UE Offloadability Information for WLAN Cellular Traffic Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for enhanced cooperation and integration between Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) and cellular networks to efficiently manage traffic offloading and access network selection in User Equipment (UE) devices, particularly to address congestion issues and optimize network performance.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves providing offloadability information to User Equipment (UE) devices through Radio Access Network (RAN) assistance, using Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling, to enable UE-centric access network selection and traffic steering between WLAN and cellular networks, allowing for efficient offloading of specific Packet Data Network (PDN) connections to WLAN based on predetermined criteria and signal strength thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traffic offloading is implemented between WLAN and cellular networks, then network performance is optimized and congestion is reduced, but device complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the UE autonomously decides traffic offloading based on pre-configured rules and real-time network conditions, rather than requiring continuous centralized coordination. This mediator approach (the UE's local decision-making logic) reduces coordination overhead while maintaining network performance optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration of offloading rules and parameters before actual traffic offloading occurs. By pre-establishing the conditions and parameters for offloading decisions, the system avoids complex real-time coordination while enabling efficient traffic management when conditions are met.
2Productivity
If UE-centric access network selection is enabled, then traffic management efficiency is improved, but information processing requirements and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential decision-making parameters and rules from the complex network management system and delivers them to the UE as compact configuration data. This extraction approach allows the UE to perform autonomous traffic management with minimal signaling overhead, as only critical parameters need to be transmitted rather than complete control instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE is empowered with self-service capabilities to autonomously evaluate network conditions against pre-configured rules and make offloading decisions independently. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous network-controlled signaling, reducing information overhead while improving traffic management efficiency.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If selective PDN connection offloading is implemented, then network congestion is reduced, but device complexity and decision-making complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by treating each PDN connection as an independent offloading decision unit with its own rules and criteria. This segmentation allows the complex problem of overall traffic management to be broken down into simpler, independent decisions for each connection, reducing decision-making complexity while effectively reducing network congestion through selective offloading.
Data Source
AI summary
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and methods of providing offloadability information to a User Equipment (UE). For example, a core network (CN) may provide to the UE Packet Data Network (PDN) offloadability information corresponding to one or more PDN connections of the UE, the PDN offloadability information indicating which PDN connection of the one or more PDN connections is able to be offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).