Prioritization for WLAN access for LTE managing WLAN connectivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9854588-B2
Application number	US-201615156682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Aspects relate to a priority mechanism for prioritizing network identifiers, for example SSIDs. As described herein, a UE may obtain one or more network identifier sets, each of the one or more network identifier sets having one or more network identifiers for a first RAT and a priority level, determine one or more of the network identifier sets that are under control of a second RAT, and after the determining, manage connections to the first RAT based, at least in part, on the priority level of the network identifier sets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
obtaining one or more network identifier sets, each of the one or more network identifier sets having one or more network identifiers for a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a priority level, wherein the network identifier sets comprise:
a first network identifier set with one or more network identifiers corresponding to credentials for networks that support Long Term Evolution (LTE) managing WLAN connectivity; and
a second network identifier set with one or more network identifiers corresponding to one or more credentials configured by an operator, wherein the second network identifier set is configured by one of an Access Network and Discovery Function (ANDSF) or a high-level operating system (HLOS) configured by the operator;

determining one or more of the network identifier sets that are under control of the LTE network; and
after determining that one or more of the network identifier sets are under control of the LTE network, managing connections to the WLAN based, at least in part, on the priority level of the one or more network identifier sets.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the priority level of the network identifier sets are configurable.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining one or more of the network identifier sets are under control of the LTE network is based on an indication broadcast from a base station.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the indication is a LTE network indication which indicates support for LTE managing WLAN connectivity.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving signaling enabling or disabling managing connections to the WLAN based on the priority level.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network identifier sets comprise:
a third network identifier set with one or more high-level operating system (HLOS) network identifiers corresponding to one or more credentials configured by a user of the UE.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein managing connections to the WLAN comprises:
determining the UE is within a coverage area of at least one network identifier in the first network identifier set and at least one network identifier in the second network identifier set; and
preventing a connection to the WLAN using the at least one network identifier in the second network identifier set when the WLAN is under control of the LTE network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein managing connections to the WLAN comprises:
determining the UE is not connected to a network associated with a highest priority network identifier set; and
attempting a connection to a network according to the priority level of the network identifier sets.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein managing connections to the WLAN comprises:
determining the UE is not connected to a network associated with a highest priority network identifier set;
performing a periodic scan for available network identifiers based on the determination; and
establishing a connection using a network identifier discovered via the periodic scan when a network signal quality associated with the discovered network identifier is greater than a threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
suppressing or disabling credentials for one or more network identifiers, discovered via the scan, that belong to a network identifier set having a lower priority than a set that contains the network identifier of the established connection.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
reporting, to a base station, one or more network identifiers, discovered via the scan, that belong to a network identifier set having a higher priority than a set that contains the network identifier of the established connection.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
terminating a current connection associated with a network identifier that belongs to a network identifier set having a lower priority than at least two of the network identifier sets.

13. A method for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
obtaining one or more network identifier sets, each of the one or more network identifier sets having one or more network identifiers for a first radio access technology (RAT) and a priority level;
determining one or more of the network identifier sets that are under control of a second RAT; and
after determining that one or more of the network identifier sets are under control of the second RAT, managing connections to the first RAT based, at least in part, on the priority level of the one or more network identifier sets, wherein managing connections to the first RAT comprises:
determining the UE is not connected to a network associated with a highest priority network identifier set;
performing a periodic scan for available network identifiers based on the determination;
establishing a connection using a network identifier discovered via the periodic scan when a network signal quality associated with the discovered network identifier is greater than a threshold;
terminating a current connection associated with a network identifier that belongs to a network identifier set having a lower priority than at least two of the network identifier sets;
storing the network identifier associated with the terminated connection; and
re-establishing a connection using the stored network identifier when an established connection using a higher priority network identifier is terminated.

14. An apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
obtain one or more network identifier sets, each of the one or more network identifier sets having one or more network identifiers for a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a priority level, wherein the network identifier sets comprise:
a first network identifier set with one or more network identifiers corresponding to credentials for networks that support for Long Term Evolution (LTE) network managing WLAN connectivity; and
a second network identifier set with one or more network identifiers corresponding to one or more credentials configured by an operator, wherein the second network identifier set is configured by one of an Access Network and Discovery Function (ANDSF) or a high-level operating system (HLOS) configured by the operator;

determine one or more of the network identifier sets that are under control of the LTE network; and
after the determining, manage connections to the WLAN based, at least in part, on the priority level of the one or more network identifier sets; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the priority level of the network identifier sets are configurable.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the determining one or more of the network identifier sets are under control of the LTE network is based on an indication broadcast from a base station.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the indication is a LTE network indication which indicates support for WLAN connectivity.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive signaling enabling or disabling managing connections to the WLAN based on the priority level.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the network identifier sets comprise:
a third network identifier set with one or more high-level operating system (HLOS) network identifiers corresponding to one or more credentials configured by a user of the UE.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Veerepalli Sivaramakrishna
• Meylan Arnaud
• Lee Hoon Ki
• Payyappilly Ajith Tom
• KALIKOT VEETIL Mahesh Kumar
• Patel Umang Sureshbhai
• Gholmieh Aziz
• Mohan Manikandan
• Bahini Dagbegnon Henri
• Paradkar Vinay

Classifications

• H04W72/53 Primary

  based on regulatory allocation policies · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04W72/1215

  for collaboration of different radio technologies · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W74/02

  Hybrid access · CPC title