User Equipment Network Selection Policy Evaluation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies lack a method for user equipment to seamlessly discover, select, and switch network connections based on network selection policies and local operating environment conditions, leading to inefficiencies in mobile data offloading and connectivity experiences.

Innovation Solution

A method for user equipment to retrieve and evaluate network selection policies from a network policy control server, authenticate, secure communication, and switch between networks based on local conditions, including evaluating signal strength and battery level, to establish optimal wireless local area network connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If user equipment manually selects and manages network connections, then network connectivity can be established, but the complexity of network management increases and seamless switching cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork selection operationVSAvoidnetwork management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user equipment automatically retrieves, evaluates, and applies network selection policies without manual user intervention. The system self-manages the entire network selection process by contacting policy control servers, evaluating local conditions, and autonomously switching networks based on policy rules, thereby eliminating manual operation complexity while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Network selection policies are retrieved and evaluated in advance before actual network switching is needed. The system proactively obtains policy information from policy control servers and prepares selection criteria based on local operating conditions, enabling seamless switching to occur automatically when network changes are required rather than reacting in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Extent of automation

If network selection policies are automatically applied, then seamless network switching is achieved, but the device must continuously evaluate local operating conditions consuming additional energy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork selection automationVSAvoidenergy consumption for policy evaluation

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system evaluates local operating conditions and retrieves network selection policies periodically rather than continuously. Network switching is triggered by policy evaluation cycles and specific events such as network availability changes or policy updates, allowing the device to balance automated network selection with energy conservation by activating evaluation only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If multiple network policies are stored and evaluated, then optimal network selection is achieved, but the time required for network selection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork selection reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork selection time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system evaluates multiple network selection policies but applies different evaluation criteria and priority levels to different policies based on local operating conditions. Each policy is assessed against relevant local parameters such as signal strength, battery level, and network type, allowing the system to quickly identify and apply the most appropriate policy rather than uniformly evaluating all policies with equal depth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If network policy control server is contacted for each selection, then up-to-date policies are obtained, but communication overhead and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy information accuracyVSAvoidpolicy retrieval time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system retrieves network selection policies from the policy control server in advance and stores them locally for subsequent evaluation and application. By proactively obtaining policy information before it is needed for actual network switching, the system reduces communication overhead and latency during critical switching moments while ensuring up-to-date policies are available when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9264450B2Method of seamless policy based network discovery, selection and switching

Publication Date: 2016.02.16 SIMPLIFY NETWORKS SDN BHD

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for seamless policy based network discovery, selection and switching of a user equipment (UE), characterized by the steps of: retrieving existing network selection policy information for current UE location; contacting network policy control server of current UE location; performing network authentication procedure with the network policy control server; securing communication channel between the UE and the network policy control server; requesting a network selection policy information; storing the network selection policy information; extracting the network selection policy information; evaluating a first set of UE local operating environment conditions; provisioning the plurality of sets of access point security information on UE; evaluating a second set of UE local operating environment conditions; performing network switch; evaluating a third set of UE local operating environment conditions; establishing a wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking procedures; diagnosing the quality of service of connected network connection.