Redirection in heterogeneous overlay networks

• US 8,964,643 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Value Innovation Partners Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Ki-Ho, Lee, Yong-Gyoo, Ji, Yung-Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Gary
• Application Number:
  US13/660,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/328, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

The disclosure is related to distributing a network load in overlay heterogeneous networks. A call connection request may receive from user equipment. A user preferred network may be identified based on predetermined network access priority information associated with the user equipment. Network redirection may be determined based on the user preferred network. Network redirection information may be created based on the determined network redirection.

Claims

1. A method for network redirection in overlay heterogeneous networks, the method comprising:

receiving a call connection request from user equipment;

identifying a user preferred network based on predetermined network access priority information associated with the user equipment;

determining network redirection based on the user preferred network; and

creating network redirection information based on the determined network redirection,

wherein the determining the network redirection includes;

determining whether a current serving network is the user preferred network;

determining whether a network load of a next serving network has not reached a first reference value when the current serving network is not the user preferred network;

determining that performing the network redirection is necessary when the network load has not reached the first reference value; and

determining that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when at least one of the current serving network is the user preferred network and the network load reaches the first reference value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the predetermined network access priority information from a mobility management entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined network access priority information is included in a subscriber profile identifier (SPID).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the network redirection comprises:

determining that performing the network redirection is necessary when the current serving network is not the user preferred network;

otherwise

determining that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when the current serving network is the user preferred network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the created network redirection information to the user equipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in the transmitting, the created network redirection information is transmitted using a radio resource control (RRC) connection release message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating the network redirection information comprises:

setting the user preferred network as the next serving network;

setting a time limit for the determined network direction; and

generating the network redirection information based on the next serving network and the time limit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, for the creating the network redirection information:

the network redirection information further includes at least one of frequency allocation information and frequency allocation priority information;

the frequency allocation information includes a frequency allocation for use in the next serving network and a frequency allocation priority information includes frequency allocation priority for the current serving network and the next serving network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the network redirection further includes:

when the current serving network is the user preferred network,

determining whether performing the network redirection is necessary, according to at least one of (i) whether a load difference between the current serving network and the next serving network reaches a second reference value and (ii) whether an accounting balance for the current service reaches a reference balance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the network redirection further includes:

determining whether a load difference between the current serving network and the next serving network reaches a second reference value when the current serving network is the user preferred network;

determining that performing the network redirection is necessary when the load difference reaches the second reference value; and

determining that performing the network redirection is not necessary when the load difference has not reached the second reference value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the network redirection further includes:

determining whether an accounting balance for the current serving network reaches a reference balance when the load difference has not reached the second reference value;

determining that performing the network redirection is necessary when the accounting balance has not reached the reference balance; and

determining that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when the accounting balance reaches the reference balance.

12. A method for network redirection in overlay heterogeneous networks, the method comprising:

receiving a call connection request from user equipment;

determining availability of network redirection information associated with the user equipment; and

performing a network redirection determination procedure at least one of (i) when the network redirection information is unavailable and (ii) when the network redirection information is available and a time limit included in the network redirection information is expired,

wherein the network redirection determination procedure includes;

identifying a user preferred network based on predetermined network access priority information associated with the user equipment;

determining whether a current serving network is the user preferred network;

determining whether a network load of a next serving network has not reached a first reference value when the current serving network is not the user preferred network;

determining that performing network redirection is necessary when the network load has not reached the first reference value; and

determining that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when at least one of the current serving network is the user preferred network and the network load reaches the first reference value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network redirection determination procedure further includes:

when the current serving network is the user preferred network,

determining whether performing the network redirection is necessary, according to at least one of (i) whether a load difference between the current serving network and the next serving network reaches a second reference value and (ii) whether an accounting balance for the current service reaches a reference balance.

14. A method for network redirection in overlay heterogeneous networks in user equipment, the method comprising:

receiving network redirection information from a first base station when connection between the user equipment and a current serving network is released; and

transmitting a call connection request message to a second base station for a new communication service based on the received network redirection information, wherein the received network redirection information indicates the second base station of a next serving network,

wherein the network redirection information is created through a network redirection determination procedure including;

identifying a user preferred network based on predetermined network access priority information associated with the user equipment;

determining whether the current serving network is the user preferred network;

determining whether a network load of the next serving network has not reached a first reference value when the current serving network is not the user preferred network;

determining that performing network redirection is necessary when the network load has not reached the first reference value;

determining that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when at least one of the current serving network is the user preferred network and the network load reaches the first reference value; and

creating the network redirection information based on a network redirection determination.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the network redirection information includes at least one of the next serving network, a redirection time limit, a frequency allocation information to be used in the next serving network, and a frequency allocation priority information for each of a previous serving network and the next serving network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the network redirection determination procedure further includes:

when the current serving network is the user preferred network,

determining whether performing the network redirection is necessary, according to at least one of (i) whether a load difference between the current serving network and the next serving network reaches a second reference value and (ii) whether an accounting balance for the current service reaches a reference balance.

17. An apparatus for network redirection in overlay heterogeneous networks, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive predetermined network access priority information associated with user equipment; and

a redirection determination unit configured to determine network redirection based on the predetermined network access priority information, and to create network redirection information based on the determined network redirection,

wherein the redirection determination unit is configured to;

identify a user preferred network based on the predetermined network access priority information;

determine whether a current serving network is the user preferred network;

determine whether a network load of a next serving network has not reached a first reference value when the current serving network is not the user preferred network;

determine that performing the network redirection is necessary when the network load has not reached the first reference value; and

determine that performing the network redirection is unnecessary when at least one of the current serving network is the user preferred network and the network load reaches the first reference value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the created network redirection information to the user equipment.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the redirection determination unit is configured to:

when the current serving network is the user preferred network,

determine whether performing the network redirection is necessary according to at least one of (i) whether a load difference between the current serving network and the next serving network reaches a second reference value and (ii) whether an accounting balance for the current service reaches a reference balance.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the network redirection information includes at least one of the next serving network, a redirection time limit, a frequency allocation information to be used in the next serving network, and a frequency allocation priority information for each of the current serving network and the next serving network.