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

• US 20170142627A1
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Original Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Inventors: Visuri, Pertti Juhani, Van Hamersveld, Christian, Visuri, Johanna Katariina, Zagursky, Dan, Salo, Randy
• Application Number:
  US15/406,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20170142627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 using at least one hardware processor of a server to:

obtain an offload profile for at least one cellular sector in a cellular network, wherein the offload profile indicates, for the at least one cellular sector, a traffic offload, needed from an alternative network; and

,

issue an instruction, to at least one mobile device within the at least one cellular sector, to either transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network or transfer a connection from the alternative network to the cellular network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on a signal quality within the at least one cellular sector.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on peak hours for the at least one cellular sector.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on traffic load within the at least one cellular sector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cellular sector comprises a plurality of cellular sectors, and wherein the offload profile comprises, for each of the plurality of cellular sectors, a traffic offload, needed from the alternative network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative network comprises a wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless network comprises another cellular network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the offload profile comprises a traffic pattern representing a predicted amount of traffic for the at least one cellular sector during at least one time period.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the at least one hardware processor of the server to, for the at least one mobile device that is instructed to transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network, collect a measure of data consumed through the alternative network from the mobile device.

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

at least one hardware processor; and

one or more software modules configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor,

obtain an offload profile for at least one cellular sector in a cellular network, wherein the offload profile indicates, for the at least one cellular sector, a traffic offload, needed from an alternative network, and,

issue an instruction, to at least one mobile device within the at least one cellular sector, to either transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network or transfer a connection from the alternative network to the cellular network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on a signal quality within the at least one cellular sector.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on peak hours for the at least one cellular sector.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on traffic load within the at least one cellular sector.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one cellular sector comprises a plurality of cellular sectors, and wherein the offload profile comprises, for each of the plurality of cellular sectors, a traffic offload, needed from the alternative network.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the alternative network comprises a wireless network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless network comprises another cellular network.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the offload profile comprises a traffic pattern representing a predicted amount of traffic for the at least one cellular sector during at least one time period.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more software modules are further configured to, for the at least one mobile device that is instructed to transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network, collect a measure of data consumed through the alternative network from the mobile device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

obtain an offload profile for at least one cellular sector in a cellular network, wherein the offload profile indicates, for the at least one cellular sector, a traffic offload, needed from an alternative network; and

,

issue an instruction, to at least one mobile device within the at least one cellular sector, to either transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network or transfer a connection from the alternative network to the cellular network.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on a signal quality within the at least one cellular sector.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on peak hours for the at least one cellular sector.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein issuance of the instruction is based on traffic load within the at least one cellular sector.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the at least one cellular sector comprises a plurality of cellular sectors, and wherein the offload profile comprises, for each of the plurality of cellular sectors, a traffic offload, needed from the alternative network.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the alternative network comprises a wireless network.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the wireless network comprises another cellular network.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the offload profile comprises a traffic pattern representing a predicted amount of traffic for the at least one cellular sector during at least one time period.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, for the at least one mobile device that is instructed to transfer a connection from the cellular network to the alternative network, collect a measure of data consumed through the alternative network from the mobile device.