Controlling the Operation of Mobile Terminals with Respect to Multiple Radio Access Technologies

Abstract

According to an aspect, there is provided a method of operating a mobile device in a communication network. The method comprises receiving a list of wireless local area network (WLAN) identifiers from the communication network ( 600 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a network node in a communication network, the method comprising:
 determining whether a list of WLAN identifiers stored in a mobile device is valid; and   sending a list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device in response to determining that the list of WLAN identifiers stored in the mobile device is not valid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the list of WLAN identifiers further comprises sending an identifier for the list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the identifier for the list of WLAN identifiers comprises a version number and/or a hash value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the WLAN identifiers in the list is a service set identification (SSID), or a basic SSID (BSSID), or an extended SSID (ESSID), or a homogenous ESSID (HESSID), or a HotSpot 2.0 identifier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the list of WLAN identifiers is for use by the mobile device in an access network selection and/or traffic steering procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of the capability of the mobile device to receive a list of WLAN identifiers from the mobile device; and   sending the list of WLAN identifiers in response to the received indication indicating that the mobile device is capable of receiving a list of WLAN identifiers.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the list of WLAN identifiers stored in the mobile device is valid comprises determining whether the list of WLAN identifiers is valid for the area in which the mobile device is located. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for a list of WLAN identifiers from the mobile device; and   sending the list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device in response to the received request.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication from the mobile device that the mobile device does not have a stored list of WLAN identifiers; and   sending the list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device in response to the received indication.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the mobile device has a valid list of WLAN identifiers stored therein following a mobility event or a connectivity event by the mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether the mobile device has a valid list of WLAN identifiers comprises comparing the identifier for a valid list of WLAN identifiers to an identifier of a list of WLAN identifiers previously sent to the mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether the mobile device has a valid list of WLAN identifiers comprises comparing the identifier for a valid list of WLAN identifiers to an identifier of a list of WLAN identifiers received from the mobile device as part of the mobility event or connectivity event signaling. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 broadcasting an identifier for a list of WLAN identifiers that is valid for a particular area.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating a list of WLAN identifiers for use by a mobile device in an access network selection and/or traffic steering procedure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 creating an identifier for the list of WLAN identifiers, the identifier comprising a version number and/or hash value.   
     
     
         16 . A network node for use in a communication network, the network node comprising:
 radio circuitry configured to communicate with a mobile device; and   processing circuitry operatively coupled to the radio circuitry and configured to:
 determine whether a list of WLAN identifiers stored in the mobile device is valid; and 
 send a list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device, via the radio circuitry, in response to determining that the list of WLAN identifiers stored in the mobile device is not valid. 
   
     
     
         17 . The network node of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to send an identifier for the list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The network node of  claim 16 , wherein each of the WLAN identifiers in the list is a service set identification (SSID), or a basic SSID (BSSID), or an extended SSID (ESSID), or a homogenous ESSID (HESSID), or a HotSpot 2.0 identifier. 
     
     
         19 . The network node of  claim 16 , where the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 receive an indication of the capability of the mobile device to receive a list of WLAN identifiers from the mobile device; and   send the list of WLAN identifiers in response to the received indication indicating that the mobile device is capable of receiving a list of WLAN identifiers.   
     
     
         20 . A computer program product having computer readable code embodied therein, with the computer readable code being configured such that, on execution by a suitable computer or processing unit of a network node, the computer or processing unit is caused to:
 determine whether a list of WLAN identifiers stored in a mobile device is valid; and   send a list of WLAN identifiers to the mobile device, in response to determining that the list of WLAN identifiers stored in the mobile device is not valid.