Cellular Node WLAN AP Address Resolution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for interworking between cellular networks and WLANs, such as those specified by 3GPP, face challenges in efficiently obtaining information about discovered WLAN access points (APs) due to the need for frequent data exchange and reporting, which can consume battery power and resources in user equipment (UE).
Innovation Solution
A method where a node in the cellular network domain receives a report from the UE containing the identity of a WLAN AP, uses a network address database to resolve a network address associated with the AP, and sends a request to this address to obtain necessary information, thereby reducing the UE's involvement and conserving resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE queries WLAN AP parameters using ANQP and reports them to the cellular network, then the cellular network can control WLAN AP utilization, but the UE consumes additional battery power and resources due to frequent data exchange and reporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network address database as an intermediary component that stores the mapping between WLAN AP identities and their network addresses. Instead of the UE repeatedly querying ANQP for basic identification information, the UE only needs to report the WLAN AP identity to the cellular network node, which then autonomously queries the database to obtain the network address. This intermediary database eliminates frequent UE participation in information exchange, significantly reducing UE battery consumption while maintaining accurate WLAN AP information.
2Productivity
If the UE frequently reports WLAN AP parameters to the cellular network, then the network can make informed decisions on traffic steering, but the data exchange overhead and processing burden on the UE increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the network address query function from the UE and relocates it to the cellular network node. The UE's role is simplified to only reporting WLAN AP identity, while the complex task of resolving the network address is performed by the network node using the pre-configured database. This extraction reduces UE data exchange complexity and processing burden while maintaining efficient traffic steering capability through accurate network address resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The network address database is pre-configured with WLAN AP identity to network address mappings before runtime operations. This preliminary action allows the cellular network node to quickly resolve network addresses without requiring real-time complex queries or repeated UE involvement. The pre-stored mappings enable efficient traffic steering decisions to be made based on simple UE reports, improving productivity while reducing device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A user equipment (50) receives a management frame (202) from an access point (150) of a wireless local area network domain. The management frame (202) indicates an identity of the access point (50). The user equipment (50) sends a report (203, 204) indicating the identity of the access point (150) to a node (110) of a cellular network domain. Using the indicated identity and a network address database, the node (110) resolves a network address associated with the access point (150). The node then sends a request (211) to the resolved network address and, in response to the request (211), receives information on the access point (150).