Network Search During Active Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
User devices often fail to promptly switch back to a preferred network when it becomes available due to remaining attached to an alternate network, leading to prolonged service quality degradation and inefficient network reselection processes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows user devices to actively search for a preferred network while connected to an alternate network, using prioritized search parameters and adjustable timer intervals to expedite the reconnection process, and managing search intervals dynamically based on previous search outcomes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user device remains attached to the alternate network to maintain service continuity, then service interruption is avoided, but service quality deteriorates due to inferior network performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning for the preferred network in the background while maintaining attachment to the alternate network. This allows the device to detect when the preferred network becomes available before actually switching, ensuring seamless transition without service interruption while immediately capturing the opportunity to switch to higher quality service.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning process continues continuously or periodically in the background while the device remains connected to the alternate network. This continuous monitoring ensures that when the preferred network becomes available, the device can switch immediately, maintaining both service continuity and the ability to achieve superior service quality when available.
2Loss of time
If the user device performs frequent scans for the preferred network, then the likelihood of finding the preferred network quickly increases, but battery life is depleted faster
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous scanning, the system implements periodic scanning at predetermined intervals while the device is attached to the alternate network. This periodic approach balances the need to detect the preferred network quickly with the need to conserve battery life, scanning frequently enough to capture network availability changes but infrequently enough to avoid excessive energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning process is optimized to use minimal system resources and is integrated into the device's existing network management routines. By leveraging existing hardware and software capabilities rather than implementing separate dedicated scanning mechanisms, the system reduces the energy overhead of scanning while maintaining effective network detection.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the user device waits until idle before scanning for the preferred network, then battery life is conserved, but the switching delay increases when the preferred network becomes available during active communication
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning for the preferred network during active communication on the alternate network, rather than waiting until idle. This preliminary action ensures that when the preferred network becomes available, the device can switch immediately without delay, while the scanning is optimized to consume minimal energy during active periods.
Data Source
AI summary
When connected to an alternate network, a user device may search for a preferred network when the user device is actively transmitting traffic via the alternate network. As such, the user device may search for, and potentially locate, the preferred network faster than when the user device waits to search for the preferred network after becoming idle. While active, the user device may search for the preferred network for a relatively short duration, in order to limit the amount of time that data flow transmission is interrupted when searching for the preferred network. The user device may search for the preferred network based on a list of search parameters. The list of search parameters may be prioritized differently based on whether the user device is active or idle, and may be based on a quantity of times that the user device has searched for the preferred network.