PDP Context Maintenance for Seamless LTE Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving smooth inter-system switching between Packet Data Protocol (PDP) based systems and Internet Protocol (IP) based systems, as PDP information is not natively kept up to date when a mobile device connects via an IP based system, leading to prolonged setup times for seamless handovers.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves maintaining and updating PDP contexts through a transparent tunnel within the IP based system, allowing these contexts to be readily available at both the mobile device and network nodes, and using a PDP Compatibility Application to manage and emulate PDP context termination points, ensuring smooth handovers between IP based and PDP context based systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a mobile device connects via an IP based system, then connectivity and service availability are improved, but PDP context information becomes outdated leading to prolonged setup times for handovers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing and maintaining PDP context information in advance while the mobile device is connected to the IP based system. The context information is kept up to date through the transparent tunnel even before handover is needed, so that when handover occurs, the information is already prepared and readily available, eliminating the need for prolonged setup procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a transparent tunnel as an intermediary mechanism that connects the IP based system and the PDP context based system. This tunnel allows PDP context information to be maintained and updated across both systems simultaneously, acting as a mediator that prevents information loss during inter-system switching while maintaining connectivity through the IP based system.
2Productivity
If PDP context information is maintained during IP based connections, then handover speed is improved, but system complexity increases due to transparent tunnel requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent tunnel in the patent serves multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains PDP context information, enables connectivity between IP based and PDP context based systems, and supports both active communication and standby context maintenance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated mechanisms for each function, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
3Reliability
If seamless handover between IP based and PDP context based systems is achieved, then service continuity is improved, but compatibility issues between different communication systems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent tunnel acts as a compatibility layer that mediates between the IP based system and the PDP context based system. It translates and maintains context information in a format that both systems can understand, enabling seamless handover while handling the protocol and format differences between the two systems, thus improving service continuity without requiring either system to change its fundamental architecture.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a method and apparatus for providing system interoperability in wireless communications an IP based client-server application maintains a proper set of PDP contexts while a mobile is connected via an IP based system such as LTE/SAE. The application client resides in the mobile and the server resides within the network at a common anchor point (115) between the IP based system. (103) and a PDP context based system (111). The PDP contexts are kept up to date but on hold until a handover occurs for the mobile from the IP based system (111).