DYNAMICALLY EXTENDING MOBILE COVERAGE AND CAPACITY BY OFFLOADING

• US 20140226487A1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks OY (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks OY (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Forssell, Mika, Alexandru, Cristian, Lang, Petri
• Granted Patent: US 9,456,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

It is provided an apparatus, comprising monitoring means adapted to monitor a state of a first network element of a first radio access network; detecting means adapted to detect if the state fulfills a condition; enabling means adapted to enable, if the state fulfills the condition, that a user equipment having interfaces for attaching to the first network element and for attaching to a second network element of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network, may attach to the second network element.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising

monitoring means adapted to monitor a state of a first network element of a first radio access network;

detecting means adapted to detect if the state fulfills a condition;

enabling means adapted to enable, if the state fulfills the condition, that a user equipment having interfaces for attaching to the first network element and for attaching to a second network element of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network, may attach to the second network element.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the state comprises a traffic load, and the condition is fulfilled if the traffic load exceeds a first predetermined threshold;

or

the state comprises a congestion of a cell of the first network element, and the condition is fulfilled if the congestion occurs;

or

the state comprises a fault state indicating that the first network element is not able to cope with a predetermined traffic, and the condition is fulfilled if the fault state occurs;

or

the state comprises a number of subscribers in the cell, and the condition is fulfilled if the number of subscribers exceeds a second predetermined threshold;

or

the state comprises a quality of service, and the condition is fulfilled if the quality of service is not provided.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the enabling means comprises

network on-triggering means adapted to trigger the second network element to start operation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the enabling means comprises

second preference setting means adapted to set the user equipment such that it preferably attaches to the second network element rather than to the first network element.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

disabling means adapted to disable, if the state does not fulfill the condition, that the user equipment attaches to the second network element.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the disabling means comprises

network off-triggering means adapted to trigger the second network element to stop operation.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the disabling means comprises

first preference setting means adapted to set the user equipment such that it preferably attaches to the first network element rather than to the second network element.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

predicting means adapted to predict that the state will fulfill the condition;

wherein

the enabling means is adapted to enable, if the predicting means predicts that the state will fulfill the condition, that the user equipment may attach to the second network element.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

first location determining means adapted to determine a first location of the first network element;

second location determining means adapted to determine a second location of the second network element; and

distance determining means adapted to determine a distance from the determined first and second locations;

wherein the enabling means is additionally adapted to enable that the user equipment may attach to the second network element only if the distance does not exceed a predetermined value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first radio access network is of a first radio access technology, and the second radio access network is of a second radio access technology different from the first radio access technology.

10. Apparatus, comprising

trigger detecting means adapted to detect a received trigger related to a state of a first network element of a first radio access network;

commanding means adapted to command, if the trigger is detected, a second network element of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network to start operating.

11. Apparatus, comprising

trigger detecting means adapted to detect a received trigger related to a state of a first network element of a first radio access network;

commanding means adapted to command, if the trigger is detected, a user equipment having interfaces for attaching to the first network element and for attaching to a second network element of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network to preferably attach to the second network element.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising

external monitoring means adapted to monitor an external state, wherein the external state is not a state of the first network element;

external detecting means adapted to detect if the external state fulfills an external condition;

wherein

the enabling means is adapted to enable, if the external condition is fulfilled, that the user equipment may attach to the second network element.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the external state comprises a trigger command, and the external condition is fulfilled if the trigger command is received;

or

the external state comprises a predefined time, and the external condition is fulfilled at the predefined time.

15. Method, comprising

monitoring a state of a first network element of a first radio access network;

detecting if the state fulfills a condition;

enabling, if the state fulfills the condition, that a user equipment having interfaces for attaching to the first network element and for attaching to a second network element of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network, may attach to the second network element.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein

the state comprises a traffic load, and the condition is fulfilled if the traffic load exceeds a first predetermined threshold;

or

the state comprises a congestion of a cell of the first network element, and the condition is fulfilled if the congestion occurs;

or

the state comprises a fault state indicating that the first network element is not able to cope with a predetermined traffic, and the condition is fulfilled if the fault state occurs;

or

the state comprises a number of subscribers in the cell, and the condition is fulfilled if the number of subscribers exceeds a second predetermined threshold;

or

the state comprises a quality of service, and the condition is fulfilled if the quality of service is not provided.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the enabling comprises

triggering the second network element to start operation.

18. The method according claim 15, wherein the enabling comprises

setting the user equipment such that it preferably attaches to the second network element rather than to the first network element.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising

disabling, if the state does not fulfill the condition, that the user equipment attaches to the second network element.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the disabling comprises

triggering the second network element to stop operation.

21-30. -30. (canceled)