Multipath Combining Gateway Traffic Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication networks lack real-time traffic management capabilities, leading to suboptimal performance due to separate operation of mobile and WLAN networks, where user equipment prioritizes WLAN connectivity even when throughput is lower, resulting in poor performance at WLAN cell borders and limited mobility across networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that actively steers traffic management between user equipment and server nodes by controlling bandwidth of multiple access networks using a multipath combining gateway, allowing seamless cross-bearer mobility and optimizing resource utilization without modifying legacy transport functions or user equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user equipment prioritizes WLAN connectivity, then connectivity to WLAN network is maintained, but throughput performance deteriorates at WLAN cell borders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path selection and bandwidth allocation that adapts to changing network conditions. The system continuously monitors throughput performance and automatically switches between WLAN and mobile network paths, or adjusts bandwidth allocation in real-time, transforming the static connectivity management into a dynamic system that maintains both connectivity reliability and throughput performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of path selection by introducing a new parameter - real-time throughput performance measurement. Based on this parameter, the system dynamically adjusts which network path to use or how to allocate bandwidth, moving from a static priority-based selection to a performance-based dynamic selection that resolves the contradiction between maintaining connectivity and ensuring throughput.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate connection management is applied to mobile and WLAN networks, then dedicated resource management is achieved, but real-time traffic steering capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate connection management functions of mobile and WLAN networks into a unified traffic management system. The network side controller integrates resource management capabilities for both networks, enabling centralized real-time traffic steering while preserving the dedicated resource management characteristics of each individual network through coordinated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The network side controller acts as an intermediary between the separate mobile and WLAN networks. It receives traffic management requirements, monitors network conditions in both networks, and makes intelligent routing decisions, thereby enabling real-time traffic steering without requiring changes to the existing separate network management architectures.
3Productivity
If multipath transmission control protocol is applied, then parallel connections are managed, but congestion control mechanism reacts slowly to throughput changes
Solution Approach 1:
The network side controller performs preliminary actions by proactively monitoring network conditions and predicting potential congestion situations before they fully develop. It pre-adjusts bandwidth allocation and traffic routing based on predicted conditions, reducing the response time when actual congestion occurs and improving the overall reaction speed of the congestion control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements enhanced feedback mechanisms where the network side controller continuously receives real-time throughput measurements from user equipment and immediately adjusts resource allocation and traffic steering decisions. This closed-loop feedback system reduces the lag in congestion control response by ensuring that control actions are taken based on the most current network state information.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The present invention suggests a method for real time traffic management in a mobile communication network, the mobile communication network comprising a first access network and comprising or at least using a second access network, wherein a user equipment is connected to the first access network and to the second access network, wherein a communication between the user equipment (20) and a server node is realized -- via a first transmission path using the first access network and -- via a second transmission path using the second access network, wherein a first currently available bandwidth is associated with the first transmission path and a second currently available bandwidth is associated with the second transmission path, wherein a first resource control function is assigned to the first transmission path and a second resource control function is assigned to the second transmission path, wherein a current transmission bandwidth of the first transmission path relative to a current transmission bandwidth of the second transmission path is actively steered by -- using a multipath transmission control protocol for a parallel utilization of the first transmission path and the second transmission path and -- controlling the first transmission path by the first resource control function and the second transmission path by the a second resource control function in dependency of the first currently available bandwidth and/or the second currently available bandwidth.