Cellular broadcast enhancements for inter-system mobility

摘要

Methodologies and apparatus to support interworking operations between a cellular radio area network (RAN) and a wireless local area network (WLAN) utilizing broadcast RAN assistance information. In various embodiments, a RAN (such as a LTE/LTE-advanced RAN) transmits RAN assistance information to a multimode user equipment (UE) for use in network selection and traffic steering operations. Certain parameters, such as RAN load assistance information, may be transmitted in a first format or a second, less granular format that changes relatively infrequently over time as compared to the first format. A system information broadcast procedure utilizing a paging message is employed to transmit information in the second format. The paging message may include a change notification flag that triggers a UE to initiate a system information acquisition procedure to a retrieve system information message(s) including the relevant interworking parameters.

主权项

1. A method of interworking between a cellular radio area network (RAN) and a wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:
transmitting RAN assistance information from the RAN for use by a multimode user equipment (UE), the RAN assistance information relating to network selection and traffic steering operations, including:
transmitting first RAN assistance information to the UE in accordance with a first system information broadcast procedure; andtransmitting second RAN assistance information to the UE in accordance with a second system information broadcast procedure, wherein the second system information broadcast procedure includes a paging message, and wherein at least a portion of the second RAN assistance information is generated in a format that changes less frequently over time in comparison to the format of a corresponding portion of the first RAN assistance information.