Access Point Secondary Transceiver for 5G Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G network access point systems lack efficient mechanisms for maintaining internet connectivity when hard-wired connections fail, disrupting packet data transfers for critical applications like entertainment, business, and security systems.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a secondary transceiver in access points to establish encrypted tunnels with associated access points, allowing for rerouting of baseband data packets through alternate Wi-Fi connections, thereby maintaining internet connectivity by creating a virtual private network (VPN) and utilizing excess bandwidth from neighboring access points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hard-wired connection is used for internet access, then connection stability is improved, but vulnerability to connection failure increases when the hard-wired link fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidconnection failure resilience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a secondary wireless transceiver as an intermediary communication path. When the primary hard-wired connection fails, the system automatically routes traffic through this secondary wireless interface, which connects to neighboring access points. This intermediary path maintains connectivity without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between connection stability and failure resilience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures secondary wireless transceivers and establishes potential alternate routes before connection failures occur. The tunneling capability is prepared in advance, allowing immediate switching to backup paths when the primary connection fails, thus maintaining both stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If encrypted tunneling is implemented for security, then data protection is improved, but network latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidnetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes encrypted tunnels in advance before data transmission begins. By pre-setting up the secure communication channels, the system avoids the time-consuming process of establishing encryption handshakes and tunnel connections during active data transfer, thus maintaining security while minimizing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The encrypted tunnels remain active and continuously maintained throughout operation. Rather than establishing and tearing down encryption connections intermittently, the system keeps the secure pathways continuously open, eliminating repeated authentication overhead and reducing overall latency while maintaining constant security protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS11283644B2Facilitation of access point authenticated tunneling for 5G or other next generation network

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

When an access point device is aware of an internet access failure, the access point device can attempt to re-route the baseband content through a different access point for the purpose of using its hard-wired internet connection. An administrative function can allow the access point device to tunnel through the internet service provider (ISP) of another access point device if permission is granted to do so. The permission can be granted beforehand or it can be granted to on the fly. Consequently, if the packets cannot route via the normal, hard-wired path, a message to a secondary transceiver of the access point device can instruct the access point device to find an alternate path via the ISP of the other access point device.