Coordinated Wireless Network Selection and Traffic Routing Rules
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Solution Overview
Problem
User equipment (UE) in 3GPP radio access networks faces challenges in coordinating wireless network selection and traffic routing rules across concurrent Wi-Fi and 3GPP RAN connections, leading to inconsistent decision-making due to conflicting rules from different sources such as ANDSF, eNB, and user preferences.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a priority scheme where locally-specified rules take precedence over ANDSF-specified and RAN-specified rules, with specific configurations to apply ANDSF or RAN rules based on threshold conditions and offload preferences, allowing UE to evaluate and apply routing policies effectively across multiple wireless access interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sources (ANDSF, eNB, user) provide rules for WLAN selection and traffic routing, then the system gains flexibility and adaptability, but conflicting rules lead to inconsistent decision-making
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the rule application process into distinct priority levels: locally-specified rules (highest priority), ANDSF-specified rules (medium priority), and RAN-specified rules (lowest priority). This segmentation resolves conflicts by establishing a clear hierarchy where higher-priority rules override lower-priority rules, ensuring consistent decision-making while preserving multiple rule sources
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the priority scheme) that mediates between conflicting rules from different sources. The ANDSF rules act as an intermediary layer between local user preferences and RAN network policies, coordinating their application to achieve consistent decisions
2Reliability
If UE applies both ANDSF and RAN rules simultaneously, then comprehensive network management is achieved, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic rule application where the effectiveness of ANDSF and RAN rules changes based on conditions. The system dynamically evaluates threshold conditions (such as signal strength, load, or other metrics) to determine which rules are currently applicable, reducing coordination complexity by activating only relevant rules at any given time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state parameters of rule application by introducing priority levels and threshold conditions. Rules are not statically applied but their applicability changes based on evaluated parameters, simplifying coordination by allowing rules to be conditionally activated or deactivated
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for coordinated application of wireless network selection and traffic routing rules are described. In one embodiment, for example, user equipment (UE) may comprise at least on radio frequency (RF) transceiver, at least one RF antenna, and logic at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to process a received radio resource control (RRC) message comprising radio access network (RAN) assistance information, evaluate a threshold condition of an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) management object (MO) routing policy based on an access threshold comprised in the RAN assistance information and a corresponding measurement, and apply the ANDSF MO routing policy to route internet protocol (IP) traffic based on the evaluation of the threshold condition. Other embodiments are described and claimed.