WLAN Identifier Handoff for Cellular Mobile Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanisms lack efficient handoff capabilities between public cellular wireless networks and wireless local area networks (WLANs) due to operational differences in technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the presence of a WLAN in a cell segment and send its identifier to mobile stations to enable seamless handoff, using private identifiers and geographic boundary information to facilitate authorized access and resource optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional mechanisms are used for handoff between cellular networks and WLANs, then network security and authorization control are maintained, but handoff efficiency and user experience deteriorate due to lack of explicit notification mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the presence of WLANs in cell segments before handoff is needed, and proactively sends WLAN identifiers to mobile stations in advance. This allows mobile stations to have WLAN availability information ready before actually needing to handoff, improving handoff efficiency without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station controller acts as an intermediary that receives WLAN identifier information from WLAN access points and forwards this information to mobile stations. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient information distribution while maintaining centralized control and security management in the cellular network.
2Adaptability or versatility
If WLAN identifiers are sent to all mobile stations, then handoff capability is improved, but network complexity and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by sending WLAN identifier information selectively based on geographic location. Base station controllers send WLAN identifiers only to mobile stations located in specific cell segments where WLANs are present, rather than broadcasting to all mobile stations network-wide. This reduces signaling complexity while maintaining handoff capability where needed.
3Measurement precision
If geographic boundary information is provided to mobile stations, then accurate handoff decision-making is improved, but information transmission requirements and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into cell segments with defined geographic boundaries, and WLAN identifier information is distributed according to these segments. Mobile stations receive information about which WLANs are available in their current or neighboring cell segments, enabling accurate handoff decisions without requiring transmission of complete network-wide information.
Data Source
AI summary
In a wireless communications network, the presence of a wireless local area network in a cell segment is determined. An identifier of the wireless local area network in the cell segment is sent to at least one mobile station in the cell segment to enable the at least one mobile station to hand off to the wireless local area network. Optionally, information identifying geographic boundaries of cell segments and the wireless local area network can be sent to the at least one mobile station.