User Terminal Offload Connection Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The inefficiency in offloading traffic load from cellular base stations to wireless LAN access points leads to the 'ping-pong phenomenon' where connections between user terminals and cellular base stations are repeatedly established, causing inefficient operation due to deteriorating communication status between user terminals and access points.
Innovation Solution
A communication control method where user terminals maintain their connection with cellular base stations while establishing a connection with access points for offloading, determining whether to continue or cancel offload based on communication status with the access point, and using timers to manage connection maintenance periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the user terminal releases the cellular base station connection when establishing an access point connection for offload, then the offload operation is simplified, but the ping-pong phenomenon occurs causing connection re-establishment and inefficient operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection management into two independent parts: the cellular connection is maintained separately from the WLAN offload connection. This allows the terminal to maintain the cellular RRC connection while simultaneously establishing a WLAN connection for offload, preventing the ping-pong effect where connections are repeatedly released and re-established.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining the cellular connection in advance before offload begins, and keeping it maintained throughout the offload period. This pre-established connection prevents the need for re-establishment when offload conditions change, thereby avoiding the ping-pong phenomenon.
2Reliability
If the user terminal maintains connection with cellular base station during offload, then connection stability is improved, but device complexity increases due to dual connection management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the cellular base station serves as the anchor for control plane functions while the WLAN access point handles user plane data transfer. This intermediary role of the cellular connection simplifies management by maintaining a single control anchor point while enabling parallel data paths.
3Productivity
If the user terminal establishes connection with access point for offload, then traffic load transfer is achieved, but communication status deterioration causes ping-pong phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the cellular connection continuously throughout the offload process. This continuous connection serves as a stable fallback and control anchor, preventing the interruption and re-establishment cycles that occur when the cellular connection is released during offload.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication control method is a method for performing offload to transfer a traffic load of a cellular base station to an access point. The communication control method comprises a step of maintaining without releasing the first connection, by a user terminal that have established a first connection with the cellular base station, even when the offload is started after establishing a second connection with the access point; and a determining step of determining, by the user terminal, whether the offload is continued or canceled after the offload is started.