LTE-LAN Mobility Control via Unified Handover Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobility control methods for LTE-LAN networks fail to ensure seamless handover and service continuity in dual radio connections, leading to potential service disruptions and user experience issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism for seamless handover and transmission switching between source and target base stations, where data is switched from the source base station to the target base station during a handover procedure, ensuring continuous service and minimizing traffic interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate handover procedures are initiated by both macro eNB and LAN AP independently, then each can optimize its own handover selection, but the UE may end up connected to multiple different target BSs simultaneously causing mobility control failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover selection accuracyVSAvoidmobility control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the handover control of macro eNB and LAN AP by having the macro eNB select the target LAN AP and provide handover parameters to the UE. This unified approach ensures the UE connects to consistent target BSs for both macro and LAN connections, preventing the contradiction of maintaining separate independent handover procedures while achieving coordinated mobility control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the UE maintains dual radio connections with both macro eNB and LAN AP, then service continuity can be maintained during handover, but coordination between the two connections becomes complex and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoiddual connection coordination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The macro eNB acts as an intermediary that coordinates the handover between macro and LAN connections. It selects the target LAN AP, determines handover parameters, and provides this information to the UE. This intermediary role simplifies the coordination complexity while maintaining service continuity through the dual radio connection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different handover criterions are used by macro eNB and LAN AP, then each can optimize for its specific requirements, but the UE may select different target BSs leading to bad mobility control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover criterion flexibilityVSAvoidmobility control consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the handover decision-making process into two parts: the macro eNB selects the target LAN AP based on macro-level criteria, while the UE executes the handover using parameters provided by the macro eNB. This segmentation allows different criteria to be applied at appropriate levels while maintaining consistency in the final handover outcome.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2795960B1Providing mobility control for local area networks
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP2795960B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2795960B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2795960B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for providing mobility control for local area networks. A method comprises connecting a user equipment to a first base station, wherein the first base station and the use equipment are connected with a second base station; and disconnecting the first base station from the second base station and connecting the first base station to a third base station during a handover of the user equipment from the second base station to the third base station. With the claimed inventions, mobility of a user equipment in local area networks can be well controlled and thus service continuity would be maintained, resulting in a robust user experience