Cellular and WLAN Aggregation via ANDSF Indications
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heterogeneous networks, user equipment (UE) faces challenges in determining whether a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point supports cellular aggregation, leading to static packet steering and limited dynamic control over cellular and WLAN resources.
Innovation Solution
The UE determines WLAN access point support for cellular aggregation by receiving indications from base stations, access network discovery and selection function servers, or WLAN access points, allowing for dynamic packet division and unified control of cellular and WLAN resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the UE uses static packet steering in heterogeneous networks, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability and dynamic control of cellular and WLAN resources are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server as an intermediary to manage aggregation policies. The ANDSF server receives aggregation support indications from WLAN access points and generates aggregation policies that are provided to the UE, thereby mediating between the complex aggregation management requirements and the UE's capability to execute aggregation without bearing the full management complexity burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic aggregation by allowing the UE to determine whether a WLAN access point supports cellular aggregation based on received indications, and then dynamically activate or deactivate aggregation mode accordingly. This enables the system to adapt resource allocation dynamically rather than using static packet steering, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity through conditional dynamic behavior.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the UE determines WLAN aggregation support dynamically, then the adaptability improves, but the information acquisition and processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the aggregation support indication information from the WLAN access point and transmits it through the cellular network infrastructure (base station to UE). This separates the information acquisition process from the aggregation execution, allowing the UE to obtain aggregation support status without directly communicating with the WLAN access point, thereby reducing information overhead and simplifying the determination process.
3Productivity
If the UE couples to WLAN access point for aggregation, then the network capacity utilization improves, but the reliability of aggregation support verification decreases without proper indications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the WLAN access point provides an aggregation support indication to the network, which is then relayed to the UE. This feedback loop ensures that the UE only attempts aggregation with WLAN access points that have been verified to support it, thereby maintaining high reliability of aggregation support verification while enabling full utilization of available network resources for aggregation.
Data Source
AI summary
In some example embodiments there is provided a method. The method may include determining, by a user equipment, whether at least one wireless local area network access point allows aggregation with cellular; and selecting, by the user equipment based on the determination, to couple to the at least one wireless local area network access point to enable the aggregation with cellular. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.