Wireless Packet Routing via Native Protocol Layers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hybrid wireless communication devices, such as those using Generic Access Network (GAN) or Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), experience significant bandwidth reduction and increased costs due to excessive overhead when communicating over wireless local area networks, as they require traffic to pass through a Generic Access Network Controller or UMA network controller, mimicking a traditional base station controller and routing through the core mobile network.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that enables wireless communication devices to communicate directly with device access nodes using native network layers specific to wireless local area networks or core mobile networks, bypassing the core mobile network for external links, allowing packet transmission and reception through an application layer above the native network layers, thereby reducing overhead and maintaining bandwidth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traffic is routed through a Generic Access Network Controller (GANC) to maintain compatibility with traditional core mobile networks, then network compatibility and seamless communication are improved, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates due to excessive overhead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork compatibilityVSAvoidbandwidth efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the GANC controller from the communication path between WLAN access points and the core network. By allowing WLAN access points to communicate directly with the core network using native WLAN protocols, the unnecessary intermediary controller is removed, eliminating the overhead it generates while maintaining network compatibility through direct routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new intermediary entity called a WLAN access controller that sits between WLAN access points and the core network. This controller provides protocol translation and coordination functions, enabling direct WLAN-to-core network communication while maintaining compatibility requirements, thus reducing overhead compared to routing through a traditional GANC.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If data is forced back through the carrier network via GANC, then network control and security are improved, but subscriber costs increase due to unnecessary network traversal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork controlVSAvoidsubscriber costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the requirement for data to traverse back through the carrier network via GANC. By enabling direct routing between WLAN access points and the core network, data takes an optimized path that eliminates unnecessary network traversal, maintaining security through direct authenticated connections while reducing subscriber costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If native network layers specific to WLAN are used for direct communication, then bandwidth efficiency and cost are improved, but compatibility with traditional core mobile network infrastructure may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a WLAN access controller as an intermediary that handles protocol translation between native WLAN network layers and traditional core mobile network protocols. This allows devices to use efficient native WLAN protocols for direct communication while the intermediary ensures compatibility with existing core network infrastructure, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency and compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the communication architecture into distinct functional layers: WLAN access points using native protocols for efficient data transmission, WLAN access controllers for protocol translation and coordination, and the core network for centralized management. This segmentation allows each component to operate optimally in its own domain while maintaining overall system compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP1988687B1System and method for sending and receiving packets
Publication Date: 2009.12.02 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP1988687B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1988687B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1988687B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system and method for sending and receiving packets is provided. An embodiment includes a system comprising a wireless communication device configured to communicate with at least one application server via device access node and a wireless local area network. The wireless communication device is configured to communicate with the device access node through the wireless local area network using at least one protocol layer that is native to the wireless local area network, and using at least one protocol layer that is native to the device access node. The device access node is configured to send and receive application information carried over above-described protocol layers.