Transfer Management Module for Seamless Session Handoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public safety users experience session termination due to poor signal quality and network traffic, especially during emergencies, as existing communication systems lack the ability to seamlessly transfer sessions between different networks with varying technologies and protocols, leading to connectivity issues and priority disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for transferring ongoing communication sessions between different access networks using a Transfer Management Module (TMM) that identifies suitable alternative networks based on quality of service, priority, and compatibility, ensuring continuous communication with improved conditions, even across different technologies and protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If public safety users remain on a single network during emergencies, then network priority and protocol consistency are maintained, but session termination occurs due to poor signal quality and high network traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transfers communication sessions between different networks based on real-time network conditions. When the primary network experiences poor signal quality or high traffic, the session is automatically transferred to an alternative network, making the system adaptable to changing conditions while maintaining session continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
A Transfer Management Module (TMM) acts as an intermediary between different networks and application servers. The TMM facilitates seamless session transfer by managing the handoff process, translating between different network protocols, and coordinating with multiple application servers to maintain continuous communication during network transitions.
2Reliability
If session transfer between different networks is enabled, then connectivity redundancy is provided during emergencies, but protocol differences and network incompatibility arise
Solution Approach 1:
The Transfer Management Module serves as an intermediary that handles protocol translation and compatibility issues between different networks. It abstracts the complexity of protocol differences from the end devices, providing a unified interface for session management while enabling transfers across heterogeneous networks with different protocols and standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to work universally across multiple network types and protocols. The TMM and application servers are configured to support various network standards, allowing the same session transfer mechanism to function across different network infrastructures without requiring device-specific modifications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If public safety users carry multiple end devices for different networks, then network compatibility is improved, but device portability and operational simplicity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables a single end device to communicate across multiple networks by implementing multi-network support at the network infrastructure level rather than requiring multiple devices. The TMM and application servers handle the complexity of multi-network compatibility, allowing users to operate a single device while maintaining access to both public safety and commercial networks.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system for transferring an ongoing communication session from one application server (AS) to another is described. Multiple ASs are monitored and serviced by a Transfer Management Module (TMM). Each of the ASs serves a different network and each network includes various end devices. During an ongoing communication session, whether the session is to continue using the current AS is determined based on a set of rules. If the session is to be transferred, an alternative AS that provides the same application as the current AS is selected using a set of conditions. Upon selection of the alternative AS, the current AS transfers the control and/or media state of the ongoing session for one to all users through the TMM to the selected AS, and the session is continued.