Channel Scanning Optimization for Mobile Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for channel scanning in wireless local telecommunications networks reduce useful communication time and increase power consumption, as terminals must scan all available channels, including those with no Access Points, affecting connection throughput and location accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines and signals to the terminal the channels it can receive at its current or future position, allowing it to scan only those channels, optimizing scanning operations for tracking and handover procedures without requiring modifications to existing standards or technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal scans all available channels to ensure complete coverage, then the reliability of location determination is improved, but the connection throughput deteriorates due to reduced useful communication time
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller performs preliminary scanning and identifies usable channels before the terminal needs to scan. The controller determines which channels are actually usable at the terminal's current or future position and provides this information to the terminal in advance, so the terminal only needs to scan the pre-identified subset of channels rather than all available channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The network controller acts as an intermediary between the terminal and the channel scanning process. Instead of the terminal independently scanning all channels, the controller mediates by providing guidance information about which channels are worth scanning, based on its knowledge of network topology and terminal position.
2Reliability
If the terminal scans all available channels to ensure complete coverage, then the reliability of location determination is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller performs preliminary scanning and identifies usable channels before the terminal needs to scan. The controller determines which channels are actually usable at the terminal's current or future position and provides this information to the terminal in advance, so the terminal only needs to scan the pre-identified subset of channels rather than all available channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing the complete action of scanning all channels, the terminal performs only a partial scanning action on the subset of channels identified as usable. This partial action is sufficient to achieve reliable location determination without the excessive energy cost of scanning all channels.
3Measurement precision
If the terminal scans all available channels including those with no Access Points, then the measurement precision is improved, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller performs preliminary scanning and identifies usable channels before the terminal needs to scan. The controller determines which channels are actually usable at the terminal's current or future position and provides this information to the terminal in advance, so the terminal only needs to scan the pre-identified subset of channels rather than all available channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The useless scanning action on channels with no Access Points is extracted and removed from the terminal's scanning process. The controller extracts only the relevant channels that contain Access Points and provides this filtered list to the terminal, eliminating wasted scanning time on empty channels.
4Reliability
If the terminal scans all available channels to ensure complete coverage, then the reliability of handover procedure is improved, but the connection throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller performs preliminary scanning and identifies usable channels before the terminal needs to scan. The controller determines which channels are actually usable at the terminal's current or future position and provides this information to the terminal in advance, so the terminal only needs to scan the pre-identified subset of channels rather than all available channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A telecommunications network for mobile terminals, in particular a wireless LAN network, includes a plurality of network access points defining a network coverage area and each one associated with a respective transmission channel; at least one mobile terminal adapted to move inside the coverage area and configured for performing a transmission channels scanning; a terminal locating server, configured for determining a position in which the terminal must perform the scanning, for determining a set of channels adapted to be received in the position with predetermined transmission characteristics, and for communicating such set of channels to the mobile terminal, so that the scanning, for example, for tracking or handover purposes, can be performed on a limited number of channels, thereby increasing the useful time for providing telecommunication services.