SEAMLESS HANDOFF, OFFLOAD, AND LOAD BALANCING IN INTEGRATED WI-FI/SMALL CELL SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A method of handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network, comprising:
- causing a cellular base station of the cellular network to collect information related to the cellular network;
causing a Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located or virtually co-located; and
using the information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network is disclosed. A cellular base station of the cellular network is caused to collect information related to the cellular network. A Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network is caused to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located. The information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network are used collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa.
177 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method of handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network, comprising:
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causing a cellular base station of the cellular network to collect information related to the cellular network; causing a Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located or virtually co-located; and using the information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to; cause a cellular base station of the cellular network to collect information related to the cellular network; cause a Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located or virtually co-located; and use the information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A computer program product for handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
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causing a cellular base station of the cellular network to collect information related to the cellular network; causing a Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located or virtually co-located; and using the information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa.
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Specification