Cellular Offload via WLAN Access Point List
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication control methods fail to effectively strengthen interworking between cellular communication systems and wireless LAN systems, leading to inefficient load management and resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
A communication control method that involves user terminals, cellular base stations, and wireless LAN access points, where the user terminals autonomously or with base station assistance, manage a list of connectable WLAN access points and switch between cellular and WLAN communication to offload load from cellular networks to WLAN systems based on load levels and user mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cellular communication system operates independently without WLAN interworking, then the cellular network maintains simple system architecture and control procedures, but the cellular base station experiences high load and reduced resource utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a WLAN access point as an intermediary device that bridges the cellular network and WLAN system. The access point receives control messages from the cellular base station and forwards them to user terminals, enabling load offload without requiring direct complex interworking between the cellular network and all user terminals. This intermediary approach improves resource utilization by enabling WLAN offload while maintaining relatively simple cellular network architecture.
2Productivity
If user terminals continuously monitor and switch between cellular and WLAN systems, then the load can be effectively dispersed to WLAN system, but the user terminal experiences increased power consumption and processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the user terminal autonomously manages its own WLAN connectivity decisions based on control messages received from the cellular base station. The terminal independently evaluates offload conditions, manages WLAN connection state, and performs load dispersion operations without requiring continuous network intervention or complex terminal-side decision algorithms, thereby reducing power consumption while achieving effective load dispersion.
3Ease of operation
If the cellular base station manages WLAN offload decisions centrally, then the interworking control is simplified and centralized, but the response time for load offload decisions increases due to additional signaling overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the cellular base station pre-evaluate offload conditions and generate control messages in advance based on current network load state. The base station prepares offload decisions proactively before user terminals request service or before traffic bursts occur, allowing faster response time when actual offload is needed while maintaining centralized control simplicity through pre-computed decisions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication control method is a method for performing an offload from a cellular RAN to a wireless LAN. The communication control method includes the steps of: transmitting a list which contains identifiers of wireless LAN access points included in the wireless LAN, by a cellular base station included in the cellular RAN; receiving the list, by a user terminal which has a cellular communication unit and a wireless LAN communication unit; and performing an operation related to the offload after detecting that the user terminal approaches a wireless LAN access point on the basis of the list, by the user terminal which exists in a cell of the cellular base station.