Distributed policy architecture

Abstract

A mobile device may select between multiple networks in order to offload network traffic from one network to another. Policies under which network selection happens are established by network operators. A hierarchy of policy servers are established where a central policy server with policies established by a network operator can delegate authority for network switching to a local policy server with policies established by the same or a different network operator. The central policy server can establish criteria under which network switching or network selection is delegated to a local server. Policies from the local policy server can include information about local network conditions. A mobile device can use the policies from the central server and local server to select a network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless device comprising:
 transceiver circuitry to:
 receive, from a central policy server, a central policy management object comprising a delegation parameter to indicate when a local policy server should be used; 
 receive, from a local policy server, a local policy management object comprising a Quality of Service (QoS) section; and 
   processing circuitry to select, based on the QoS section of the local policy management object, a local network.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a latency parameter. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a time to first byte parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a throughput parameter. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a network type parameter. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a minimum backhaul downlink bandwidth parameter. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless device of  claim 1  wherein the QoS section comprises a minimum backhaul uplink bandwidth parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless device of  claim 2  wherein the QoS section further comprises:
 a time to first byte parameter; 
 a throughput parameter; 
 a network type parameter; 
 a minimum backhaul downlink bandwidth parameter; and 
 a minimum backhaul uplink bandwidth parameter. 
 
     
     
         9 . A wireless device comprising:
 transceiver circuitry to:
 receive, from a central policy server, a central policy management object comprising:
 a delegation parameter to indicate when a local policy server should be used; and 
 a selection delay interval; 
 
 receive, from a local policy server, a local policy management object; 
   and   processing circuitry to select, based on the central policy management object and the local policy management object, a local network.   
     
     
         10 . The wireless device of  claim 9  wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to:
 connect to the local network; and 
 select a second network after the selection delay interval. 
 
     
     
         11 . The wireless device of  claim 9  wherein the delegation parameter comprises a location parameter indicating where the local policy server can be used. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 9  wherein the delegation parameter comprises a time parameter indicating when the local policy server can be used. 
     
     
         13 . A method for selecting a network comprising:
 evaluating a central policy management object to identify a local policy server and a criterion under which the local policy server may be accessed;   retrieving, from the local policy server in accordance with the criterion, a local policy management object;   selecting, based on the local policy management object, a network; and   connecting to the network.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the local policy management object comprises a quality of service section. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the central policy management object comprises a selection delay interval and the method further comprises:
 waiting the selection delay interval; 
 after the selection delay interval, evaluating the criterion under which the local policy server may be accessed; 
 selecting a new network based on the local policy management object when the criterion under which the local policy server may be accessed is met; and 
 selecting a new network based on the central policy management object when the criterion under which the local policy server may be accessed is not met. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the network is selected based on both the local policy management object and the central policy management object and wherein information in the local policy management object takes precedence over information in the central policy management object when a conflict arises between information in the local policy management object and information in the central policy management object. 
     
     
         17 . A wireless device comprising:
 transceiver circuitry coupled to an antenna, the transceiver circuitry to receive a policy management object from a local policy server, the policy management object having a Quality of Service (QoS) section, the QoS section comprising a local network type parameter, a local minimum backhaul downlink bandwidth parameter and a local minimum backhaul uplink bandwidth parameter;   memory;   a processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver circuitry; and   instructions, stored in the memory, which when executed, cause the processor to:
 evaluate a network with respect to the policy management object; 
   and
 select the network for use based on at least one parameter in the QoS section of the policy management object. 
   
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 17  wherein the QoS section further comprises a local latency parameter. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless device of  claim 17  wherein the QoS section further comprises a local time to first byte parameter. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless device of  claim 17  wherein the QoS section further comprises a local throughput parameter.