Multi-Path Network Session Management for Wireless Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication sessions are prone to disruptions due to noise, occluded signals, and interference, leading to potential session drops, interruptions, and reduced bandwidth compared to wireline networks.
Innovation Solution
A user device establishes and maintains multiple network paths across different wireless networks, monitoring conditions to select the optimal path for data transmission, thereby increasing session reliability and bandwidth by distributing data across multiple paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wireless communication sessions are used, then mobility and flexibility are improved, but session reliability deteriorates due to noise, occluded signals, and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple wireless network connections (Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth) into a unified communication session. The system maintains simultaneous connections across different networks and merges them into a single logical session, allowing data to flow through multiple physical paths. This merging of connections resolves the contradiction by providing the mobility of wireless communication while achieving wireline-level reliability through redundant paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes backup network connections in advance before the primary connection fails. By proactively maintaining alternative wireless connections (e.g., keeping cellular ready while using Wi-Fi), the system cushions against potential session disruptions. When interference or occlusion affects the primary connection, the pre-established backup paths immediately take over, preventing session drops and maintaining reliability.
2Device complexity
If single network path is used, then device complexity is reduced, but effective bandwidth is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automated network path selection and load balancing algorithms. The mobile device autonomously monitors network conditions, dynamically selects optimal paths, and distributes data traffic without requiring user intervention or complex manual configuration. This self-service approach manages the complexity of multiple network paths while maximizing effective bandwidth through intelligent automatic routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts network path selection and data distribution based on real-time network conditions. Connection priorities, bandwidth allocation, and active paths are continuously optimized according to signal quality, traffic load, and network performance. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to efficiently manage multiple network connections, transforming the complexity into adaptive intelligence that maximizes bandwidth while keeping management overhead minimal.
3Reliability
If multiple network paths are established, then session reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary network management system that mediates between multiple wireless connections and the application layer. This intermediary handles the complexity of establishing, monitoring, and managing multiple network paths, abstracting the complexity away from the user and application. The intermediary automatically performs connection establishment, path selection, and failover management, thereby improving session reliability through redundancy while keeping the perceived device complexity low.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may attach to a mobile service provider (MSP) network and establish a first communication path from the device to a packet data network (PDN) gateway in the MSP network. The device may also start a session over the first communication path and detect a wireless network which is available for establishing a second communication path that extends from the device to the PDN gateway over the wireless network. While the first communication path is intact, the device may: attach the device to the MSP network over the wireless network, wherein attaching the device over the wireless network includes establishing a second communication path from the device to the PDN gateway over the wireless network; evaluate conditions for the first communication path and the second communication path; and select one of the first and second communication paths as an active communication path based on the evaluated conditions.