Multi-access data connection in a mobile network

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the processor configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive a first session management request via an access management function, the first session management request including:

a second session management request sent by a remote unit,

a first indication that the remote unit requests a single-access data connection, and

a second indication that the remote unit allows the network to upgrade the data connection; and

send, to the access management function, a request to establish a data path for each access network with which the remote unit is registered, wherein each data path is anchored at a common user plane network function in the mobile communication network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determines whether the remote unit is registered to the mobile communication network over both a first access network and a second access network based on a third indication received from the access management function.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second indication is provided in response to no policy in the remote unit mandating a single-access data connection and in response to no local restriction of the remote unit mandating a single-access data connection.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send a query to a policy control function for:

policy rules with multi-access routing information,

policy rules with multi-access quality-of-service (“QoS”) information associated with the requested data connection,

or a combination thereof,

wherein the query contains the second indication and is sent in response to receiving the first session management request, and

wherein the processor is configured to determine to establish the multi-access data connection based on the policy rules with multi-access routing information, the policy rules with multi-access QoS information received from the policy control function, or the combination thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein determining to establish a multi-access data connection is based on whether a network subscription of the remote unit allows a multi-access connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to establish a multi-access data connection for the remote unit, the multi-access data connection being associated with a first access network with which the remote unit is registered and a second access network with which the remote unit is registered.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first access network is an access network not defined by 3GPP (“non-3GPP access”) and the second access network is an access network defined by 3GPP (“3GPP access”).

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second session management request is a Packet Data Unit (“PDU”) session establishment request.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second session management request indicates an access traffic steering and splitting capability of the remote unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to send a response to the remote unit indicating establishment of the multi-access data connection.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a first session management request via an access management function in a mobile communication network, the first session management request comprising:

a second session management request sent by a remote unit,

a first indication that the remote unit requests a single-access data connection, and

a second indication that the remote unit allows the network to upgrade the data connection; and

sending a request to the access management function to establish a data path for each access network with which the remote unit is registered, wherein each data path is anchored at a common user plane network function in the mobile communication network.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining that the remote unit is registered to the mobile communication network over both the first access network and a second access network based on a third indication received from the access management function.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second indication is provided in response to no policy in the remote unit mandating a single-access data connection and in response to no local restriction of the remote unit mandating a single-access data connection.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

sending a query to a policy control function for:

policy rules with multi-access routing information,

policy rules with multi-access quality-of-service (“QoS”) information associated with the requested data connection,

or a combination thereof,

wherein the query contains the second indication and is sent in response to receiving the first session management request, and

determining to establish the multi-access data connection comprises determining based on the policy rules with multi-access routing information, the policy rules with multi-access QoS information received from the policy control function, or the combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

querying, by the policy control function, a data management function to determine whether a network subscription of the remote unit allows a multi-access connection in response to receiving the first session management request,

wherein determining to establish a multi-access data connection is based on the network subscription of the remote unit.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising establishing a multi-access data connection for the remote unit, the multi-access data connection being associated with a first access network with which the remote unit is registered and a second access network with which the remote unit is registered.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first access network is an access network not defined by 3GPP (“non-3GPP access”) and the second access network is an access network defined by 3GPP (“3GPP access”).

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second session management request is a Packet Data Unit (“PDU”) session establishment request.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second session management request indicates an access traffic steering and splitting capability of the remote unit.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising sending a response to the remote unit indicating establishment of the multi-access data connection.