Determining Priority Between RAN Rules and ANDSF Rules
Systems and methods are provided for determining precedence between Radio Access Network (RAN) rules and Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) rules when a mobile communication device has access to more than one set of rules for offloading data. Systems and methods for transmitting an offloadable Access Point Name (APN) to a mobile communication device when RAN rules are used. Embodiments of the present disclosure combine the advantages of signaling methods when offloading information to a mobile communication device after a RAN rule has been satisfied such that a base station is able to broadcast a signal that enables all devices camped on an serving cell to offload to the APN.
1 . A mobile communication device, comprising:
a transceiver configured to provide wireless communications to a visited network operated by a visited network operator and a home network operated by a home network operator; and
processor circuitry coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to:
select a first Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) policy provided by the visited network operator for offloading data in response to determining that the mobile communication device has access to the first ANDSF policy,
select a second ANDSF policy provided by the home network operator for offloading the data in response to determining that the mobile communication device does not have access to the first ANDSF policy and has access to the second ANDSF policy, and
select Radio Access Network (RAN) rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the mobile communication device does not have access to the first ANDSF policy or the second ANDSF policy.
2 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
determine whether a first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the first ANDSF policy; and
determine whether a second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the second ANDSF policy.
3 . The mobile communication device of claim 2 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select the RAN rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid; and
select the RAN rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid.
4 . The mobile communication device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a memory storing the RAN rules.
5 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the visited network operator has a roaming agreement with the home network operator.
6 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
determine a network for offloading the data based on the first ANDSF policy, the second ANDSF policy, or the RAN rules.
7 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
determine traffic steering rules based on the first ANDSF policy, the second ANDSF policy, or the RAN rules.
8 . A method performed by a mobile communication device, comprising:
determining whether a first Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) policy or a second ANDSF policy is available to the mobile communication device, the first ANDSF policy provided by a visited network operator for offloading data, and the second ANDSF policy provided by a home network operator for offloading the data;
selecting the first ANDSF policy in response to determining that the first ANDSF policy is available to the mobile communication device;
selecting the second ANDSF policy in response to determining that the first ANDSF policy is not available to the mobile communication device and the second ANDSF policy is available to the mobile communication device; and
selecting Radio Access Network (RAN) rules for offloading the data in response to determining that neither the first ANDSF policy nor the second ANDSF policy is available to the mobile communication device.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining whether a first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the first ANDSF policy; and
determining whether a second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the second ANDSF policy.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
selecting the RAN rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid; and
selecting the RAN rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is either inactive or invalid.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the visited network operator has a roaming agreement with the home network operator.
12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a network for offloading the data based on the first ANDSF policy, the second ANDSF policy, or the RAN rules.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining traffic steering rules based on the first ANDSF policy, the second ANDSF policy, or the RAN rules.
14 . A mobile communication device, comprising:
a transceiver configured to provide wireless communications to a visited network operated by a visited network operator and a home network operated by a home network operator; and
processor circuitry coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to:
determine that data should be offloaded from a first communication network, and
in response to determining that two or more rules for offloading the data conflict with each other:
determine whether the mobile communication device has access to a first Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) policy provided by the visited network operator, and
determine whether the mobile communication device has access to a second ANDSF policy provided by the home network operator.
15 . The mobile communication device of claim 14 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select the first ANDSF policy for offloading the data in response to determining that the mobile communication device has access to the first ANDSF policy.
16 . The mobile communication device of claim 14 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select the second ANDSF policy for offloading the data in response to determining that the mobile communication device does not have access to the first ANDSF policy and has access to the second ANDSF policy.
17 . The mobile communication device of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
determine whether a first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the first ANDSF policy; and
determine whether a second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is active and valid in response to selecting the second ANDSF policy.
18 . The mobile communication device of claim 17 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select Radio Access Network (RAN) rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid; and
select the RAN rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid.
18 . The mobile communication device of claim 17 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select the first ANDSF policy for offloading the data in response to determining that the first rule for offloading the data in the first ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid; and
select the second ANDSF policy for offloading the data in response to determining that the second rule for offloading the data in the second ANDSF policy is inactive or invalid.
20 . The mobile communication device of claim 14 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
select Radio Access Network (RAN) rules for offloading the data in response to determining that the mobile communication device does not have access to the first ANDSF policy or the second ANDSF policy.