Local Mobility Manager for Seamless Wi-Fi Offload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for offloading broadband traffic from cellular wide area networks to local area networks, such as Wi-Fi networks, often result in service interruptions and reduced quality of service, especially for real-time traffic, and can lead to interference between adjacent broadband systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Local Mobility Manager (LMM) that manages the transition between LTE and Wi-Fi air interfaces within the network nodes, ensuring continuous data connectivity and quality of service by routing data through either the LTE or Wi-Fi interface based on user equipment location and network availability, while mitigating interference through relay nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If Wi-Fi offload is implemented to reduce cellular network load, then cellular network capacity is improved, but service continuity and quality of service are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network path into two independent parts: the user plane data path (which can be offloaded to Wi-Fi) and the control plane signaling path (which remains on the cellular network). This segmentation allows data traffic to be offloaded to reduce cellular network load while maintaining control plane connectivity for service continuity, resolving the contradiction between improving cellular capacity and maintaining service reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a new IP address is assigned during Wi-Fi connection, then Wi-Fi network compatibility is improved, but existing cellular connections are interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Packet Gateway (PGW) as an intermediary that performs IP address translation and packet routing. The PGW maintains the original cellular IP address while enabling Wi-Fi connectivity with a new IP address, acting as a mediator that allows the mobile device to access both networks simultaneously without interrupting existing cellular connections, thus resolving the contradiction between Wi-Fi compatibility and connection stability.
3Reliability
If VPN is used to maintain data connection during Wi-Fi offload, then service continuity is improved, but operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the IP address management and packet routing functions from the VPN layer and implements them natively in the network infrastructure through the Packet Gateway. This eliminates the need for VPN tunneling overhead while maintaining service continuity, reducing operational costs by removing the VPN layer while preserving the reliability benefit.
4Productivity
If traffic is offloaded to Internet via Wi-Fi, then cellular network load is reduced, but quality of service guarantees are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the Packet Gateway monitors traffic patterns and network conditions, dynamically adjusting packet routing decisions. The system receives feedback about QoS requirements and network status, enabling it to maintain QoS guarantees for sensitive traffic while still offloading appropriate traffic to Wi-Fi, thus resolving the contradiction between load reduction and QoS preservation.
Data Source
AI summary
A network node receives a first connection request from user equipment to join a broadband network at a first interface. A mobility manager in the network node accepts the first connection request. The mobility manager sends data from a core network addressed to the user equipment and receives data from the user equipment through the first interface. The mobility manager receives, from a local area network, a second connection request sent from the user equipment. The second connection request is for the user equipment to communicate with the broadband network via the local area network. The mobility manager accepts the second connection request and offloads data transmitted to and received from the user equipment to a second interface on the network node. The second interface is configured to send data to and receive data from the user equipment via the local area network.