Handover Controller Access Connection Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks face disruptions when user equipment (UE) switches between different access networks, such as cellular and non-cellular networks, due to the lack of standard mechanisms for transferring UE sessions, leading to unnecessary second packet data network (PDN) connections and IP address changes, which can cause service disruptions and application crashes.
Innovation Solution
A method that amends control plane signals to facilitate seamless data transfer between UE and packet data networks by accessing an authorization database to determine current access connections, allowing for efficient switching between access connections without disrupting data transport, and ensuring IP address preservation by creating new connections with the same IP address.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard mechanisms for transferring UE sessions are implemented between different access networks, then service continuity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobility anchor as an intermediary component that mediates session transfers between different access networks. The mobility anchor maintains UE session context and coordinates handover procedures, allowing access gateways to transfer sessions without requiring complex direct communication mechanisms between them. This intermediary approach improves service continuity while keeping individual access gateway complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobility anchor serves multiple functions including session management, IP address allocation, and coordination of handover procedures across different access networks. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single universal component, the system achieves service continuity across heterogeneous networks without requiring each access gateway to implement complex multi-functional capabilities.
2Reliability
If IP address preservation is implemented during access connection switching, then application continuity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handover controller acts as an intermediary that manages IP address preservation during access connection switching. It maintains binding information between UE identifiers and IP addresses, and coordinates with the mobility anchor to ensure seamless IP address handover. This intermediary approach enables application continuity without requiring complex IP address management logic to be distributed across multiple access gateways.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing IP address bindings and maintaining session context in the mobility anchor before actual handover occurs. The handover controller proactively manages IP address allocation and binding information in advance, ensuring that when switching occurs, the IP address is already preserved and ready for immediate use, thereby ensuring application continuity.
3Manufacturing precision
If access gateways maintain detailed UE session information, then service transfer accuracy is improved, but information security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments UE session information into two categories: detailed session context stored centrally in the mobility anchor, and minimal identification information stored in access gateways. This segmentation allows accurate service transfer by maintaining complete session context in a secure central location while reducing the attack surface at distributed access gateways. The mobility anchor holds the sensitive binding information between UE identifiers and IP addresses, minimizing security risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobility anchor serves as a secure intermediary that holds sensitive UE session information centrally. Access gateways communicate with the mobility anchor to retrieve necessary session information for handover, rather than maintaining detailed session information themselves. This intermediary architecture improves session transfer accuracy by ensuring consistent session context while reducing information security risks by centralizing sensitive data in a controlled environment.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A handover controller, computer program and method of facilitating data transfer between a user equipment and a packet data network via different access connections each using a different access network at least one being a non-cellular access network is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a control signal requesting a change in an access connection to be used to transmit data between the packet data network and the user equipment; accessing an authorisation database storing information regarding the user equipment; and determining from information accessed in the authorisation database whether the user equipment has a current access connection to the packet data network; and in response to determining that the user equipment does have the current access connection, amending the control signal and transmitting the amended control signal to a packet data network gateway such that an access connection used to transmit data to the user equipment is changed.