Determination of a list of preferred mobile access networks

摘要

Telecommunications system including a network selection manager and a mobile node. The network selection manager is operable to determine a list of preferred mobile access networks to which the mobile node may be attached during an inactive state and to communicate the list of preferred mobile access networks to the mobile node. The list of preferred mobile access networks for selection is determined in accordance with operator determined conditions (e.g. load, congestion in the access networks, subscription info, location of the mobile, changes in the list since last communication to the Mobile Station, etc.). The mobile node is operable in the inactive state to select one of the plurality of mobile access networks which is available for attachment in dependence on the list of preferred mobile access networks communicated to the mobile node from the network selection manager.

主权项

1. A telecommunications system for facilitating mobile nodes to communicate via a plurality of mobile access networks, each having a gateway and a plurality of access points for communicating with the gateway and the mobile nodes, the telecommunications system comprising:
a network selection manager configured to:
receive access network evaluation messages from one or more resource managers, which are associated with the plurality of access networks via which the mobile node may communicate,analyze the access network evaluation messages in order to determine a current loading on each of the access networks,apply the current loading of each access network in accordance with one or more operator defined conditions, including a predetermined operator policy rule, to generate an updated list of preferred mobile access networks, andcommunicate to a mobile node the updated list of preferred mobile access networks to which the mobile node may be attached during an inactive state, wherein the network selection manager is configured to communicate dynamically the updated list of preferred mobile access networks to the mobile node in response to a change in the list of preferred mobile access networks since a last updated preferred list was previously communicated to the mobile node.