Active Set Management for Roaming Likelihood
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless service providers face economic inefficiencies due to the need for roaming agreements with other providers to maintain continuous coverage, leading to increased roaming fees as devices hand off to non-preferred coverage areas, which are not controlled by the home service provider.
Innovation Solution
A method where wireless communication devices and radio access networks adjust active-set parameters based on the likelihood of roaming to minimize handoffs to non-preferred coverage areas by increasing the number of sectors in the active set served by the home service provider, thereby reducing the need for roaming to non-preferred networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless service providers deploy extensive coverage areas to maintain continuous service, then coverage reliability is improved, but operational costs and infrastructure complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively identifying WCDs likely to roam before handoff occurs. By analyzing historical roaming data and determining a roaming likelihood metric, the system prepares by increasing active-set parameters in advance, preventing roaming before it happens and maintaining coverage continuity without expanding physical infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the network to automatically monitor its own coverage effectiveness and identify roaming-prone devices. The RAN autonomously determines roaming likelihood based on historical data and automatically adjusts active-set parameters, eliminating the need for manual network expansion to maintain coverage reliability.
2Area of stationary object
If wireless service providers establish roaming agreements with other providers to extend coverage, then coverage area is improved, but operational costs increase due to roaming fees
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by taking measures to prevent roaming before it occurs. By identifying WCDs with high roaming likelihood and proactively increasing their active-set parameters, the system counteracts the tendency to roam, thereby avoiding roaming fees while maintaining coverage area through existing infrastructure rather than expensive roaming agreements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of potential roaming into a benefit by using historical roaming data to identify at-risk devices. This information, which would otherwise indicate network coverage problems, is transformed into a preventive mechanism that adjusts active-set parameters to keep devices on the home network, eliminating roaming fees while maintaining coverage area.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the active set includes more sectors to prevent handoffs, then handoff stability is improved, but the complexity of managing active-set parameters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making active-set parameters adaptive rather than static. The Roaming Likelihood Determining Module dynamically adjusts active-set parameters based on real-time analysis of historical roaming data and current network conditions, allowing the system to maintain handoff stability by including appropriate sectors while automatically managing parameter complexity through algorithmic adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, an exemplary method involves a WCD: (i) determining a likelihood of roaming, wherein the likelihood of roaming indicates a likelihood that the WCD will be handed off from a preferred coverage area to a non-preferred coverage area; and (ii) using the likelihood of roaming as a basis for managing an active set of the WCD. In particular, the WCD may manage its active set by setting at least one active-set parameter affecting the number of active sectors in an active set of the WCD, and then maintaining its active set according to the setting of the at least one active-set parameter. According to an exemplary embodiment, a WCD will make an effort to increase the number of sectors in its active set when the likelihood of roaming is greater, and vice versa.