Dual Mode Router Offloading Cellular Data to WLAN
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cellular networks face congestion, capacity issues, low throughput, and high data costs due to increased demand, necessitating an efficient method to offload data traffic to local area networks without fully handing over control.
Innovation Solution
A dual mode router establishes both cellular and local area network connections, allowing for the offloading of cellular network data to and from user equipment via these connections, effectively relaying data between the access point and user equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cellular network connection is used for data access, then wireless flexibility and immediacy are improved, but network congestion and capacity issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dual-mode router as an intermediary device that bridges cellular network and WLAN. The router receives cellular data and relays it to user equipment via WLAN, or accepts WLAN data and forwards it to the cellular network. This mediator approach allows user equipment to maintain wireless flexibility while offloading traffic from the congested cellular network to the WLAN infrastructure.
2Productivity
If complete handover from cellular network to local area network is performed, then network capacity is improved, but handover complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of implementing complete handover where the cellular connection is fully terminated, the patent applies partial action by maintaining the cellular network connection active while simultaneously establishing a parallel WLAN connection through the dual-mode router. The user equipment keeps its cellular context intact and only routes specific traffic through the WLAN interface, avoiding the complexity of full handover procedures.
3Productivity
If data traffic is offloaded to local area network, then network congestion is reduced, but control management becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-mode router is configured with automatic connection management capabilities where it autonomously establishes and maintains connections with both the cellular network and WLAN infrastructure. The router handles connection setup, data routing, and protocol translation without requiring manual intervention or complex control mechanisms from the user equipment, making the system self-managing and easy to operate.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enabling efficient allocation of discovery resources for device to device communications. An example method may comprise establishing a cellular network connection to an access point. The method may further comprise establishing a local area network connection to a user equipment. Additionally, the method may comprise either receiving offloaded data for the user equipment from the access point via the cellular network connection and relaying the offloaded data to the user equipment via the local area network connection, or receiving offloaded data for the access point from the user equipment via the local area network connection and relaying the offloaded data to the access point via the cellular network connection. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided.