Handover Signaling via Public Wide Area Network
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellular wireless communications networks face challenges in handover operations between base stations, especially when using public wide area networks, as they require dedicated connections to the core network, which can be costly and inflexible, particularly for small-scale deployments like home or office setups.
Innovation Solution
A mobile communications network architecture that incorporates an access point connected to the core network via a public wide area network, allowing handover information to be sent over the same network, enabling seamless handovers between access points and other network nodes without the need for dedicated connections, using IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Mobile Application Part (MAP) interfaces for interworking functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If base stations use dedicated connections to the core network, then handover operations are reliable and efficient, but deployment cost and infrastructure complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway node as an intermediary between the access point and the core network. This gateway performs protocol conversion and message forwarding, allowing the access point to communicate with the core network through a public packet-switched network instead of requiring a dedicated connection. The gateway translates between the simplified protocol used over the public network and the standard protocols used in the core network, thus maintaining handover reliability while reducing infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional dedicated physical connection (mechanical/system-level connection) with a logical connection over a public packet-switched network. Instead of establishing dedicated physical links between each base station and the core network, the system uses IP-based packet switching to carry handover signaling messages, thereby substituting physical infrastructure with a more flexible network architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If base stations connect over public wide area network, then deployment cost and flexibility improve, but handover information transmission reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway node acts as a mediator that ensures reliable transmission of handover information over the public network. It implements error handling, message acknowledgment, and retransmission mechanisms to guarantee that critical handover signaling messages are delivered reliably, compensating for the potential unreliability of public network transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements preemptive measures by establishing tunnel connections and pre-configuring gateway nodes before handover operations are needed. The gateway is prepared in advance to handle handover messaging, and the system includes buffer mechanisms to ensure that handover information can be transmitted reliably even under variable public network conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A basestation (50) in a mobile communications network is connected to the core network of the mobile communications network over a public wide area network. In the event of a handover between the basestation and another of the network nodes of the PLMW (120) , handover information (130, 132, 134) is sent between the basestation and the core network over the public wide area network, for example embedded in a SIP message or in a UMA message.