Node and method for managing a data flow between networks of different access types

Abstract

Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a wireless device and core network node, as well as corresponding methods therein, for managing a data flow between a network access type 1 and a network access type 2. According to some examples, access type 1 may be a 3GPP access and access type 2 may be a non-3GPP access. The wireless device is connectable to both the networks of access types 1 and 2.

1 . A method, in a wireless device, for managing a data flow between a network of access type 1 and a network of access type 2, wherein the wireless device is connectable to both the networks of access types 1 and 2, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a radio access network (RAN) node, RAN assistance information related to a selection between access types 1 and 2;   detecting, based on the received information, a need to change an access type currently in use by the wireless device;   transmitting, to a core network node, a notification to change a current access type, of access types 1 and 2;   receiving, from the core network node, a routing rule, the routing rule comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) filter identifying a data flow and indicating an access type for the identified data flow, said indicated access type for the identified data flow being one of access type 1 and access type 2; and   transmitting the identified data flow according to the received routing rule.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received information comprises RAN assistance parameters and wherein the detecting of the need to change an access type compromises applying a RAN rule. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein RAN assistance parameters comprises threshold level parameters for access types 1 based metrics, access types 2 based metrics, or both. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received information comprises a traffic steering command for changing an access type currently in use by the wireless device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the core network node, an indication that the detecting is to be performed. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indication is provided during a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection setup. 
     
     
         7 . A wireless device for managing a data flow between a network of access type 1 and a network of access type 2, wherein the wireless device is connectable to both the networks of access types 1 and 2, the wireless device comprising:
 a receiving unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver; and   a processing unit comprising one or more processors, wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the wireless device to:   detect, based on information received from a Radio Access Network (RAN) node related to a selection between network access types, a need to change an access type currently in use by the wireless device;   transmit, to a core network node, a notification to change a current access type of access types 1 and 2; and   in response to receiving, from the core network node, a routing rule comprising an Internet Protocol(IP) filter identifying a data flow and indicating an access type for the identified data flow, said indicated access type for the identified data flow being one of access type 1 and access type 2, transmit the identified data flow according to the received routing rule.   
     
     
         8 . The wireless device of  claim 7 , wherein the received information comprises RAN assistance parameters and wherein the processing unit is configured to detect the need to change an access type by applying a RAN rule. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless device of  claim 8 , wherein RAN assistance parameters comprises threshold level parameters for access types 1 based metrics, access types 2 based metrics, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless device of  claim 7 , wherein the received information comprises a traffic steering command for changing an access type currently in use by the wireless device. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing unit is configured such that the wireless device performs the detecting as a result of the wireless device receiving from the core network node a predefined indication indicating that the detecting should be performed. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the predefined indication is provided during a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection setup. 
     
     
         13 . A method, in a core network node, for managing a data flow of a wireless device between a network of access type 1 and a network of access type 2, wherein the wireless device is connectable to both the networks of access types 1 and 2, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the wireless device, a notification to change a current access type, of access types 1 and 2, currently used by the wireless device;   determining, based on the received notification, a routing rule for the wireless device, the routing rule comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) filter identifying a data flow and indicating an access type for the identified data flow, said indicated access type for the identified data flow being one of access type 1 and access type 2; and   sending, to the wireless device, the routing rule.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising sending, to the wireless device, an indication that a detection of a need to change an access type for at least a portion of the data flow is to be performed. 
     
     
         15 . A core network node for managing a data flow of a wireless device between a network of access type 1 and a network of access type 2, wherein the wireless device is connectable to both the networks of access types 1 and 2, the core network node comprising:
 a communications unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver; and   a processing unit comprising one or more processors, wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the core network node to:   determine a routing rule for the wireless device as a result of receiving from the wireless device a certain notification to change a current access type currently used by the wireless device, the determined routing rule comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) filter identifying a data flow and indicating an access type for the identified data flow, said indicated access type for the identified data flow being one of access type 1 and access type 2; and   transmit the routing rule to the wireless device.   
     
     
         16 . The core network node of  claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to employ the communications unit to send, to the wireless device, an indication that a detection of a need to change an access type for at least a portion of the data flow is to be performed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the network of access type 1 is a Third Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) access network,   the network of access type 2 is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN),   the method further comprises, based on the RAN assistance information, an access stratum (AS) of the wireless device indicating move traffic from WLAN, and   as a result of the AS of the wireless device indicating move traffic from WLAN, the wireless device triggering a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (PGW) within a core network to provide a routing rule to the wireless device, wherein triggering the PGW to provide the routing rule comprises the wireless device transmitting a notification indicating that the AS of the wireless device has indicated move traffic from WLAN based on the received RAN assistance information.