabling the provision of independent and flexible 5G services.

[0004] In the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), URSP (UE route selection policy) rules are defined. User equipment (UE) can receive URSP rules from the policy control function (PCF) and establish network slices and data sessions. URSP rules can include traffic descriptors and route selection descriptors.

[0005] The above information may be provided as background art to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above-described matters constitute prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include one or more processors including processing circuitry and a memory storing instructions.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to acknowledge a data setup request from a first application.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to verify a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to select one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors and a plurality of user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP) rules each associated with the plurality of SIMs.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to perform at least one operation for establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more storage media may be provided. The one or more storage media may store computer-executable instructions.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by one or more processors comprising processing circuitry of an electronic device, may cause a data setup request from a first application to be acknowledged.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to verify a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to select one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors and a plurality of user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP) rules each associated with the plurality of SIMs.

[0015] (UE(user equipment) route selection policy) The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU (protocol data unit) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating an electronic device may be provided.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device may include an operation of confirming a data setup request from a first application.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device may include an operation of checking a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device may include selecting one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of URSP ((UE (user equipment) route selection policy)) rules each associated with a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of one or more processors including processing circuitry of the electronic device.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device may include performing at least one operation for establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0021] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 1b is a diagram illustrating a network environment including an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an electronic device for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 2b is a block diagram of an electronic device for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments.

[0025] FIG. 2c illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 3a illustrates a 5G system architecture.

[0027] Figure 3b illustrates a 5G network slice structure.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining an operation method of an electronic device according to a comparative example for comparison with an embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 5A is a drawing for explaining an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 5b is a diagram illustrating an integrated route selection descriptor (RSD) according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 7b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 8A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0035] FIG. 8b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0036] FIG. 9A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0037] FIG. 9b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0038] Fig. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0039] Fig. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0040] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0041] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 14a is a drawing for explaining application-specific settings according to one embodiment.

[0043] Figure 14b is a drawing for explaining application-specific settings according to one embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100), according to one embodiment.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1A, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0046] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0047] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, in the electronic device (101) itself where artificial intelligence is performed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0048] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0049] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0050] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0051] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0052] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0053] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0054] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0055] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0056] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0057] The haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0058] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0059] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0060] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0061] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a Cellular Secure Remote Sensing (C-RSP) ruler communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy Cellular Secure Protocol (CSP) ruler network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0062] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0063] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0064] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0065] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0066] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0067] FIG. 1b is a diagram illustrating a network environment (100) including an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 1b, a network according to one embodiment of the present invention (e.g., the second network (199) of FIG. 1a) may include an electronic device (101), a first communication network (111a), or a second communication network (112a).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can operate in a dual SIM dual standby (DSDS) mode or a dual SIM dual active (DSDA) mode, which support two SIMs in one device. The DSDA mode may be referred to as, for example, a DSDA capability, and the DSDS mode may be referred to as, for example, a DSDS capability. For example, the electronic device (101) may be implemented to include two SIMs, a first SIM (111) and a second SIM (112), or may include slots (which may be referred to as SIM slots) capable of connecting two SIMs. SIMs may be inserted into the slots of the electronic device (101). For example, the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may be removable SIMs (rSIMs) (e.g., SIM cards). For example, the electronic device (101) may include a first slot (not shown) and a second slot (not shown), which are first structures, therein to accommodate the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112), respectively. In this case, the meaning of the electronic device (101) including the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may mean that the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) are mounted on the electronic device (101), and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this may not necessarily mean that the electronic device (101) includes the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112). As another example, at least one of the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may include an embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM). The eSIM may also be referred to as an eUICC.For example, the connection and / or activation of dual SIM in the present disclosure may mean that two rSIMs (or pSIMs) are implemented to be connected to the electronic device (101), one rSIM is implemented to be connected to the electronic device (101) and one profile in the eSIM is activated, or two profiles in the eSIM are implemented to be activated, and there is no limitation on the implementation method.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the first SIM (111) is a SIM subscribed to a telecommunications carrier of the first communication network (111a), and the electronic device (101) can receive wireless communication services by connecting to the first communication network (111a) using the first SIM (111). The second SIM (112) is a SIM subscribed to a telecommunications carrier of the second communication network (112a), and the electronic device (101) can receive wireless communication services by connecting to the second communication network (112a) using the second SIM (112). As another example, although not shown, the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may be SIMs subscribed to a telecommunications carrier of the same telecommunications network. For example, the carriers of the first communication network and the second communication network may be the same. For example, the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may each be SIMs corresponding to different subscriber information subscribed to the same telecommunications carrier.

[0071] FIG. 2A is a block diagram (200) of an electronic device (101) for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to one embodiment.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 2A, the electronic device (101) may include a first communication processor (212), a second communication processor (214), a first radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (222), a second RFIC (224), a third RFIC (226), a fourth RFIC (228), a first radio frequency front end (RFFE) (232), a second RFFE (234), a first antenna module (242), a second antenna module (244), a third antenna module (246), and antennas (248). The electronic device (101) may further include a processor (120) and a memory (130). The second network (199) may include a first CellURSP ruler network (292) and a second CellURSP ruler network (294). In another embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include at least one of the components described in FIG. 1A, and the second network (199) may further include at least one other network. In one embodiment, the first communication processor (212), the second communication processor (214), the first RFIC (222), the second RFIC (224), the fourth RFIC (228), the first RFFE (232), and the second RFFE (234) may form at least a portion of the wireless communication module (192). In another embodiment, the fourth RFIC (228) may be omitted or may be included as a part of the third RFIC (226).

[0073] The first communication processor (212) may establish a communication channel in a band to be used for wireless communication with the first CellURSP ruler network (292), and may support legacy network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the first CellURSP ruler network may be a legacy network including a second generation (2G), 3G, 4G, or long term evolution (LTE) network. The second communication processor (214) may establish a communication channel corresponding to a designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second CellURSP ruler network (294), and may support 5G network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the second CellURSP ruler network (294) may be a 5G network defined by 3GPP. Additionally, according to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may support establishment of a communication channel corresponding to another designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second cellular service provider (294), and 5G network communication through the established communication channel.

[0074] The first communication processor (212) can transmit and receive data with the second communication processor (214). For example, data classified to be transmitted through the second cellular URSP ruler network (294) may be changed to be transmitted through the first cellular URSP ruler network (292). In this case, the first communication processor (212) can receive the transmission data from the second communication processor (214). For example, the first communication processor (212) can transmit and receive data with the second communication processor (214) through the processor interface (213). The above interprocessor interface (213) may be implemented as, for example, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) (e.g., HS-UART (high speed-UART) or PCIe (peripheral component interconnect bus express) interface), but there is no limitation on its type. Alternatively, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may exchange control information and packet data information using, for example, a shared memory. The first communication processor (212) may transmit and receive various information, such as sensing information, information on output intensity, and resource block (RB) allocation information, with the second communication processor (214).

[0075] Depending on the implementation, the first communication processor (212) may not be directly connected to the second communication processor (214). In this case, the first communication processor (212) may transmit and receive data with the second communication processor (214) through the processor (120) (e.g., application processor). For example, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may transmit and receive data with the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) through an HS-UART interface or a PCIe interface, but there is no limitation on the type of interface. Alternatively, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may exchange control information and packet data information with the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) using shared memory.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may be implemented in a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may be formed in a single chip or a single package with the processor (120), the auxiliary processor (123), or the communication module (190). For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the integrated communication processor (260) may support functions for communicating with both the first CellURSP ruler network (292) and the second CellURSP ruler network (294).

[0077] As described above, at least one of the processor (120), the first communication processor (212), the second communication processor (214), or the integrated communication processor (260) may be implemented as a single chip or a single package. In this case, the single chip or single package may include a memory (or storage means) that stores instructions that cause the performance of at least some of the operations performed according to one embodiment, and a processing circuit (or, the name thereof is not limited, such as an arithmetic circuit) for executing the instructions.

[0078] The first RFIC (222) may, upon transmission, convert a signal generated by the first communication processor (212) into a radio frequency (RF) signal of about 700 MHz to about 3 GHz used in the first cellular network (292) (e.g., a legacy network). Upon reception, the RF signal may be acquired from the first network (292) (e.g., a legacy network) via an antenna (e.g., the first antenna module (242)) and preprocessed via an RFFE (e.g., the first RFFE (232)). The first RFIC (222) may convert the preprocessed RF signal into a signal that may be processed by the first communication processor (212).

[0079] The second RFIC (224) may, upon transmission, convert a signal generated by the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal (hereinafter, a 5G Sub6 RF signal) of a Sub6 band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) used in the second Cellular Secure Remote System (C-RSP) Ruler Network (294) (e.g., a 5G network). Upon reception, the 5G Sub6 RF signal may be acquired from the second Cellular Secure Remote System (C-RSP) Ruler Network (294) (e.g., a 5G network) via an antenna (e.g., the second antenna module (244)) and preprocessed via an RFFE (e.g., the second RFFE (234)). The second RFIC (224) may convert the preprocessed 5G Sub6 RF signal into a signal that may be processed by a corresponding communication processor among the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214).

[0080] The third RFIC (226) can convert a signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal (hereinafter, 5G Above6 RF signal) of a 5G Above6 band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) to be used in the second CellURSP ruler network (294) (e.g., 5G network). Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal can be acquired from the second CellURSP ruler network (294) (e.g., 5G network) via an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and preprocessed via the third RFFE (236). The third RFIC (226) can convert the preprocessed 5G Above6 RF signal into a signal that can be processed by the second communication processor (214). According to one embodiment, the third RFFE (236) can be formed as a part of the third RFIC (226).

[0081] The electronic device (101) may, according to one embodiment, include a fourth RFIC (228) separately from or at least as a part of the third RFIC (226). In this case, the fourth RFIC (228) may convert a signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal (hereinafter, referred to as an IF signal) of an intermediate frequency band (e.g., about 9 GHz to about 11 GHz) and then transmit the IF signal to the third RFIC (226). The third RFIC (226) may convert the IF signal into a 5G Above6 RF signal. Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal may be received from the second Cellular Service Provider Network (294) (e.g., a 5G network) via an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and converted into an IF signal by the third RFIC (226). The fourth RFIC (228) can convert the IF signal into a signal that can be processed by the second communication processor (214).

[0082] According to one embodiment, the first RFIC (222) and the second RFIC (224) may be implemented as a single chip or at least a portion of a single package. According to one embodiment, when the first RFIC (222) and the second RFIC (224) in FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B are implemented as a single chip or a single package, they may be implemented as an integrated RFIC. In this case, the integrated RFIC may be connected to the first RFFE (232) and the second RFFE (234) to convert a signal into a signal in a band supported by the first RFFE (232) and / or the second RFFE (234), and transmit the converted signal to one of the first RFFE (232) and the second RFFE (234). According to one embodiment, the first RFFE (232) and the second RFFE (234) may be implemented as at least a portion of a single chip or a single package. According to an example, at least one antenna module among the first antenna module (242) or the second antenna module (244) can be omitted or combined with another antenna module to process RF signals of corresponding multiple bands.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) may be disposed on the same substrate to form a third antenna module (246). For example, the wireless communication module (192) or the processor (120) may be disposed on the first substrate (e.g., the main PCB). In this case, the third RFIC (226) may be disposed on a portion (e.g., the bottom surface) of a second substrate (e.g., the sub PCB) separate from the first substrate, and the antenna (248) may be disposed on another portion (e.g., the top surface) to form the third antenna module (246). By disposing the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) on the same substrate, it is possible to reduce the length of the transmission line therebetween. This can reduce, for example, the loss (e.g., attenuation) of signals in a high-frequency band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) used in 5G network communications by the transmission line. Due to this, the electronic device (101) can improve the quality or speed of communication with the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network).

[0084] According to an exemplary embodiment, the antenna (248) may be formed as an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements that may be used for beamforming. In this case, the third RFIC (226) may include a plurality of phase shifters (238) corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements, for example, as part of the third RFFE (236). Upon transmission, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) may shift the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal to be transmitted to an external source (e.g., a base station of a 5G network) of the electronic device (101) via its corresponding antenna element. Upon reception, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) may shift the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal received from the external source via its corresponding antenna element to the same or substantially the same phase. This enables transmission or reception via beamforming between the electronic device (101) and the external source.

[0085] The second CellURSP Ruler Network (294) (e.g., a 5G network) may operate independently (e.g., Stand-Alone (SA)) or connected (e.g., Non-Stand Alone (NSA)) to the first CellURSP Ruler Network (292) (e.g., a legacy network). For example, the 5G network may only have an access network (e.g., a 5G radio access network (RAN) or next generation RAN (NG RAN)) and no core network (e.g., next generation core (NGC)). In this case, the electronic device (101) may access an external network (e.g., the Internet) under the control of the core network (e.g., evolved packed core (EPC)) of the legacy network after accessing the access network of the 5G network. Protocol information for communication with a legacy network (e.g., LTE protocol information) or protocol information for communication with a 5G network (e.g., New Radio (NR) protocol information) may be stored in the memory (230) and accessed by other components (e.g., the processor (120), the first communication processor (212), or the second communication processor (214)).

[0086] FIG. 2b is a block diagram (250) of an electronic device (101) for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to one embodiment.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 2B, the electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, or FIG. 1C) may include an integrated communication processor (260) (e.g., the communication processor (510) of FIG. 1C), a first RFIC (222), a second RFIC (224), a third RFIC (226), a fourth RFIC (228), a first RFFE (232), a second RFFE (234), a first antenna module (242), a second antenna module (244), a third antenna module (246), and / or antennas (248). The electronic device (101) may further include a processor (120) and a memory (130). The second network (199) may include a first cellular network (292) and a second cellular network (294).

[0088] The block diagram (250) of the electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 2b is different from the block diagram (200) of the electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 2a only in that the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) are implemented as an integrated communication processor (260), and the remaining components included in the block diagram (250) of the electronic device (101) can be implemented similarly or substantially identically to the components included in the block diagram (200) of the electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 2a, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] FIG. 2c illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a unified communication processor (260), and / or an RF circuit (299). A first SIM (111) and / or a second SIM (112) may be connected to the processor (120). At least one of the first SIM (111) or the second SIM (112) may be an rSIM. In this case, the electronic device (101) may further include at least one slot for connection with the rSIM. In addition, as described above, the rSIM is removable from the electronic device (101), and is not necessarily a component of the electronic device (101). At least one of the first SIM (111) or the second SIM (112) may be an eSIM.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the unified communication processor (260) can support a specified number of SIMs (e.g., two). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, instead of the unified communication processor (260), a first communication processor (e.g., the first communication processor (212) of FIG. 2A) and a second communication processor (e.g., the second communication processor (214) of FIG. 2A) may be implemented to be included in the electronic device (101). Although not shown, the electronic device (101) may include more than the specified number of SIMs (e.g., two rSIMs and one eSIM). In this case, the electronic device (101) may further include a switch (not shown) for switching SIM connections between the plurality of SIMs and the unified communication processor (260), but there is no limitation on the implementation.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the integrated communication processor (260) may support the establishment of a communication channel for a band to be used for wireless communication, and network communication through the established communication channel. For example, the integrated communication processor (260) may support at least one of second generation (2G), 3G, 4G, or 5G network communication.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the RF circuit (299) may include, for example, at least one of a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a radio frequency front end (RFFE), or an antenna module. The RF circuit (299) may process data output from the integrated communication processor (260) into an RF signal and transmit the RF signal through the antenna module. Alternatively, the RF circuit (299) may convert an RF signal received through the antenna module and transmit the RF signal to the integrated communication processor (260). The RF circuit (299) may process an RF signal or a converted signal according to a communication method supported by the integrated communication processor (260), and there is no limitation on the type of the RF circuit (299).

[0094] According to one embodiment, the RFFE may include at least one amplifier for amplifying and transmitting a transmission signal. The RF circuit (299) may include the at least one amplifier included in the RFFE. In addition to the at least one amplifier, the RF circuit (299) may further include at least one component included in the RFIC, the RFFE, or the antenna module. For example, the RF circuit (299) may include at least one amplifier and an antenna switching module (ASM). According to one embodiment, the RF circuit (299) may include at least one amplifier, an ASM, and at least one low noise amplifier (LNA).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the interface between the components may be implemented as, for example, a general purpose input / output (GPIO), a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) (e.g., a high speed-UART (HS-UART) or a peripheral component interconnect bus express (PCIe) interface), but the type is not limited thereto. Alternatively, at least some of the components may exchange control information or packet data information, for example, using a shared memory. Meanwhile, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the processor (120) and the integrated communication processor (260) are illustrated as being different hardware, but this is merely exemplary, and the processor (120) and the integrated communication processor (260) may be implemented as different hardware, but according to another implementation example, the processor (120) and the integrated communication processor (260) may be implemented in a single chip.

[0096] The integrated communication processor (260) can obtain stored information from the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112). For example, the stored information can include at least one of an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), an IMSI, home public land mobile network (HPLMN) related information, or a mobile subscriber international ISDN number (MSISIDN). The stored information can also be named an elementary file (EF). The integrated communication processor (260) can perform an authentication procedure for network communication corresponding to the first SIM (111) and / or the second SIM (112) based on the information stored in the acquired first SIM (111) and / or the second SIM (112) through the RF circuit (299). If the authentication is successful, the integrated communication processor (260) can perform network communication corresponding to the first SIM (111) and / or the second SIM (112) through the RF circuit (299).

[0097] According to one embodiment, the integrated communication processor (260) can perform network communications of dual SIMs according to the first SIM (111) or the second SIM (112). The RF circuit (299) can provide multiple RF paths. Depending on the selection of the RF path, the dual SIMs can operate in either the DSDS mode or the DSDA mode. According to one embodiment, the integrated communication processor (260) can select an RF path corresponding to the first SIM (111) and an RF path corresponding to the second SIM (112) so that the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) can operate in the DSDA mode. For example, the integrated communication processor (260) can identify a second RF path that can operate simultaneously with the first RF path corresponding to the first SIM (111). The integrated communication processor (260) may include two protocol stacks (e.g., protocol stacks according to ISO7816, but without limitation) for processing SIMs (or may store data associated with the protocol stacks), and the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (332) may be connected to the two protocol stacks. For example, a first slot (not shown) may be connected to one protocol stack, and a second slot (not shown) may be connected to another protocol stack.

[0098] Figure 3a illustrates a 5G system architecture.

[0099] Figure 3b illustrates a 5G network slice structure.

[0100] Below, the overall 5G system is described with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b, and network slices are described.

[0101] As illustrated in FIG. 3a, the 5G system architecture may include a network element, an electronic device (101) (e.g., a user equipment (UE)), a radio access network (R) (302), a data network (DN) (345), and multiple network functions (NFs) within a core network (CN).

[0102] The 5G system architecture can be illustrated by defining functions, connection points, and protocols for each of multiple NFs, using reference points that represent service-based interfaces corresponding to NFs, and reference points that represent interactions existing between NFs.

[0103] The plurality of network functions (NFs) may include an authentication server function (AUSF) (309), an access and mobility management function (AMF) (303), a network exposure function (NEF) (347), a network function repository function (NRF) (305), a policy control function (PCF) (307), a session management function (SMF) (341), a unified data management (UDM) (306), a user plane function (UPF) (342), an application function (AF) (346), and a network slice selection function (NSSF) (304).

[0104] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, AMF, SMF, PCF, and UPF may play a key role in establishing a UE-requested protocol data unit (PDU) session and managing traffic between the UE and the DN.

[0105] The reference point between the electronic device (101) and the AMF (303) is defined as N1.

[0106] (R)AN (302) may represent a base station using radio access technology (RAT). For example, (R)AN (302) may be a base station including 3GPP access technology or a base station including non-3GPP access technology such as Wi-Fi. The reference point between (R)AN (302) and AMF (303) is defined as N2, and the reference point between (R)AN (302) and UPF (342) is defined as N3.

[0107] DN (345) can transmit a PDU to be transmitted in the downlink direction to UPF (342) or receive a PDU sent by an electronic device (101) through UPF (342). The reference point between DN (345) and UPF (342) is defined as N6.

[0108] AMF (303) can provide access technology-independent access and mobility management functions, for example, for each electronic device (101). The reference point between AMF (303) and electronic device (101) is defined as N1, the reference point between AMF (303) and (R)AN (302) is defined as N2, the reference point between AMF (303) and UDM (306) is defined as N8, the reference point between AMF (303) and AUSF (309) is defined as N12, and the reference point between AMF (303) and SMF (341) is defined as N11.

[0109] SMF (341) can provide a session management function in which, when one electronic device (101) has multiple sessions, a different SMF is allocated for each session and each session is managed. UPF (342) is set using control signal information generated in SMF (341), and N4 reference point is defined so that UPF (342) can report its status to SMF (341). The reference point between SMF (341) and AMF (303) is defined as N11, the reference point between SMF (341) and UDM (306) is defined as N10, the reference point between SMF (341) and PCF (307) is defined as N7, and the reference point between SMF (341) and AMF (303) is defined as N11.

[0110] For example, each electronic device (101) may be connected to one AMF (303), whereas in the case of SMF (341), one electronic device (101) may establish multiple sessions, and thus may have a different SMF (311, 321, 331) for each session.

[0111] AF (346) can provide information about packet flow to PCF (307), which is responsible for policy control, to ensure quality of service (QoS).

[0112] PCF (307) determines policies such as session management and mobility management based on information about packet flows to ensure QoS, and transmits the information to AMF (303) and SMF (341), thereby enabling at least one of appropriate mobility management, session management, and QoS management to be performed. The reference point between AF (346) and PCF (307) is defined as N5.

[0113] AUSF (309) can store data for authentication of an electronic device (101).

[0114] The UDM (306) can store at least a portion of the user's subscription data and policy data. The reference point between the AUSF (309) and the UDM (306) is defined as N13, the reference point between the AUSF (309) and the AMF (303) is defined as N12, the reference point between the UDM (306) and the AMF (303) is defined as N8, and the reference point between the UDM (306) and the SMF (341) is defined as N10.

[0115] CP functions include various functions for controlling networks and terminals, and two representative functions, an electronic device (101), (R)AN (302), UPF (342), AMF (303), AF (346), DN (345) responsible for mobility management functions, and an SMF (341) responsible for session management functions, can be included in CP functions as two independent functions.

[0116] In describing embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms slice, service, network slice, network service, application slice, and application service may be used interchangeably.

[0117] A mobile operator may allocate network resources appropriate for a given service on a slice-by-slice basis or on a set of specific slices. The network resources may refer to at least one of a network function (NF), logical resources provided by the network function (NF), or radio resource allocation.

[0118] Network slicing is a technology that can apply at least one of the properties of network isolation, customization, and independent management and orchestration to the mobile communication core network structure by bundling network resources and network functions into an independent slice according to service.

[0119] Network slicing is a new concept in 5G core networks. This technology bundles the network resources and functions required for a service requested by a mobile terminal into a single, independent slice.

[0120] Through network slicing, network operators can independently allocate network resources specific to each service and user, and secure network flexibility through resource virtualization based on software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) technologies, thereby ensuring scalability and reliability of service and network resource operation.

[0121] A public land mobile network (PLMN) may provide multiple network slices, each of which may be provided to a terminal in the form of a slice instance. For example, the PLMN may include slice instance 1 (310), slice instance 2 (320), and slice instance 3 (330).

[0122] An electronic device (101) can connect to a network and receive services from at least one of multiple slice instances simultaneously or sequentially.

[0123] Each slice instance may be configured with the network resources required to provide the corresponding network slice. For example, slice instance 1 (310) may be configured with SMF (311) and UPF (312, 313), slice instance 2 (320) may be configured with SMF (321), UPF (322), and PCF (323), and slice instance 3 (330) may be configured with SMF (331), UPF (332), PCF (333), and NRF (334).

[0124] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the SMF (321) of slice instance 2 (320) can be connected to the PCF (307) of the PLMN level and the PCF (323) of the slice level. The PCF (307) of the PLMN level can manage policy information of the PLMN level and provide it to the SMF (321). The PCF (323) of the slice level belonging to slice instance 2 (320) can manage the policy required to provide the corresponding slice and provide the corresponding information to the SMF (321).

[0125] Each slice can be distinguished by a slice ID. For example, the slice ID can be single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) defined in 3GPP. According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) can store information about configured network slice selection assistance information (configured NSSAI) and a network slice selection policy (NSSP). The configured NSSAI can be configured as a list of S-NSSAIs of network slices to which the electronic device (101) subscribes in a home PLMN (HPLMN). The list of S-NASSAIs can include at least one S-NSSAI #id. For example, the list of S-NASSAIs can include S-NASSAI #a, S-NASSAI #b, S-NASSAI #c, and S-NASSAI #d. Since the Configured NSSAI is determined based on the subscription information of the electronic device (101), the S-NSSAI constituting the Configured NSSAI may be different for each electronic device (101). In addition, since the Configured NSSAI is determined based on the subscription information of the electronic device (101), if the subscription information of the electronic device (101) is changed, the Configured NSSAI stored in the electronic device (101) may also be changed. The list of S-NSSAIs subscribed to by the electronic device (101) constituting the Configured NSSAI may be stored in the integrated UDM (306) that stores the subscription information of the electronic device (101).The S-NSSAI subscribed by the electronic device (101) stored in the UDM (306) may be referred to as a 'Subscribed S-NSSAI'. The Network Slice Selection Policy (NSSP) indicates mapping information between the S-NSSAI (S-NSSAI #id) subscribed by the electronic device (101) and the applications that the S-NSSAI can support. One S-NSSAI #id may be mapped to at least one application. For example, S-NASSAI #a may be mapped to App #1 and App #2, S-NASSAI #b may be mapped to App #1, S-NASSAI #c may be mapped to App #3, and S-NASSAI # may be mapped to all applications that can be supported. The NSSP may be stored in a policy control function (PCF) that stores information on the electronic device (101) and network-related policies. Alternatively, the NSSP may be stored in a user data repository (UDR), and the PCF may request the NSSP information from the UDR as needed to obtain the NSSP information from the UDR. When there is a change in the subscription information of the electronic device (101), a change may occur in the subscribed S-NSSAIs information of the electronic device (101) stored in the UDM (306). When there is a change in the subscription information of the electronic device (101), a change may occur in the NSSP information stored in the PCF or UDR. If a change occurs in at least one of the subscribed S-NSSAIs or the NSSP, the related setting information stored in the electronic device (101) may also need to be updated.

[0126] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining an operation method of an electronic device according to a comparative example for comparison with an embodiment.

[0127] Those skilled in the art will understand that at least some of the operations according to the comparative example illustrated in FIG. 4 can be performed by the electronic device (101) according to the embodiment.

[0128] The communication processor (402) of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the first communication processor (212), the second communication processor (214) of FIG. 2A, and / or the integrated communication processor (260) of FIG. 2B) may execute (or load) a first protocol stack (403a) for communication with a first network (404) corresponding to a first SIM (111), and / or execute (or load) a second protocol stack (403b) for communication with a second network (405) corresponding to a second SIM (112). The communication processor (402), in operation 411, may perform registration with the first network (404) based on the first protocol stack (403a) and registration with the second network (405) based on the second protocol stack (403b). The electronic device (101) may transmit a registration request message for registration with the network (404, 405), for example, for EPS (evolved packet system) and / or 5GS (5th generation system) registration. The network (404, 405) may transmit a registration accept message to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may transmit a registration complete message to the network (404, 405). The registration procedure as described above may be performed based on, for example, 3GPP (3rd generation partnership project) TS (technical specification) 23.501, but is not limited thereto.

[0129] The application processor (401) (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1) may execute a first application at operation 413. The application processor (401) may provide a data setup request associated with network usage of the first application to the communication processor (402) at operation 415. For example, if the first SIM (111) is associated with a dedicated data slot (DDS), the data setup request may be utilized by the first protocol stack (403a). Accordingly, the communication processor (402) may perform URSP rule matching associated with the first SIM (111) and / or the first network (404) at operation 417. For example, the data setup request may include a traffic descriptor (TD) such as application identification information. The communication processor (402) may receive URSP rules for the first network (404) from a first network (404) associated with the DDS (e.g., PCF, but without limitation). For example, the communication processor (402) may check whether, among the URSP rules for the first network (404), there is a URSP rule having a TD that is identical to a TD included in a data setup request (e.g., which may be identification information of the first application, but without limitation). For example, it is assumed that, among the URSP rules for the first network (404), there is no URSP rule having a TD that is identical to a TD included in a data setup request (e.g., which may be identification information of the first application, but without limitation). The communication processor (402) may check, at operation 419, whether there is no URSP rule corresponding to the first application.The communication processor (402) may, in operation 421, respond to the application processor (401) that there is no URSP rule corresponding to the first application. The communication processor (402), in operation 423, may transmit and receive traffic of the first application using a default PDU session (e.g., a PDU session having a DNN of "internet" that is created by default, but is not limited).

[0130] Meanwhile, for example, among the URSP rules for the first network (404), there is no URSP rule having the same TD as the TD included in the data setup request (e.g., it may be the identification information of the first application, but without limitation), but among the URSP rules for the second network (405), there is a URSP rule having the same TD as the TD included in the data setup request (e.g., it may be the identification information of the first application, but without limitation). This can also be expressed as the first application being provisioned only to the second network (405). For example, the URSP rule can be changed in real time according to the user's rate plan and / or carrier policy. For example, the Android operating system supports a slicing upsell function, and based on paying for a specific application, the URSP rule for a specific application can be allowed to the user. For example, provisioning for the first application may be performed via the second network (405), but provisioning for the first application may not be performed via the first network (404). Even in this case, according to a comparative example, based on the association of the first SIM (111) with the DDS, the communication processor (402) may determine that there is no URSP rule corresponding to the first application when checking whether the URSP rules of the first network (404) and the TD of the first application match. Accordingly, even though provisioning for the first application has been performed for the second network (405), there is a possibility that the traffic of the first application may be transmitted and received via the default PDU session of the first network (404).

[0131] FIG. 5A is a drawing for explaining an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0132] The embodiment of Fig. 5a will be described with reference to Fig. 5b.

[0133] FIG. 5b is a diagram illustrating an integrated route selection descriptor (RSD) according to one embodiment.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may, in operation 501, identify a data setup request (or may be a NetworkRequest) from a first application. The electronic device (101) may, in operation 503, identify a first TD included in the data setup request. The first TD may be, for example, identification information of the first application, but is not limited thereto. The electronic device (101) may, in operation 505, select an RSD from one or more integrated RSDs corresponding to the first TD identified based on multiple URSP rules each associated with a plurality of SIMs. In operation 507, the electronic device (101) may perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD, using the selected RSD. At least one action for establishing a PDU session may include, but is not limited to, sending a PDU session establishment request message including an RSD and / or receiving a PDU session establishment accept message corresponding to the PDU session establishment request message.

[0135] For example, referring to FIG. 5b, URSP rules (541) corresponding to a first protocol stack (403a) associated with a first SIM (111) may be stored in the electronic device (101). The URSP rules (541) may include information that a first RSD and a second RSD correspond to a first TD, a third RSD corresponds to a second TD, and a fourth RSD corresponds to a third TD. URSP rules (542) corresponding to a second protocol stack (403b) associated with a second SIM (112) may be stored in the electronic device (101). The URSP rules (542) may include information that the first RSD and the fifth RSD correspond to the first TD, the sixth RSD corresponds to the third TD, and the seventh RSD corresponds to the fourth TD. The RSP rules (541, 542) may be provided from networks (404, 405) (e.g., PCF), but are not limited thereto.

[0136] For example, the integrated RSD (551) for the first TD corresponding to the first application (531) of FIG. 5B may include the first RSD, the second RSD, and the fifth RSD included in the URSP rules (541, 542). The electronic device (101) may select one RSD from the integrated RSD (551) for the first TD corresponding to the first application (531). For example, the electronic device (101) may select one RSD from the first RSD, the second RSD, and the fifth RSD, which are the integrated RSDs (551). For example, the electronic device (101) may select one RSD based on the priorities of each of the first RSD, the second RSD, and the fifth RSD, which are the integrated RSDs (551), and the priorities will be described later. For example, the unified RSD (552) for the second TD corresponding to the second application (532) of FIG. 5B may include the third RSD included in the URSP rule (541). For example, the first network (404) may provide a URSP rule (the third RSD) for the second TD, but the second network (405) may not provide a URSP rule for the second TD. In this case, the electronic device (101) may select the third RSD corresponding to the second TD based on a data setup request from the second application (532). As described above, the unified RSD (553) for the third TD may include the fourth RSD included in the URSP rule (541) and the sixth RSD included in the URSP rule (542), one of which may be selected. For example, the integrated RSD (554) for the 4th TD corresponding to the 3rd application (533) of FIG. 5b may include the 7th RSD included in the URSP rule (542).For example, the second network (405) may provide a URSP rule (7th RSD) for the 4th TD, but the first network (404) may not provide a URSP rule for the 4th TD. In this case, the electronic device (101) may select the 7th RSD corresponding to the 4th TD based on a data setup request from the 3rd application (533). For example, even if the 1st SIM (111) is associated with a DDS, in contrast to the comparative example of FIG. 4, the electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may transmit and receive traffic of the 3rd application (533) through a PDU session based on the 7th RSD based on the 2nd SIM (112) that is not associated with the DDS. For example, the electronic device (101) may also associate the 2nd SIM (112) with a DDS. As described above, at least one operation may be performed to establish a PDU session for a first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD using the selected RSD. If the PDU session has been previously established, the electronic device (101) may associate the application with the PDU session corresponding to the RSD.

[0137] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may, in operation 601, confirm a data setup request (or may be a NetworkRequest) from a first application. In operation 603, the electronic device (101) may confirm a first TD included in the data setup request. The first TD may be, for example, identification information of the first application, but is not limited thereto. In operation 605, the electronic device (101) may confirm whether there is only one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD. For example, in the example of FIG. 5B, there may be multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD, one SIM corresponding to the second TD, multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the third TD, and one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the fourth TD. Referring back to FIG. 6, if there is only one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD (Operation 605 - Yes), the electronic device (101) may, in operation 607, perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the RSD corresponding to the one SIM. Even if the selected SIM is not associated with a DDS, in contrast to the comparative example of FIG. 4, the RSD of the corresponding SIM may be selected to enable establishment of a PDU session. For example, the electronic device (101) may associate the selected SIM with the DDS as a replacement for an existing SIM. If there are multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD (Operation 605 - No), the electronic device (101) may, in operation 609, select any one of the SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD. For example, the electronic device (101) can select one SIM (or RSD) based on the priority of the RSDs corresponding to the first TD, but there is no limitation on the selection method.The electronic device (101) may, in operation 611, perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the RSD corresponding to the selected SIM.

[0139] FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0140] The embodiment of Fig. 7a will be described with reference to Fig. 7b.

[0141] FIG. 7b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may, in operation 701, confirm a data setup request (or may be a NetworkRequest) from a first application. In operation 703, the electronic device (101) may confirm a first TD included in the data setup request. The first TD may be, for example, identification information of the first application, but is not limited thereto. In operation 705, the electronic device (101) may confirm that there are multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD. For example, in FIG. 5B, there may be multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD, and there may be multiple SIMs corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the third TD. In operation 707, the electronic device (101) may select an RSD based on a matching relationship between the integrated RSD and the first TD. For example, referring to FIG. 7B, information (711) for application A may include information that the TD is "OS_APP_ID=0x123". For example, a matched rule (713) for a TD associated with a first protocol stack (ST1) may include information that the RSD is A, has a matching relationship of "Match all", has a Precedence of 1, and has a DNN of "fast.t-mobile.com". For example, a matched rule (715) for a TD associated with a second protocol stack (ST2) may include information that the RSD is B, has a Precedence of 1, and has a DNN of "sfast.t-mobile.com". For example, although not shown, the rule (715) may include information that "OS_APP_ID=0x123", and thus, it may be determined that the rule (715) matches application A.In one example, the electronic device (101) may be configured to give a lower priority to the OS_App_ID matching relationship when the matching relationship is "Match all." "Match all" is an attribute that matches all TDs and may not be an attribute that clearly distinguishes the characteristics of traffic. Accordingly, when the matching relationship is "Match all," the lowest priority may be set to be given, but this is exemplary and not limiting. Referring to FIG. 7b, the integrated RSD list (717) may include the URSP rule of the first protocol stack (ST1) and the URSP rule of the second protocol stack (ST2). The electronic device (101) may check the ordered RSD list (721) according to the priority application result for the URSRP rules. As described above, if the matching relationship is "MatchAll", the lowest priority may be given, and accordingly, the URSP rule of the second protocol stack (ST2) may be placed above the URSP rule of the first protocol stack (ST1). Referring again to FIG. 7A, in operation 709, at least one operation for establishing a PDU session may be performed based on the selected RSD. For example, in the example of FIG. 7B, the URSP rule of the second protocol stack (ST2) having a higher priority may be selected, and thus, a PDU session based on the RSD of "B" may be established.

[0143] FIG. 8A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0144] The embodiment of Fig. 8a will be described with reference to Fig. 8b.

[0145] FIG. 8b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may, in operation 801, confirm a data setup request (or may be a NetworkRequest) from a first application. The electronic device (101) may, in operation 803, confirm a first TD included in the data setup request. The first TD may be, for example, identification information of the first application, but is not limited thereto. In operation 805, the electronic device (101) may select one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application. For example, the electronic device (101) may receive a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs. For example, the electronic device (101) may receive capability information from an entitlement server, but is not limited thereto. For example, the reception of capability information may follow GSMA (global system for mobile communications association) TS (technical specification) 43, but there are no limitations. For example, the electronic device (101) may transmit a GET / POST message to an entitlement server. The GET / POST message may include application identification information, but there are no limitations. The entitlement server may check capability information corresponding to the application identification information based on the GET / POST message. The entitlement server may provide capability information to the electronic device (101). Table 1 shows examples of capability information.

[0147] Table 1

[0148]

[0149] As shown in Table 1, "AccessType" may include information about the RAT for application use. "DataPlanType" may include information about the type of data plan associated with the service. "DataUsageDescription" may include information about data usage policies and restrictions. "EndOfBillingCycle" may include information about the end date of the current billing cycle, which is the end of the billing period. "DataAllowanceInBytes" may include information about the total amount of data (e.g., in bytes) that the user can consume during the billing cycle. Capability information may be received based on, but is not limited to, application launch, subscription information changes, and / or booting.

[0150] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, the electronic device (101) can check the first capability information (831) associated with the first application (531) corresponding to the first SIM (111) and the first capability information (832) associated with the first application (531) corresponding to the second SIM (112). The electronic device (101) can select a SIM (or RSD) based on the capability information (831, 832). As in FIG. 8A, the electronic device (101) can select an RSD corresponding to the selected SIM in operation 807. The electronic device (101) can perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the selected RSD in operation 809. For example, the electronic device (101) may select a SIM (or RSD) based on at least some of the capability information (831, 832). For example, the electronic device (101) may select a SIM (or RSD) based on at least some of the capability information (831, 832) and at least one additional piece of information, which will be described later.

[0151] FIG. 9A is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0152] The embodiment of Fig. 9a will be described with reference to Fig. 9b.

[0153] FIG. 9b is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may, in operation 901, confirm a data setup request (or may be a NetworkRequest) from a first application. In operation 903, the electronic device (101) may confirm a first TD included in the data setup request. The first TD may be, for example, identification information of the first application, but is not limited thereto. In operation 905, the electronic device (101) may confirm a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the priorities for the plurality of SIMs may be replaced with priorities for RSDs, for example. In operation 907, the electronic device (101) may select one of the plurality of SIMs based on the plurality of priorities. The electronic device (101) may select an RSD corresponding to the selected SIM in operation 909. The electronic device (101) may perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the selected RSD in operation 911. For example, the electronic device (101) may compare the first network-related information (841) based on the first network (404) with the first capability information (831), as shown in FIG. 9B, and may compare the second network-related information (842) based on the second network (405) with the second capability information (832). For example, it is assumed that the first capability information (831) includes E-UTRA as a RAT associated with the first application (531), and the second capability information (832) includes NR as a RAT associated with the first application (531).The first network-related information (841) assumes that the current RAT used by the first network (404) is E-UTRA, and the second network-related information (842) assumes that the current RAT used by the second network (405) is E-UTRA. The electronic device (101) may assign a higher priority to the first SIM (111) than to the second SIM (112) based on the fact that the first capability information (831) corresponds to the first network-related information (841) and the second capability information (832) does not correspond to the second network-related information (842).

[0155] Table 2 is an example of information used for priority.

[0156] Table 2

[0157]

[0158] The electronic device (101) can assign a priority to a SIM (or RSD) based on at least some of the information used for the priority in Table 2, for example, and there is no limitation on the method of assigning the priority.

[0159] Fig. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the communication processor (402) may, in operation 1011, perform registration with a first network (404) based on a first protocol stack (403a) and registration with a second network (405) based on a second protocol stack (403b). The application processor (401) may, in operation 1013, provide capability information to the communication processor (402). For example, the application processor (401) may receive capability information related to the first application from an entitlement server and provide the capability information to the communication processor (402). The application processor (401) may, in operation 1015, execute the first application. The application processor (401) may, in operation 1017, provide a data setup request related to the first application to the communication processor (402).

[0161] The communication processor (402) may, in operation 1019, perform a matching of the first TD included in the data setup request with the previously stored URSP rule. As described above, the communication processor (402) may perform a matching of both the URSP rule associated with the first network (404) and the URSP rule associated with the second network (405) with the first TD. The communication processor (402) may, in operation 1021, select an RSD based on the priority as described above. The communication processor (402) may, in operation 1023, respond to the application processor (401) with information about the selected RSD (or information about the selected SIM). The communication processor (402) may, in operation 1025, perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the selected RSD. The application processor (401) may, at operation 1027, change the DDS based on a response from the communication processor (402). For example, based on receiving information related to the selection of the second SIM (112) while the first SIM (111) is associated with the DDS, the application processor (401) may associate the second SIM (112) with the DDS. The application processor (401) may, at operation 1029, transmit and receive traffic of the first application using a PDU session.

[0162] Fig. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the communication processor (402) may, in operation 1111, perform registration with a first network (404) based on a first protocol stack (403a) and registration with a second network (405) based on a second protocol stack (403b). The application processor (401) may, in operation 1113, provide capability information to the communication processor (402). The capability information may include, for example, information that a RAT associated with a first application corresponding to the first protocol stack (403a) is an NG-RAN and that a RAT associated with the first application corresponding to the second protocol stack (403b) is of all types. The application processor (401) may, in operation 1115, execute the first application. The application processor (401) may, in operation 1117, provide a data setup request associated with the first application to the communication processor (402).

[0164] The communication processor (402) may, at operation 1119, perform a matching between the first TD included in the data setup request and the previously stored URSP rules. For example, the integrated RSD for the first application may include RSD A for the first protocol stack (403a), RSD B for the second protocol stack (403b), and RSD C for the second protocol stack (403b). The communication processor (402), at operation 1121, may select an RSD based on a priority. For example, it is assumed that the current RAT associated with the first protocol stack (403a) is E-UTRA, and the current RAT associated with the second protocol stack (403b) is E-UTRA. It can be confirmed that the current RAT, E-UTRA, related to the first protocol stack (403a) does not correspond to NG-RAN, which is the capability information of the first protocol stack (403a). On the other hand, the current RAT, E-UTRA, related to the second protocol stack (403b) can be confirmed to correspond to All, which is the capability information of the second protocol stack (403b). The communication processor (402) can give the highest priority to the RSD C corresponding to the second protocol stack (403b) with which the current network-related information and capability information correspond. Accordingly, the communication processor (402) can select the RSD C. The communication processor (402) can respond to the application processor (401) with information about the selected RSD (or information about the selected SIM) in operation 1123. The communication processor (402) may perform at least one operation for establishing a PDU session based on the selected RSD at operation 1125. The application processor (401) may change the DDS based on the response from the communication processor (402) at operation 1127.For example, based on receiving information related to selection of a second SIM (112) while the first SIM (111) is associated with a DDS, the application processor (401) can associate the second SIM (112) with the DDS. The application processor (401), in operation 1129, can transmit and receive traffic of the first application using a PDU session.

[0165] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0166] According to one embodiment, information (1211) for application A may include information that TD is "OS_APP_ID=0x123". Capability information associated with the first SIM (111) may include information that AccessType is "All" and EndofBillingCycle is 2024-01-22. Capability information associated with the second SIM (112) may include information that AccessType is "All" and EndofBillingCycle is 2024-02-23. For example, a matched rule (1213) for a TD associated with the first protocol stack (ST1) may include information that RSD is A, Precedence is 1, and DNN is "fast.t-mobile.com", and information that RSD is B, Precedence is 2, and DNN is "latency.t-mobile.com". For example, a matched rule (1215) for a TD associated with a second protocol stack (ST2) may include information that the RSD is C, the Precedence is 1, and the DNN is "fast.t-mobile.com". The unified RSD list (1217) may include RSD A, RSD B, and RSD C. The electronic device (101) may give a higher priority to the RSD corresponding to the second SIM (112) than to the RSD corresponding to the first SIM (111) based on the fact that the EndofbillingCycle of the capability information corresponding to the second SIM (112), 2024-02-23, is later than the EndofbillingCycle of the capability information corresponding to the first SIM (111), 2024-01-22. Accordingly, in the sorted RSD list (1219), it can be confirmed that the RSD C corresponding to the second SIM (112) is placed higher than other RSDs.

[0167] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining RSD selection according to one embodiment.

[0168] According to one embodiment, information (1411) for application A may include information that TD is "OS_APP_ID=0x123". Capability information associated with the first SIM (111) may include information that AccessType is "All". Capability information associated with the second SIM (112) may include information that AccessType is "All". For example, a matched rule (1413) for a TD associated with the first protocol stack (ST1) may include information that RSD is A, Precedence is 1, matching relationship is "MatchAll", and DNN is "fast.t-mobile.com". For example, a matched rule (1415) for a TD associated with a second protocol stack (ST2) may include information that the RSD is B, the Precedence is 1, the matching relationship is "MatchAll", and the DNN is "sfast.t-mobile.com". The unified RSD list (1417) may include RSD A and RSD B. The electronic device (101) may give a higher priority to the RSD corresponding to the first SIM (111) than to the RSD corresponding to the second SIM (112) based on the association of the first SIM (111) with the DDS. Accordingly, in the sorted RSD list (1421), it may be confirmed that the RSD A corresponding to the first SIM (111) is placed higher than other RSDs.

[0169] Figure 14a is a drawing for explaining application-specific settings according to one embodiment.

[0170] Figure 14b is a drawing for explaining application-specific settings according to one embodiment.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 14A, according to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may provide a screen (1621) for SIM card management. For example, the screen (1621) may include information (1623) corresponding to the first SIM (111) and information (1625) corresponding to the second SIM (112). The information (1623, 1625) for the SIMs may include, but is not limited to, information related to business operator information and / or phone numbers. The information (1623, 1625) may include, but is not limited to, a toggle for activation / deactivation. The screen (1621) may include information (1631, 1633, 1635, 1637) related to SIMs used for each service. For example, referring to information (1631), information indicating that the SIM for the "call" service is always set to require user confirmation may be included. In this case, the electronic device (101) may provide a UI that allows the user to select either the first SIM (111) or the second SIM (112) for performing the call service, and may perform the call service based on the SIM selected through the UI. For example, referring to information (1633), the first SIM (111) may be set for the SIM for the "messages" service. For example, referring to information (1635), the first SIM (111) may be set for the SIM for the "mobile data" service. Those skilled in the art will understand that the SIMs for the "messages" service and the "mobile data" service may be set based on user input, for example, and may be changeable. For example, referring to information (1637), information may be provided for setting application-specific settings for premium data.For example, premium data may refer to data associated with establishing a PDU connection according to a network slice based on URSP rules, but is not limited thereto. For example, based on the confirmation of selection in the information (1637) section, the electronic device (101) may provide a screen for application-specific SIM settings, such as that in FIG. 14b.

[0172] Referring to FIG. 14b, according to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may provide a screen for application-specific settings. For example, the screen for application-specific settings may include at least one application-specific SIM-related information (1601, 1603, 1605, 1607).

[0173] For example, for a first streaming application (streaming application #1), 5G is used for the first SIM (111) and LTE is used for the second SIM (112), which can be set by the user, for example. If the electronic device (101) is capable of using 5G communication, the PDU session can be established and / or used based on the RSD associated with the first SIM (111) rather than the RSD associated with the second SIM (112), according to the setting.

[0174] For example, for a second streaming application (streaming application #2), the use of a second SIM (112) can be set by the user. If the electronic device (101) executes the second streaming application (streaming application #2), a PDU session can be established and / or used based on the RSD associated with the second SIM (112).

[0175] For example, for a social media application, both the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) can be used, but the priority of the first SIM (111) can be set by the user to be higher than the priority of the second SIM (112). If the electronic device (101) runs a social media application, and both the RSD associated with the first SIM (111) and the RSD associated with the second SIM (112) are confirmed, the PDU session can be established and / or used based on the RSD associated with the first SIM (111) rather than the RSD associated with the second SIM (112).

[0176] For example, for a video conferencing application, both the first SIM (111) and the second SIM (112) may be available, but the priority of the first SIM (111) may be set to be higher than that of the second SIM (112). In addition, the electronic device (101) may notify that there is one day left in the contract period associated with the second SIM (112). For example, the electronic device (101) may automatically grant a relatively high priority to the first SIM (111) based on the duration of the contract period associated with the first SIM (111) being longer than the duration of the contract period associated with the second SIM (112). Meanwhile, those skilled in the art will understand that the automatically granted priority may be changed according to the user's selection. If the electronic device (101) runs a video conferencing application, and both the RSD associated with the first SIM (111) and the RSD associated with the second SIM (112) are confirmed, the PDU session can be established and / or used based on the RSD associated with the first SIM (111) rather than the RSD associated with the second SIM (112).

[0177] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (101) may include one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) including processing circuitry and a memory (130) storing instructions.

[0178] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to confirm a data setup request from a first application.

[0179] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to check a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0180] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) and a plurality of URSP (user equipment (UE) route selection policy) rules each associated with the plurality of SIMs.

[0181] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to perform at least one operation for establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0182] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select the RSD corresponding to the one SIM based on determining that there is one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD based on the one or more integrated RSDs, at least as part of the operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs.

[0183] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs based on a matching relationship between the one or more integrated RSDs and the first TD, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs.

[0184] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs.

[0185] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select an RSD corresponding to the selected SIM, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs.

[0186] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of capability information corresponding to the first application may be received from one or more entitlement servers.

[0187] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting one of the plurality of SIMs based on the plurality of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application, identify a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs based on the plurality of capability information.

[0188] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select an RSD corresponding to a selected SIM based on a result of a comparison of the plurality of priorities, at least as part of an operation of selecting one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application.

[0189] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of identifying a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs, identify a radio access technology (RAT) for the first application of each of the plurality of SIMs based on the plurality of capability information.

[0190] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of identifying a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs, identify the plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs based on a matching relationship between the currently used RATs of each of the plurality of SIMs and the RAT for the first application of each of the identified plurality of SIMs.

[0191] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of identifying a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs, identify a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs based on charging termination times for the first application of each of the plurality of SIMs, identified based on the plurality of capability information.

[0192] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select an RSD corresponding to a dedicated data slot (DDS) based on the plurality of priorities being identical, as at least part of the operation of selecting an RSD corresponding to a selected SIM based on a comparison result of the plurality of priorities.

[0193] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to set the SIM corresponding to the selected RSD to be associated with the DDS.

[0194] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more storage media may be provided. The one or more storage media may store computer-executable instructions.

[0195] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) comprising processing circuitry of the electronic device (101), may cause the electronic device (101) to confirm a data setup request from a first application.

[0196] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to check a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0197] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to select one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of URSP (user equipment (UE) route selection policy) rules, each associated with a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260).

[0198] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), may cause the electronic device (101) to perform at least one operation for establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0199] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating an electronic device (101) may be provided.

[0200] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device (101) may include an operation of confirming a data setup request from a first application.

[0201] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operating method of the electronic device (101) may include an operation of checking a first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the data setup request.

[0202] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device (101) may include selecting one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, which are identified based on a plurality of user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP) rules, each associated with a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) accessible by at least some of one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) including processing circuitry of the electronic device.

[0203] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operating the electronic device (101) may include performing at least one operation for establishing a PDU (protocol data unit) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

[0204] Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0205] The embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0206] The term "module" used in the embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0207] One embodiment of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0208] According to one embodiment, the method according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0209] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and arranged in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to one embodiment, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101), One or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) comprising processing circuitry; and Includes a memory (130) that stores instructions, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to: Verify the data setup request from the first application, Check the first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the above data setup request, Selecting one RSD from one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, which are identified based on a plurality of URSP (user equipment (UE) route selection policy) rules each associated with a plurality of SIMs (subscriber identity modules) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), and An electronic device (101) that causes at least one operation to be performed to establish a PDU (protocol data unit) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

2. In paragraph 1, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, An electronic device (101) that causes selection of the RSD corresponding to the one SIM based on the identification that there is one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD based on the one or more integrated RSDs.

3. In any one of paragraphs 1 and 2, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, An electronic device (101) that causes selection of one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs based on a matching relationship between the one or more integrated RSDs and the first TD.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, Selecting one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application, and An electronic device (101) causing selection of an RSD corresponding to the selected SIM.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, The plurality of capability information corresponding to the first application is received from one or more entitlement servers in an electronic device (101).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to select one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of pieces of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application, at least as part of an operation of: Based on the plurality of capability information, a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs are checked, and An electronic device (101) that causes an RSD corresponding to a selected SIM to be selected based on a comparison result of the above plurality of priorities.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of identifying a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs, Based on the plurality of capability information, the radio access technology (RAT) for the first application of each of the plurality of SIMs is checked, and An electronic device (101) that causes the plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs to be verified based on a matching relationship between the RATs currently in use of each of the plurality of SIMs and the RAT for the first application of each of the plurality of SIMs that have been verified.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of identifying a plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs, An electronic device (101) that causes the plurality of priorities corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs to be verified based on the charging end points for the first application of each of the plurality of SIMs, which are verified based on the plurality of capability information.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to select an RSD corresponding to a selected SIM based on a comparison result of the plurality of priorities, at least as part of the operation of: An electronic device (101) that causes an RSD corresponding to a dedicated data slot (DDS) to be selected based on the equality of the above plurality of priorities.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to: An electronic device (101) that causes a SIM corresponding to the above-mentioned selected RSD to be associated with a DDS.

11. In one or more storage media, said one or more storage media store computer-executable instructions, said instructions, when individually or collectively executed by one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) comprising processing circuitry of an electronic device (101), causing said electronic device (101) to: Verify the data setup request from the first application, Check the first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the above data setup request, Selecting one RSD from one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, which are identified based on a plurality of URSP (user equipment (UE) route selection policy) rules each associated with a plurality of SIMs (subscriber identity modules) accessible by at least some of the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), and One or more storage media that cause at least one operation to be performed to establish a PDU (protocol data unit) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD.

12. In paragraph 11, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, One or more storage media that cause selection of the RSD corresponding to the one SIM based on the identification that there is one SIM corresponding to the RSD corresponding to the first TD based on the one or more integrated RSDs.

13. In any one of paragraphs 11 to 12, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, One or more storage media causing selection of one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs based on a matching relationship between the one or more integrated RSDs and the first TD.

14. In any one of paragraphs 11 to 13, The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260), cause the electronic device (101) to, at least as part of an operation of selecting the one RSD from the one or more integrated RSDs, Selecting one of the plurality of SIMs based on a plurality of capability information corresponding to each of the plurality of SIMs corresponding to the first application, and One or more storage media causing the selection of an RSD corresponding to the selected SIM.

15. In the operating method of an electronic device (101), Action to confirm data setup request from first application; An action of checking the first traffic descriptor (TD) included in the above data setup request; An operation of selecting one RSD from one or more integrated route selection descriptors (RSDs) corresponding to the first TD, the RSDs being identified based on a plurality of URSP (user equipment (UE) route selection policy) rules, each of which is associated with a plurality of SIMs (subscriber identity modules) accessible by at least some of one or more processors (120; 212, 214; 260) including a processing circuitry of the electronic device (101); and An operation of performing at least one operation for establishing a PDU (protocol data unit) session for the first application with a network associated with a SIM corresponding to the selected RSD among the plurality of SIMs, based on the selected RSD; A method of operating an electronic device (101) including:

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