Seamless Wi-Fi Hotspot Handover via Dual-Module Parallel Connection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Users experience network non-fluency and disconnection when moving between different Wi-Fi hotspots, leading to poor user experiences due to the limitations of existing wireless hotspot handover methods.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal equipped with two wireless modules that maintain a connection with the first hotspot while establishing a connection with a second hotspot when signal strength falls below a threshold, and seamlessly hand over to the second hotspot when its performance is superior, ensuring continuous and fluent network access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a terminal connects to a Wi-Fi hotspot and moves to another hotspot, then network coverage is extended, but network fluency deteriorates due to disconnection at coverage boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork coverage areaVSAvoidnetwork connection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs preliminary scanning and connection establishment with the target hotspot before fully disconnecting from the current hotspot. The controller detects signal strength of a target hotspot, and only when the signal strength meets the threshold does it establish connection with the target hotspot, ensuring seamless handover and maintaining network fluency during movement between hotspots.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Area of stationary object

If the terminal switches hotspots frequently during movement, then network coverage is maintained, but user experience deteriorates due to network non-fluency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork coverage areaVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The controller continuously monitors the signal strength of the current hotspot and scans for target hotspots. Based on this feedback, it intelligently determines when to initiate handover - only when the current signal strength falls below a threshold and a suitable target hotspot is detected. This feedback-driven approach ensures smooth handovers and maintains excellent user experience during movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If the terminal uses a single wireless module for hotspot connection, then device complexity is reduced, but handover capability is limited causing disconnection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewireless module configurationVSAvoidhandover capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal is equipped with a first wireless module for Wi-Fi connection and a second wireless module for cellular network connection. The controller can selectively use either module for network access depending on availability and signal conditions. This multi-functionality ensures continuous network connectivity during hotspot handover, as the terminal can fall back to cellular network if Wi-Fi handover fails, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3322217B1Wireless hotspot switching method, mobile terminal and storage medium
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 ZTE CORP
  • EP3322217B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3322217B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3322217B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed is a wireless hotspot switching method, which is applied to a mobile terminal. The method comprises: after a mobile terminal establishes a first wireless connection with a first wireless hotspot via a first wireless module, and when it is determined that a first wireless link as a current network link meets a first pre-set condition, establishing a second wireless link with a second wireless hotspot via a second wireless module and maintaining the connection of the first wireless link, and then when it is determined that the second wireless link meets a second pre-set condition, switching a current network link to the second wireless link so as to access a network via the second wireless link. In this way, the whole switching process is transparent to a user, and the user will not feel problems, such as link disconnection, excessively slow network speed and poor network quality, due to link switching, so that seamless switching between wireless hotspots is implemented, and the fluency of network accessing during a user movement process is ensured. Also provided are a mobile terminal and a storage medium at the same time.