Network Controller Offload Policy for Centralized Terminal Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network offload methods, such as those using ANDSF and IEEE mechanisms, lack network-side control over terminal offloading, as terminals primarily self-select access networks, limiting centralized management and control.
Innovation Solution
A network offload method and apparatus where a first network controller receives and generates an offload policy based on network state information from terminals across multiple access networks, allowing centralized control over terminal offloading by determining optimal network and device access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If terminals autonomously discover and select access networks using ANDSF or IEEE mechanisms, then terminal autonomy and flexibility are improved, but network-side control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network controller as an intermediary between terminals and access networks. The network controller receives network state information from multiple access networks, generates offload policies based on this information, and sends these policies to terminals. This intermediary structure enables centralized network-side control while maintaining terminal autonomy to execute policies, thus resolving the contradiction between terminal flexibility and network control.
2Ease of manufacture
If terminals self-select access networks without centralized control, then implementation simplicity is improved, but bandwidth management efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where terminals report network state information (such as signal quality, load conditions) to the network controller. The network controller uses this feedback to dynamically generate and update offload policies, optimizing bandwidth management. This feedback loop enables efficient centralized control without significantly increasing implementation complexity, as it builds upon existing network reporting mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If multiple access networks operate independently without coordinated control, then system simplicity is improved, but resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control functions of multiple independent access networks into a single network controller. This controller aggregates network state information from cellular networks, WLANs, and other access networks, and generates unified offload policies that coordinate resource allocation across all networks. This merging approach improves resource allocation efficiency by enabling centralized optimization while maintaining relatively simple individual network structures.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a network offload method and apparatus, where the method includes: receiving, by a first network controller, network state information of a terminal, where there is at least one terminal, the network state information is state information of the terminal on at least one corresponding access network, and the first network controller is a network controller of a first access network; generating, by the first network controller, an offload policy for the terminal according to the network state information; and sending, by the first network controller, the offload policy to the terminal; and/or sending the offload policy to an access device of the at least one access network, so that a network-side device or the terminal performs offload according to the offload policy and the network side can implement control on terminal offloading.