Mobile Data Session Handover Between Cellular and WLAN
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) face high barriers to entry due to the costs and complexities of implementing branded wireless services, including customer management, billing, and carrier costs, especially with the rise of 5G technology and unlimited data plans, making it difficult to compete with parent carriers. Limiting data usage outside accessible Wi-Fi networks can reduce costs but often results in poor user experiences due to network transitions and data interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for optimizing mobile device data usage by transitioning between cellular and WLAN networks, pausing cellular data when Wi-Fi is available, and using a virtual private network (VPN) to maintain a consistent IP address, ensuring seamless data transfer and minimizing cellular data consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile devices use cellular networks for data transmission, then service coverage and connectivity are improved, but data usage costs and operational expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network switch as an intermediary device that automatically detects available WLAN networks and switches the mobile device's data transmission path from cellular network to WLAN. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling cost-free WLAN usage while maintaining service coverage through automatic network switching based on availability detection.
2Loss of energy
If mobile devices switch between cellular and WLAN networks, then data costs are reduced, but network connectivity stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the system proactively detect and switch to available WLAN networks before cellular data is consumed. The network switch continuously monitors for WLAN availability and pre-establishes the connection, preventing the need for mid-transmission switching and maintaining connectivity stability while reducing data costs.
3Ease of operation
If MVNOs implement branded wireless services with full functionality, then service quality and customer satisfaction improve, but implementation complexity and entry barriers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the network switching functionality from the mobile device itself and places it in a separate network switch device. This extraction allows MVNOs to provide branded wireless services with automatic WLAN switching capability without requiring complex software modifications to mobile devices, thereby improving service quality while reducing implementation complexity and entry barriers.
Data Source
AI summary
One example process may include receiving data at a mobile device from a cellular data channel associated with a cellular network during a communication session comprising an IP address assigned to the mobile device for use during the communication session, determining the mobile device is within a communication range of one or more available wireless local area networks (WLANs), establishing a WLAN channel between the mobile device and a WLAN among the one or more WLANs and pausing the cellular data channel, transmitting and receiving data using the IP address over the WLAN channel as part of the communication session; monitoring a performance of the WLAN channel, identifying a failing data exchange over the WLAN channel between the mobile device and the WLAN, resuming the cellular data channel to supplement the data exchanged by the mobile device, and forwarding the data from the mobile device over the cellular data channel and the WLAN channel during the session.