Access Point Hotspot Virtualization Operator Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
User equipment (UE) cannot identify when an access point (AP) connected to multiple operators uses hotspot virtualization technology, preventing the UE from preferentially selecting the home operator's network for communication.
Innovation Solution
The AP sends a notification message to the UE indicating its connection to multiple operators and use of hotspot virtualization technology, and responds to UE queries with information about the AP access service operator, allowing the UE to identify the home operator's network for preferential access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the AP provides services for multiple operators using hotspot virtualization technology, then the scalability and resource sharing are improved, but the UE cannot identify the home operator's network and cannot preferentially select it for access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (virtualization indication field and operator information field) that enables the UE to identify when hotspot virtualization is being used and which operator is the home operator. This intermediary information bridge resolves the contradiction by allowing the UE to distinguish the home operator's network among multiple operators without compromising the virtualization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses indicator fields (virtualization indication field set to 1, operator information field) to 'highlight' or 'mark' the home operator's network among multiple operators. This is analogous to color changes - the home operator's network is visually distinguished through specific indicator values, allowing the UE to preferentially select it while maintaining the multi-operator virtualization environment.
2Loss of information
If different SSIDs are allocated to different operators, then the operator identification is clear, but the scalability is reduced and air interface overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single SSID universal by allowing it to serve multiple operators simultaneously through hotspot virtualization. The added indicator fields enable this multi-functionality - the same SSID can now identify networks for different operators based on the virtualization indication and operator information fields, eliminating the need for separate SSIDs for each operator while maintaining clear identification.
3Ease of operation
If the AP uses hotspot virtualization technology to virtualize the network at layer 3, then the broadcast domain is virtualized and stations communicate only within a group, but the UE cannot identify the home operator's network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary indicator fields (virtualization indication field and operator information field) that operate at the data link layer (layer 2) to complement the layer 3 virtualization. These intermediaries provide the missing home operator identification information that layer 3 virtualization alone cannot convey to the UE, enabling both efficient network management and proper operator identification.
Data Source
AI summary
In embodiments, a UE notifies an AP of information about a home operator of the UE; and the AP determines whether the home operator of the UE uses a hotspot virtualization technology on the AP, and if the home operator uses the hotspot virtualization technology on the AP, sends the information about the home operator of the UE as information about the AP access service operator to the UE, so that in a case in which the home operator of the UE and the AP access service operator are different, the UE considers the AP access service operator as the home operator of the UE and therefore preferentially selects a network of the home operator to access a communications network by using the AP.