RAN Traffic Steering for 3GPP WLAN Load Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
During interoperation between 3GPP RAN and WLAN, existing traffic steering methods lack control at the RAN level, leading to inappropriate traffic steering in a large number of terminals, resulting in prolonged transmission times or failure, with traffic often being steered back and forth between networks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of traffic steering apparatuses that determine and transmit traffic steering indication information, including ratios and targets, from RAN nodes to UE, ensuring balanced load distribution between 3GPP RAN and WLAN, with mechanisms to adjust and offload traffic based on load conditions and UE capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traffic steering is performed without RAN level control, then traffic can be steered between networks, but traffic steering becomes inappropriate and unbalanced leading to prolonged transmission times
Solution Approach 1:
The RAN node performs preliminary assessment of traffic steering conditions by evaluating load information from both 3GPP RAN and WLAN networks before initiating traffic steering. This preliminary action ensures that traffic is only steered when appropriate conditions are met, preventing inappropriate steering decisions and reducing transmission delays
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where RAN nodes continuously monitor and exchange load information between 3GPP RAN and WLAN networks. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of traffic steering decisions based on current network conditions, ensuring balanced load distribution and preventing transmission delays
2Productivity
If traffic is steered to WLAN without control, then load can be offloaded from 3GPP RAN, but network overload and interference occur due to contention mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of traffic steering control by introducing RAN level management that dynamically adjusts steering decisions based on load conditions. This parameter change ensures that traffic is steered to WLAN only when it can handle the load, maintaining both load balancing and traffic quality
Solution Approach 2:
The RAN node acts as an intermediary that mediates traffic steering between 3GPP RAN and WLAN. It evaluates load conditions and makes informed steering decisions, preventing direct uncontrolled steering to WLAN and ensuring that traffic quality is maintained while achieving load balancing
3Ease of operation
If traffic steering is performed without coordination, then UE can select networks independently, but traffic oscillation occurs between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback where RAN nodes exchange load information and coordinate steering decisions. This feedback mechanism prevents traffic oscillation by ensuring that when traffic is steered from 3GPP RAN to WLAN, the WLAN network is actually capable of handling the load, maintaining stability while preserving flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the autonomous network selection capability of UE with centralized RAN level control. The UE maintains flexibility in network selection while RAN nodes provide coordinating control to prevent oscillation, combining both approaches to achieve stability and flexibility
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a method and apparatus for controlling traffic steering and a communications system. In an implementation of the method for controlling traffic steering, the method is applicable to an RAN node and comprises: traffic steering indication information is determined; and the traffic steering indication information is transmitted to UE, so that the UE steers corresponding traffic to a traffic steering target according to the traffic steering indication information. With the method, load balance between 3GPP RAN and WLAN at an RAN level may be ensured, and in comparison with an existing mechanism, user experiences and system performance are improved.