Wireless Data Usage Measurement Across Network Handovers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining wireless data usage across different networks are inefficient, particularly during handovers between networks, as they rely on tracking area updates which do not account for all transitions, leading to inaccuracies in data usage monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize messages indicative of network changes, such as PLMN-ID or ECGI, to trigger data usage determination sessions, allowing for accurate monitoring of data usage across different frequency bands and networks, independent of tracking area updates, by using accounting nodes and controller nodes to initiate and manage data usage tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If tracking area update procedure is used to monitor data usage, then network location management is maintained, but data usage measurement accuracy deteriorates during handovers between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data usage monitoring function from the tracking area update procedure. Instead of relying on the general location management mechanism to track data usage, the system creates a separate, dedicated monitoring pathway using handover messages. This segmentation allows precise data usage measurement during network transitions without burdening the location management system, thereby improving measurement accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces handover messages as an intermediary mechanism for data usage monitoring. These messages serve as a mediator between the wireless device's network transition and the network's data usage accounting system. By using this intermediary, the system achieves accurate data usage tracking during handovers without requiring modifications to the core tracking area update procedure, thus improving precision without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If tracking area update procedure is relied upon for data usage monitoring, then location management is simplified, but data usage monitoring completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges data usage monitoring with the existing handover procedure. Instead of creating a separate monitoring system, the solution combines data usage tracking with the mandatory handover messaging that already occurs during network transitions. This merging ensures that every handover event is captured for data usage accounting, improving monitoring completeness without adding significant complexity, as the handover procedure itself is enhanced rather than duplicated.
Solution Approach 2:
The handover message is given multi-functionality: it continues to serve its primary purpose of managing network transitions while simultaneously serving as a trigger for data usage monitoring. This universal approach ensures that a single message type handles both location management and data usage tracking, improving reliability by capturing all network transitions without requiring separate specialized mechanisms, thus avoiding unnecessary complexity.
3Measurement precision
If data usage tracking is integrated with tracking area updates, then system overhead is reduced, but measurement accuracy deteriorates during frequency band changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by triggering data usage determination sessions in advance of actual data transfer during handovers. When a handover message is detected, the system proactively initiates a new data usage determination session for the target network, ensuring that measurement is ready before data transmission begins. This eliminates delays in data usage determination and ensures accurate tracking from the start of data transfer, improving precision without time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to the data usage monitoring system by making the determination session lifecycle dependent on real-time handover events. Instead of static periodic monitoring, the system dynamically creates, activates, and transitions data usage sessions based on actual network handovers. This dynamic approach ensures measurements are precisely aligned with actual data transfer periods, improving accuracy while minimizing time loss by only monitoring when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of determining wireless data usage are provided. Wireless data usage of a wireless device on a first network of a first network operator is determined. A message indicating a performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first network to a second network of a second network operator is received and the wireless data usage of the wireless device on the second network is determined based on the message received.