Network smart cell selection

• US 9,445,307 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Erik, Plicanic Samuelsson, Vanja, Ying, Zhinong, Ljung, Rickard
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US14/515,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20150141019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 455/440
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for minimizing data overhead in a cellular network. In some embodiments a method includes receiving, by a base station of the cellular network, location information associated with a mobile device. The method may include determining, by the base station, a location of the mobile device based on the location information; and determining, by the base station, an offload alternative connection point based on the determined location of the mobile device. In some cases, the method includes disconnecting the mobile device from a current connection point; and connecting the mobile device to the offload alternative connection point.

Claims

1. A method for minimizing data overhead in a cellular network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a base station of the cellular network and from a mobile device, location information associated with the mobile device, wherein the location information comprises a velocity vector including (i) location data indicating a current location of the mobile device, (ii) speed data indicating a current speed of the mobile device and (iii) movement direction data indicating a current direction of movement of the mobile device;

determining, by the base station, a location of the mobile device based on the location information;

predicting, by the base station, based on the determined location, the current speed and the current direction of movement, at least one of (i) that the mobile device will enter a geographic area associated with an offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time; and

determining, by the base station, whether the offload connection point is suitable for offloading the mobile device based on at least one of (i) the prediction that the mobile device will enter the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disconnecting the mobile device from a current connection point; and

connecting the mobile device to the offload alternative connection point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the connection point map further comprises:

accessing the connection point map including a plurality of geographic areas each associated with an offload alternative connection to determine that the mobile device has entered an overlap zone whereby a first geographic area associated with a current connection point overlaps a second geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the offload alternative connection point is one of a second base station or an access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the offload alternative connection point comprises:

accessing a connection point map including a plurality of geographic areas each associated with at least one network base station or at least one access point; and

determining, based on the plurality of geographic areas of the connection point map and the determined location, the current speed and the current direction of movement, the offload alternative connection point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the location information is received from the mobile device in response to the mobile device transmitting the location information in preparation to initiate a data session;

and the method further comprising;

determining, by the base station and prior to initiation of the data session of the mobile device, an initial connection point based on the velocity vector of the mobile device such that the initial connection point minimizes a predicted time period until handoff will occur.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

building, based at least in part on historical data corresponding to geographic areas associated with connection points and data overhead associated with the connection points, a connection point map including a plurality of geographic areas each associated with at least one network base station or at least one access point.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the speed of the mobile device, that mobile device is traveling at a speed greater than a speed predetermined threshold;

determining, based on the speed being greater than the speed predetermined threshold, that the mobile device should not be connected to a connection point having an associated geographic area less than an area predetermined threshold; and

determining that the offload alternative connection point is not one of the connection points having an associated geographic area less than the area predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the speed of the mobile device, that mobile device is traveling at a speed greater than a speed predetermined threshold;

determining that the mobile device is currently connected to a connection point having a geographic area less than a micro-geographic threshold; and

determining that the offload alternative connection point has an associated geographic area greater than a macro-geographic area threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the base station of the cellular network, that a signal level of a mobile device is weak or that the mobile device needs higher capacity than the base station can provide; and

in response to determining that a signal strength of a mobile device is weak or that the mobile device needs higher capacity than the base station can provide;

requesting the mobile device report the location information;

requesting the mobile device listen for alternative connection points; and

determining the offload alternative connection point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the offload alternative connection point further comprises:

receiving, from the mobile device, information regarding at least one alternative connection point within range of the mobile device;

accessing a connection point map to determine geographic areas associated with the at least one alternative connection point; and

determining, based on the velocity vector of the mobile device, the offload alternative connection point from the at least one alternative connection point.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the offload alternative connection point further comprises:

determining that the mobile device has a current speed greater than a predetermined speed threshold;

in response to determining the current speed is greater than the predetermined speed threshold and in response to determining that a signal level of a mobile device is weak or that the mobile device needs higher capacity than the base station can provide, determining that a geographic area associated with one of the alternative connection points is less than a minimum predetermined geographic area threshold; and

eliminating the alternative connection point determined to have a geographic area less than a minimum predetermined geographic area threshold from consideration as the offload alternative connection point.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the offload alternative connection point further comprises:

determining that the mobile device has a current speed greater than a predetermined speed threshold;

in response to determining the current speed is greater than the predetermined speed threshold and in response to determining that a signal level of a mobile device is weak or that the mobile device needs higher capacity than the base station can provide, determining a projected path of travel of the mobile device based on the velocity vector;

determining, using the base station, that one of the alternative connection points has a projected geographic area of relevance, based on the projected path of travel, that is less than a minimum predetermined threshold; and

eliminating the alternative connection point determined to have the projected geographic area of relevance less than a minimum predetermined threshold from consideration as the offload alternative connection point.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the offload alternative connection point further comprises:

determining that the mobile device has a current speed greater than a predetermined speed threshold;

in response to determining the current speed is greater than the predetermined speed threshold and in response to determining that a signal level of a mobile device is weak or that the mobile device needs higher capacity than the base station can provide, determining a projected path of travel of the mobile device based on the velocity vector;

determining, based on the projected path of travel, that the mobile device is exiting the geographic area associated with the alternative connection point; and

eliminating the alternative connection point determined to from consideration as the offload alternative connection point.

16. The base station of claim 10, wherein the module is further configured to:

disconnect the mobile device from a current connection point; and

connect the mobile device to the offload alternative connection point.

15. A base station of a cellular network, the base station comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

a module stored in the memory for minimizing data overhead in the cellular network, executable by the processor, and configured to;

receive location information associated with a mobile device, wherein the location information comprises a velocity vector including (i) location data indicating a current location of the mobile device, (ii) speed data indicating a current speed of the mobile device and (iii) movement direction data indicating a current direction of movement of the mobile device;

determine a location of the mobile device based on the location information;

predict, based on the determined location, the current speed and the current direction of movement, at least one of (i) that the mobile device will enter a geographic area associated with an offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time; and

determine whether the offload connection point is suitable for offloading the mobile device based on at least one of (i) the prediction that the mobile device will enter the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time.

17. A computer program product for minimizing data overhead in a cellular network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of codes for causing a computer to;

receive location information associated with a mobile device, wherein the location information comprises a velocity vector including (i) location data indicating a current location of the mobile device, (ii) speed data indicating a current speed of the mobile device and (iii) movement direction data indicating a current direction of movement of the mobile device;

determine location of the mobile device based on the location information;

predict, based on the determined location, the current speed and the current direction of movement, at least one of (i) that the mobile device will enter a geographic area associated with an offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time; and

determine whether the offload connection point is suitable for offloading the mobile device based on at least one of (i) the prediction that the mobile device will enter the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point within a first predetermined period of time, and (ii) that the mobile device will remain in the geographic area associated with the offload alternative connection point for a second predetermined period of time.