Seamless IMS Handoff Between LTE and WLAN Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IMS network standards do not guarantee seamless service continuity for IP-based voice services when transitioning from a mobile network to a wireless data network, leading to potential communication interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A system that allocates a new bearer and IP address to user equipment changing networks, modifying the data path to ensure continuous communication by updating the user equipment's location and forming a new data path through the wireless data network, specifically from LTE to WLAN, using an IMS network with components like enhanced node B, mobility management entity, packet data network gateway, and application server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user equipment changes access network from mobile network to wireless data network, then network flexibility and adaptability are improved, but service continuity and communication reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a bearer in the target wireless data network before the actual handoff occurs. The mobility management entity allocates and configures the bearer in advance, so when handoff is needed, the data path can be switched without interruption. This ensures service continuity while enabling flexible network switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the bearer as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the mobile network and wireless data network. The bearer acts as a pre-configured data path that mediates the transition between different access networks, allowing seamless handoff by switching the data path through the pre-established bearer rather than creating a new connection during handoff.
2Reliability
If a new data path is established for handoff, then service continuity is improved, but network complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-establishing the bearer with all necessary routing and configuration information before handoff, the patent reduces the complexity of the actual handoff process. The complex setup is done in advance, so the handoff itself only requires switching the data path through the pre-configured bearer, significantly simplifying the real-time processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method for seamless handoff of a service between different types of networks. The system may include a first user equipment, a second user equipment, a first network, a second network, and an application server. The first user equipment and the second user equipment may be configured to communicate with each other initially through a first data path of the service. The first network may be configured to determine whether the first user equipment should change its access network from the first network. The second network may be configured to allocate a new bearer and a second network IP address to the first user equipment when the first network requests the first user equipment to change its access network from the first network to the second network. The application server may be configured to modify the first data path based on the second network IP address and the new bearer, to form a second data path of the service through which the first user equipment and the second user equipment communicate after handoff of the service from the first network to the second network. The first data path of the service may pass through the first network and the second data path of the service may be formed to pass through the second network.