Managed Wi-Fi Throughput Control for Cellular Offload Costs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cellular carriers face financial losses due to unbalanced expenses when offloading cellular data to managed Wi-Fi service networks, as UEs often transmit at higher rates, exceeding the cost savings achieved by offloading during peak cellular congestion times.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a managed Wi-Fi service network device that sets a maximum allowable throughput rate for UEs, obtained from the UE's registered cellular network, and enforcing this rate through bandwidth management to balance costs and maintain financial stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UEs offload cellular data to managed Wi-Fi service networks, then cellular network demand is reduced during peak congestion times, but UEs transmit at higher rates through Wi-Fi which exceeds the cost savings achieved by offloading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the data transmission rate parameter for UEs based on their cellular network subscription tier. The system retrieves the allowed data rate from the cellular network operator and enforces it through bandwidth management in the Wi-Fi network, changing the transmission rate parameter to match the subscription level and prevent excessive data usage that would exceed cost savings.
2Ease of operation
If cellular carriers allow UEs to use managed Wi-Fi service networks without rate limiting, then user experience and data transmission speed are improved, but carriers incur net monetary losses due to unbalanced expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a closed-loop system where the cellular network operator's data rate allowances are retrieved and enforced in the Wi-Fi network. The system continuously monitors UE data transmission through the Wi-Fi network and compares it against the subscribed rate limit, providing feedback control to prevent exceeding the allowed data rate and thereby avoiding financial losses for the carrier.
3Loss of energy
If bandwidth management is implemented to enforce maximum allowable throughput rates, then carrier expenses are balanced and financial stability is maintained, but system complexity increases due to rate monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a bandwidth manager component that acts as a mediator between the Wi-Fi network and the cellular network operator's rate policies. This intermediary entity retrieves rate information from the cellular network, manages the data rate enforcement in the Wi-Fi network, and handles the complexity of rate monitoring and adjustment, thereby balancing carrier expenses without requiring complex distributed systems throughout the entire network.
Data Source
AI summary
A managed Wi-Fi service network device can receive, from a cellular network device, an allowable throughput rate at which a user equipment is authorized to communicate via a managed Wi-Fi service network. Based on the allowable throughput rate, the managed Wi-Fi service network device can monitor a communication rate of the user equipment via the managed Wi-Fi service network. In response to the user equipment communicating via the managed Wi-Fi service network at a rate that exceeds the allowable throughput rate, the managed Wi-Fi service network device can facilitate reducing the communication rate of the user equipment. Also, a user equipment can receive from a cellular network device an allowable throughput rate at which the user equipment is authorized to communicate via the managed Wi-Fi service network. The UE can communicate via the managed Wi-Fi service network at a communication rate that does not exceed the allowable throughput rate.