WLAN Aggregation Reconfiguration via Wireless Termination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks face challenges in seamlessly integrating and coordinating cellular and WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) communications, leading to inefficient traffic offloading and mobility management, which affects user experience and network performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an Xw interface between E-UTRAN and WLAN, allowing for network-controlled traffic steering and aggregation, enables the eNB to efficiently manage UE mobility by reconfiguring WLAN APs within the same WT, reducing signaling load and optimizing data forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If WLAN aggregation is integrated with cellular network, then network control and coordination are improved, but device complexity and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the WLAN aggregation management by introducing a wireless termination (WT) entity that handles WLAN-specific control functions separately from the eNB. This segmentation allows the eNB to focus on cellular network control while the WT manages WLAN aggregation details, reducing the signaling overhead between eNB and WLAN access points while maintaining reliable network control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary WT entity that acts as a mediator between the eNB and WLAN access points. The WT receives aggregation configuration from the eNB and manages the WLAN side independently, reducing direct signaling between eNB and WLAN while maintaining coordinated control. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by distributing control functions.
2Reliability
If traffic steering is network-controlled, then coordination between cellular and WLAN is improved, but signaling load on core network increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts WLAN aggregation control functions from the core network and places them in the WT entity at the access network level. The WT independently manages WLAN access point selection and aggregation configuration based on local measurements and eNB instructions, eliminating the need for continuous core network signaling while maintaining coordinated traffic steering between cellular and WLAN networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the eNB provide aggregation configuration parameters to the WT in advance. The WT then uses these pre-configured parameters to autonomously make WLAN access point selection and traffic steering decisions without requiring real-time core network involvement, reducing signaling load while maintaining coordination.
3Reliability
If WLAN AP changes are managed by eNB, then mobility control is improved, but signaling overhead between eNB and WT increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic mobility management where the WT autonomously monitors WLAN signal conditions and automatically triggers AP changes based on pre-configured thresholds. The eNB receives notification only when the WT decides to change the serving WLAN AP, rather than continuous signaling. This dynamic approach maintains reliable mobility control while minimizing signaling overhead between eNB and WT.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and apparatus for handling changes in wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, in an aggregation scenario are disclosed. An example method is performed in a first access node (30) in a wireless network, where the first access node (30) is serving a user equipment, UE, (40) for which communications between the UE (40) and a first WLAN AP are aggregated with communications between the UE (40) and the first access node (30), in cooperation with a first wireless termination (WT) that controls the first WLAN AP. The example method comprises: determining that communications between the UE (40) and the first WLAN AP should be replaced with communications between the UE (40) and the second WLAN AP; determining that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT; and sending a reconfiguration message to the first WT, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP.