Wireless Network Offloading Engine for Prioritized Wi-Fi Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks often overlap and overlap with different configurations, leading to suboptimal network selection by devices, which can result in inefficient use of network resources and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for wireless network offloading that utilizes a wireless network offloading engine to generate prioritized network lists based on network data, device-specific information, and subscriber-specific data, including location, motion trace, and user preferences, to encourage offloading from cellular networks to Wi-Fi networks using incentives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless devices choose networks based on user selection or basic availability, then ease of operation is maintained, but network resource utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables wireless devices to automatically select and offload to optimal networks without user intervention. The network offloading engine autonomously monitors network conditions, evaluates multiple networks based on configured criteria, and directs traffic offloading decisions, allowing the system to self-optimize network resource utilization while maintaining operational simplicity for users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wireless networks overlap with different configurations, then network coverage and versatility are improved, but network selection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network offloading engine acts as an intermediary between wireless devices and multiple overlapping networks. It centralizes the complex task of evaluating network conditions, comparing configurations, and selecting optimal networks, thereby managing network selection complexity internally while presenting a simplified interface to users and maintaining adaptability across diverse network environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the network selection process into distinct functional components: network discovery, condition monitoring, evaluation criteria application, and offloading decision-making. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of network management independently, reducing overall selection complexity while maintaining comprehensive adaptability across multiple overlapping networks with different configurations.
3Productivity
If intelligent offloading strategies are implemented to optimize network selection, then network resource utilization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network offloading engine serves as a specialized intermediary component that handles the computational complexity of intelligent offloading strategies. By centralizing the evaluation logic, monitoring functions, and decision-making algorithms in a dedicated engine rather than distributing complexity across all device functions, the system achieves optimized network resource utilization while containing and managing system complexity within a specific module.
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless offloading provides tools to a service provider to encourage or direct a subscriber to offload from a first network, e.g., a cellular network, to a second network, e.g., a Wi-Fi network. The cellular service provider can use network data to determine wireless offloading priorities for cellular subscribers on an individual or group basis. The cellular service provider may use wireless network data it has and/or wireless network data it learns about networks from the wireless devices (which may obtain Wi-Fi network data from beacon frames of Wi-Fi networks or active scanning and which may report to the cellular service provider). Each wireless device can be given scanning assignments to ensure that the reporting task is shared among subscribers or adjusted to fill in gaps in data. With the network data, the cellular service provider is capable of generating useful prioritized network lists for wireless devices, either individually or as a group. Preferences can be encouraged in the form of incentive offers to subscribers to, e.g., offload from the cellular network to a Wi-Fi network. Incentive offers can include offers to lower service costs or provide additional or improved services.