Methods and systems to support wireless local area network (WLAN) quality of service (QoS)

A wireless local area network (WLAN) controller for providing a quality of service (QoS) treatment for a user equipment (UE) in a WLAN, the WLAN controller comprising:

• a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to memory and configured to execute the instructions, which cause the processor to be configured to:
• transmit, to an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) in a core network via a RADIUS based interface, a first request to authenticate the UE currently accessing the core network, wherein the first request comprises an identifier identifying the UE;
• receive, from the AAA via the RADIUS based interface, an authentication result indicating that the UE is authorized to access the WLAN in response to transmitting the first request to the AAA;
• transmit, to a Policy Charging and Rules Function (PCRF) in the core network via an interface between the WLAN controller and the PCRF, a second request for a policy associated with the UE, wherein the policy indicates a QoS subscribed for by a user of the UE in the core network;
• receive, from the PCRF via the interface between the WLAN controller and the PCRF, the policy associated with the UE;
• and
• manage resources within the WLAN, based on the policy, to establish a session between the UE and the WLAN.

A wireless communications system, comprising:

• a wireless local area network (WLAN);
• a WLAN controller coupled to the WLAN;
• a core network, comprising:
• an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA);
• and
• a Policy Charging and Rules Function (PCRF);
• a RADIUS based interface;
• and
• an interface between the WLAN controller and the PCRF,
• wherein the WLAN controller is configured to transmit, via the RADIUS based interface, to the AAA, a request to authenticate a user equipment (UE) currently accessing the core network, wherein the first message comprises an identifier identifying the UE,
• wherein the PCRF is configured to transmit, via the interface between the WLAN controller and the PCRF, a policy associated with the UE, wherein the policy indicates a quality of service (QoS) subscribed for by a user of the UE in the core network, and
• wherein the WLAN controller is configured to manage resources within the WLAN, based on the policy, to establish a session between the UE and the WLAN.