WLAN access method and apparatus

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a user equipment (UE), access point access information of a selected access point from a first network-side network element, wherein the first network-side network element determines the access point access information of the selected access point using access location information of the UE received from a core network element, the first network-side network element learns a current access location of the UE from the access location information of the UE, the first network-side network element is a policy and charging rule function entity, the first network-side network element selects the selected access point by obtaining access point access information of the UE and selecting one or multiple access points for the user equipment for the UE to use to access a wireless local area network according to the obtained access point access information of the UE and the current access location of the UE, and wherein when the first network-side network element selects one access point for the UE to use to access the wireless local area network, the first network-side network element sends the access point access information of the selected one access point to the UE for the UE to access the selected one access point;
• or when the first network-side network element selects multiple access points for the UE to use to access the wireless local area network, the first network-side network element sends an access point access information list of the multiple access points to the UE for the UE to select the access point from the access point access information list to use to access the wireless local area network;
• and
• accessing, by the UE, the wireless local area network according to the received access point access information.

An apparatus, configured to act as a first network element, the apparatus comprising:

• a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory storage, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to:
• receive access location information of a user equipment from a core network element, wherein the apparatus is a policy and charging rule function entity;
• obtain a current access location of the user equipment using the access location information of the user equipment received from the core network element;
• select an access point according to the current access location of the user equipment, wherein selecting the access point according to the current access location of the user equipment comprises:
• obtaining access point access information of the user equipment;
• and
• selecting the access point for the user equipment to use to access a wireless local area network according to the obtained access point access information of the user equipment and the current access location of the user equipment, wherein selecting the access point for the user equipment to use to access the wireless local area network according to the obtained access point access information of the user equipment and the current access location of the user equipment comprises:
• selecting one or multiple access points for the user equipment to use to access the wireless local area network according to the obtained access point access information of the user equipment and the current access location of the user equipment;
• and
• send access point access information of the selected access point to the user equipment, wherein:
• when one access point is selected for the user equipment to use to access the wireless local area network, sending the access point access information of the selected access point to the user equipment comprises sending the access point access information of the selected one access point to the user equipment, for the user equipment to access the selected one access point;
• or when multiple access points are selected for the user equipment to use to access the wireless local area network, sending the access point access information of the selected access point to the user equipment comprises sending an access point access information list of the multiple access points to the user equipment for the user equipment to select the access point from the access point access information list to use to access the wireless local area network.

A user equipment, comprising:

• a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory storage, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to:
• receive access point access information of a selected access point from a first network-side network element, wherein the first network-side network element determines the access point access information of the selected access point using access location information of the UE received from a core network, the first network-side network element learns a current access location of the UE from the access location information of the UE, the first network-side network element is a policy and charging rule function entity, the first network-side network element selects the selected access point by obtaining access point access information of the UE and selecting one or multiple access points for the user equipment for the UE to use to access a wireless local area network according to the obtained access point access information of the UE and the current access location of the UE, and wherein when the first network-side network element selects one access point for the UE to use to access the wireless local area network, the first network-side network element sends the access point access information of the selected one access point to the UE for the UE to access the selected one access point;
• or when the first network-side network element selects multiple access points for the UE to use to access the wireless local area network, the first network-side network element sends an access point access information list of the multiple access points to the UE for the UE to select the access point from the access point access information list to use to access the wireless local area network;
• and
• access the wireless local area network according to the received access point access information.