Multi-Link Wireless Handover Using Degraded-Link Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
When a wireless terminal with a multi-link configuration hands over from one base station to another, the process involves disconnecting and reconnecting all links, leading to instantaneous interruptions and a potential ping-pong effect between access points.
Innovation Solution
A wireless terminal apparatus with multiple wireless units, a determination unit, a search unit, and a handover unit that identifies quality degradation links and switches connections to a second access point using a search link, allowing for stable handover without interruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all multi-link connections are disconnected and reconfigured during handover, then connection stability is improved, but communication continuity deteriorates due to instantaneous interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-link connections by identifying and isolating the quality degradation link from other functional links. Only the degraded link is disconnected and reconfigured, while other links remain active to maintain communication continuity. This selective segmentation resolves the contradiction by limiting the scope of handover operations to only what is necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary identification of quality degradation links using reception power thresholds before handover occurs. By pre-determining which link needs handover, the system可以避免 unnecessary disconnection of healthy links, thereby reducing communication interruption while ensuring connection stability is maintained where needed.
2Reliability
If attribution processing is repeated between access points, then connection reliability is improved, but system stability deteriorates due to ping-pong phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring reception power levels against predefined thresholds. When a link's reception power exceeds the threshold, handover is triggered; when it falls below, handover is reversed. This feedback control prevents the ping-pong phenomenon by ensuring handover decisions are based on stable, threshold-gated conditions rather than transient fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by establishing attribution rules that prevent repeated handover decisions. Once a link is identified as degraded and handover is initiated, the system applies countermeasures to prevent immediate reverse handover, thereby stabilizing the system against oscillating handover decisions between access points.
3Reliability
If all links are reconfigured during handover, then connection quality is improved, but handover complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the handover process by identifying only the specific link(s) with quality degradation rather than treating all links uniformly. This segmentation allows the system to apply handover operations only where necessary, significantly reducing the complexity of the handover process while maintaining connection quality on affected links.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating each link individually based on its specific reception power conditions. Instead of applying a uniform handover policy to all links, the system evaluates and processes only those links that meet the degradation criteria, thereby simplifying the overall handover process while ensuring quality is maintained where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless terminal apparatus includes a plurality of wireless units, a determination unit, a search unit, and a handover unit. The plurality of wireless units wirelessly communicate with a first access point by multi-link which wirelessly connects through a plurality of links. The determination unit determines whether or not there is a quality degradation link having an index value based on reception power smaller than a first threshold among links included in the multi-link. When there is the quality degradation link, the search unit searches for a second access point connectable by the multi-link and capable of handover, by using a search link selected from links included in the multi-link. When there is the second access point, the handover unit switches the connection destination of the search link from the first access point to the second access point.