Adaptive Traffic Control Server for Multi-Access Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traffic handling mechanisms in multi-access communication systems are complex and inefficient, often prioritizing user-centric best access without considering overall traffic situations, leading to suboptimal performance and frequent updates.
Innovation Solution
Adaptive Traffic Control (ATC) algorithms that split user traffic across multiple access networks based on network performance measurements and user device conditions, using a network-based ATC server to coordinate traffic distribution and minimize differences between output signals and reference values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional traffic handling mechanisms prioritize user-centric best access selection, then user device performance is improved, but overall system performance deteriorates due to lack of coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network-based traffic control server as an intermediary between access networks and user devices. This server collects performance measurements from multiple access networks, coordinates traffic distribution decisions, and manages overall system performance while allowing user devices to maintain their access selections. The server acts as a mediator that reconciles user-centric decisions with system-wide optimization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequent updates of prioritization lists are implemented to respond to changed conditions, then adaptability is improved, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the traffic control server continuously monitor and collect performance measurements from access networks in advance, maintaining an updated view of network conditions. When changes occur, the server can quickly redistribute traffic based on pre-collected data without requiring complex real-time calculations at each user device, thus achieving adaptability with reduced complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple access networks are utilized simultaneously for traffic distribution, then system performance is improved, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the coordination function from user devices and centralizes it in a network-based traffic control server. The server handles the complex task of coordinating traffic across multiple access networks, while user devices simply follow redistribution decisions. This extraction of the coordination burden from individual devices to a central authority enables multi-network utilization without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to traffic handling in multi-access communication systems (100). A network-level solution is proposed, in which the access networks (20) provide a network-based ATC server (61) with access-related information comprising measured performance parameters. The ATC server may also receive information from the multi-access terminal (10), e.g. about available access networks. The ATC server coordinates the information and uses it for adaptive traffic control calculations. This typically involves continuously executing an adaptive traffic control algorithm for reaching predetermined control objectives. The control algorithm tracks the reference values and outputs a feedback control signal that is sent back to the user devices. Based on the feedback control signal the multi-access terminals spread their traffic over the available access networks.