WO2011099839A2

WO2011099839A2 - System and method for reducing handoff process with optimized power utilization in communication network

Info

Publication number: WO2011099839A2
Application number: PCT/MY2010/000259
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mohammad Moshee Uddin; Shariq Haseeb; Aus M. Sulaiman; Muhammad Faheem Mohd Ezani; Mohd Ariff Abdullah; Zeldi Suryady
Original assignee: Mimos Berhad
Priority date: 2010-02-09
Filing date: 2010-11-10
Publication date: 2011-08-18
Also published as: MY150186A; WO2011099839A3

Abstract

A system (10) for power management with optimized connectivity in handoff of mobile device (11) between heterogeneous network (12, 13, 14) said mobile device (11) comprising a power management module which obtains power state information of said mobile device (11), and a network interface management module which includes a prioritized set of network interfaces (12, 13, 14) to enable said mobile device (11) to select for optimum quality of connection according to the power state of said mobile device (11).

Description

System and Method for Reducing Handoff Process with Optimized Power Utilization in Communication Network

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a communication network system, more particularly relates to a system and method for managing power consumption in the communication network.

Background of Invention

The IEEE 802.21 media independent handover (MIH) standard defines mechanisms and procedures to enable handover and interoperability between heterogeneous networks. This protocol provides the link layer information in a heterogeneous network and other relevant network information for the upper layer where the upper layer optimizes handover policies, ensuring that the continuity of the current services is not affected when a terminal is handed over in the heterogeneous network.

Nowadays, seamless mobile technology comes with different types of wired and wireless technology such as iMAX, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet and so on. Seamless mobility supports hand over mechanism between same types of network or different types of network is called Media Independent Handover (MIH) . However, MIH services are not concerned about battery consumption of the mobile device (MD) . Also the connection selection is random of multiple types of network interfaces whenever it is selected to a network. Due to the random selection mechanism from multiple network interfaces, the quality of data connection may not be satisfied by the end user. Moreover, it performs unnecessary handoff performance where it may not be required to perform handoff which will cause delay of the communication .

Therefore a system and method which maximize the mobile device's battery lifetime with minimum handoff performance whenever it is necessary with the optimum quality of communication. The system utilizes the best management system which uses a priority based multiple network interfaces depending on the AC/DC power state of the mobile device.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide the system which verifies available multiple network interfaces and finds out the most suitable network interface to provide better data communication to the end user.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide the system which performs minimum handoff to reduce the number of possible handoff delays by selecting suitable connection from multiple network interfaces.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent on the reading of this entire disclosure.

Summary of Invention

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for power management with optimized connectivity in handoff of mobile device between heterogeneous network the mobile device comprises of a power management module which obtains power state information of the mobile device, and a network interface management module which includes a prioritized set of network interfaces to enable the mobile device to select for optimum quality of connection according to the power state of the mobile device, wherein if the mobile device is on AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, the mobile device will be designated to the network interface with least possibility of handoff performance, if the mobile device is on low capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on least handoff and most power efficiency and if the mobile device is on critical capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on most power efficiency to least power efficiency.

A method for power management with optimized connectivity in handoff of mobile device between heterogeneous network the method comprising the steps of identifying the power. state information of the mobile device, and determining the optimum quality of network interfaces connection for the mobile device according to the identified power state of the mobile device, wherein if the mobile device is on AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, the mobile device will be designated to the network interface with least possibility of handoff performance, if the mobile device is on low capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on least handoff and most power efficiency and if the mobile device is on critical capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on most power efficiency to least power efficiency. Brief Description of the Drawings

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 depicts a diagram showing a scenario of an access selection based of the system of the present invention; and

Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart showing the operation of the method of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those, of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a system and method are disclosed, enabling mobile devices- having optimize battery management with a minimum handoff over heterogeneous network and it will perform optimized communication based on multiple network interfaces availability. The mobile device (11) of the system (10) includes a power management module which provides power information of the mobile device (11) and a network interface management module which includes a prioritized set of available network interfaces to enable the mobile device (11) for selecting optimum quality of connection depending on the actual power state of the mobile device (11) without performing unnecessary handoff which causing delay in the communication.

The prioritized set of network interfaces includes wired and wireless interfaces such as but not limited to WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc. The actual power state of the mobile device (11) depends on the usage of the mobile device (11) and it can be changed from one state to another. The power management module includes a plurality of power state information of the mobile device (11) . Preferably it is divided into four categories where a first state is running with AC power, a second state is optimal capacity of DC power, a third state is low capacity of DC power and. a fourth state is critical capacity of DC power.

During the first and second states when mobile device (11) is running with AC power and optima capacity of DC power, the mobile device (11) is designated to the network interface with least handoff possibility to most handoff possibility as shown in Table 1. The least handoff network interface priority comes with wireless access technology which has the highest to lowest coverage area so that the mobile device (11) does not need to perform handoff often. On the other hand, wired access technology has the most possibility to do handoff because of its moving capability is limited, whereas mobile device (11) has higher intention of moving in time to time. Therefore, the highest priority network which has least possibility of handoff performance will be selected by the mobile device when it runs with AC and on its high performance DC state . Access technologies Least Handoff to

most handoff

Aces. Tech 1 Xi

Aces. Tech 2 X₂

Aces. Tech n Xn

Table-1: Least to most handoff network technology, X,

When the highest priority network is not found, it will search for the next highest priority network. If the next highest priority network is not found, it will continue to the next priority network until it finds an available priority network from the prioritized set of network interfaces for itself.

The prioritized set of network interfaces is designated according to the Table 1. According to the table, let access technology 1 is Xi, access technology 2 is X₂ and access technology n is X_n which can be any network access technology with least possibility of handoff to the most possibility of handoff. The numbers Χχ, X₂, X_n will be given manually to the network interface and out of the numbered network mobile device will choose to select the first priority to X_mi_n, in the case of available priority network.

As an example shown in Table 2, the access technologies with the highest priority to the lowest priority are designated from Wi AX, Wi-Fi, Ethernet with least to most handoff numbers 1, 2, 3. This is because WiMAX has a least intend to perform handoff and wide coverage than Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Therefore, the mobile device's first priority will.be X_mj__n which is WiMAX network interface. And if it is not available, then the second priority Wi-Fi which will become the priority X_mi_n and so on, during its power state of AC or high performance of DC.

Table-2 : Example of least to most handoff network technology

During the third state when the mobile device (11) is running with low capacity of DC power, the mobile device needs to be concerned which technology offers least handoff and most battery efficiency as designated in Table 3.

Access Least Handoff Most battery Least Handoff

Technologies concern efficient Concern +

Most battery efficient

Aces . Tech 1 Xi Yi ∑ (Xi + Yi )

Aces . Tech 2 X₂ Y₂ ∑ (X₂ + Y₂ )

Aces . Tech 3 x₃ Y₃ ∑ (X₃ + Y₃)

Aces . Tech n Xn Yn ∑ (Xn + Yn )

Table-3: Least handoff concern + Most battery efficient = ∑ Z In according to the Table 3, let access technology 1 with least handoff X_lr most battery efficient Υχ, access technology 2 with X₂, most battery efficient Yi and access technology n with X_n, most battery efficient Y_n and so on, can be any network access technology with least possibility of handoff to the most possibility of handoff and most battery efficient to least battery efficient. In this power state, the highest priority will go to a network technology where both least handoff and most battery efficiency numbers will be summed up such as 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+1=4 as shown in Table 4.

Table-4: Example of Least handoff concern + Most battery efficient

A number for each network interface will be designated after doing the summation and priority will be followed by the smallest number to become the first priority and the next smallest number will become the second priority and so forth in this power state. The formula will be as follows X_n + Y_n = ∑ (X_n + Yn )=Z_min- This solution will lead to optimize battery management with the best available network connectivity.

During the fourth power state, when the mobile device (11) is running on critical capacity of DC power, the first priority network will go to a network interface which will consume the most battery efficient to enhance its lifetime credibility. If the most battery efficient network interface is not available, it will prioritize to the next most battery efficient network interface and then onward as shown in Table 5.

Table-5: Most to least battery efficient

As an example shown in Table 6, the Ethernet battery consumption is the least and then iMAX and Wi-Fi among these three types of network interface. In this critical condition of power state, it will switch its priority table to most battery efficiency to least battery efficiency as shown in Table 5 rather than handoff concern. Thus the present system can do the best battery utilization on whole way of its lifetime process.

Table-6: Example of Most to least handoff efficient

With the present system, it can reduce the number of handoff performance which will improve the quality of data communication by reducing the break of communication. In an exemplary of the present invention, assume that a mobile device (11) is running on high performance of DC and the mobile device is in a place where there are no other network interfaces available except a first wireless network interface (12) in a scenario as shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the mobile device (11) has no choice but to connect with the first wireless network interface (12) . When the mobile device moving towards a place where multiple networks available, where arrow A demonstrates the movement of mobile device in the same scenario. At this moment, mobile device has multiple choices of available network for instance the first wireless network interface (12), a second wireless network interface (13) and a wired network (14) and so on. Even though there are multiple networks are available for connectivity,- the mobile device of the ^■present invention will still remain its connectivity to the first wireless network interface (12) because of the priority table as set to wireless network with the most wide coverage to least at this stage of power management. In this way, mobile device able to reduce the number of handoff performance delay to get the optimum solution .

The steps of the method of the present invention are illustrated in Figure 2. Initially, the mobile device (11) will be designated with different types of table parameters for different power state conditions as previously described. The power management module of the mobile device will start by identifying (31) the power state of the mobile device (11) whether the mobile device (11) is running on AC or optimal capacity of DC power. If the mobile device (11) is running on AC or optimal capacity of DC power (32) , the system will follow the first priority table (33) as shown in Table 1 and connect to the highest priority network (34) if the network is available (35) .

If the mobile device (11) is running on low capacity of DC power (36), the system will then follow the second priority table (37) as shown in Table 3 and connect to the highest priority network (34) in same process as running on AC or optimal capacity of DC power if the network is available (35). Otherwise it will follow the third priority table (38) as shown in Table 5.

When the mobile device (11) has identified its power state and highest priority network, it will then identify that the highest priority network is available (39) to connect. If the highest priority network is available (35) , it will connect to that network interface (34) . Otherwise it will continue search for availability (40) for other networks to be connected. If there is no other network available (41), then the system will start the process again to find the network.

If other network is available (42), it will go to next priority network interface (43) and verify the next priority network is available (44) . If the priority network is not available (45) , it will point to next priority network interface (43) and keep looping till the network is available. Once it finds out the available priority network, it will connect to that network (34) . Then, it will keep tracking of its connection status until the mobile device (11) gets disconnected from the connected status. Whenever mobile device (11) is disconnected, the algorithm will reset the entire process and keep repeating the process from beginning. This is how it can continue the best efficient power management with optimized connectivity.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention may easily be produced in other specific forms without departing from its essential characteristics. The present embodiments is, therefore, to be considered as merely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within therefore intended to be embraced therein .

Claims

1. A system (10) for power management with optimized connectivity in handoff of mobile device (11) between heterogeneous network (12, 13, 14) said mobile device (11) comprising:

a power management module which obtains power state information of said mobile device (11); and

a network interface management module which includes a prioritized set of network interfaces (12, 13, 14) to enable said mobile device

(11) to select for optimum quality of connection according to the power state of said mobile device (11), wherein if said mobile device (11) is on AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, said mobile device (11) will be designated to the network interface with least possibility of handoff performance, if said mobile device

(11) is on low capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on least handoff and most power efficiency and if said mobile device (11) is on critical capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on most power efficiency to least power efficiency.

2. The system (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system (10) will search for the next highest priority network if the first highest priority network in said prioritized set of network interfaces (12, 13, 14) is not available and continue until it finds an available priority network. --

3. The system (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prioritized set of network interfaces (12, 13, 14) includes wireless and wired network interfaces.

4. The system (10) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said wireless and wired network interfaces (12, 13, 14) are classified into categories based on said power state of the mobile device (11), said network interfaces include but not limited to iMAX, Wi-Fi and Ethernet .

5. The system (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a first priority category with least possibility of handoff performance .

6. The system (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said network interfaces in said first priority category with least possibility of handoff performance are WiMAX, Wi-Fi and followed by Ethernet.

7. The system (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of critical capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a third priority category with most power efficiency.

8. The system (10) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said network interfaces in said third priority category with most power efficiency are Ethernet, WiMAX and followed by Wi-Fi.

9. The system (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of low capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a second priority category with least handoff and most power efficiency.

10. The system (10) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said network interfaces in said second priority category with least handoff and most power efficiency are WiMAX, Ethernet and followed by Wi-Fi.

11. A method for power management with optimized connectivity in handoff of mobile device (11) between heterogeneous network (12, 13, 14) said method comprising the steps of: identifying (31) the power state information of said mobile device

(ID ;

determining the optimum quality of network interfaces connection for said mobile device (11) according to the identified power state of said mobile device (11), wherein if said mobile device (11) is on AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, said mobile device (11) will be designated to the network interface with least possibility of handoff performance, if said mobile device (11) is on low capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on least handoff and most power efficiency and if said mobile device (11) is on critical capacity of DC power, the selection will then be based on most power efficiency to least power efficiency.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said method further comprising the step of classifying said network interfaces into categories based on said power state of the mobile device (11) prior to the step of determining the connection.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of AC power or optimal capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a first priority category with least possibility of handoff performance.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of critical capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a third priority category with most power efficiency.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said when the mobile device (11) on its power state of low capacity of DC power, said network interfaces are classified into a second priority category with least handoff and most power efficiency.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of determining the connection includes the step of checking the availability of the highest priority network from the designated priority category based on the power state of said mobile device (ID .

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of checking including the step of further searching for the next priority network if the highest priority network is not available.