Patent ID: 9674747
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: H04W

Claim:
1. A method implemented by a base station that supports a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio access network (RAN) and has an associated Wi-Fi RAN that is either supported by the base station or is supported by an access point that is colocated with the base station, the method comprising: receiving a request from a user equipment (UE); and if the request from the UE requests a current Wi-Fi service capability of the base station: wherein if the response indicates that the Wi-Fi RAN has sufficient available resources to support the QoS requirements of the UE, the base station transmits a request to the UE which requests that the UE enable its Wi-Fi features, and Wi-Fi credentials to the UE to enable the UE to access the Wi-Fi RAN; and wherein if the response indicates that the Wi-Fi RAN does not have sufficient available resources to support the QoS requirements of the UE or if the request from the UE requests access to the 3GPP RAN, the base station attempts to enable the UE to access the 3GPP RAN and does not transmit Wi-Fi credentials to the UE for the Wi-Fi RAN.