Wireless Backhaul Offload via Backup Access Node Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Backhaul communication links in wireless communication systems often become heavily loaded or experience faults, leading to reduced wireless access and poor performance for user devices when a wireless access node's backhaul link fails.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a network control system monitors the performance of backhaul links and identifies a secondary wireless access node to assist the primary node, initiating a backup wireless link if performance thresholds are exceeded, allowing for the offloading of communications to maintain service quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If backhaul communication links are used to connect wireless access nodes to the core network, then wireless access services can be provided to user devices, but the backhaul links become heavily loaded or experience faults leading to reduced service quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backhaul communication path by establishing a backup wireless link between wireless access nodes, separating the primary backhaul link from the backup link. This segmentation allows traffic to be divided between two independent paths, preventing single-point failures and reducing load on any single backhaul link, thereby improving both reliability and capacity utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a backup wireless link as an intermediary communication path between wireless access nodes and the core network. This intermediary link activates only when the primary backhaul link experiences faults or heavy loading, providing a mediator path that restores service continuity without permanently increasing the complexity of the network architecture.
2Reliability
If a backup wireless link is initiated between wireless access nodes, then communication service continuity is maintained during backhaul link faults, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring backup wireless links between wireless access nodes before faults occur. The network control system establishes and maintains backup links in advance, so when backhaul link faults occur, service continuity is immediately restored without requiring complex real-time configuration changes or manual intervention, thus reducing operational complexity despite the additional network elements.
Data Source
AI summary
What is disclosed is a method of operating a communication system. The communication system includes wireless access nodes and a network control system, where user devices and the wireless access nodes communicate over wireless links, and the wireless access nodes and the network control system communicate over individually associated backhaul links. The method includes transferring forward communications in a forward direction from the network control system to a first one of the wireless access nodes over a forward link portion of a first backhaul link associated with the first wireless access node, and transferring reverse communications in a reverse direction from the first wireless access node to the network control system over a reverse link portion of the first backhaul link. The method also includes monitoring forward performance of the forward link portion and monitoring reverse performance of the reverse link portion, and identifying a second of the wireless access nodes to assist the first wireless access node. If the forward performance of the forward link portion exceeds a forward threshold, then the method includes instructing the first wireless access node to initiate a backup wireless link between the first wireless access node and the second wireless access node, and if the reverse performance of the reverse link portion exceeds a reverse threshold, then the method includes instructing the second wireless access node to initiate the backup wireless link between the first wireless access node and the second wireless access node. The method also includes using the backup wireless link to offload communications of the first backhaul link.