Methods, architectures, apparatuses and systems for access traffic steering, switching and splitting

A first network node, comprising at least one processor configured to:

• receive, from a second network node, a first request for policy and charging control (PCC) rules, the first request comprising an indication that a policy association is for a multi-access packet data unit (MA PDU) session and that optimization of policies for energy consumption is requested;
• transmit, to a third network node, a second request to obtain energy related information for the MA PDU session;
• receive, from the third network node, an energy estimate report;
• determine PCC rules based on the energy estimate report;
• and
• transmit the determined PCC rules to the second network node.

A method, implemented by a wireless transmit-receive unit (WTRU) in a network, the method comprising:

• transmitting, to the network, a multi-access packet data unit (MA PDU) session establishment request comprising an indication that user plane (UP) energy optimization is preferred for the requested MA PDU session;
• receiving, from the network, a response to the MA PDU session establishment request comprising configuration information comprising quality of service (QoS) rules and access traffic steering, switching and splitting (ATSSS) rules comprising a selected energy aware steering mode to be used by the WTRU and related parameters;
• receiving uplink (UL) data from an application hosted on the WTRU;
• transmitting, to the network, the received UL data using an energy aware traffic steering mode of the ATSSS rules;
• performing energy efficiency and/or average energy consumption estimations according to received configuration information and transmitting the energy consumption estimations to the network;
• receiving, from the network, energy related estimations for downlink (DL) traffic to the WTRU;
• updating the energy aware traffic steering mode according to the performed energy efficiency and/or average energy consumption estimations and the received energy related estimations;
• and
• transmitting, to the network, uplink data using the updated energy aware traffic steering mode.