SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING OFFLOAD FROM ONE RADIO ACCESS NETWORK TO ANOTHER

• US 20150189569A1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Original Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Inventors: Visuri, Pertti Juhani, Salo, Randy, Van Hamersveld, Christian, Visuri, Johanna Katariina, Zagursky, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 9,549,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

A method of managing data traffic offload from a radio access network may include: determining a location of a mobile device; and identifying, based on data traffic offload requirements of a network operator and capabilities of alternative network providers, one or more alternative networks configured to be accessed by the mobile device at the determined location.

Claims

1. A method of managing data traffic offload from a radio access network, the method comprising:

determining a location of a mobile device; and

identifying, based on data traffic offload requirements of a network operator and capabilities of alternative network providers, one or more alternative networks configured to be accessed by the mobile device at the determined location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein network topologies of one or more primary cellular access networks are different.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein alternatives for network access by the mobile device depend at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein alternatives for network access by the mobile device are determined based at least in part on at least one of relative signal strength indication (RSSI), encoding method selected by the mobile device, and encoding method selected by the access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data traffic offload management is based on one or more offload profiles.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising specifying, by the one or more offload profiles, an amount of alternative network access used in each cellular sector or small cell at specified times.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing actual data traffic offload to a target data traffic offload profile;

and

providing instructions to the mobile device to connect to or disconnect from alternative network access.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the actual data traffic offload is determined based on reports sent by a software application in the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reports contain information including one or more of information on connections to cellular sectors, information on connection opportunities and actual connections to alternative network access points, and information on data use by the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising offloading an amount of data traffic based on a difference between the target offload profile and actual data traffic offload.

11. A system for managing data traffic offload from a radio access network, the system comprising:

a mobile device configured with a software module;

a cloud-based server system configured to communicate with the software module on the mobile device;

a mobile network operator user interface configured for a mobile network operator to enter information about needs for data traffic offload; and

an alternative network provider user interface configured for a provider of alternative network access to enter information about ability to provide alternative network access and the terms and conditions associated with such access.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to scan for available network access points around the location of the mobile communication device, and

transmit results of the scan to the cloud-based server system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the cloud-based server system is configured to determine whether the mobile device should transfer its connection from the cellular network to one of the network access points based on the results of the scan, needs for data traffic offload, the ability to provide alternative network access, and the terms and conditions.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the cloud-based server system is configured to send information to the mobile device that includes identification of an access point to which the mobile device should associate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the cloud-based server system is configured to send a rank ordered list of access points configured to provide alternative network access.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is configured to monitor quality of a signal of an access point for alternative network access, and

in response to quality indicator below a threshold during a connection to the alternative network, the mobile device is configured to disassociate from the access point and transfer the connection to primary cellular network access.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein cloud-based server system is configured to manage the data traffic offload based on one or more offload profiles.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising specifying, by the one or more offload profiles, an amount of alternative network access used in each cellular sector or small cell at specified times.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the cloud-based server system is configured to compare actual data traffic offload to a target data traffic offload profile;

and

provide instructions to the mobile device to connect to or disconnect from alternative network access.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the cloud-based server system is configured to determine the actual data traffic offload based on reports sent by a software application in the mobile device.