System and method for wireless network offloading
Wireless offloading provides tools to a service provider to encourage or direct a subscriber to offload from a first network, e.g., a cellular network, to a second network, e.g., a Wi-Fi network. The cellular service provider can use network data to determine wireless offloading priorities for cellular subscribers on an individual or group basis. The cellular service provider may use wireless network data it has and/or wireless network data it learns about networks from the wireless devices (which may obtain Wi-Fi network data from beacon frames of Wi-Fi networks or active scanning and which may report to the cellular service provider). Each wireless device can be given scanning assignments to ensure that the reporting task is shared among subscribers or adjusted to fill in gaps in data. With the network data, the cellular service provider is capable of generating useful prioritized network lists for wireless devices, either individually or as a group. Preferences can be encouraged in the form of incentive offers to subscribers to, e.g., offload from the cellular network to a Wi-Fi network. Incentive offers can include offers to lower service costs or provide additional or improved services.
1. A method of operating a wireless device, the method comprising:
identifying one or more alternative wireless networks;
obtaining current performance data on the one or more alternative wireless networks;
sending a network characterization report to a network element, the network characterization report comprising information on one or more of the alternative wireless networks and device-specific information;
receiving data about the one or more alternative wireless networks, responsive to the network characterization report and customized to the wireless device, from the network element;
characterizing
applying rules involving the data customized to the wireless device to determine whether to switch from a first wireless network to a particular wireless network of the one or more alternative wireless networks; and
switching the wireless device from a first wireless network to the particular wireless network in response to the application of the rules.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network element comprises a wireless network offloading engine.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining current performance data on the one or more alternative wireless networks comprises characterizing at least one of data rate, bit rate variability, latency, latency jitter, quality of service, and response time for at least one of the one or more alternative wireless networks.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report information on one or more of the alternative wireless networks comprises an identification of wireless networks currently available to the wireless device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report information on one or more of the alternative wireless networks comprises performance information characterized by the wireless device for at least one wireless network currently available to the wireless device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report device-specific information comprises location information for the wireless device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the location information comprises a motion trace for the wireless device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report device-specific information comprises one or more performance thresholds for the wireless device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report device-specific information comprises knowledge about other devices and/or interference.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network characterization report device-specific information comprises device-specific rules related to when the device will switch networks.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data about the one or more alternative wireless networks comprises a multi-dimensional network map.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein applying rules involving the data customized to the wireless device comprises generating or modifying a wireless operation instruction set.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data about the one or more alternative wireless networks comprises an instruction set for the wireless device.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein applying rules involving the data customized to the wireless device comprises executing the instruction set in accordance with one or more device-specific parameters.