Wireless Handover Control via Throughput Comparison
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication networks fail to efficiently keep user devices connected to faster access nodes with adequate signal quality, often handing them over to older, slower nodes with better signal quality, resulting in inferior data throughput.
Innovation Solution
An access node controller determines data throughput and compares it with the target access node's throughput to decide on handovers, using signal parameters and Quality-of-Service indicators to ensure user equipment remains on faster nodes, modifying Preferred Roaming Lists to prioritize faster nodes and adjust handover thresholds accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If handover is based on signal quality difference alone, then user equipment can connect to access nodes with better signal quality, but data throughput deteriorates when handing over to older slower nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the handover decision parameters from solely signal quality metrics to include both signal quality and data throughput metrics. The access node controller compares throughput values between source and target nodes, and dynamically adjusts handover parameters like offsets and thresholds based on throughput differences, preventing handovers that would degrade data throughput while still allowing signal quality improvements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the access node controller receives throughput information from both source and target access nodes, processes this feedback to determine appropriate handover values, and uses these values to control the handover decision. This closed-loop feedback ensures handovers only occur when both signal quality and throughput requirements are satisfied
2Ease of operation
If handover threshold is lowered to capture more users, then more user equipment can be served, but faster access nodes are lost to older slower nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts handover parameters including offsets and thresholds based on real-time throughput comparisons. When a target node has inferior throughput capability, the system increases the handover threshold or applies positive offsets to prevent handover, even if signal quality conditions are met. This adaptive parameter adjustment maintains handover availability for appropriate scenarios while blocking throughput-degrading handovers
Data Source
AI summary
In a wireless communication network, an access node controller determines data throughput over a target access node. A source access node wirelessly exchanges user data with User Equipment (UE) and determines data throughput. The source access node receives signal parameters for the source access node and target access node from the UE. The source access node compares the signal parameters and responsively transfers a handover request that indicates the target node and the UE throughput over the source node. The access node controller receives the handover request and compares the source throughput to the target throughput to determine a handover value. The access node controller transfers the handover value to the source access node. The source access node compares the signal parameters based on the handover value, and responsively hands-over the UE to the target access node which wirelessly exchanges user data with the UE.