WO2016164066A1

WO2016164066A1 - Apparatus, system and method of traffic steering at a user equipment (ue)

Info

Publication number: WO2016164066A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/052102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Sirotkin; Hyung-Nam Choi
Original assignee: Intel IP Corporation
Priority date: 2015-04-08
Filing date: 2015-09-25
Publication date: 2016-10-13

Abstract

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and methods of traffic steering at a User Equipment (UE). For example, a UE may include a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to communicate with a WLAN; a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network; and a controller to trigger one or more 5 traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules, while taking into consideration a communication status of the UE and/or local operating environment information.

Description

APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRAFFIC STEERING AT A USER

EQUIPMENT (UE)

CROSS REFERENCE

[001] This Application claims the benefit of and priority from US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/144,774 entitled "RAN-ASSISTED WLAN INTERWORKING RULES ENHANCEMENTS FOR IDLE MODE", filed April 8, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[002] Some embodiments described herein generally relate to traffic steering at a User Equipment (UE).

BACKGROUND

[003] A wireless communication device, e.g., a mobile device, may be configured to utilize multiple wireless communication technologies.

[004] For example, a User Equipment (UE) device may be configured to utilize a cellular connection, e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular connection, as well as a wireless- local-area-network (WLAN) connection, e.g., a Wireless-Fidelity (WiFi) connection.

[005] There exists a need for solutions to enhance a level of cooperation and/or integration between WLAN and cellular networks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[006] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. The figures are listed below.

[007] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[008] Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of elements of a User Equipment (UE), in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[009] Fig. 3 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0010] Fig. 4 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0011] Fig. 5 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0012] Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a product, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments. However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the discussion.

[0014] Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, "processing", "computing", "calculating", "determining", "establishing", "analyzing", "checking", or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) of a computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or other electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer's registers and/or memories or other information storage medium that may store instructions to perform operations and/or processes.

[0015] The terms "plurality" and "a plurality", as used herein, include, for example, "multiple" or "two or more". For example, "a plurality of items" includes two or more items.

[0016] References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "demonstrative embodiment," "various embodiments," etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

[0017] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first," "second," "third," etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0018] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various devices and systems, for example, a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Device (MD), a wireless station (STA), a Personal Computer (PC), a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a Smartphone device, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehicular device, a non- vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumer device, a non-mobile or nonportable device, a wireless communication station, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point (AP), a wireless node, a base station (BS), a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device, an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wireless network, a wireless area network, a cellular network, a cellular node, a cellular device, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver or device, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or device, a Multiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or device, a device having one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi- standard radio devices or systems, a wired or wireless handheld device, e.g., a Smartphone, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) device, vending machines, sell terminals, and the like.

[0019] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) specifications (including 3 GPP TS 36.300 (ETSI TS 136 300; V12.4.0 (2015-02); LTE Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E- UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2 (3 GPP TS 36.300 version 12.4.0 Release 12)); 3 GPP TS 36.304 (ETSI TS 136 304 V12.3.0 (2015-02) LTE; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle mode (3GPP TS 36.304 version 12.3.0 Release 12)); 3 GPP 25.304 (ETSI TS 125 304 V12.4.0 (2015-02) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle mode and procedures for cell reselection in connected mode (3GPP TS 25.304 version 12.4.0 Release 12)); 3 GPP TS 24.302 (ETSI TS 124 302 V12.8.0 (2015-4); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; Access to the 3GPP Evolved Packet Core (EPC) via non-3GPP access networks; Stage 3; (3GPP TS 24.302 version 12.8.0 Release 12)); 3 GPP TS 23.261 (ETSI TS 123 261 V12.0.0 (2014-09); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; IP flow mobility and seamless Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) offload; Stage 2 (3GPP TS 23.261 version 12.0.0 Release 12)); 3 GPP TS 23.401 (ETSI TS 132 401 V12.0.0 (2014-10); Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS);LTE; Telecommunication management; Performance Management (PM); Concept and requirements (3GPP TS 32.401 version 12.0.0 Release 12)); and/or 3 GPP TS 23.402 (ETSI TS 123 402 V12.8.0 (2015-04); ); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses (3GPP TS 23.402 version 12.8.0 Release 12)), and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.16 standards (IEEE-Std 802.16, 2009 Edition, Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems; IEEE-Std 802.16e, 2005 Edition, Physical and Medium Access Control Layers for Combined Fixed and Mobile Operation in Licensed Bands; amendment to IEEE Std 802.16-2009, developed by Task Group m) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, units and/or devices which are part of the above networks, and the like.

[0020] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more types of wireless communication signals and/or systems, for example, Radio Frequency (RF), Frequency- Division Multiplexing (FDM), Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), Time-Division Multiple Access (TDM A), Extended TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), extended GPRS, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier CDMA, Multi-Carrier Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT), Bluetooth®, Global Positioning System (GPS), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Max, ZigBee™, Ultra- Wideband (UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), second generation (2G), 2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, 4.5G, Fifth Generation (5G) mobile networks, 3 GPP, Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular system, LTE advance cellular system, LTE Unlicensed systems, High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), HSPA+, Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1XRTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), and the like. Other embodiments may be used in various other devices, systems and/or networks.

[0021] The term "wireless device", as used herein, includes, for example, a device capable of wireless communication, a communication device capable of wireless communication, a communication station capable of wireless communication, a portable or non-portable device capable of wireless communication, or the like. In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device may be or may include a peripheral that is integrated with a computer, or a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In some demonstrative embodiments, the term "wireless device" may optionally include a wireless service.

[0022] The term "communicating" as used herein with respect to a wireless communication signal includes transmitting the wireless communication signal and/or receiving the wireless communication signal. For example, a wireless communication unit, which is capable of communicating a wireless communication signal, may include a wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless communication signal to at least one other wireless communication unit, and/or a wireless communication receiver to receive the wireless communication signal from at least one other wireless communication unit. The verb "communicating" may be used to refer to the action of transmitting or the action of receiving. In one example, the phrase "communicating a signal" may refer to the action of transmitting the signal by a first device, and may not necessarily include the action of receiving the signal by a second device. In another example, the phrase "communicating a signal" may refer to the action of receiving the signal by a first device, and may not necessarily include the action of transmitting the signal by a second device.

[0023] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to, be part of, or include, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit, an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group), and/or memory (shared, dedicated, or group), that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality. In some embodiments, the circuitry may be implemented in, or functions associated with the circuitry may be implemented by, one or more software or firmware modules. In some embodiments, circuitry may include logic, at least partially operable in hardware.

[0024] The term "antenna", as used herein, may include any suitable configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In some embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receive functionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receive functionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receive elements. The antenna may include, for example, a phased array antenna, a single element antenna, a dipole antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or the like.

[0025] The term "cell", as used herein, may include a combination of network resources, for example, downlink and optionally uplink resources. The resources may be controlled and/or allocated, for example, by a cellular node (also referred to as a "base station"), or the like. The linking between a carrier frequency of the downlink resources and a carrier frequency of the uplink resources may be indicated in system information transmitted on the downlink resources. [0026] Some demonstrative embodiments are described herein with respect to a LTE network. However, other embodiments may be implemented in any other suitable cellular network or system, e.g., a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) cellular system, a GSM network, a 3G cellular network, a 4G cellular network, a 4.5G network, a 5G cellular network, a WiMAX cellular network, and the like.

[0027] Some demonstrative embodiments are described herein with respect to a WLAN system. However, other embodiments may be implemented in any other suitable non-cellular network.

[0028] Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with a Heterogeneous Network (HetNet), which may utilize a deployment of a mix of technologies, frequencies, cell sizes and/or network architectures, e.g., including cellular, mm Wave, and/or the like. In one example, the HetNet may include a radio access network having layers of different- sized cells ranging from large macrocells to small cells, for example, picocells and femtocells. Other embodiments may be used in conjunction with any other suitable wireless communication network.

[0029] Reference is now made to Fig. 1 , which schematically illustrates a block diagram of a system 100, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 may include one or more wireless communication devices capable of communicating content, data, information and/or signals via one or more wireless mediums, for example, a radio channel, a cellular channel, an RF channel, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) channel, an IR channel, and the like, e.g., as described below. One or more elements of system 100 may optionally be capable of communicating over any suitable wired communication links.

[0031] In some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 may include at least one User Equipment (UE) 102 capable of communicating with one or more wired networks 180 via at least one Radio Access Network (RAN) 119, and/or via at least one non-cellular network, e.g., as described below.

[0032] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may include, for example, a mobile computer, a MD, a STA, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, an Ultrabook™ computer, a mobile internet device, a handheld computer, a handheld device, a storage device, a PDA device, a handheld PDA device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a sensor device, a wearable device, an on-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device (e.g., combining cellular phone functionalities with PDA device functionalities), a consumer device, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a PCS device, a mobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively small computing device, a non-desktop computer, a "Carry Small Live Large" (CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an "Origami" device or computing device, a video device, an audio device, an A/V device, a gaming device, a media player, a Smartphone, or the like.

[0033] In some demonstrative embodiments, networks 180 may include one or more Packet Data Networks (PDNs). For example, networks 180 may include an Internet network, an IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) network, and/or any other PDN. In other embodiments, networks 180 may include any other suitable additional and/or alternative network.

[0034] In some demonstrative embodiments, RAN 119 may include one or more cells controlled by one or more cellular nodes ("nodes"). For example, RAN 119 may include an evolved Node B (eNB) 104, a Node B 196, and/or any other cellular node, e.g., a Base Station (BS), a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), and the like.

[0035] In some demonstrative embodiments, eNB 104 may be configured to perform radio resource management (RRM), radio bearer control, radio admission control (access control), connection mobility management, resource scheduling between UEs and eNB radios, e.g., Dynamic allocation of resources to UEs in both uplink and downlink, header compression, link encryption of user data streams, packet routing of user data towards a destination, e.g., another eNB or an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), scheduling and/or transmitting paging messages, e.g., incoming calls and/or connection requests, broadcast information coordination, measurement reporting, and/or any other operations.

[0036] In some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 may include a non-cellular network, for example, a WLAN, e.g., a Basic Service Set (BSS), managed by a WLAN Access Point (AP) 106.

[0037] In some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 may also include a Core Network (CN or CNW) 160, which may be configured to provide one or more services to UE 102, and/or to setup and/or manage communication between UE 102 and RAN 119 and/or networks 180, e.g., as described below. [0038] In some demonstrative embodiments, CN 160 may include one or more PDN Gateways (PGWs) 173 to support a PDN connection between UE 102 and a PDN of network 180.

[0039] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102, eNB 104, WLAN AP 106, and/or Node B 196 may include one or more wireless communication units to perform wireless communication between UE 102, RAN 119, AP 106 and/or with one or more other wireless communication devices, e.g., as described below.

[0040] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may include a cellular Transceiver (TRx) 146 to communicate with RAN 119, and a WLAN TRx 147 to communicate with WLAN AP 106.

[0041] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147 may include, or may be associated with, one or more antennas. In one example, UE 102 may include at least two antennas, e.g., antennas 112 and 114, or any other number of antennas, e.g., one antenna or more than two antennas.

[0042] In some demonstrative embodiments, antennas 112, and/or 114 may include any type of antennas suitable for transmitting and/or receiving wireless communication signals, blocks, frames, transmission streams, packets, messages and/or data. For example, antennas 112 and/or 114 may include any suitable configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. For example, antennas 112 and/or 114 may include a phased array antenna, a dipole antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or the like.

[0043] In some embodiments, antennas 112 and/or 114 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments, antennas 112 and/or 114 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receive elements.

[0044] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147 may include one or more wireless transmitters, receivers and/or transceivers including circuitry and/or logic able to send and/or receive wireless communication signals, RF signals, frames, blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items, and/or data.

[0045] In some demonstrative embodiments, WLAN TRx 147 may be configured to communicate with AP 106 over a WLAN link, and cellular transceiver 146 may be configured to communicate with RAN 119 over a cellular link. [0046] In some demonstrative embodiments, the WLAN link may include, for example, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) link, a Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) link, or any other link. In some demonstrative embodiments, the WLAN link may include, for example, a link over the 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) or 5 GHz frequency band, the 60 GHz frequency band, and/or any other frequency band.

[0047] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmitters receivers system (not shown) including circuitry and/or logic, which may be capable of performing antenna beamforming methods, if desired. In other embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include any other transmitters and/or receivers.

[0048] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include a turbo decoder and/or a turbo encoder (not shown) including circuitry and/or logic for encoding and/or decoding data bits into data symbols, if desired. In other embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include any other encoder and/or decoder.

[0049] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include OFDM and/or SC-FDMA modulators and/or demodulators (not shown) including circuitry and/or logic configured to communicate OFDM signals over downlink channels, e.g., from RAN 119 to UE 102, and SC-FDMA signals over uplink channels, e.g., from UE 102 to RAN 119. In other embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may include any other modulators and/or demodulators.

[0050] In some demonstrative embodiments, WLAN TRx 147 may establish a WLAN link with AP 106. For example, WLAN TRx 147 may perform the functionality of one or more STAs, e.g., one or more WiFi STAs, WLAN STAs, and/or millimeter Wave (mmWave) STAs. The WLAN link may include an uplink and/or a downlink. The WLAN downlink may include, for example, a unidirectional link from AP 106 to the one or more STAs. The uplink may include, for example, a unidirectional link from a STA to AP 106.

[0051] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may be configured to utilize a cellular connection, e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular connection, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) connection or any other cellular connection, to communicate with RAN 119, and a WLAN connection, e.g., a Wi-Fi connection or any other WLAN connection, to communicate with AP 106. [0052] In some demonstrative embodiments, cellular TRx 146 may utilize the cellular link between UE 102 and RAN 119 to communicate traffic of one or more PDN connections, e.g., via one or more PGWs 173.

[0053] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may establish one or more bearers, e.g., one or more Evolved Packet-switched System (EPS) bearers, via the one or more PDN connections between UE 102 and one or more PGWs 173.

[0054] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more elements of system 100 may perform the functionality of a HetNet, which may utilize a deployment of a mix of technologies, frequencies, cell sizes and/or network architectures, for example, including cellular, WLAN, and/or the like.

[0055] For example, the HetNet may be configured to provide a service through a first wireless communication environment, e.g., a cellular network, and to maintain the service when switching to another communication environment, e.g., WLAN. The HetNet architecture may enable utilizing a mixture of wireless communication environments, e.g., a WLAN environment and a cellular environment, for example, to optimally respond to rapid changes in customer demand, reduce power consumption, reduce cost, increase efficiency and/or achieve any other benefit.

[0056] In one example, system 100 may utilize a Multi-tier, Multi-Radio Access Technology (Multi-RAT) Het-Net architecture, including a tier of small cells, e.g., pico, femto, relay stations, WiFi APs, and the like, overlaid on top of a macro cellular deployment to augment network capacity.

[0057] In another example, system 100 may utilize Multi-RAT small cells integrating multiple radios such as WiFi and 3 GPP air interfaces in a single infrastructure device.

[0058] In other embodiments, system 100 may implement any other architecture and/or deployment.

[0059] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102, eNB 104, Node B 196, and/or WLAN AP 106 may be configured to enable selective access network selection and/or traffic steering of traffic between UE 102 and the WLAN or the cellular network, for example, based on one or more criteria and/or parameters, e.g., as described in detail below.

[0060] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102, node 104 and/or AP 106 may be configured to facilitate a UE-centric (also referred to as "UE controlled") access network selection and/or traffic steering scheme, in which UE 102 may select an access network to be utilized by UE 102 and/or to steer traffic of UE 102 between the WLAN and the cellular network.

[0061] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more elements of RAN 119 and/or CN 160 may provide to UE 102 one or more values of one or more parameters (also referred to as "RAN-assisted WLAN interworking parameter", "UE assistance parameter", the "access network selection and traffic steering parameter" or "traffic steering parameter"), and/or UE 102 may be provided with one or more rules (also referred to as the "RAN-assisted WLAN interworking rules", the "UE assistance rules", the "access network selection and traffic steering rules", or "traffic steering rules"), which may be used by the UE 102 as part of a traffic steering decision, e.g., as described in detail below.

[0062] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may include a controller 145 configured to steer and/or route traffic of UE 102 between a cellular network of RAN 119 and WLAN AP 106, e.g., as described below.

[0063] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may include, or may be implemented using, suitable circuitry and/or logic, e.g., controller circuitry and/or logic, processor circuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, which may be configured to perform at least part of the functionality of controller 145. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities of controller 145 may be implemented by logic, which may be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as described below. In one example, controller 145 may include circuitry and/or logic to cause UE 102 to perform one or more operations, communications and/or functionalities, e.g., as described herein.

[0064] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may operate as, perform the functionality of, and/or be implemented as part of a connection manager, a session manager, an offloading controller, a traffic steering controller, a traffic routing manager, and/or any other dedicated or shared controller, manager and/or module.

[0065] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to control access network selection, e.g., to select between RAN 119 and WLAN AP 106, and/or traffic steering, e.g., to steer and/or route traffic of UE 102 between RAN 119 and/or WLAN AP 106, for example, based on the one or more access network selection and traffic steering rules and/or access network selection and traffic steering parameters. [0066] In some demonstrative embodiments, the one or more access network selection and traffic steering rules and/or, access network selection and traffic steering parameters may include rules and/or parameters for steering traffic of UE 102 between WLAN and 3 GPP networks, e.g., in accordance with 3GPP Specifications, e.g., 3GPP TS 36.304 and/or 3GPP TS 25.304, and/or any other specification and/or protocol.

[0067] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may also include, for example, one or more of a processor 124, an input unit 116, an output unit 118, a memory unit 120, and/or a storage unit 122. UE 102 may optionally include other suitable hardware components and/or software components. In some demonstrative embodiments, some or all of the components of UE 102 may be enclosed in a common housing or packaging, and may be interconnected or operably associated using one or more wired or wireless links.

[0068] In some demonstrative embodiments, processor 124 may include, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), one or more processor cores, a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a multiple-core processor, a microprocessor, a host processor, a controller, a plurality of processors or controllers, a chip, a microchip, one or more circuits, circuitry, a logic unit, an Integrated Circuit (IC), an Application-Specific IC (ASIC), or any other suitable multi-purpose or specific processor or controller. For example, processor 124 may execute instructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of UE 102 and/or of one or more suitable applications.

[0069] In some demonstrative embodiments, input unit 116 may include, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a touch-screen, a touch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a microphone, or other suitable pointing device or input device. Output unit 118 may include, for example, a screen, a touch-screen, a flat panel display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display unit, a plasma display unit, one or more audio speakers or earphones, or other suitable output devices.

[0070] In some demonstrative embodiments, memory unit 120 may include, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units. Storage unit 122 may include, for example, a storage drive, a storage card, and/or other suitable removable or non-removable storage units. Memory unit 120 and/or storage unit 122, for example, may store data processed by UE 102. [0071] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations, which may be configured to steer traffic between two access networks, e.g., between the cellular network and the WLAN, for example, in accordance with an evaluation of one or more RAN rules, e.g., as described below.

[0072] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may include a BB module 148, which may be configured to evaluate the RAN rules, e.g., as described below.

[0073] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may include one or more upper layers (UL) 149, which may be configured to perform the one or more traffic steering operations, for example, based on a trigger, e.g., as described below.

[0074] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of controller 145 may be implemented by an integrated circuit, for example, a chip, e.g., a System on Chip (SoC). In one example, the chip or SoC may be configured to perform one or more functionalities of baseband 148, upper layers 149, cellular transceiver 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147. For example, the chip or SoC may include one or more elements of controller 145, and/or one or more elements of baseband 148, upper layers 149, cellular transceiver 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147. In one example, controller 145, baseband 148, upper layers 149, cellular transceiver 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147 may be implemented as part of the chip or SoC.

[0075] In other embodiments, controller 145, baseband 148, upper layers 149, cellular transceiver 146 and/or WLAN TRx 147 may be implemented by one or more additional or alternative elements of UE 102.

[0076] In some demonstrative embodiments, RAN-assisted WLAN interworking based on RAN rules, for example, in accordance with 3GPP Specifications, e.g., 3GPP TS 36.304 and/or 3GPP TS 25.304, and/or any other specification and/or protocol, may be applicable to both idle and connected modes of UE 102.

[0077] In some demonstrative embodiments, in the connected mode, the evaluation of the RAN rules may trigger traffic steering from one access network, e.g., LTE to another access network, e.g. WLAN).

[0078] In some demonstrative embodiments, although in the idle mode there may be no traffic to steer, evaluation of the RAN rules may be performed, for example, to prevent unnecessary signaling and/or delay when the UE 102 is to switch from the idle mode to the connected mode. For example, the evaluation of the RAN rules in the idle mode may allow UE 102, for example, to predetermine which access network to use, e.g., if and when UE 102 may have traffic to send and may switch to the connected mode.

[0079] In some demonstrative embodiments, in some scenarios, use cases, and/or deployments, configuring a UE to trigger one or more steering operations based on the evaluation of the RAN rules, e.g., regardless of whether the UE is in the idle mode or the connected mode and/or regardless of whether or not the UE is actively communicating traffic, may result in the UE performing unnecessary and/or undesired operations and/or communications, for example, when the UE is in the idle mode, e.g., as described below. These unnecessary operations may result in an unnecessary increase in power consumption, degradation of user experience, increase in a workload of the UE, and/or increase in a load on the network.

[0080] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to functionalities defined by some specifications, e.g., 3GPP TS 24.302, evaluation of the RAN rules when a UE is at the idle mode may result in the UE triggering one or more operations and/or performing unnecessary signaling, when in idle mode, for example, as a result of the evaluation of the RAN rules, e.g., even if the UE has actually no traffic to send or receive. For example, if the UE is required to constantly evaluate the RAN rules, when the conditions of the RAN rules are met, an indication may be sent to upper layers, and the upper layers, upon receiving such indication, may trigger UE actions to handover all offloadable PDN connections to WLAN or back to LTE, e.g., regardless of whether the UE in idle or connected mode, and/or regardless of whether the UE has any traffic to send/receive.

[0081] In one example, according a current version of 3 GPP TS 36.304 a UE shall constantly evaluate the RAN rules, and whenever the conditions of the RAN rules are met, the UE shall send an indication to the upper layers:

"The upper layers in the UE shall be notified (see TS 24.302 [28]) when and for which

WLAN(s), that matches all the provided identifiers (in subclause 5.6.3) for a specific entry in the list, the following conditions 1 and 2 for steering traffic from E-UTRAN to WLAN are satisfied for a time interval TsteeringWLAN"

[0082] In one example, according a current version of 3 GPP TS 24.302, the UE may be required to perform the following actions, for example, once the conditions of the RAN rules are met:

"Upon: receiving move-traffic-to-WLAN indication, along with the list of the WLAN identifiers, if the user preferences are not present; or

establishment of a new PDN connection in 3GPP access, if the PDN connection is an offloadable PDN connection, the access stratum indicated move- traffic-to-WLAN, the access stratum has not indicated the move-traffic-from-WLAN indication after indicating of the move-traffic-to-WLAN indication and the user preferences are not present;

and:

the UE is capable to simultaneously route IP traffic to both 3GPP access and WLAN; or

the UE is not capable to simultaneously route IP traffic to both 3GPP access and WLAN, and all the PDN connections of the UE in 3GPP access are offloadable PDN connections;

the UE:

a) shall perform the procedure in subclause 5.1.3.2.3 and in subclause 5.2.3.2 to select the selected WLAN and the NAI for authentication;

b) if not authenticated yet with the selected WLAN using the NAI for authentication in subclause 6.4, shall authenticate with the selected WLAN using the NAI for authentication in subclause 6.4. During authentication, if the selected WLAN is a trusted WLAN, SCM is supported by both UE and network, MCM is not supported by UE, network or both, and if:

the UE is not capable to simultaneously route IP traffic to both 3GPP access and WLAN, and the UE has only one PDN connection;

shall handover one offloadable PDN connection from 3GPP access to the WLAN access using procedures in subclause 6.4.2.6.2;

NOTE: When the UE already has one PDN connection established via WLAN in SCM, and if move-traffic-to-WLAN indication is received, it is up to the UE implementation to determine whether to offload a PDN connection from 3GPP access to WLAN. In that case, it is also up to the UE implementation to determine which one of the offloadable PDN connections will be offloaded.

c) if the selected WLAN is a trusted WLAN, and MCM is supported by both UE and network, shall handover all the offloadable PDN connections from 3 GPP access to the WLAN access using procedures of 3 GPP TS 24.244 [56]; "

[0083] According to this example, upon receiving the indication to move traffic to the WLAN, the upper layers may be required to authenticate with the WLAN and handover all offloadable PDN connections to WLAN. This operation may trigger associated control plane signaling.

[0084] According to this example, if the UE follows these operations, when the UE is in idle mode and mobile, e.g. , if the UE moves in and out of WLAN coverage, the UE may be required to "move traffic" back and forth between the LTE access network and the WLAN access network, for example, even when the UE has no traffic to send or receive. These unnecessary operations may result in unnecessary control plane signaling, e.g., on both WLAN and LTE access networks.

[0085] In another example, a similar problem may occur, for example, with respect to moving traffic to the WLAN and/or from the WLAN.

[0086] Some demonstrative embodiments are described herein with respect to triggering steering operations based on to traffic steering rules for steering traffic between an LTE access network and a WLAN access network. Other embodiments may be implemented with respect to triggering steering operations based on to traffic steering rules for steering traffic between any other access network, for example, between UMTS and WLAN access networks and/or any other combination of two or more access networks.

[0087] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to differentiate between the idle mode and the connected mode, for example, with respect to triggering the one or more traffic steering operations, e.g., as described below.

[0088] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger the one or more traffic steering operations, for example, based at least on whether the UE 102 is at the idle mode or the connected mode, e.g., as described below.

[0089] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger the one or more traffic steering operations at a first timing, e.g., when the UE 102 is at the connected mode, and to trigger the one or more traffic steering operations at a second timing, e.g., which may be differed with respect to the first timing, for example, when the UE 102 is at the idle mode, e.g., as described below.

[0090] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer triggering of one or more traffic steering operations until UE 102 is at a predefined communication status, e.g., as described below.

[0091] In some demonstrative embodiments, the traffic steering operations may include configured to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more RAN rules, e.g., as described above.

[0092] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 and BB 148 may be implemented as separate elements of UE 102.

[0093] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be implemented as part of, and/or may operate as part of, upper layer 149, as a dedicated element, and/or as part of any other element of UE 102.

[0094] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to receive from baseband 148 an indication to perform the traffic steering operations, and to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, e.g., to be performed by upper layer 149, for example, until UE 102 is at the predefined communication status, e.g., as described below.

[0095] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to evaluate the RAN rules. For example, controller 145 may include a baseband controller, e.g., which may be implemented as part of, and/or may operate as part of, BB 148. According to these embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to evaluate the RAN rules, and, based on the RAN rules, to defer, e.g., until UE 102 is at the communication status, an indication to an upper layer 149 to perform the traffic steering operations, e.g., as described below.

[0096] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a first mechanism (also referred to as "Solution 1"), controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, based at least on a connection mode, e.g., idle or connected, of UE 102, e.g., as described below.

[0097] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to determine whether or not to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, while taking into account the idle/connected mode of UE 102. [0098] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, when UE 102 is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, for example, until the UE 102 switches to an RRC connected mode.

[0099] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be implemented by and/or may operate as part of upper layers 149, e.g., as described above. According to these embodiments, upon receiving the indication, e.g., from BB 148, to move traffic to/from WLAN, controller 145 may control, cause and/or trigger performing one or more traffic steering operations, for example, only if UE 102 is in the connected mode.

[00100] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, if UE 102 is in the idle mode, e.g., when controller 145 receives the indication, e.g., from BB 148, to move traffic to/from WLAN, controller 145 may "remember" the indication as a last "move to/from WLAN" decision. According to these embodiments, controller 145 may control, cause and/or trigger performing one or more traffic steering operations corresponding to the last "move to/from WLAN" decision, for example, only when the UE 102 goes into the connected mode.

[00101] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be implemented by and/or may operate as part of BB 148, e.g., as described above. According to these embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the indication to the upper layers 149 to move traffic to/from WLAN, for example, until UE 102 goes into the connected mode.

[00102] In some demonstrative embodiments, the mechanism of determining whether or not to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, while taking into account the idle/connected mode of UE 102, may be relatively easy and/or simple to implement, for example, in logic of controller 145, baseband 148 and/or upper layers 149. In one example, one or more specifications, for example, 3GPP TS 36.304 and/or 3 GPP TS 24.302 may be amended to support one or more operations and/or functionalities of this mechanism to differ the traffic steering at idle mode.

[00103] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a second mechanism (also referred to as "Solution 2"), controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, based at least on whether or not there is traffic to be communicated by UE 102, e.g., as described below. In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to implement the second mechanism in addition to or instead of the first mechanism described above. [00104] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, when UE 102 does not communicate traffic, for example, until UE 102 is to communicate traffic, e.g., as described below.

[00105] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to monitor a traffic pattern of UE 102 during a time window, and to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, when UE 102 does not communicate traffic during the time window, e.g., as described below.

[00106] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to determine whether or not to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, while taking into account whether or not there is traffic to be communicated by UE 102, e.g., as described below.

[00107] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be implemented by and/or may operate as part of upper layers 149, e.g., as described above. According to these embodiments, upon receiving the indication, e.g., from BB 148, to move traffic to/from WLAN, controller 145 may control, cause and/or trigger performing one or more traffic steering operations, for example, based on one or more traffic statistics corresponding to traffic communicated by UE 102, e.g., as described below.

[00108] In some demonstrative embodiments, upon receiving the indication, e.g., from BB 148, to move traffic to/from WLAN, controller 145 may control, cause and/or trigger performing one or more traffic steering operations, for example, only if UE 102 is actively sending and/or receiving traffic.

[00109] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, if UE 102 is not actively sending and/or receiving traffic, e.g., when controller 145 receives the indication, e.g., from BB 148, to move traffic to/from WLAN, controller 145 may "remember" the indication as a last "move to/from WLAN" decision. According to these embodiments, controller 145 may control, cause and/or trigger performing one or more traffic steering operations corresponding to the last "move to/from WLAN" decision, for example, only when UE 102 is to begin sending and/or receiving traffic, for example, upon determining that UE 102 is to begin communicating traffic and/or upon detecting that UE 102 is actively communicating traffic.

[00110] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be implemented by and/or may operate as part of BB 148, e.g., as described above. According to these embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the indication to the upper layers 149 to move traffic to/from WLAN, for example, until UE 102 is to begin sending and/or receiving traffic, for example, upon determining that UE 102 is to begin communicating traffic and/or upon detecting that UE 102 is actively communicating traffic.

[00111] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 and/or any other element of UE 102 may be configured to monitor a traffic pattern of UE 102, e.g., with respect to for both transmission and reception, for example, during a time period, e.g., a sliding window. For example, the sliding window may have a predefined size, e.g., a few seconds, tens of seconds, or any other duration.

[00112] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, based on traffic communicated during the time period. For example, controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, if UE 102 does not send and/or received any traffic during the sliding window, e.g., until detecting a communication of traffic by UE 102.

[00113] In some demonstrative embodiments, the mechanism of determining whether or not to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, while taking into account the traffic communicated by UE 102, may be relatively easy and/or simple to implement, for example, in logic of controller 145, baseband 148 and/or upper layers 149. In one example, one or more specifications, for example, 3 GPP TS 36.304 and/or 3GPP TS 24.302 may be amended to support one or more operations and/or functionalities of this mechanism to differ the traffic steering at idle mode.

[00114] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, for example, according to one or more mechanisms, e.g., in addition to or instead of the first and second mechanisms described above, e.g., as described below.

[00115] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a third mechanism (also referred to as "Solution 3"), controller 145 may be configured to apply different steering timer periods, for example, based at least on the RRC idle/connected mode of UE 102, e.g., as described below. In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to implement the third mechanism in addition to or instead of the first and/or second mechanisms described above. [00116] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on an evaluation of one or more RAN rules during at least one steering timer period.

[00117] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger the one or more traffic steering operations, for example, based on fulfillment of one or more access network selection and traffic steering rules during the steering timer period.

[00118] In some demonstrative embodiments, the steering time period may include, for example, at least one TsteeringwiAN timer period.

[00119] In some demonstrative embodiments, a probability that the triggering of the traffic steering operations may be differed may increased and/or a frequency of performing the traffic steering operations may decrease, for example, by using a longer steering timer period for evaluating the RAN rules.

[00120] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to use at least one first steering timer setting to evaluate the RAN rules, for example, when UE 102 is at the idle mode; and to use at least one second steering timer setting, which may be different from the first steering timer setting, to evaluate the RAN rules, e.g., when UE 102 is at the connected mode, e.g., as described below.

[00121] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to set the steering timer period to a first period, when UE 102 is at a RRC idle mode, and to set the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when UE 102 is at an RRC connected mode.

[00122] In some demonstrative embodiments, the first period may be longer than the second period.

[00123] In one example, controller 145 may be configured to use different TsteeringwiAN timers, for example, for RRC idle mode and RRC connected mode. For example, the TsteeringwiAN timer for the RRC idle mode may be longer, e.g., significantly longer, than the TsteeringwiAN timer for the RRC connected mode. Accordingly, the frequency of "moving traffic" to/from the WLAN may be reduced, when UE 102 is at the RRC idle mode, e.g., compared to the RRC connected mode. [00124] In some demonstrative embodiments, the first period, which may be used at the RRC idle mode, may be longer than 7 seconds, for example, if the second period, which may be used at the RRC connected mode may be, for example, between 0 and 7 seconds.

[00125] In some demonstrative embodiments, the first period may be between 7 seconds and 60 seconds, or any other duration.

[00126] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE 102 may be configured to receive an indication of the first and/or second timer periods to be used for the steering timer period, for example, from CN 160. For example, cellular TRx 146 may be configured to receive a message from RAN 119 including the first and/or second timer periods to be used for the steering timer period; and/or controller 145 may be configured to process the message including the first and/or second timer periods to be used for the steering timer period.

[00127] In some demonstrative embodiments, using the longer TsteeringwiAN timer for the RRC idle mode may enable, for example, to reduce the amount of signaling, which may result from the triggering of the traffic steering operations, e.g., when UE 102 is at the idle mode.

[00128] In one example, one or more specifications, for example, 3GPP TS 36.304 and/or 3 GPP TS 24.302 may be amended to support one or more operations and/or functionalities of the third mechanism to use the longer steering timer period at idle mode.

[00129] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a fourth mechanism (also referred to as "Solution 4"), controller 145 may be configured to apply one or more Local Operating Environment (LOE) considerations to the RAN rules, e.g., as described below. In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to implement the fourth mechanism in addition to or instead of the first, second, and/or third mechanisms described above.

[00130] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to implement an extended "local operating environment" (LOE), which may be extended, for example, to apply to RAN rules, e.g., in addition to Access Network and Selection Function (ANDSF) policies, e.g., as described below.

[00131] In one example, one or more specifications, for example, 3GPP TS 23.401, e.g., at a section "Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses" and/or any other section, and/or 3GPP TS 23.261, may be amended to define an LOE, which is to apply to a plurality of UE policies, for example, all kinds of UE policies, including at least both ANDSF rules and RAN rules.

[00132] In some demonstrative embodiments, extending the LOE to the RAN rules may enable controller 145 to take into account implementation considerations of UE 102, for example, when making one or more traffic steering decisions to move traffic to/from WLAN.

[00133] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to take into account UE traffic communicated by UE 102 and/or the idle/connected mode of UE, for example, as part of the LOE.

[00134] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to use a LOE, which may be defined in a specific manner, for example, with respect to when UE 102 may be allowed to apply its own implementation specific considerations.

[00135] In some demonstrative embodiments, using the extended LOE definition may enable, for example, to at least cause the UE behavior to be more predictable and/or testable for conformance.

[00136] Additionally or alternatively, in some demonstrative embodiments, the extended LOE definition may enable, for example, at least addressing one or more UE mobility issues, for example, by taking into consideration a mobility state of UE 102, e.g., when evaluating the RAN rules, and/or any other use case, deployment and/or scenario.

[00137] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to select whether or not to apply the LOE, for example, based on one or more specific conditions ("LOE applicability conditions"), which may define, when the LOE is applicable and/or when the LOE is not applicable.

[00138] In some demonstrative embodiments, the LOE applicability conditions may be configured, for example, such that controller 145 may make a traffic steering decision based on LOE information, for example, in one or more predefined cases and/or scenarios, e.g., only in one or more certain well-defined cases and/or scenarios.

[00139] In some demonstrative embodiments, the LOE applicability conditions may be configured, for example, such that most UEs in most cases would select to steer traffic according to ANDSF policies and/or RAN rules, e.g., without taking into account the LOE.

[00140] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio RAN rules, e.g., as described above.

[00141] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of UE 102, e.g., as described below.

[00142] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to override the steering decisions according to the RAN rules, for example, only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE 102 are not met.

[00143] In some demonstrative embodiments, the one or more predefined conditions may include, for example, at least one of a battery level condition relating to a battery level of UE 102, a throughput condition relating to a throughput on an access technology, which is selected according to the RAN rules, a traffic condition relating to an amount of traffic to be communicated by UE 102, a mobility condition relating to a mobility of UE 102, and/or one or more other additional or alternative conditions relating to one or more additional or alternative parameters, and/or attributes at UE 102.

[00144] In one, controller 145 may be configured to override the steering decisions according to the RAN rules, for example, only if a battery level of UE 102 is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and UE 102 is not stationary.

[00145] In other embodiments, any other additional or alternative conditions with respect to the parameters listed above and/or one or more additional or alternative parameters may be used.

[00146] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information, which includes a RRC mode of UE 102, e.g., whether UE 102 is at the RRC idle mode or the RRC connected mode.

[00147] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information, which includes traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by UE 102, for example, whether UE 102 is actively sending/receiving traffic or not. [00148] In some demonstrative embodiments, according to one example, according to a LOE scheme, in addition to operator policy, RAN rules and user preferences, a UE, e.g., UE 102, may take into account the LOE information, for example, when deciding which access network to use for traffic routing.

[00149] In some demonstrative embodiments, the actual Local Operating Environment Information may be implementation dependent, and may include one or more items, for example, radio environment information, quality of Internet Protocol (IP) connection, application specific requirements, power considerations, and/or one or more additional or alternative parameters and/or attributes.

[00150] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to operate according to a list of requirements, which may specify one or more cases for which Local Operating Environment is not applicable. For example, controller 145 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger UE 102 to follow operator policy, e.g., according to ANDSF policies, and/or RAN rules, for example, without taking into account the Local Operating Environment information, for example, if all of the following conditions are true:

1. UE battery level is sufficiently high, e.g., exact power level/percentage may be defined, for example, using a threshold;

2. Throughput on the access technology selected by ANDSF policy/RAN rules is sufficiently high, e.g., exact level to be defined, for example, using a threshold;

3. Traffic is sufficiently high, for example, with respect to a threshold; and

4. UE is stationary

[00151] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured, for example, to allow UE 102 to take into account the Local Operating Environment Information for traffic routing decisions, for example, if either one or more of the above conditions is not true.

[00152] In other embodiments, any other additional or alternative conditions may be used.

[00153] In some demonstrative embodiments, controller 145 may be configured to enable user preferences to override operator policies and/or RAN rules, for example, even if the above conditions are true.

[00154] In some demonstrative embodiments, the conditions specified above may be configured to ensure that in most cases UE 102 may follow operator policies/rules, thus providing predictable behavior. Additionally or alternatively, the above conditions may be adjusted and/or "fixed", for example, for purposes of certification testing. In one example, a test environment may be defined, such that the above conditions are true, thus allowing the definition of conformance testing, e.g., to provide predictable UE behavior.

[00155] Reference is made to Fig. 2, which schematically illustrates elements of a UE device 200, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example, one or more elements of UE device 200 may perform the functionality of one or more elements of UE 102 (Fig. 1). In one example, one or more elements of UE device 200 may be configured to perform the functionality of one or more of cellular TRx 146 (Fig. 1), WLAN TRx 147 (Fig. 1), controller 145 (Fig. 1), baseband 148 (Fig. 1), upper layers 149 (Fig. 1), and/or one or more other elements of UE 102 (Fig. 1). In some demonstrative embodiments, embodiments of a UE may be implemented into a system using any suitably configured hardware and/or software. Fig. 2 illustrates, for one embodiment, example components of UE device 200.

[00156] In some demonstrative embodiments, UE device 200 may include application circuitry 202, baseband circuitry 204, Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry 206, front-end module (FEM) circuitry 208, and one or more antennas 210, coupled together at least as shown.

[00157] In one example, application circuitry 202 may be configured to perform at least part of the functionality of controller 145 (Fig. 1) and/or upper layers 149 (Fig. 1); and/or baseband circuitry 204, RF circuitry 206, and/or FEM circuitry 208 may be configured to perform at least part of the functionality of baseband 148 (Fig. 1), TRx 146 (Fig. 1), WLAN TRx 147 (Fig. 1), and/or controller 145 (Fig. 1).

[00158] In some demonstrative embodiments, the application circuitry 202 may include one or more application processors. For example, the application circuitry 202 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The processor(s) may include any combination of general-purpose processors and dedicated processors (e.g., graphics processors, application processors, etc.). The processors may be coupled with and/or may include memory/storage and may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory/storage to enable various applications and/or operating systems to run on the system.

[00159] In some demonstrative embodiments, the baseband circuitry 204 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The baseband circuitry 204 may include one or more baseband processors and/or control logic to process baseband signals received from a receive signal path of the RF circuitry 206 and to generate baseband signals for a transmit signal path of the RF circuitry 206. Baseband processing circuitry 204 may interface with the application circuitry 202, for example, for generation and processing of the baseband signals and for controlling operations of the RF circuitry 206. For example, in some embodiments, the baseband circuitry 204 may include a second generation (2G) baseband processor 204a, a third generation (3G) baseband processor 204b, a fourth generation (4G) baseband processor 204c, and/or other baseband processor(s) 204d for other existing generations, generations in development or to be developed in the future (e.g., fifth generation (5G), 6G, etc.). The baseband circuitry 204 (e.g., one or more of baseband processors 204a-d) may handle various radio control functions that enable communication with one or more radio networks via the RF circuitry 206. The radio control functions may include, but are not limited to, signal modulation/demodulation, encoding/decoding, radio frequency shifting, etc. In some embodiments, modulation/demodulation circuitry of the baseband circuitry 204 may include Fast-Fourier Transform (FFT), precoding, and/or constellation mapping/demapping functionality. In some embodiments, encoding/decoding circuitry of the baseband circuitry 204 may include convolution, tail-biting convolution, turbo, Viterbi, and/or Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoder/decoder functionality. Embodiments of modulation/demodulation and encoder/decoder functionality are not limited to these examples and may include other suitable functionality in other embodiments.

[00160] In some demonstrative embodiments, the baseband circuitry 204 may include elements of a protocol stack such as, for example, elements of an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) protocol including, for example, physical (PHY), media access control (MAC), radio link control (RLC), packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), and/or radio resource control (RRC) elements. A central processing unit (CPU) 204e of the baseband circuitry 204 may be configured, for example, to run elements of the protocol stack for signaling of the PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP and/or RRC layers. In some embodiments, the baseband circuitry may include one or more audio digital signal processor(s) (DSP) 204f. The audio DSP(s) 204f may be include elements for compression/decompression and echo cancellation, and/or may include other suitable processing elements in other embodiments. Components of the baseband circuitry 204 may be suitably combined in a single chip, a single chipset, or disposed on a same circuit board in some embodiments. In some embodiments, some or all of the constituent components of the baseband circuitry 204 and the application circuitry 202 may be implemented together such as, for example, on a system on a chip (SOC).

[00161] In some demonstrative embodiments, the baseband circuitry 204 may provide for communication compatible with one or more radio technologies. For example, in some embodiments, the baseband circuitry 204 may support communication with an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) and/or other wireless metropolitan area networks (WMAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and/or one or more additional or alternative networks. Embodiments in which the baseband circuitry 204 is configured to support radio communications of more than one wireless protocol may be referred to as multi-mode baseband circuitry.

[00162] In some demonstrative embodiments, RF circuitry 206 may enable communication with wireless networks using modulated electromagnetic radiation through a non-solid medium. In various embodiments, the RF circuitry 206 may include switches, filters, amplifiers, etc. to facilitate the communication with the wireless network. RF circuitry 206 may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry to down-convert RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 208, and to provide baseband signals to the baseband circuitry 204. RF circuitry 206 may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry to up-convert baseband signals provided by the baseband circuitry 204 and provide RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 208 for transmission.

[00163] In some demonstrative embodiments, the RF circuitry 206 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the RF circuitry 206 may include mixer circuitry 206a, amplifier circuitry 206b, and filter circuitry 206c. The transmit signal path of the RF circuitry 206 may include filter circuitry 206c and mixer circuitry 206a. RF circuitry 206 may also include synthesizer circuitry 206d for synthesizing a frequency for use by the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path and the transmit signal path. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path may be configured to down-convert RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 208 based on the synthesized frequency provided by synthesizer circuitry 206d. The amplifier circuitry 206b may be configured to amplify the down-converted signals and the filter circuitry 206c may be, for example, a low-pass filter (LPF) or a band-pass filter (BPF), configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signals to generate output baseband signals. Output baseband signals may be provided to the baseband circuitry 204 for further processing. In some embodiments, the output baseband signals may be zero-frequency baseband signals, although this is not a requirement. In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path may comprise passive mixers, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[00164] In some demonstrative embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the transmit signal path may be configured to up-convert input baseband signals based on the synthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuitry 206d to generate RF output signals for the FEM circuitry 208. The baseband signals may be provided by the baseband circuitry 204 and may be filtered by filter circuitry 206c. The filter circuitry 206c may include a low-pass filter (LPF), although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[00165] In some demonstrative embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path and the mixer circuitry 206a of the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadrature downconversion and/or upconversion respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path and the mixer circuitry 206a of the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for image rejection (e.g., Hartley image rejection). In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path and the mixer circuitry 206a may be arranged for direct downconversion and/or direct upconversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 206a of the receive signal path and the mixer circuitry 206a of the transmit signal path may be configured for super-heterodyne operation.

[00166] In some demonstrative embodiments, the output baseband signals and the input baseband signals may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some alternate embodiments, the output baseband signals and the input baseband signals may be digital baseband signals. In these alternate embodiments, the RF circuitry 206 may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, and the baseband circuitry 204 may include a digital baseband interface to communicate with the RF circuitry 206.

[00167] In some dual-mode embodiments, a separate radio IC circuitry may be provided for processing signals for each spectrum, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[00168] In some demonstrative embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 206d may be a fractional-N synthesizer or a fractional N/N+l synthesizer, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect as other types of frequency synthesizers may be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuitry 206d may be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer comprising a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider.

[00169] In some demonstrative embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 206d may be configured to synthesize an output frequency for use by the mixer circuitry 206a of the RF circuitry 206 based on a frequency input and a divider control input. In some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 206d may be a fractional N/N+l synthesizer.

[00170] In some demonstrative embodiments, frequency input may be provided by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), although that is not a requirement. Divider control input may be provided by either the baseband circuitry 204 or the applications processor 202 depending on the desired output frequency. In some embodiments, a divider control input (e.g., N) may be determined from a look-up table based on a channel indicated by the applications processor 202.

[00171] In some demonstrative embodiments, synthesizer circuitry 206d of the RF circuitry 206 may include a divider, a delay-locked loop (DLL), a multiplexer and a phase accumulator. In some embodiments, the divider may be a dual modulus divider (DMD) and the phase accumulator may be a digital phase accumulator (DP A). In some embodiments, the DMD may be configured to divide the input signal by either N or N+l (e.g., based on a carry out) to provide a fractional division ratio. In some example embodiments, the DLL may include a set of cascaded, tunable, delay elements, a phase detector, a charge pump and a D- type flip-flop. In these embodiments, the delay elements may be configured to break a VCO period up into Nd equal packets of phase, where Nd is the number of delay elements in the delay line. In this way, the DLL provides negative feedback to help ensure that the total delay through the delay line is one VCO cycle.

[00172] In some demonstrative embodiments, synthesizer circuitry 206d may be configured to generate a carrier frequency as the output frequency, while in other embodiments, the output frequency may be a multiple of the carrier frequency (e.g., twice the carrier frequency, four times the carrier frequency) and used in conjunction with quadrature generator and divider circuitry to generate multiple signals at the carrier frequency with multiple different phases with respect to each other. In some embodiments, the output frequency may be a LO frequency (fLO). In some embodiments, the RF circuitry 206 may include an IQ/polar converter. [00173] In some demonstrative embodiments, FEM circuitry 208 may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry configured to operate on RF signals received from one or more antennas 210, amplify the received signals and provide the amplified versions of the received signals to the RF circuitry 206 for further processing. FEM circuitry 208 may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify signals for transmission provided by the RF circuitry 206 for transmission by one or more of the one or more antennas 210.

[00174] In some demonstrative embodiments, the FEM circuitry 208 may include a TX/RX switch to switch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEM circuitry may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuitry may include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) to amplify received RF signals and provide the amplified received RF signals as an output (e.g., to the RF circuitry 206). The transmit signal path of the FEM circuitry 208 may include a power amplifier (PA) to amplify input RF signals (e.g., provided by RF circuitry 206), and one or more filters to generate RF signals for subsequent transmission (e.g., by one or more of the one or more antennas 210.

[00175] In some embodiments, the UE device 200 may include one or more additional or alternative elements such as, for example, memory/storage, display, camera, sensor, and/or input/output (I/O) interface.

[00176] Fig. 3 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations of the method of Fig. 3 may be performed by a wireless communication system, e.g., system 100 (Fig. 1); a UE, e.g., UE 102 (Fig. 1); controller, e.g., controller 145 (Fig. 1); a baseband module, e.g., baseband 148 (Fig. 1); and/or an upper layer, e.g., upper layer 149 (Fig. 1).

[00177] As indicated at block 302, the method may include evaluating one or more RAN rules at a UE. For example, baseband 148 (Fig. 1) and/or controller 145 (Fig. 1) may evaluate one or more RAN rules at UE 102 (Fig. 1), e.g., as described above.

[00178] As indicated at block 304, the method may include deferring triggering of one or more traffic steering operations in accordance with the evaluation of the RAN rules until the UE is at a predefined communication status. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may be configured to defer triggering of one or more traffic steering operations until the UE 102 (Fig. 1) is at a predefined communication status. [00179] As indicated at block 306, deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations may include deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a RRC idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when UE 102 (Fig. 1) is at a RRC idle mode, until UE 102 (Fig. 1) switches to an RRC connected mode, e.g., as described above.

[00180] As indicated at block 308, deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations may include deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, UE 102 (Fig. 1) does not communicate traffic, until UE 102 (Fig. 1) is to communicate traffic, e.g., as described above.

[00181] Fig. 4 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations of the method of Fig. 4 may be performed by a wireless communication system, e.g., system 100 (Fig. 1); a UE, e.g., UE 102 (Fig. 1); controller, e.g., controller 145 (Fig. 1); a baseband module, e.g., baseband 148 (Fig. 1); and/or an upper layer, e.g., upper layer 149 (Fig. 1).

[00182] As indicated at block 402, the method may include setting a steering timer period to a first period, when a UE is at a RRC idle mode. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may set a steering timer period to a first period, when UE 102 (Fig. 1) is at an idle mode, e.g., as described above.

[00183] As indicated at block 404, the method may include setting the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may set a steering timer period to a second period, when UE 102 (Fig. 1) is at a connected mode, e.g., as described above.

[00184] As indicated at block 406, the method may include triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN based on an evaluation of one or more RAN rules during the steering timer period. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN based on an evaluation of one or more RAN rules during the steering timer period, which may be set, for example, according to the idle/connected mode of UE 102 (Fig. 1), e.g., as described above. [00185] Fig. 5 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of traffic steering at a UE, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations of the method of Fig. 5 may be performed by a wireless communication system, e.g., system 100 (Fig. 1); a UE, e.g., UE 102 (Fig. 1); controller, e.g., controller 145 (Fig. 1); a baseband module, e.g., baseband 148 (Fig. 1); and/or an upper layer, e.g., upper layer 149 (Fig. 1).

[00186] As indicated at block 502, the method may include triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more RAN rules. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between RAN 119 (Fig. 1) and WLAN 106 (Fig. 1) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more RAN rules, e.g., as described above.

[00187] As indicated at block 504, the method may include overriding the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE. For example, controller 145 (Fig. 1) may override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of UE 102 (Fig, 1), e.g., as described above.

[00188] Reference is made to Fig. 6, which schematically illustrates a product of manufacture 600, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. Product 600 may include a non-transitory machine -readable storage medium 602 to store logic 604, which may be used, for example, to perform at least part of the functionality of UE 102 (Fig. 1), UE 200 (Fig. 2), controller 145 (Fig. 1), baseband 148 (Fig. 1), and/or upper layer 149 (Fig. 1), and/or to perform one or more operations of the methods of Fig. 3, 4 and/or 5. The phrase "non- transitory machine-readable medium" is directed to include all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory propagating signal.

[00189] In some demonstrative embodiments, product 600 and/or machine-readable storage medium 602 may include one or more types of computer-readable storage media capable of storing data, including volatile memory, non- volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and the like. For example, machine-readable storage medium 602 may include, RAM, DRAM, Double- Data-Rate DRAM (DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory (e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM), polymer memory, phase-change memory, ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a floppy disk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a card, a magnetic card, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the like. The computer-readable storage media may include any suitable media involved with downloading or transferring a computer program from a remote computer to a requesting computer carried by data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium through a communication link, e.g., a modem, radio or network connection.

[00190] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 604 may include instructions, data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method, process and/or operations as described herein. The machine may include, for example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform, computing device, processing device, computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware, software, firmware, and the like.

[00191] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 604 may include, or may be implemented as, software, a software module, an application, a program, a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set, computing code, words, values, symbols, and the like. The instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. The instructions may be implemented according to a predefined computer language, manner or syntax, for instructing a processor to perform a certain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language, such as C, C++, Java, BASIC, Matlab, Pascal, Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code, and the like.

EXAMPLES

[00192] The following examples pertain to further embodiments.

[00193] Example 1 includes a User Equipment (UE) comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to communicate with a WLAN; a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network; and a controller configured to defer triggering of one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status, the traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules.

[00194] Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

[00195] Example 3 includes the subject matter of Example 1 or 2, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

[00196] Example 4 includes the subject matter of Example 3, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window.

[00197] Example 5 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-4, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to receive from a baseband an indication to perform the traffic steering operations, and to defer the traffic steering operations until the UE is at the predefined communication status.

[00198] Example 6 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-4, and optionally, wherein the controller comprises a baseband controller to evaluate the RAN rules, and, based on the RAN rules, to defer, until the UE is at the communication status, an indication to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

[00199] Example 7 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-6, and optionally, comprising one or more antennas, a memory and a processor.

[00200] Example 8 includes a User Equipment (UE) comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to communicate with a WLAN; a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network; and a controller configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during a steering timer period, the controller is configured to set the steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and to set the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode. [00201] Example 9 includes the subject matter of Example 8, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

[00202] Example 10 includes the subject matter of Example 8 or 9, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

[00203] Example 11 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-10, and optionally, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

[00204] Example 12 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-11, and optionally, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

[00205] Example 13 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-12, and optionally, wherein the cellular transceiver is to receive an indication of the first period from the cellular network.

[00206] Example 14 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-13, and optionally, comprising one or more antennas, a memory and a processor.

[00207] Example 15 includes a User Equipment (UE) comprising a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network; a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to detect a WLAN AP; and a controller configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules, the controller is configured to override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE.

[00208] Example 16 includes the subject matter of Example 15, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to override the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

[00209] Example 17 includes the subject matter of Example 15 or 16, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to override the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

[00210] Example 18 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 15-17, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE. [00211] Example 19 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 15-18, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

[00212] Example 20 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 15-19, and optionally, comprising one or more antennas, a memory and a processor.

[00213] Example 21 includes an apparatus comprising circuitry configured to cause a User Equipment (UE) to determine one or more traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and defer triggering of the one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status.

[00214] Example 22 includes the subject matter of Example 21, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

[00215] Example 23 includes the subject matter of Example 21 or 22, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

[00216] Example 24 includes the subject matter of Example 23, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to monitor a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window.

[00217] Example 25 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 21-24, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to defer the traffic steering operations by deferring an indication from a baseband to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

[00218] Example 26 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 21-24, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to defer the traffic steering operations at an upper layer.

[00219] Example 27 includes an apparatus comprising circuitry configured to cause a User Equipment (UE) to set a steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and set the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode; and trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during the steering timer period.

[00220] Example 28 includes the subject matter of Example 27, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

[00221] Example 29 includes the subject matter of Example 27 or 28, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

[00222] Example 30 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 27-29, and optionally, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

[00223] Example 31 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 27-30, and optionally, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

[00224] Example 32 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 27-31, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to set the steering timer period based on an indication of the first period from the cellular network.

[00225] Example 33 includes an apparatus comprising circuitry configured to cause a User Equipment (UE) to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE.

[00226] Example 34 includes the subject matter of Example 33, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to override the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

[00227] Example 35 includes the subject matter of Example 33 or 34, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the UE to override the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary. [00228] Example 36 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 33-35, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

[00229] Example 37 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 33-36, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

[00230] Example 38 includes a product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the operations comprising determining one or more traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and deferring triggering of the one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status.

[00231] Example 39 includes the subject matter of Example 38, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

[00232] Example 40 includes the subject matter of Example 38 or 39, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

[00233] Example 41 includes the subject matter of Example 40, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise monitoring a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window.

[00234] Example 42 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 38-41, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise deferring the traffic steering operations by deferring an indication from a baseband to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

[00235] Example 43 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 38-41, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise deferring the traffic steering operations at an upper layer. [00236] Example 44 includes a product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the operations comprising selecting between setting a steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and setting the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode; and triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during the steering timer period.

[00237] Example 45 includes the subject matter of Example 44, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

[00238] Example 46 includes the subject matter of Example 44 or 48, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

[00239] Example 47 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 44-46, and optionally, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

[00240] Example 48 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 44-47, and optionally, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

[00241] Example 49 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 44-48, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise setting the steering timer period based on an indication of the first period from the cellular network.

[00242] Example 50 includes a product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the operations comprising triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and overriding the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE. [00243] Example 51 includes the subject matter of Example 50, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise overriding the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

[00244] Example 52 includes the subject matter of Example 50 or 51, and optionally, wherein the operations comprise overriding the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

[00245] Example 53 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 50-52, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

[00246] Example 54 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 50-53, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

[00247] Example 55 includes a method to be performed at a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising determining one or more traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and deferring triggering of the one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status.

[00248] Example 56 includes the subject matter of Example 55, and optionally, comprising deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

[00249] Example 57 includes the subject matter of Example 55 or 56, and optionally, comprising deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

[00250] Example 58 includes the subject matter of Example 57, and optionally, comprising monitoring a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window. [00251] Example 59 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 55-58, and optionally, comprising deferring the traffic steering operations by deferring an indication from a baseband to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

[00252] Example 60 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 55-58, and optionally, comprising deferring the traffic steering operations at an upper layer.

[00253] Example 61 includes a method to be performed at a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising selecting between setting a steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and setting the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode; and triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during the steering timer period.

[00254] Example 62 includes the subject matter of Example 61, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

[00255] Example 63 includes the subject matter of Example 61 or 62, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

[00256] Example 64 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 61-63, and optionally, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

[00257] Example 65 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 61-64, and optionally, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

[00258] Example 66 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 61-65, and optionally, comprising setting the steering timer period based on an indication of the first period from the cellular network.

[00259] Example 67 includes a method to be performed at a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and overriding the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE. [00260] Example 68 includes the subject matter of Example 67, and optionally, comprising overriding the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

[00261] Example 69 includes the subject matter of Example 67 or 68, and optionally, comprising overriding the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

[00262] Example 70 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-69, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

[00263] Example 71 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-70, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

[00264] Example 72 includes an apparatus configured to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising means for determining one or more traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between a cellular network and a WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and means for deferring triggering of the one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status.

[00265] Example 73 includes the subject matter of Example 72, and optionally, comprising means for deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

[00266] Example 74 includes the subject matter of Example 72 or 73, and optionally, comprising means for deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

[00267] Example 75 includes the subject matter of Example 74, and optionally, comprising means for monitoring a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and deferring the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window. [00268] Example 76 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 72-75, and optionally, comprising means for deferring the traffic steering operations by deferring an indication from a baseband to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

[00269] Example 77 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 72-75, and optionally, comprising means for deferring the traffic steering operations at an upper layer.

[00270] Example 78 includes an apparatus configured to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising means for selecting between setting a steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and setting the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode; and means for triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during the steering timer period.

[00271] Example 79 includes the subject matter of Example 78, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

[00272] Example 80 includes the subject matter of Example 78 or 79, and optionally, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

[00273] Example 81 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 78-80, and optionally, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

[00274] Example 82 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 78-81, and optionally, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

[00275] Example 83 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 78-82, and optionally, comprising means for setting the steering timer period based on an indication of the first period from the cellular network.

[00276] Example 84 includes an apparatus configured to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising means for triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and means for overriding the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE. [00277] Example 85 includes the subject matter of Example 84, and optionally, comprising means for overriding the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

[00278] Example 86 includes the subject matter of Example 84 or 85, and optionally, comprising means for overriding the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

[00279] Example 87 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 84-86, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

[00280] Example 88 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 84-87, and optionally, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

[00281] Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may be utilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more other embodiments, or vice versa.

[00282] While certain features have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network;

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to detect a WLAN AP; and a controller configured to trigger one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules, the controller is configured to override the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to override the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to override the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

4. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

5. The UE of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

6. The UE of any one of claims 1-4 comprising one or more antennas, a memory and a processor.

7. A system of cellular communication comprising a User Equipment (UE), the UE comprising:

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver to communicate with a

WLAN;

a cellular transceiver to communicate with a cellular network; and a controller configured to defer triggering of one or more traffic steering operations until the UE is at a predefined communication status, the traffic steering operations configured to steer traffic between the cellular network and the WLAN in accordance with an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, until the UE switches to an RRC connected mode.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic, until the UE is to communicate traffic.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said controller is configured to monitor a traffic pattern of the UE during a time window, and to defer the triggering of the traffic steering operations, when the UE does not communicate traffic during the time window.

11. The system of any one of claims 7-10, wherein the controller is configured to receive from a baseband an indication to perform the traffic steering operations, and to defer the traffic steering operations until the UE is at the predefined communication status.

12. The system of any one of claims 7-10, wherein the controller comprises a baseband controller to evaluate the RAN rules, and, based on the RAN rules, to defer, until the UE is at the communication status, an indication to an upper layer to perform the traffic steering operations.

13. A product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to perform one or more operations at a User Equipment (UE), the operations comprising:

triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on one or more steering decisions in accordance with one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules; and

overriding the steering decisions based on local operating environment information corresponding to a local operating environment of the UE.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein the operations comprise overriding the steering decisions only if one or more predefined conditions relating to the local operating environment of the UE are not met.

15. The product of claim 13, wherein the operations comprise overriding the steering decisions only if a battery level of the UE is not higher than a battery level threshold, a throughput on an access technology selected according to the RAN rules is not higher than a throughput threshold, an amount of traffic is not higher than a traffic threshold, and the UE is not stationary.

16. The product of claim 13, wherein the local operating environment information comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) mode of the UE.

17. The product of any one of claims 13-16, wherein the local operating environment information comprises traffic information corresponding to traffic communicated by the UE.

18. A method to be performed at a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:

selecting between setting a steering timer period to a first period, when the UE is at a radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode, and setting the steering timer period to a second period, different from the first period, when the UE is at an RRC connected mode; and

triggering one or more traffic steering operations to steer traffic between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) based on an evaluation of one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) rules during the steering timer period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first period is longer than the second period.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first period is longer than 7 seconds.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first period is between 7 seconds and 60 seconds.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the steering timer period comprises a TsteeringWLAN timer period.

23. The method of claim 18 comprising setting the steering timer period based on an indication of said first period from the cellular network.

24. A product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to perform the method of any one of claims 18-23.

25. An apparatus of cellular communication comprising means for causing a User Equipment (UE) to perform the method of any one of claims 18-23.