Enhanced multi-access protocol data unit (PDU) session

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12593364-B2
Application number	US-202217943620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2022
Priority date	Sep 13, 2021
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices include techniques for establishing an enhanced multi-access protocol data unit (PDU) session in a multi-network environment. Various registration procedures may be used to allocate resources between a first network (e.g., a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and a second network (e.g., a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). For instance, a method includes sending by a wireless device to a network, indication(s) related to network capabilities of the wireless device. The indication(s) include whether the wireless device supports a multi-access PDU session comprising a first PDU session and a second PDU session. The first PDU session is established via a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access the second PDU session is established via a first non-3GPP. The indication(s) include whether the wireless device supports an enhanced multi-access PDU session comprising a third PDU session, wherein the third PDU session is established via a second non-3GPP access.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
sending by a wireless device to a network, one or more indications that:
the wireless device supports an enhanced multi-access protocol data unit (eMA-PDU) session comprising a first PDU session and a second PDU session, the first PDU session is established via a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access and the second PDU session is established via a first non-3GPP access; and
the wireless device supports eMA-PDU session comprising a third PDU session, wherein the third PDU session is established via a second non-3GPP access;
sending by the wireless device:
a first PDU session request of the eMA-PDU session, to the network via the 3GPP access; and
a second PDU session request of the eMA-PDU session, to the network, via the first non-3GPP access;
receiving a response indicating a successful second PDU session establishment based on a session management function (SMF) of the second PDU session forwarding the second PDU session request to a user plane function (UPF) of the first PDU session as an anchor network of the eMA-PDU session, the anchor network managing the eMA-PDU session, wherein the response is based on the establishment of the second PDU session by the UPF of the first PDU session related to the eMA-PDU session; and communicating with the network based on the eMA-PDU session, wherein data communicated via the second PDU session from the wireless device is forwarded from a UPF of the second PDU session to the UPF of the first PDU session as the anchor network of the eMA-PDU session managed by the anchor network.

2 . A method comprising:
sending, by a wireless device, a first protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request to a first network, wherein the first PDU session establishment request indicates:
a PDU session type being an enhanced multi-access PDU (eMA-PDU) session across a plurality of access networks which includes a first access network and a second access network;
an anchor network of the eMA-PDU session being the first network; and
a PDU session identifier;
receiving, via the first access network, a first response indicating a successful first establishment of a first PDU session, the first access network being a new radio access network; sending, by the wireless device and based on receiving the first response, a second PDU session establishment request to a second network indicating:
the PDU session type;
the anchor network of the eMA-PDU session being the first network; and
the PDU session identifier;
receiving, via the second access network, a second response indicating a successful second session establishment of a second PDU session, the second access network being a long-term evolution access network, wherein the second response indicating the successful second session establishment is based on a session management function (SMF) of the second network forwarding the second PDU session establishment request to an SMF of the first network as the anchor network of the eMA-PDU session, the anchor network managing the eMA-PDU session, and the SMF of the first network forwarding the second PDU session establishment to a user plane function (UPF) of the first network for establishment of the second PDU session, wherein the second response is based on the establishment of the second PDU session by the UPF of the first network; and communicating with at least one of the first access network or the second access network based on the second PDU session, wherein data communicated to the long-term evolution access network of the second access network from the wireless device is forwarded from the UPF of the second network to the UPF of the new radio access network of the first network as the anchor network of the eMA-PDU session managed by the anchor network.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first PDU session establishment request is received by a session management function (SMF) of the first network.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein indicating the anchor network being the first network includes indicating a network access identifier associated with the first network.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein indicating the anchor network being the first network includes indicating a public key infrastructure (PKI) associated with the first network.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising indicating the anchor network being the first network by indicating a public land and mobile network (PLMN) identifier of the first network.

7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising indicating the anchor network being the first network by indicating the PDU session identifier that is registered with the session management function (SMF) of the first network.

8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising indicating the anchor network being the first network by indicating the PDU session type to the first network based on the first network being equipped with an access traffic steering, switching and splitting (ATSSS) of the eMA-PDU session across the plurality of access networks.

9 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising indicating the anchor network being the first network by indicating a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) that supports the first PDU session across the plurality of access networks with the anchor network being the first network.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first network is a 5G core network and the second network is a 5G core network or a 4G core network.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the wireless device is equipped with a plurality of identity credentials corresponding to at least a first identity and a second identity.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first identity is a first Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second identity is a second SIM.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the wireless device sending a second registration request via the second identity to the second network.

15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein first PDU session establishment request indicates whether the wireless device supports non-3GPP access.

16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the anchor network includes the session management function (SMF) or an S-Gateway and the user plane function (UPF).

17 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a first session management function (SMF) of a first network, a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request from a wireless device, wherein the PDU session establishment request indicates:
a PDU session type being an enhanced multi-access (eMA-PDU) session across a plurality of access networks comprising a first access network of the first network and a second access network of a second network;
an anchor network being the second network; and
a PDU session identifier;
determining a second SMF of the second network in response to the anchor network being the second network, the anchor network managing the eMA-PDU session; sending a forwarded request of the PDU session establishment request to the second SMF of the second network to establish a second of the eMA-PDU session, the SMF of the first network forwarding the PDU session establishment to a user plane function (UPF) of the first network for establishment of the eMA-PDU session; receiving a response of the forwarded request of the PDU session establishment request from the second SMF, wherein the response is based on the establishment of the eMA-PDU session by the UPF of the first network; and transmitting, at least partly based on

Assignees

• Cable Television Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Yi Yunjung
• Dharmadhikari Omkar
• Sriram Sundar R

Classifications

• H04W60/005

  Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming · CPC title

• H04W60/04 Primary

  using triggered events · CPC title

• H04W80/10

  adapted for {application} session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] {(connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14)} · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W88/14

  Backbone network devices · CPC title