Cell User Occupancy Indicator for Intelligent Traffic Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traffic steering mechanisms in wireless communication networks often lead to congestion and a ping-pong effect due to inadequate assessment of cell user occupancy, causing inefficient load balancing and network performance issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that facilitates the transfer and utilization of cell user occupancy data between access points to determine optimal traffic steering, allowing for intelligent decision-making in directing data flows based on the current load and capacity of neighboring cells, thereby reducing congestion and enhancing network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traffic is steered from a congested first cell to an overlapping second cell using conventional mechanisms, then the load of the first cell is reduced, but the load of the second cell increases and can become congested, causing a ping-pong effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where access points continuously monitor and exchange cell user occupancy indicators with neighboring access points. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of traffic steering decisions based on real-time network conditions, preventing the ping-pong effect by ensuring traffic is only steered to cells that can actually accommodate the additional load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of target cell capacity before executing traffic steering actions. By evaluating cell user occupancy indicators and available capacity in advance, the network can predict whether steering traffic to a particular cell will cause congestion, thereby taking preventive action to maintain network stability.
2Ease of operation
If traffic steering decisions are made without adequate assessment of cell user occupancy, then steering operations are simplified and faster, but network congestion occurs and load balancing becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables access points to autonomously monitor their own cell user occupancy and independently make traffic steering decisions based on pre-configured thresholds and real-time conditions. This self-service capability simplifies operations by eliminating the need for complex centralized control while maintaining efficient load balancing through distributed intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts traffic steering parameters such as occupancy thresholds and steering probabilities based on real-time network conditions. This allows the network to adapt to changing traffic patterns and cell capacities, optimizing throughput while maintaining simple operational procedures through automated parameter adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
Traffic associated with user equipment that are served by a first radio access network is steered to a second radio access network based on a cell user occupancy criterion. Cell user occupancy data that represents a maximum number of devices served by an access point is determined based on a type of the access point, e.g., macro access point, femto access point, WiFi access point, etc. Further, based on the cell user occupancy data, a normalized index value is generated that is relative to different cell types/capacities. The cell user occupancy data is then transmitted to one or more neighboring access points that can utilize the cell user occupancy data to facilitate traffic steering, load balancing, and/or neighbor relationship management.