Mobile Station Internet Access via Persistent Cellular Session
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for maintaining Internet access in a mobile client station using wireless communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, face challenges with frequent connections and disconnections, leading to interruptions and high costs due to reliance on limited Wi-Fi access points and expensive cellular networks.
Innovation Solution
A method that establishes a main communication session using a wide-area telephone network protocol (2G, 3G, or 4G) while maintaining ephemeral sessions with Wi-Fi access points, using a unique session identifier to ensure continuous Internet access without losing the main session, thereby minimizing the use of expensive cellular connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If Wi-Fi access points are used for Internet access, then access cost is reduced (free access), but connection stability deteriorates due to frequent disconnections when mobile
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing a cellular data session before Wi-Fi connection is lost, and by pre-fetching or caching data during periods of Wi-Fi connectivity. This ensures that when Wi-Fi disconnection occurs, the system already has backup cellular connectivity ready and cached data available, thereby maintaining connection stability while primarily using free Wi-Fi access.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements beforehand cushioning by maintaining a standby cellular data session that acts as a buffer against Wi-Fi connection failures. The cellular session is kept alive with minimal data transmission (ping packets) to prevent timeout, providing a safety net that cushions the system against the instability of mobile Wi-Fi connections without incurring continuous cellular costs.
2Reliability
If cellular network is used for Internet access, then connection stability is improved, but access cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by using cellular network only when necessary - specifically when Wi-Fi connection is unavailable or unstable. The cellular data session is maintained at minimal activity level (using ping packets for keepalive) rather than full throughput, providing just enough connectivity to prevent timeout and ensure handover capability, thereby reducing cellular cost while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the cellular data session as an intermediary backup mechanism. Rather than directly switching to expensive cellular data transmission, the system maintains a lightweight cellular session that mediates between Wi-Fi instability and cost concerns, providing connection stability through the cellular network's broader coverage while minimizing cellular data usage costs.
3Loss of energy
If Wi-Fi connection is maintained during movement, then access cost remains low, but connection duration decreases due to frequent handovers
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the cellular data session continuously in the background throughout the mobile device's movement. While Wi-Fi connections are transient and short-lived during movement, the cellular session persists continuously, ensuring that Internet access capability never中断. This allows the system to benefit from short Wi-Fi connections for data transfer while the cellular session provides continuous connectivity assurance.
Data Source
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AI summary
This method of establishing and maintaining Internet access through the use of a WLAN protocol from a mobile client station by way of successively selected access points, comprises the following steps: establishing (102) WLAN Internet access by way of a first selected access point; opening (104) on this occasion a first WLAN communication session specific to this first access point; maintaining the Internet access while opening (112) at least one other WLAN communication session specific to at least one other subsequently selected access point. The maintaining of the Internet access is ensured in the following manner: on the occasion of the opening of the first session, opening (106) furthermore a main communication session through the use of a wireless communication protocol in a wide area telephone network; maintaining this main session open for as long as it is desired to maintain access to the Internet; joining (108, 112) the main session and each session specific to each access point selected under the dependency of one and the same unique session identifier.