# US 11,122,457 B2 · Management apparatus and method to support WLAN offloading

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- Number: US 11,122,457 B2
- Document ID: US11122457B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/298,549
- Filed: 2016-10-20
- Published: 2017-02-09
- Granted: 2021-09-14
- Earliest claimed: 2012-09-28
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Joey Chou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122457B2

## CPC

- H04W 28/0221: {power availability or consumption}
- H04W 48/14: using user query {or user detection}
- H04B 17/318: Received signal strength
- H04J 3/1694: {Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers (Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062)}
- H04J 11/00: Orthogonal multiplex systems, {e.g. using WALSH codes}(H04J13/00 takes precedence)
- H04J 11/0086: {Search parameters, e.g. search strategy, accumulation length, range of search, thresholds (code acquisition in DSSS H04B1/7075)}
- H04L 1/1812: Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
- H04L 1/1861: {Physical mapping arrangements (for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053)}
- H04L 1/1864: {ARQ related signaling (H04L1/1607 takes precedence)}
- H04L 1/1893: {Physical mapping arrangements (physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00)}
- H04L 5/0035: {Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment}
- H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)}
- H04L 5/0057: {Physical resource allocation for CQI}
- H04L 5/0073: {Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences}
- H04L 5/0091: {Signalling for the administration of the divided path, e.g. signalling of configuration information}
- H04L 5/14: Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
- H04L 41/069: using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
- H04L 41/5032: {Generating service level reports}
- H04L 43/16: Threshold monitoring
- H04L 65/60: Network streaming of media packets
- H04L 65/612: for unicast
- H04L 65/65: Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
- H04L 65/762: {at the source (reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355)}
- H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46)
- H04W 8/08: Mobility data transfer
- H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition
- H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic
- H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports}
- H04W 28/0205: {at the air interface (dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12)}
- H04W 28/0215: {based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices (services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51)}
- H04W 28/0252: {per individual bearer or channel (dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12)}
- H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)}
- H04W 28/16: Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
- H04W 36/0061: {of neighbour cell information}
- H04W 36/0066: {of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network}
- H04W 36/0085: {Hand-off measurements}
- H04W 36/0088: {Scheduling hand-off measurements}
- H04W 36/22: for handling the traffic
- H04W 40/005: {Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode}
- H04W 40/246: {Connectivity information discovery}
- H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
- H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point
- H04W 52/0209: {in terminal devices}
- H04W 52/0212: {managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower}
- H04W 52/0225: {using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal}
- H04W 52/0235: {where the received signal is a power saving command}
- H04W 52/0258: {controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day}
- H04W 52/04: Transmission power control [TPC]
- H04W 52/14: Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
- H04W 72/02: Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
- H04W 72/044: based on the type of the allocated resource
- H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
- H04W 72/20: Control channels or signalling for resource management
- H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
- H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
- H04W 72/52: based on load
- H04W 72/541: using the level of interference
- H04W 74/002: {Transmission of channel access control information}
- H04W 74/004: {in the uplink, i.e. towards network}
- H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
- H04W 76/23: Manipulation of direct-mode connections
- H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
- H04W 76/28: Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
- H04W 76/30: Connection release
- H04W 88/02: Terminal devices
- H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers}
- H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W 52/0261: {managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level}
- H04W 72/30: Resource management for broadcast services
- H04W 80/10: adapted for {application} session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] {(connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14)}
- H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems}
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04W 88/08: Access point devices
- H04W 88/12: Access point controller devices
- H04W 88/14: Backbone network devices
- H04W 88/16: Gateway arrangements
- H04W 88/18: Service support devices; Network management devices
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Embodiments of systems and techniques are described for supporting WLAN offloading. In some embodiments, a network management system (NMS) for WLAN offloading may include a network manager (NM); a first element manager (EM), coupled to the network manager, to communicate with the network manager and one or more WLANs; and a second EM, coupled to the NM, to communicate with the NM and one or more base stations of a cellular network. Coverage areas of at least one access point (AP) of the one or more WLANs are overlaid with at least one cell of the cellular network to support a WLAN offloading operation. Further, the NM is to activate the WLAN offloading operation based at least in part on at least one indicator received from the one or more WLANs. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause an element manager (“EM”) to:
obtain first management information transmitted from an access point (“AP”) of a wireless local area access network (“WLAN”) via a first interface, wherein the first management information includes WLAN performance information or WLAN alarm information; and
map the first management information to second management information to be sent via a Type-2 interface, wherein the Type-2 interface is implemented according to a 3rd generation partnership project (“3GPP”) protocol, and wherein the Type-2 interface and the first interface are different,
wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the EM to send the second management information to an integration reference point (“IRP”) manager of a 3GPP communication network via the Type-2 interface to facilitate management of a WLAN offloading operation based on the WLAN performance information or the WLAN alarm information,
wherein the first management information is to indicate a state change of the AP.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the state change is a change of an ifOperStatus object to up, to indicate a WLAN air interface link is up, or down, to indicate the WLAN air interface link is down.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the second management information includes WLAN alarm information and the Type-2 interface is an alarm integration reference point (AlarmIRP) interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the EM is to receive the first management information from an access controller.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first interface is a Type-1 interface implemented according to a standardized protocol in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) 802.11.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first management information includes one or more counters to provide a request to send failure count, an acknowledgment failure count, or a media access control protocol data units received count.

### Claim 7

An element manager (“EM”) comprising:
translator circuitry to:
obtain first management information transmitted from an access point (“AP”) of a wireless local area access network (“WLAN”) via a first interface, wherein the first management information includes WLAN alarm information; and
map the first management information to second management information to be sent via an alarm integration reference point (“AlarmIRP”) interface, wherein the AlarmIRP interface is implemented according to a 3rd generation partnership project (“3GPP”) protocol; and
integration reference point (“IRP”) agent circuitry coupled with the translator circuitry to send the second management information to an IRP manager of a 3GPP communication network via the AlarmIRP interface to facilitate management of a WLAN offloading operation based on the WLAN alarm information,
wherein the first management information is to indicate a state change of the AP.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The EM of claim 7, wherein the state change is a change of an ifOperStatus object to up, to indicate a WLAN air interface link is up, or down, to indicate the WLAN air interface link is down.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The EM of claim 7, wherein the translator circuitry is to receive the first management information from an access controller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The EM of claim 7, wherein the first interface is a Type-1 interface implemented according to a standardized protocol in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) 802.11.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The EM of claim 7, wherein the first management information comprises a plurality of alarms from the AP.

### Claim 12

A system comprising:
access controller (“AC”) circuitry to communicate first management information with a plurality of wireless local area access network (“WLAN”) access points (“APs”) via a Type-1 interface, wherein the first management information includes WLAN performance information or WLAN alarm information, and wherein the Type-1 interface is implemented according to a lightweight access point protocol (“LWAPP”) used by at least one of the plurality of WLAN APs;
integration reference point (“IRP”) agent circuitry to communicate second management information with an IRP manager of a network management (NM) apparatus via a Type-2 interface to facilitate management of a WLAN offloading operation based on the WLAN performance information of the WLAN alarm information, wherein the Type-2 interface is implemented according to a standardized protocol in 3rd generation partnership project (“3GPP”), and wherein the type-2 interface and the type-1 interface are different; and
translation circuitry, coupled with the AC circuitry and the IRP agent circuitry, to map the first management information to the second management information or the second management information to the first management information,
wherein the first management information is to indicate a state change of a first AP of the plurality of WLAN APs.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the first management information includes WLAN performance monitoring information.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the second management information comprises WLAN offloading information or WLAN management information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the Type-2 interface is a performance management integration reference point (“PMIRP”) interface, and the IRP agent circuitry is to communicate a plurality of performance measurements in the second management information to the IRP manager via the PMIRP interface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the Type-2 interface is an alarm integration reference point (“AlarmIRP”) interface and the IRP agent circuitry is to communicate a plurality of alarms in the second management information to the IRP manager via the AlarmIRP interface, the plurality of alarms received from the plurality of WLAN APs via the Type-1 interface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the IRP agent circuitry is to provide, to the IRP manager, a plurality of performance measurements from the plurality of WLAN APs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the AC circuitry is to receive performance measurements of the WLAN APs in a form that is compatible with the LWAPP.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the performance measurements are received in a form that is compatible with a quality of service (“QoS”) counters table, and wherein the translation circuitry is to translate the performance measurements of the WLAN APs from the QoS counters table to the Type-2 interface.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the performance measurements comprise data volume measured per elapsed time on a media access control (“MAC”) layer or an Internet protocol (“IP”) layer of the WLAN APs.

### Claim 21

One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause an element manager to:
obtain first management information from an access point (“AP”) of a wireless local area access network (“WLAN”) via a Type-1 interface, wherein the first management information includes WLAN performance information or WLAN alarm information, and wherein the Type-1 interface is implemented according to a lightweight access point protocol (“LWAPP”);
map the first management information to second management information to be sent via a Type-2 interface, wherein the Type-2 interface is implemented according to a standardized protocol in 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), and wherein the Type-2 interface and the Type-1 interface are different; and
send the second management information to a network manager associated with a 3GPP communication network via the Type-2 interface; and
send instructions to the AP via the Type-1 interface to adjust offloading traffic between the AP and a base station of a cellular network,
wherein the first management information is to indicate a state change in the AP.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the element manager is to send the instructions based on a traffic volume threshold or a traffic type filter for WLAN offloading.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the first management information comprises a plurality of performance measurements of the AP or a plurality of alarms from the AP.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the first management information comprises performance measurements of the AP in a form that is compatible with a control and provisioning of wireless access points (“CAPWAP”) protocol.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the performance measurements are received in a form that is compatible with a quality of service (“QoS”) counters table, and wherein translate the first management information comprises translate the performance measurements of the AP from the QoS counters table to the Type-2 interface.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the performance measurements comprise data volume measured on a media access control (“MAC”) layer of the AP.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the performance measurements comprise data volume measured on an IP layer of the AP per elapsed time.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the element manager to:
detect one or more AP faults associated with the WLAN based on the first management information; and
reduce an offloading volume threshold associated with the WLAN offloading operation based on detection of one or more AP faults.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the element manager to:
monitor a distribution of traffic among two or more cells of the AP based on the first management information; and
redistribute a part of the traffic from a first AP cell to a second AP cell based on an imbalance in the distribution of traffic.