METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING DATA OFFLOAD ACCESS DEVICE

PROCEDE ET DISPOSITIF POUR DETERMINER UN DISPOSITIF D'ACCES DE DISTRIBUTION DE DONNEES

English Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for
determining a
data offload access device. A method includes: measuring, by a user equipment,
at least one
of signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload access device, and
obtaining the at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access
device; and sending, by
the user equipment, the obtained at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the
data offload access device to the base station, so that the base station
selects, according to the
at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at least one data
offload access device to
offload transmission data of the user equipment. The embodiments of the
present invention
can meet continuously increasing requirements for mobile bandwidth, while
reducing
transmission bandwidth of an air interface.

French Abstract

Des modes de réalisation de la présente invention portent sur un procédé et un dispositif pour déterminer un dispositif d'accès de distribution de données. Le procédé comprend les opérations suivantes : l'équipement utilisateur mesure une intensité de signal et/ou une qualité de signal d'un dispositif d'accès de distribution de données (101), et obtient l'intensité de signal et/ou la qualité de signal du dispositif d'accès de distribution de données ; et l'équipement utilisateur envoie l'intensité de signal et/ou la qualité de signal du dispositif d'accès de distribution de données à une station de base, de manière à ce que la station de base, conformément à l'intensité de signal et/ou à la qualité de signal, sélectionne au moins un dispositif d'accès de distribution de données pour effectuer une distribution de données de transmission de l'équipement utilisateur (102). Les modes de réalisation de la présente invention peuvent satisfaire des exigences de bande passante mobile qui augmente d'une manière continue, et réduire la bande passante de transmission d'interface radio en même temps.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A method for determining a data offload access device, comprising:
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload access device, and obtaining the at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device; and
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to a base station, so that
the base station
queries configuration information, determines whether the data offload access
device
corresponding to the at least one of the received signal intensity and signal
quality can be
connected to the base station by itself, and selects at least one data offload
access device from
data offload access devices that can be connected to the base station to
offload transmission
data of the user equipment.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the measuring, by a user

equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a data
offload access device,
the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, identity information of the data offload
access device that can be connected to the base station, wherein the identity
information is
broadcast by the base station; or
scanning, by the user equipment, a first frequency range, and finding the data

offload access device; or
receiving, by the user equipment, identity information of the data offload
access device sent by the base station, wherein the identity information of
the data offload
access device sent by the base station is determined by the base station
according to location
information of the user equipment or load information of the data offload
access device.
3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: before the
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data
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offload access device, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, offload configuration information sent by
the
base station, wherein the offload configuration information comprises at least
one of a second
frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and the
measurement
object comprises the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality;
and
the measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device comprises:
measuring, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and

signal quality of the data offload access device according to the at least one
of the second
frequency range, the measurement interval, and the measurement object.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein before
the
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data
offload access device, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, offload configuration information sent by
the
base station, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement period,
and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication;
the measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device comprises:
measuring, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and

signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
period; and
the sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity
and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station
comprises:
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the sending
period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
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5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein before the
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data
offload access device, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, offload configuration information sent by
the
base station, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement
indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication;
the measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device comprises:
measuring, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and

signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
indication; and
the sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity
and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station
comprises:
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the sending
period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein before the
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data
offload access device, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, offload configuration information sent by
the
base station, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement
indication;
the measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device comprises:
measuring, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and

signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
indication; and
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the sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity
and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station
comprises:
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the
measurement indication and a configured subframe pattern.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein before the
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data
offload access device, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the user equipment, offload configuration information sent by
the
base station, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement trigger
event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication;
the measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device comprises:
measuring, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and

signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
trigger event;
and
the sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity
and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station
comprises:
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the sending
period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
8. A method for determining a data offload access device, comprising:
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of
a data offload access device sent by a user equipment served by the base
station, wherein the
at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality is obtained by
measurement by the user
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equipment;
querying, by the base station, configuration information;
determining, by the base station, whether the data offload access device
corresponding to the at least one of the received signal intensity and signal
quality can be
connected to the base station by itself; and
selecting, by the base station, at least one data offload access device from
data
offload access devices that can be connected to the base station to offload
transmission data of
the user equipment.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein before the receiving, by a base

station, at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload
access device sent
by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
broadcasting, by the base station, identity information of the data offload
access device that can be connected to the base station, so that the user
equipment measures
the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access device that
can be connected to the base station; or
scanning, by the user equipment, a first frequency range, and finding the data

offload access device; or
sending, by the base station, identity information of the data offload access
device to the user equipment according to location information of the user
equipment or load
information of the data offload access device, so that the user equipment
measures the at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access
device.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein before the scanning, by the
user
equipment, a first frequency range, and finding the data offload access
device, the method
further comprises:
sending, by the base station, the first frequency range to the user equipment

according to configuration information; or
sending, by the base station, the first frequency range to the user equipment
according to a frequency range supported by the base station and an obtained
frequency range
supported by the user equipment.
11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein before the
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload
access device sent by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
sending, by the base station, offload configuration information to the user
equipment, wherein the offload configuration information comprises at least
one of a second
frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and the
measurement
object comprises the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality,
so that the user
equipment measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality
of the data
offload access device according to the at least one of the second frequency
range, the
measurement interval, and the measurement object.
12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein before the
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload
access device sent by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
sending, by the base station, offload configuration information to the user
equipment, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement period,
and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication, so
that the user
equipment measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality
of the data
offload access device according to the measurement period and sends the at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the
base station
according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending
indication.
13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein before the
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload
access device sent by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
51

sending, by the base station, offload configuration information to the user
equipment, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement
indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication, so that the
user equipment measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device according to the measurement indication and sends the at
least one of
the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to
the base station
according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending
indication.
14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein before the
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload
access device sent by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
sending, by the base station, offload configuration information to the user
equipment, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement
indication, so that the user equipment measures the at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
indication and
sends the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access
device to the base station according to the measurement indication and a
configured subframe
pattern.
15. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein before the
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a data offload
access device sent by a served user equipment, the method further comprises:
sending, by the base station, offload configuration information to the user
equipment, wherein the offload configuration information comprises a
measurement trigger
event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication, so that the user
equipment measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality
of the data
offload access device according to the measurement trigger event and sends the
at least one of
the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to
the base station
according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending
indication.
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16. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the
selecting, by
the base station according to the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality, at least
one data offload access device to offload transmission data of the user
equipment comprises:
initially selecting, by the base station according to the at least one of the
signal
intensity and signal quality, the at least one data offload access device to
offload transmission
data of the user equipment; or
updating, by the base station according to the at least one of the signal
intensity
and signal quality, the selected at least one data offload access device to
offload transmission
data of the user equipment.
17. A user equipment, comprising:
a measuring unit, configured to measure at least one of signal intensity and
signal quality of a data offload access device, and obtain the at least one of
the signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device; and
a sending unit, configured to send the at least one of the signal intensity
and
signal quality of the data offload access device obtained by the measuring
unit to a base
station, so that the base station queries configuration information,
determines whether the data
offload access device corresponding to the at least one of the received signal
intensity and
signal quality can be connected to the base station by itself, and selects at
least one data
offload access device from data offload access devices that can be connected
to the base
station to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
18. The user equipment according to claim 17, wherein the measuring unit is

further configured to:
receive identity information of the data offload access device that can be
connected to the base station, wherein the identity information is broadcast
by the base
station; or
scan a first frequency range, and find the data offload access device; or
53

receive identity information of the data offload access device sent by the
base
station, wherein the identity information of the data offload access device
sent by the base
station is determined by the base station according to location information of
the user
equipment or load information of the data offload access device.
19. The user equipment according to claim 18, wherein: the user equipment
further
comprises a first configuring unit, configured to receive offload
configuration information
sent by the base station, wherein the offload configuration information
comprises at least one
of a second frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object,
and the
measurement object comprises the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality; and
the measuring unit is specifically configured to measure the at least one of
the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the at least
one of the second frequency range, the measurement interval, and the
measurement object.
20. The user equipment according to any one of claims 17 to 18, wherein:
the user
equipment further comprises a second configuring unit, configured to receive
offload
configuration information sent by the base station, wherein the offload
configuration
information comprises a measurement period, and a sending period, or a sending
trigger
event, or a sending indication;
the measuring unit is specifically configured to measure the at least one of
the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement period; and
the sending unit is specifically configured to send the at least one of the
signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
21. The user equipment according to claim 17, wherein: the user equipment
further
comprises a third configuring unit, configured to receive offload
configuration information
sent by the base station, wherein the offload configuration information
comprises a
measurement indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a
sending
54

indication;
the measuring unit is specifically configured to measure the at least one of
the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication; and
the sending unit is specifically configured to send the at least one of the
signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
22. The user equipment according to claim 17, wherein: the user equipment
further
comprises a fourth configuring unit, configured to receive offload
configuration information
sent by the base station, wherein the offload configuration information
comprises a
measurement indication;
the measuring unit is specifically configured to measure the at least one of
the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication; and
the sending unit is specifically configured to send the at least one of the
signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the measurement indication and a configured subframe pattern.
23. The user equipment according to claim 17, wherein: the user equipment
further
comprises a fifth configuring unit, configured to receive offload
configuration information
sent by the base station, wherein the offload configuration information
comprises a
measurement trigger event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event,
or a sending
indication;
the measuring unit is specifically configured to measure the at least one of
the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement trigger event; and
the sending unit is specifically configured to send the at least one of the
signal

intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
24. A base station, comprising:
a receiving unit, configured to receive at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device sent by a user equipment served by the
base station,
wherein the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality is
obtained by measurement
by the user equipment; and
an offloading unit, configured to query configuration information, determine
whether the data offload access device corresponding to the at least one of
the received signal
intensity and signal quality can be connected to the base station by itself,
and select at least
one data offload access device from data offload access devices that can be
connected to the
base station to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
25. The base station according to claim 24, wherein the base station
further
comprises a sending unit, configured to:
broadcast identity information of the data offload access device that can be
connected to the base station, so that the user equipment measures the at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device that can
be connected to
the base station.
26. The base station according to claim 25, wherein the sending unit is
further
configured to:
send a first frequency range to the user equipment according to configuration
information, so that the user equipment scans the first frequency range and
finds the data
offload access device; or
send a first frequency range to the user equipment according to a frequency
range supported by the base station and an obtained frequency range supported
by the user
equipment, so that the user equipment scans the first frequency range and
finds the data
56

offload access device.
27. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
sending
unit is further configured to send offload configuration information to the
user equipment,
wherein the offload configuration information comprises at least one of a
second frequency
range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and the measurement
object
comprises the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality, so that
the user equipment
measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
data offload access
device according to the at least one of the second frequency range, the
measurement interval,
and the measurement object.
28. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
sending
unit is further configured to send offload configuration information to the
user equipment,
wherein the offload configuration information comprises a measurement period,
and a sending
period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication, so that the user
equipment
measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
data offload access
device according to the measurement period and sends the at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station
according to the
sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
29. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
sending
unit is further configured to send offload configuration information to the
user equipment,
wherein the offload configuration information comprises a measurement
indication, and a
sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication, so that
the user equipment
measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
data offload access
device according to the measurement indication and sends the at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
30. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
sending
unit is further configured to send offload configuration information to the
user equipment,
wherein the offload configuration information comprises a measurement
indication, so that
57

the user equipment measures the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of the
data offload access device according to the measurement indication and sends
the at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
to the base station
according to the measurement indication and a configured subframe pattern.
31. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
sending
unit is further configured to send offload configuration information to the
user equipment,
wherein the offload configuration information comprises a measurement trigger
event, and a
sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication, so that
the user equipment
measures the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
data offload access
device according to the measurement trigger event and sends the at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the base
station according to
the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending indication.
32. The base station according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the
offloading unit is specifically configured to:
initially select, according to the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal
quality, the at least one data offload access device to offload transmission
data of the user
equipment; or
update, according to the at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality,
the selected at least one data offload access device to offload transmission
data of the user
equipment.
58

Description

CA 02847725 2016-02-12
52663-81
L
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING DATA OFFLOAD ACCESS DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communications
technology, and
in particular, to a method and a device for determining a data offload access
device.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In a mobile cellular network, for example, an evolved packet
system (Evolved
Packet System, EPS for short), an evolved base station (Evolved Node B, eNB
for short) is
deployed to implement a long term evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE for
short)
technology on an air interface. To meet continuously increasing requirements
for mobile
bandwidth and compensate for disadvantages of insufficient transmission
bandwidth on the
LTE air interface, data to be transmitted on the LTE air interface may be
offloaded to an
access device using another radio access technology, namely, a data offload
access device. For
example, the data offload access device may be a wireless fidelity access
point (Wireless
Fidelity Access Point, WiFi AP for short) in a wireless local area network
(Wireless Local
Area Network, WLAN for short).
[0003] The prior art does not show how a base station determines a data
offload access
device that can provide an offload service for a user equipment (User
Equipment, UE for
short).
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device
for
determining a data offload access device, so that a base station can determine
a data offload
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access device that can provide an offload service for a UE.
[0005] One aspect provides a method for determining a data offload
access device,
including:
measuring, by a user equipment, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality
of a data offload access device, and obtaining the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device; and
sending, by the user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal
quality of the data offload access device to a base station, so that the base
station selects,
according to the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at
least one data offload
access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0006] Another aspect provides a method for determining a data offload
access device,
including:
receiving, by a base station, at least one of signal intensity and signal
quality of a
data offload access device sent by a user equipment served by the base
station, where the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality is obtained by
measurement by the user
equipment; and
selecting, by the base station according to the at least one of the signal
intensity
and signal quality, at least one data offload access device to offload
transmission data of the
user equipment.
[0007] Another aspect provides a user equipment, including:
a measuring unit, configured to measure at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device, and obtain the at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device; and
a sending unit, configured to send the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal
quality of the data offload access device obtained by the measuring unit to a
base station, so
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,
,
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that the base station selects, according to the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality, at least one data offload access device to offload transmission data
of the user
equipment.
[0008] Another aspect provides a base station, including:
a receiving unit, configured to receive at least one of signal intensity and
signal
quality of a data offload access device sent by a user equipment served by the
base station,
where the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality is obtained
by measurement by
the user equipment; and
an offloading unit, configured to select, according to the at least one of the
signal
intensity and signal quality received by the receiving unit, at least one data
offload access
device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0009] Another aspect provides a method for determining a data
offload access device,
including:
obtaining, by a base station, a parameter for offloading transmission data of
a user
equipment; and
selecting, by the base station according to the parameter, at least one data
offload
access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0010] Another aspect provides a base station, including:
an obtaining unit, configured to obtain a parameter for offloading
transmission
data of a user equipment; and
an offloading unit, configured to select, according to the parameter, at least
one
data offload access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0010a] According to a further aspect, there is provided a method
for determining a
data offload access device, comprising: measuring, by a user equipment, at
least one of signal
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CA 02847725 2016-12-29
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intensity and signal quality of a data offload access device, and obtaining
the at least one of
the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device; and
sending, by the
user equipment, the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload
access device to a base station, so that the base station queries
configuration information,
determines whether the data offload access device corresponding to the at
least one of the
received signal intensity and signal quality can be connected to the base
station by itself, and
selects at least one data offload access device from data offload access
devices that can be
connected to the base station to offload transmission data of the user
equipment.
[0010b] According to still a further aspect, there is provided a
method for determining a
data offload access device, comprising: receiving, by a base station, at least
one of signal
intensity and signal quality of a data offload access device sent by a user
equipment served by
the base station, wherein the at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality is obtained
by measurement by the user equipment; querying, by the base station,
configuration
information; determining, by the base station, whether the data offload access
device
corresponding to the at least one of the received signal intensity and signal
quality can be
connected to the base station by itself; and selecting, by the base station,
at least one data
offload access device from data offload access devices that can be connected
to the base
station to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0010c] According to yet a further aspect, there is provided a user
equipment,
comprising: a measuring unit, configured to measure at least one of signal
intensity and signal
quality of a data offload access device, and obtain the at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device; and a sending unit,
configured to send the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device obtained
by the measuring unit to a base station, so that the base station queries
configuration
information, determines whether the data offload access device corresponding
to the at least
one of the received signal intensity and signal quality can be connected to
the base station by
itself, and selects at least one data offload access device from data offload
access devices that
can be connected to the base station to offload transmission data of the user
equipment.
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[0010d] According to another aspect, there is provided a base station,
comprising: a
receiving unit, configured to receive at least one of signal intensity and
signal quality of a data
offload access device sent by a user equipment served by the base station,
wherein the at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality is obtained by measurement by
the user
equipment; and an offloading unit, configured to query configuration
information, determine
whether the data offload access device corresponding to the at least one of
the received signal
intensity and signal quality can be connected to the base station by itself,
and select at least
one data offload access device from data offload access devices that can be
connected to the
base station to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0011] As can be known from the foregoing technical solutions, in the
embodiments of
the present invention, a user equipment measures at least one of signal
intensity and signal
quality of a data offload access device, and obtains the at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device, so that the user equipment
can send the
obtained at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access device
to the base station, so that the base station can select, according to the at
least one of the signal
intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload access device to
offload transmission data
of the user equipment. The embodiments of the present invention can meet
continuously
increasing requirements for mobile bandwidth, while reducing transmission
bandwidth of an
air interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
100121 To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the
present invention or
in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the
accompanying drawings
required for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the
accompanying
drawings in the following description show merely some embodiments of the
present
invention, and persons of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other
drawings from these
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accompanying drawings without creative efforts.
[0013] FIG 1 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a data
offload access
device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG 2 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a data
offload access
device according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment
according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment
according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according
to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station
according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG 7 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a data
offload access
device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0020] FIG 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station
according to another
embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of
the embodiments of
the present invention more comprehensible, the following clearly and
completely describes
the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with
reference to the
accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently,
the
described embodiments are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of
the present
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invention. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the
art based on the
embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall
within the protection
scope of the present invention.
[0022] The technical solutions of the present invention are applicable
to various mobile
cellular networks, for example, a global system for mobile communications
(Global System
for Mobile Communications, GSM for short) network, a general packet radio
service (General
Packet Radio Service, GPRS for short) network, a code division multiple access
(Code
Division Multiple Access, CDMA for short) network, a wideband code division
multiple
access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA for short) network, a
time
division-synchronous code division multiple access (Time Division-Synchronous
Code
Division Multiple Access, TD-SCDMA for short) network, or a long term
evolution (Long
Term Evolution, LTE for short) network.
[0023] The base station may be a base station (Base Transceiver Station,
BTS for short) in
the GSM network, GPRS network, or CDMA network, or may also be a base station
(NodeB)
in the WCDMA network, or may also be an evolved base station (Evolutional Node
B, eNB or
eNodeB for short) in the LTE network.
[0024] The data offload access device may be a WIFI AP in a WLAN, or may
also be a
home base station (Home NodeB, HNB for short) or home evolved base station
(Home
Evolved NodeB, HeNB for short) in a home network.
[0025] FIG 1 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a data
offload access
device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG 1,
the method
for determining a data offload access device in this embodiment may include
the following:
[0026] 101. A user equipment measures at least one of signal intensity
and signal quality
of a data offload access device, and obtains the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device.
[0027] It may be understood that before step 101, the user equipment
needs to set up a
radio resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC for short) connection with
the base
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station. Optionally, when or after the user equipment sets up an RRC
connection, the user
equipment may send at least one piece of offload capability information about
whether the
user equipment supports a mobile data offload capability, a supported mobile
offload
technology, and capability parameters (for example, a frequency range and
power) of the
supported mobile offload technology to a base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
Optionally, the above process of sending offload capability information may be
further a
process of negotiating offload capability information. For example, the base
station may
further send an intersection between capabilities of the base station itself
and capabilities of
the user equipment, namely, at least one piece of offload capability
information in the mobile
offload technology supported by both the base station and the user equipment
and the
capability parameters (for example, frequency range and power) of the
supported mobile
offload technology to the user equipment. Optionally, the user equipment and
the base station
may perform the process of sending the offload capability information or the
process of
negotiating the offload capability information through a dedicated message.
For example, a
new IE may be added to an existing RRC message to carry the offload capability
information,
or a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload capability information,
or a new
MAC CE message may be used to carry the offload capability information.
[0028] Optionally, before step 101, the user equipment may further
receive identity
information of a data offload access device that can be connected to the base
station, where
the identity information is broadcast by the base station, so that the user
equipment measures
at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device that can
be connected to the base station. For example, the user equipment may receive,
through a
broadcast message, identity information of the data offload access device that
can be
connected to the base station, where the identity information is broadcast by
the base station.
Optionally, the user equipment may receive the identity information through an
existing RRC
system broadcast message, or may also receive the identity information through
a new system
broadcast message, which is not limited by this embodiment. The data offload
access device
that can be connected to the base station may be set separately or may also be
integrated with
the base station, which is not limited by this embodiment.
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[0029] Specifically, the base station may obtain, in multiple manners,
the identity
information of the data offload access device that can be connected to the
base station.
[0030] For example, the base station may obtain, in a network management
device
configuration manner, the identity information of the data offload access
device that can be
connected to the base station. That is, a network management device may
configure the
identity information of the data offload access device that can be connected
to the base station
for the base station. The network management device configuration manner may
be a static
configuration or semi-static configuration, which is not limited by this
embodiment. The static
configuration means that the network management device does not update the
identity
information of the data offload access device any longer after sending the
identity information
of the data offload access device to the base station according to network
planning
information; the semi-static configuration means that the network management
device may
update the identity information of the data offload access device according to
network
optimization information after sending the identity information of the data
offload access
device to the base station according to network planning information.
[0031] For another example, the base station may obtain, in a user
equipment sending
manner, the identity information of the data offload access device that can be
connected to the
base station. That is, after the user equipment sets up an RRC connection with
the base
station, the user equipment may find the data offload access device
corresponding to the base
station (namely, the data offload access device that the user equipment can be
connected to),
and may send the identity information of the found data offload access device
to the base
station. Optionally, the base station may further query configuration
information, determine
whether the data offload access device identified by the identity information
of the data
offload access device sent by the user equipment can be connected to the base
station by itself,
and if yes, record the identity information of the data offload access device;
otherwise, it is
unnecessary to record the identity information of the data offload access
device. Optionally, to
avoid the problem of power waste because the user equipment frequently
searches for the data
offload access device that can be connected, the user equipment may start a
search only after
receiving search indication information sent by the base station. The base
station may notify,
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through the search indication information carried in the broadcast message,
the user
equipment of searching. For example, a new information element (Information
Element, IE
for short) may be added to an existing RRC system broadcast message to carry
the search
indication information, or a new RRC system broadcast message may be used to
carry the
search indication information, which is not limited by this embodiment. After
completing the
search, the user equipment does not restart a search until next search
indication information is
received. Optionally, the base station may send the search indication
information to a user
equipment through a dedicated message. For example, the base station may
decide, according
to location information of a user equipment that has set up an RRC connection,
whether data
offload can be performed for the user equipment. If data offload can be
performed for the user
equipment, the base station notifies, through a dedicated message, the user
equipment of
searching. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC message to
carry the
search indication information, or a new RRC message is used to carry the
search indication
information, or a new media access control (Media Access Control, MAC for
short) control
element (Control Element, CE for short) message may be used o carry the search
indication
information.
[0032] For another example, the base station may further combine the two
manners. That
is, the base station may obtain, in the network management device
configuration manner,
identity information of a part of data offload access devices that can be
connected to the base
station, and then obtain, in the user equipment sending manner, identity
information of
another part of data offload access devices that can be connected to the base
station.
[0033] The identity information of the data offload access device may
include but is not
limited to at least one of the following:
an identity (Identity, ID for short) of the data offload access device;
a MAC address of the data offload access device;
the ID and an Internet Protocol (Internet Protocol, IP for short) address of
the data
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=
the MAC address and the IP address of the data offload access device.
[0034] Optionally, before step 101, the user equipment may further scan
a first frequency
range and find the data offload access device, so that the user equipment
measures at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device.
For example, the
user equipment may scan the first frequency range, and find the data offload
access device. It
should be noted that the data offload access device corresponding to the base
station involved
in this embodiment may be regarded as a data offload access device that can be
connected to
the base station or cannot be connected to the base station. The first
frequency range may be
sent by the base station to the user equipment according to configuration
information; or may
also be a frequency range supported by the user equipment; or may also be sent
by the base
station to the user equipment according to a frequency range supported by the
base station and
an obtained frequency range supported by the user equipment (namely, through a
capability
negotiation process).
100351 Optionally, to avoid the problem of power waste because the user
equipment
frequently searches for the data offload access device that can be connected,
the user
equipment may start a search only after receiving search indication
information sent by the
base station. For example, the base station may determine, according to at
least one of the
signal intensity, the signal quality, and a transmission data rate of the data
offload access
device, whether quality of service of a currently connected data offload
access device
degrades. That is, if the signal intensity of the data offload access device
is less than or equal
to an intensity threshold, or the signal quality of the data offload access
device is less than or
equal to a quality threshold, or the transmission data rate of the data
offload access device is
less than or equal to a rate threshold, it indicates that the quality of
service of the currently
connected data offload access device degrades, and therefore the base station
may notify,
through the search indication information carried in the dedicated message,
the user
equipment of searching. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC
message to
carry the search indication information, or a new RRC message may be used to
carry the
search indication information, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry
the search
indication information.
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[0036] Optionally, before step 101, the user equipment may further
receive identity
information of the data offload access device sent by the base station, where
the identity
information of the data offload access device sent by the base station is
determined by the
base station according to location information of the user equipment or load
information of
the data offload access device. For example, the base station may specify,
according to the
location information of the user equipment, one or more data offload access
devices to be
measured, and send the identity information of the data offload access device
to the user
equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device identified by the
identity information. For
another example, the base station may specify, according to the load
information of the data
offload access device by using a load balancing mechanism, one or more data
offload access
devices to be measured, and send the identity information of the data offload
access device to
the user equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to measure at least
one of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device identified by
the identity
information. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC message to
carry the
identity information of the data offload access device, or a new RRC message
may be used to
carry the identity information of the data offload access device, or a new MAC
CE message
may be used to carry the identity information of the data offload access
device.
[0037] The location information of the UE may be obtained by the base
station through a
locating algorithm, or may also be reported by the UE.
[0038] The load information of the data offload access device may be
sent by the data
offload access device to the base station periodically or aperiodically.
[0039] Optionally, before step 101, for example, when or after the user
equipment sets up
an RRC connection, the user equipment may further receive offload
configuration information
sent by the base station.
[0040] For example, the offload configuration information may include at
least one of a
second frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and
the
measurement object includes at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality;
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correspondingly, the user equipment may measure the at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the at least one
of the second
frequency range, the measurement interval, and the measurement object. For
example, the
base station may send the second frequency rage including the foregoing
frequency range to
the user equipment according to the frequency range determined in the process
of negotiating
offload capability information, so as to instruct the user equipment to
measure, within the
second frequency range, at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device corresponding to the base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
For example, the base station may send a measurement interval to the user
equipment, so as to
instruct the user equipment not to transmit data during the measurement
interval. For example,
the base station may send a measurement object to the user equipment, so as to
instruct the
user equipment to measure, according to the measurement object, at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding
to the base station
to which the user equipment belongs. The user equipment may obtain the signal
intensity by
measuring received power, or may also obtain the signal quality by measuring a
signal to
noise ratio.
100411 For example, the offload configuration information may include a
measurement
period, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication;
correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
period; and may
further send the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload access
device to the base station according to the sending period, or the sending
trigger event, or the
sending indication. For example, the base station may send a measurement
period to the user
equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to periodically measure,
according to the
measurement period, at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload
access device corresponding to the base station to which the user equipment
belongs. For
example, the base station may send a sending period to the user equipment, so
as to instruct
the user equipment to send, according to the sending period, at least one of
the measured
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the
base station to
which the user equipment belongs. For example, the sending trigger event sent
by the base
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station to the user equipment may include a sending condition and a
corresponding threshold,
so as to instruct the user equipment to send, according to the sending
condition and the
corresponding threshold, at least one of the measured signal intensity, the
measured signal
quality, and the transmission data rate of the data offload access device to
the base station to
which the user equipment belongs. For example, the sending condition and the
corresponding
threshold may be: when signal intensity of n data offload access devices
currently connected
to the base station is less than or equal to a, triggering the user equipment
to perform sending;
or when signal quality of n data offload access devices currently connected to
the base station
is less than or equal to b, triggering the user equipment to perform sending;
or when signal
intensity of n data offload access devices that can be connected to but are
currently not
connected to the base station is greater than or equal to c, triggering the
user equipment to
perform sending; or when signal intensity of n data offload access devices
that can be
connected to but are currently not connected to the base station is greater
than or equal to d,
triggering the user equipment to perform sending. Further, after receiving the
offload
configuration information, the user equipment may measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding to the base
station to which
the user equipment belongs. For example, the user equipment may measure,
according to the
received measurement indication sent by the base station, at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding to the base
station to which
the user equipment belongs; for another example, the user equipment may
further measure,
according to the measurement condition and the corresponding threshold, at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
corresponding to the base
station to which the user equipment belongs.
10042] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a
sending
indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
indication; and may further send the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of
the data offload access device to the base station according to the sending
period, or the
sending trigger event, or the sending indication. For example, the base
station may determine,
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according to at least one of the signal intensity, the signal quality, and the
transmission data
rate of the data offload access device, whether quality of service of the
currently connected
data offload access device degrades. That is, if the signal intensity of the
data offload access
device is less than or equal to an intensity threshold, or the signal quality
of the data offload
access device is less than or equal to a quality threshold, or the
transmission data rate of the
data offload access device is less than or equal to a rate threshold, it
indicates that the quality
of service of the currently connected data offload access device degrades, and
therefore the
base station may send a measurement indication to the user equipment, so as to
instruct the
user equipment to measure at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device corresponding to the base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
[0043] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication; and may further send the at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the
measurement indication and a configured subframe pattern. Specifically, after
receiving the
measurement indication, the user equipment may measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device in an nth subframe
according to the
configured subframe pattern, and send the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal quality
of the data offload access device in (n+m)th subframe to the base station.
[0044] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement trigger event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event,
or a sending
indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
trigger event; and may further send the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal quality of
the data offload access device to the base station according to the sending
period, or the
sending trigger event, or the sending indication. For example, the measurement
trigger event
sent by the base station to the user equipment may include a measurement
condition and a
corresponding threshold, so as to instruct the user equipment to measure,
according to the

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measurement condition and the corresponding threshold, at least one of the
signal intensity,
the signal quality, and the transmission data rate of the data offload access
device
corresponding to the base station to which the user equipment belongs. For
example, the
measurement condition and the corresponding threshold may be: when signal
intensity of n
data offload access devices currently connected to the base station is less
than or equal to a,
triggering the user equipment to perform measurement; or when signal quality
of n data
offload access devices currently connected to the base station is less than or
equal to b,
triggering the user equipment to perform measurement.
[0045] If the offload configuration information does not include any
piece of the
foregoing information, the user equipment may perform the subsequent operation
process
according to the value configured in the protocol by default.
[0046] Optionally, the user equipment may receive, through a dedicated
message, the
offload configuration information sent by the base station. For example, a new
IE may be
added to an existing RRC message to carry the offload configuration
information, or a new
RRC message may be used to carry the offload configuration information, or a
new MAC CE
message may be used to carry the offload configuration information.
[0047] 102. The user equipment sends the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device to the base station, so that the
base station selects,
according to the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at
least one data offload
access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0048] The signal intensity of the data offload access device sent by
the user equipment to
the base station may be a specific measured value, or may also be an
indication (for example,
high, medium, or low); similarly, the signal quality sent by the user
equipment to the base
station may be a specific measured value, or may also be an indication (for
example, good,
general, or bad).
[0049] It may be understood that in step 102, the user equipment may
further send identity
information of the measured data offload access device to the user equipment,
for associating
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at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the measured data
offload access
device.
[0050] Optionally, the user equipment may send at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station through a
dedicated
message. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC message to
carry at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, or a new RRC message may be
used to carry the
offload configuration information, or a new MAC CE message may be used to
carry at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality.
[0051] Optionally, if the user equipment measures at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the data offload
access device that
is found by the user equipment and corresponding to the base station to which
the user
equipment belongs, the base station may further update identity information of
the data
offload access device that is configured by the base station itself and can be
connected to the
base station.
[0052] It should be noted that an entity for executing the method for
determining a data
offload access device according to this embodiment, namely, the user
equipment, may be a
user equipment in an idle state, or may also be a user equipment in a
connected state, which is
not limited by this embodiment unless otherwise specified.
[0053] It may be understood that after receiving at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device sent by the user equipment,
the base station
may specifically further query configuration information, determine whether
the data offload
access device corresponding to the at least one of the received signal
intensity and signal
quality can be connected to the base station by itself, and then select at
least one data offload
access device from the data offload access devices that can be connected to
the base station by
themselves, to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0054] Optionally, in step 102, the base station may initially select,
according to at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload
access device to offload
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transmission data of the user equipment. For example, the base station may
send a data
offload setup request message to the user equipment, so as to instruct the
user equipment to
perform data offload (that is, instruct the user equipment to perform at least
one of uplink data
offload and downlink data offload), where the data offload setup request
message includes
identity information of the selected at least one data offload access device.
Optionally, the data
offload setup request message may further include a configuration parameter of
data offload.
[0055] After receiving the data offload setup request message, the user
equipment may
return a data offload setup complete message to the base station, so as to
notify the base
station that the user equipment is ready for data offload. If the user
equipment cannot perform
data offload, the user equipment may further return a data offload setup
failure message to the
base station, so as to notify the base station that the user equipment cannot
perform data
offload.
[0056] Optionally, the data offload setup request message/data offload
setup complete
message/data offload setup failure message may be a data offload setup
request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE added to an existing
RRC message, or
a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload setup
request/complete/failure
indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry the offload setup
request/complete/failure indication.
[0057] Optionally, in step 102, the base station may further update,
according to at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, the selected at least one data
offload access
device to offload transmission data of the user equipment. For example, the
base station
currently has selected at least one data offload access device for the user
equipment to
perform data offload. The base station may reselect, according to at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality sent by the user equipment, other data offload
access devices that
can transmit data for the user equipment. Optionally, for the method for
reselecting, by the
base station, other data offload access devices that can offload transmission
data of the user
equipment, reference may be made to the method for initially selecting other
data offload
access devices that can offload transmission data of the user equipment, which
is not further
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described herein. Specifically, if signal intensity of one or several data
offload access devices
that currently perform data offload for the user equipment is less than or
equal to the intensity
threshold, or signal quality thereof is less than or equal to the quality
threshold, or a
transmission data rate thereof is less than or equal to the rate threshold,
the base station may
send an offload modification request message to the user equipment, where the
offload
modification request message includes identity information of the one or
several data offload
access devices that currently perform data offload for the user equipment and
identity
information of the reselected other data offload access devices that can
offload transmission
data of the user equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to release
data offload of the
one or several data offload access devices and set up data offload of other
data offload access
devices.
100581 Optionally, if the one or several data offload access devices to
be released still
have downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment, if the base station
backs up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices feed back, to the base station, the Packet Data
Convergence Protocol
(Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP for short) sequence number of the
downlink data
that is not sent to the user equipment; if the base station does not back up
downlink data that
is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or several data
offload access devices
forward, to the base station, the downlink data that is not sent to the user
equipment. If the one
or several data offload access devices to be released still have uplink data
that is not sent to
the base station, the uplink data that is not sent to the base station may be
sent to the base
station. When or after the base station completes the offload modification
process, the base
station sends a PDCP receiving state to the user equipment, notifying the user
equipment of
which uplink data the base station has received, so that the user equipment
can start sending
from an uplink data packet that is not received by the base station, thereby
avoiding repetitive
sending of the uplink data packet, and saving transmission resources.
[0059] After receiving the data offload modification request message,
the user equipment
may return a data offload modification complete message to the base station,
so as to notify
the base station that the user equipment has modified data offload. If the
user equipment
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cannot modify data offload, the user equipment may further return a data
offload modification
failure message to the base station, so as to notify the base station that the
user equipment
cannot modify dada offload.
[0060] Optionally, the data offload modification request message/data
offload
modification complete message/data offload modification failure message may be
a data
offload modification request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE
added to an
existing RRC message, or a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload
modification
request/complete/failure indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to
carry the
offload modification request/complete/failure indication.
[0061] Optionally, if signal intensity of one or several data offload
access devices that
currently perform data offload for the user equipment is less than or equal to
the intensity
threshold, or the signal quality thereof is less than or equal to the quality
threshold, or the
transmission data rate thereof is less than or equal to the rate threshold,
the base station may
send an offload release request message to the user equipment, where the
offload release
request message includes identity information of the one or several data
offload access
devices that currently perform data offload for the user equipment.
[0062] Optionally, if the one or several data offload access devices to
be released still
have downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment, if the base station
backs up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices feed back, to the base station, the PDCP sequence
number of the
downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment; if the base station does
not back up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices forward, to the base station, the downlink data that is
not sent to the
user equipment. If the one or several data offload access devices to be
released still have
uplink data that is not sent to the base station, the uplink data that is not
sent to the base
station may be sent to the base station. When or after the base station
completes the offload
modification process, the base station sends a PDCP receiving state to the
user equipment,
notifying the user equipment of which uplink data the base station has
received, so that the

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user equipment can start sending from an uplink data packet that is not
received by the base
station, thereby avoiding repetitive sending of the uplink data packet, and
saving transmission
resources.
[0063] After receiving the data offload release request message, the
user equipment may
return a data offload release complete message to the base station, so as to
notify the base
station that the user equipment has released data offload of the one or
several data offload
access devices. If the user equipment cannot release data offload of the one
or several data
offload access devices, the user equipment may further return a data offload
release failure
message to the base station, so as to notify the base station that the user
equipment cannot
release data offload of the one or several data offload access devices.
[0064] Optionally, the data offload release request message/data offload
release complete
message/data offload release failure message may be a data offload release
request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE added to an existing
RRC message, or
a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload release
request/complete/failure
indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry the offload release
request/complete/failure indication.
[0065] In this embodiment, a user equipment measures at least one of
signal intensity and
signal quality of a data offload access device, and obtains at least one of
the signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device, so that the user
equipment can send the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device obtained
by measurement to the base station, so that the base station can select,
according to the at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload
access device to offload
transmission data of the user equipment. This embodiment can meet continuously
increasing
requirements for mobile bandwidth, while reducing transmission bandwidth of an
air
interface.
[0066] FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a
data offload access
device according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG 2, the
method for determining a data offload access device in this embodiment may
include the
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following:
[0067] 201. A base station receives at least one of signal intensity and
signal quality of a
data offload access device sent by a served user equipment, where the at least
one of the
signal intensity and signal quality is measured by the user equipment.
[0068] It may be understood that before step 201, the base station needs to
set up a radio
resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC for short) connection with the
user
equipment. Optionally, when or after the user equipment sets up an RRC
connection, the user
equipment may send at least one piece of offload capability information about
whether the
user equipment supports a mobile data offload capability, a supported mobile
offload
technology, and capability parameters (for example, a frequency range and
power) of the
supported mobile offload technology to the base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
Optionally, the above process of sending offload capability information may be
further a
process of negotiating offload capability information. For example, the base
station may
further send an intersection between capabilities of the base station itself
and capabilities of
the user equipment, namely, at least one piece of offload capability
information in the mobile
offload technology supported by both the base station and the user equipment
and the
capability parameters (for example, a frequency range and power) of the
supported mobile
offload technology to the user equipment. Optionally, the base station and the
user equipment
may perform the process of sending offload capability information or process
of negotiating
offload capability information through a dedicated message. For example, a new
IE may be
added to an existing RRC message to carry the offload capability information,
or a new RRC
message may be used to carry the offload capability information, or a new MAC
CE message
may be used to carry the offload capability information.
[0069] Optionally, before step 201, the base station may further
broadcast identity
information of a data offload access device that can be connected to the base
station, so that
the user equipment measures at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device that can be connected to the base station. For example,
the base station
may broadcast, through a broadcast message, identity information of the data
offload access
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device that can be connected to the base station. Optionally, the base station
may broadcast the
identity information through an existing RRC system broadcast message, or may
also
broadcast the identity information through a new system broadcast message,
which is not
limited by this embodiment. The data offload access device that can be
connected to the base
station may be set separately or may also be integrated with the base station,
which is not
limited by this embodiment.
[0070] Specifically, the base station may obtain, in multiple manners,
the identity
information of the data offload access device that can be connected to the
base station.
[0071] For example, the base station may obtain, in a network management
device
configuration manner, the identity information of the data offload access
device that can be
connected to the base station. That is, a network management device may
configure the
identity information of the data offload access device that can be connected
to the base station
for the base station, so that the base station obtains the configured identity
information of the
data offload access device that can be connected to the base station. The
network management
device configuration manner may be a static configuration or semi-static
configuration, which
is not limited by this embodiment. The static configuration means that the
network
management device does not update the identity information of the data offload
access device
any longer after sending the identity information of the data offload access
device to the base
station according to network planning information; the semi-static
configuration means that
the network management device may update the identity information of the data
offload
access device according to network optimization information after sending the
identity
information of the data offload access device to the base station according to
network
planning information.
[0072] For another example, the base station may obtain, in a user
equipment sending
manner, the identity information of the data offload access device that can be
connected to the
base station. That is, after the user equipment sets up an RRC connection with
the base
station, the user equipment may find the data offload access device
corresponding to the base
station (namely, the data offload access device that the user equipment can be
connected to),
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and may send the identity information of the found data offload access device
to the base
station, so that the base station obtains, from the user equipment, the
identity information of
the data offload access device that can be connected to the base station.
Optionally, the base
station may further query configuration information, determine whether the
data offload
access device identified by the identity information of the data offload
access device sent by
the user equipment can be connected to the base station by itself, and if yes,
record the
identity information of the data offload access device; otherwise, it is
unnecessary to record
the identity information of the data offload access device. Optionally, to
avoid the problem of
power waste because the user equipment frequently searches for the data
offload access
device that can be connected, the user equipment may start a search only after
receiving
search indication information sent by the base station. The search indication
information may
be 1 bit, used to instruct the user equipment to start a search. The base
station may notify,
through the search indication information carried in the broadcast message,
the user
equipment of searching. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC
system
broadcast message to carry the search indication information, or a new RRC
system broadcast
message may be used to carry the search indication information, which is not
limited by this
embodiment. After completing the search, the user equipment does not restart a
search until
next search indication information is received. Optionally, the base station
may send the
search indication information to a user equipment through a dedicated message.
For example,
the base station may decide, according to location information of a user
equipment that has set
up an RRC connection, whether data offload can be performed for the user
equipment. If data
offload can be performed for the user equipment, the base station notifies,
through a dedicated
message, the user equipment of searching. For example, a new IE may be added
to an existing
RRC message to carry the search indication information, or a new RRC message
may be used
to carry the search indication information, or a new MAC CE message may be
used to carry
the search indication information.
100731 For another example, the base station may further combine the two
manners. That
is, the base station may obtain, in the network management device
configuration manner,
identity information of a part of data offload access devices that can be
connected to the base
station, and then obtain, in the user equipment sending manner, identity
information of
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another part of data offload access devices that can be connected to the base
station.
[0074] The identity information of the data offload access device may
include but is not
limited to at least one of the following:
an ID of the data offload access device;
a MAC address of the data offload access device;
the ID and an IP address of the data offload access device; and
the MAC address and the IP address of the data offload access device.
[0075] Optionally, before step 201, the user equipment may further scan
a first frequency
range and find the data offload access device, so that the user equipment
measures at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device.
For example, the
base station may send the first frequency range to the user equipment, so that
the user
equipment scans the first frequency range and finds the data offload access
device
corresponding to the base station. It should be noted that the data offload
access device
corresponding to the base station involved in this embodiment may be regarded
as a data
offload access device that can be connected to the base station or cannot be
connected to the
base station. Optionally, the base station may send the first frequency range
to the user
equipment according to configuration information of the base station, or may
further send the
first frequency range to the user equipment according to a frequency range
supported by the
base station and an obtained frequency range supported by the user equipment.
[0076] Optionally, to avoid the problem of power waste because the user
equipment
frequently searches for the data offload access device that can be connected,
the base station
may send search indication information to the user equipment, notifying the
user equipment of
starting a search. For example, the base station may determine, according to
at least one of the
signal intensity, the signal quality, and a transmission data rate of the data
offload access
device, whether quality of service of a currently connected data offload
access device
degrades. That is, if the signal intensity of the data offload access device
is less than or equal

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to an intensity threshold, or the signal quality of the data offload access
device is less than or
equal to a quality threshold, or the transmission data rate of the data
offload access device is
less than or equal to a rate threshold, it indicates that the quality of
service of the currently
connected data offload access device degrades, and therefore the base station
may notify,
through the search indication information carried in the dedicated message,
the user
equipment of searching. For example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC
message to
carry the search indication information, or a new RRC message may be used to
carry the
search indication information, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry
the search
indication information.
100771 Optionally, before step 201, the base station may further send
identity information
of the data offload access device to the user equipment according to location
information of
the user equipment or load information of the data offload access device, so
that the user
equipment measures at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload
access device. For example, the base station may specify, according to the
location
information of the user equipment, one or more data offload access devices to
be measured,
and send the identity information of the data offload access device to the
user equipment, so
as to instruct the user equipment to measure at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device identified by the identity
information. For another
example, the base station may specify, according to the load information of
the data offload
access device by using a load balancing mechanism, one or more data offload
access devices
to be measured, and send the identity information of the data offload access
device to the user
equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device identified by the
identity information. For
example, a new IE may be added to an existing RRC message to carry the
identity information
of the data offload access device, or a new RRC message may be used to carry
the identity
information of the data offload access device, or a new MAC CE message may be
used to
carry the identity information of the data offload access device.
100781 Optionally, before step 201, for example, when or after the user
equipment sets up
an RRC connection, the base station may further send offload configuration
information to the
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user equipment.
[0079] For example, the offload configuration information may include at
least one of a
second frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and
the
measurement object includes at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality;
correspondingly, the user equipment may measure the at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the at least one
of the second
frequency range, the measurement interval, and the measurement object. For
example, the
base station may send the second frequency rage including the foregoing
frequency range to
the user equipment according to the frequency range determined in the process
of negotiating
offload capability information, so as to instruct the user equipment to
measure, within the
second frequency range, at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device corresponding to the base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
For example, the base station may send a measurement interval to the user
equipment, so as to
instruct the user equipment not to transmit data during the measurement
interval. For example,
the base station may send a measurement object to the user equipment, so as to
instruct the
user equipment to measure, according to the measurement object, at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding
to the base station
to which the user equipment belongs. The user equipment may obtain the signal
intensity by
measuring received power, or may also obtain the signal quality by measuring a
signal to
noise ratio.
[0080] For example, the offload configuration information may include a
measurement
period, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication;
correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
period; and may
further send the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload access
device to the base station according to the sending period, or the sending
trigger event, or the
sending indication. For example, the base station may send a measurement
period to the user
equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to periodically measure,
according to the
measurement period, at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload
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access device corresponding to the base station to which the user equipment
belongs. For
example, the base station may send a sending period to the user equipment, so
as to instruct
the user equipment to send, according to the sending period, at least one of
the measured
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the
base station to
which the user equipment belongs. For example, the sending trigger event sent
by the base
station to the user equipment may include a sending condition and a
corresponding threshold,
so as to instruct the user equipment to send, according to the sending
condition and the
corresponding threshold, at least one of the measured signal intensity, the
measured signal
quality, and the transmission data rate of the data offload access device to
the base station to
which the user equipment belongs. For example, the sending condition and the
corresponding
threshold may be: when signal intensity of n data offload access devices
currently connected
to the base station is less than or equal to a, triggering the user equipment
to perform sending;
or when signal quality of n data offload access devices currently connected to
the base station
is less than or equal to b, triggering the user equipment to perform sending;
or when signal
intensity of n data offload access devices that can be connected to but are
currently not
connected to the base station is greater than or equal to c, triggering the
user equipment to
perform sending; or when signal intensity of n data offload access devices
that can be
connected to but are currently not connected to the base station is greater
than or equal to d,
triggering the user equipment to perform sending. Further, after receiving the
offload
configuration information, the user equipment may measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding to the base
station to which
the user equipment belongs. For example, the user equipment may measure,
according to the
received measurement indication sent by the base station, at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device corresponding to the base
station to which
the user equipment belongs; for another example, the user equipment may
further measure,
according to the measurement condition and the corresponding threshold, at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
corresponding to the base
station to which the user equipment belongs.
[0081] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a
sending
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indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
indication; and may further send the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of
the data offload access device to the base station according to the sending
period, or the
sending trigger event, or the sending indication. For example, the base
station may determine,
according to at least one of the signal intensity, the signal quality, and the
transmission data
rate of the data offload access device, whether quality of service of the
currently connected
data offload access device degrades. That is, if the signal intensity of the
data offload access
device is less than or equal to an intensity threshold, or the signal quality
of the data offload
access device is less than or equal to a quality threshold, or the
transmission data rate of the
data offload access device is less than or equal to a rate threshold, it
indicates that the quality
of service of the currently connected data offload access device degrades, and
therefore the
base station may send a measurement indication to the user equipment, so as to
instruct the
user equipment to measure at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device corresponding to the base station to which the user
equipment belongs.
[0082] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication; and may further send the at least one of the signal
intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device to the base station according
to the
measurement indication and a configured subframe pattern. Specifically, after
receiving the
measurement indication, the user equipment may measure at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality of the data offload access device in nth subframe according
to the
configured subframe pattern, and send the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal quality
of the data offload access device in (n+m)th subframe to the base station.
[0083] For another example, the offload configuration information may
further include a
measurement trigger event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event,
or a sending
indication; correspondingly, the user equipment may measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
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trigger event; and may further send the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal quality of
the data offload access device to the base station according to the sending
period, or the
sending trigger event, or the sending indication. For example, the measurement
trigger event
sent by the base station to the user equipment may include a measurement
condition and a
corresponding threshold, so as to instruct the user equipment to measure,
according to the
measurement condition and the corresponding threshold, at least one of the
signal intensity,
the signal quality, and the transmission data rate of the data offload access
device
corresponding to the base station to which the user equipment belongs. For
example, the
measurement condition and the corresponding threshold may be: when signal
intensity of n
data offload access devices currently connected to the base station is less
than or equal to a,
triggering the user equipment to perform measurement; or when signal quality
of n data
offload access devices currently connected to the base station is less than or
equal to b,
triggering the user equipment to perform measurement.
[0084] If the offload configuration information does not include any
piece of the
foregoing information, the user equipment may perform the subsequent operation
process
according to the value configured in the protocol by default.
[0085] Optionally, the user equipment may receive, through a dedicated
message, the
offload configuration information sent by the base station. For example, a new
IE may be
added to an existing RRC message to carry the offload configuration
information, or a new
RRC message may be used to carry the offload configuration information, or a
new MAC CE
message may be used to carry the offload configuration information.
[0086] The signal intensity of the data offload access device received
by the base station
and sent by the user equipment may be a specific measured value, or may also
be an
indication (for example, high, medium, or low); similarly, the signal quality
of the data offload
access device received by the base station and sent by the user equipment may
be a specific
measured value, or may also be an indication (for example, good, general, or
bad).
[0087] It may be understood that in step 201, the base station may
further receive identity
information of the measured data offload access device sent by the user
equipment, for

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associating at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
measured data offload
access device.
[0088] Optionally, if the base station receives at least one of the
signal intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device, which is measured by the user
equipment according
to the data offload access device that is found by the user equipment and
corresponding to the
base station to which the user equipment belongs, the base station may further
update identity
information of the data offload access device that is configured by the base
station itself and
can be connected to the base station.
[0089] 202. The base station selects, according to the at least one of
the signal intensity
and signal quality, at least one data offload access device to offload
transmission data of the
user equipment.
[0090] It should be noted that the user equipment in the method for
determining a data
offload access device according to this embodiment may be a user equipment in
an idle state,
or may also be a user equipment in a connected state, which is not limited by
this embodiment
unless otherwise specified.
[0091] It may be understood that after step 201 and before step 202, the
base station may
specifically further query configuration information, determine whether the
data offload
access device corresponding to the received at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality can be connected to the base station by itself, and then select at
least one data offload
access device from the data offload access devices that can be connected to
the base station by
themselves, to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0092] Optionally, in step 202, the base station may initially select,
according to at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload
access device to offload
transmission data of the user equipment. For example, the base station may
send a data
offload setup request message to the user equipment, so as to instruct the
user equipment to
perform data offload (that is, instruct the user equipment to perform at least
one of uplink data
offload and downlink data offload), where the data offload setup request
message includes
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identity information of the selected at least one data offload access device.
Optionally, the data
offload setup request message may further include a configuration parameter of
data offload.
[0093] After receiving the data offload setup request message, the user
equipment may
return a data offload setup complete message to the base station, so as to
notify the base
station that the user equipment is ready for data offload. If the user
equipment cannot perform
data offload, the user equipment may further return a data offload setup
failure message to the
base station, so as to notify the base station that the user equipment cannot
perform data
offload.
[0094] Optionally, the data offload setup request message/data offload
setup complete
message/data offload setup failure message may be a data offload setup
request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE added to an existing
RRC message, or
a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload setup
request/complete/failure
indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry the offload setup
request/complete/failure indication.
100951 Optionally, in step 202, the base station may further update,
according to at least
one of the signal intensity and signal quality, the selected at least one data
offload access
device to offload transmission data of the user equipment. For example, the
base station
currently has selected at least one data offload access device for the user
equipment to
perform data offload. The base station may reselect, according to at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality sent by the user equipment, other data offload
access devices that
can transmit data for the user equipment. Optionally, for the method for
reselecting, by the
base station, other data offload access devices that can offload transmission
data of the user
equipment, reference may be made to the method for initially selecting other
data offload
access devices that can offload transmission data of the user equipment, which
is not further
described herein. Specifically, if signal intensity of one or several data
offload access devices
that currently perform data offload for the user equipment is less than or
equal to the intensity
threshold, or signal quality thereof is less than or equal to the quality
threshold, or a
transmission data rate thereof is less than or equal to the rate threshold,
the base station may
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send an offload modification request message to the user equipment, where the
offload
modification request message includes identity information of the one or
several data offload
access devices that currently perform data offload for the user equipment and
identity
information of the reselected other data offload access devices that can
offload transmission
data of the user equipment, so as to instruct the user equipment to release
data offload of the
one or several data offload access devices and set up data offload of other
data offload access
devices.
[0096] Optionally, if the one or several data offload access devices to
be released still
have downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment, if the base station
backs up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices feed back, to the base station, the PDCP sequence
number of the
downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment; if the base station does
not back up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices forward, to the base station, the downlink data that is
not sent to the
user equipment. If the one or several data offload access devices to be
released still have
uplink data that is not sent to the base station, the uplink data that is not
sent to the base
station may be sent to the base station. When or after the base station
completes the offload
modification process, the base station sends a PDCP receiving state to the
user equipment,
notifying the user equipment of which uplink data the base station has
received, so that the
user equipment can start sending from an uplink data packet that is not
received by the base
station, thereby avoiding repetitive sending of the uplink data packet, and
saving transmission
resources.
[0097] After receiving the data offload modification request message,
the user equipment
may return a data offload modification complete message to the base station,
so as to notify
the base station that the user equipment has modified data offload. If the
user equipment
cannot modify data offload, the user equipment may further return a data
offload modification
failure message to the base station, so as to notify the base station that the
user equipment
cannot modify dada offload.
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[0098] Optionally, the data offload modification request message/data
offload
modification complete message/data offload modification failure message may be
a data
offload modification request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE
added to an
existing RRC message, or a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload
modification
request/complete/failure indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to
carry the
offload modification request/complete/failure indication.
[0099] Optionally, if signal intensity of one or several data offload
access devices that
currently perform data offload for the user equipment is less than or equal to
the intensity
threshold, or the signal quality thereof is less than or equal to the quality
threshold, or the
transmission data rate thereof is less than or equal to the rate threshold,
the base station may
send an offload release request message to the user equipment, where the
offload release
request message includes identity information of the one or several data
offload access
devices that currently perform data offload for the user equipment.
[0100] Optionally, if the one or several data offload access devices to
be released still
have downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment, if the base station
backs up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices feed back, to the base station, the PDCP sequence
number of the
downlink data that is not sent to the user equipment; if the base station does
not back up
downlink data that is offloaded to the data offload access device, the one or
several data
offload access devices forward, to the base station, the downlink data that is
not sent to the
user equipment. If the one or several data offload access devices to be
released still have
uplink data that is not sent to the base station, the uplink data that is not
sent to the base
station may be sent to the base station. When or after the base station
completes the offload
modification process, the base station sends a PDCP receiving state to the
user equipment,
notifying the user equipment of which uplink data the base station has
received, so that the
user equipment can start sending from an uplink data packet that is not
received by the base
station, thereby avoiding repetitive sending of the uplink data packet, and
saving transmission
resources.
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101011 After receiving the data offload release request message, the
user equipment may
return a data offload release complete message to the base station, so as to
notify the base
station that the user equipment has released data offload of the one or
several data offload
access devices. If the user equipment cannot release data offload of the one
or several data
offload access devices, the user equipment may further return a data offload
release failure
message to the base station, so as to notify the base station that the user
equipment cannot
release data offload of the one or several data offload access devices.
101021 Optionally, the data offload release request message/data offload
release complete
message/data offload release failure message may be a data offload release
request/complete/failure indication carried in a new IE added to an existing
RRC message, or
a new RRC message may be used to carry the offload release
request/complete/failure
indication, or a new MAC CE message may be used to carry the offload release
request/complete/failure indication.
101031 In this embodiment, a base station receives at least one of
signal intensity and
signal quality of a data offload access device sent by a served user
equipment, so that the base
station can select, according to the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality, at
least one data offload access device to offload transmission data of the user
equipment. This
embodiment can meet continuously increasing requirements for mobile bandwidth,
while
reducing transmission bandwidth of an air interface.
101041 It should be noted that, for ease of description, the foregoing
method embodiments
are all described as a series of actions. Persons skilled in the art should
know that the present
invention is not limited to the sequence of actions described herein and that
according to the
present invention, some steps may be performed in any other sequence or at the
same time. In
addition, persons skilled in the art should know that the embodiments in the
specification are
exemplary embodiments and that actions and modules involved in these
embodiments are not
necessarily required by the present invention.
[0105] In the foregoing embodiments, each embodiment has its emphasis.
For what is not
detailed in one embodiment of the present invention, reference may be made to
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description of another embodiment.
[0106] FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment
according to another
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG 3, the user equipment in
this
embodiment may include a measuring unit 31 and a sending unit 32. The
measuring unit 31 is
configured to measure at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a
data offload
access device, and obtain the at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
offload access device; and the sending unit 32 is configured to send the at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device obtained
by the measuring
unit 31 to the base station, so that the base station selects, according to
the at least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload access device
to offload
transmission data of the user equipment.
[0107] Functions of the user equipment in the embodiment corresponding
to FIG 1 may
be implemented by the user equipment provided by this embodiment.
[0108] Optionally, the measuring unit 31 in this embodiment may further
receive identity
information of the data offload access device that can be connected to the
base station, where
the identity information is broadcast by the base station.
[0109] The identity information of the data offload access device
received by the
measuring unit 31 may include but is not limited to at least one of the
following:
an ID of the data offload access device;
a MAC address of the data offload access device;
the ID and an IP address of the data offload access device; and
the MAC address and the IP address of the data offload access device.
[0110] Optionally, the measuring unit 31 in this embodiment may further
scan a first
frequency range, and find the data offload access device.
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[0111] Specifically, the measuring unit 31 may specifically find the
data offload access
device corresponding to the base station within the first frequency range,
where the first
frequency range may be sent by the base station to the user equipment
according to
configuration information; or may also be a frequency range supported by the
user equipment;
or may also be sent by the base station to the user equipment according to a
frequency range
supported by the base station and an obtained frequency range supported by the
user
equipment.
[0112] Optionally, the measuring unit 31 in this embodiment may further
receive identity
information of the data offload access device sent by the base station, where
the identity
information of the data offload access device sent by the base station is
determined by the
base station according to location information of the user equipment or load
information of
the data offload access device.
[0113] As shown in FIG 4,
optionally, the user equipment provided by this embodiment may further include
a
first configuring unit 41, configured to receive offload configuration
information sent by the
base station, where the offload configuration information includes at least
one of a second
frequency range, a measurement interval, and a measurement object, and the
measurement
object includes at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality; and
correspondingly, the
measuring unit 31 may be specifically configured to measure the at least one
of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the at least one of
the second frequency range, the measurement interval, and the measurement
object.
[0114] Optionally, the user equipment provided by this embodiment may
further include a
second configuring unit 42, configured to receive offload configuration
information sent by
the base station, where the offload configuration information includes a
measurement period,
and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication;
correspondingly, the
measuring unit 31 may be specifically configured to measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
period; and the sending unit 32 may be specifically configured to send the at
least one of the
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=
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to the
base station
according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending
indication.
[0115] Optionally, the user equipment provided by this embodiment may
further include a
third configuring unit 43, configured to receive offload configuration
information sent by the
base station, where the offload configuration information includes a
measurement indication,
and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending indication;
correspondingly, the
measuring unit 31 may be specifically configured to measure at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device according to
the measurement
indication; and the sending unit 32 may be specifically configured to send the
at least one of
the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device to
the base station
according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the sending
indication.
101161 Optionally, the user equipment provided by this embodiment may
further include a
fourth configuring unit 44, configured to receive offload configuration
information sent by the
base station, where the offload configuration information includes a
measurement indication;
correspondingly, the measuring unit 31 may be specifically configured to
measure at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication; and the sending unit may be specifically configured to
send the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device to the base
station according to the measurement indication and a configured subframe
pattern.
Specifically, after receiving the measurement indication, the user equipment
may measure at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device in nth
subframe according to the configured subframe pattern, and send the at least
one of the signal
intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device in (n+m)th
subframe to the base
station.
[0117] Optionally, the user equipment provided by this embodiment may
further include a
fifth configuring unit 45, configured to receive offload configuration
information sent by the
base station, where the offload configuration information includes a
measurement trigger
event, and a sending period, or a sending trigger event, or a sending
indication;
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correspondingly, the measuring unit 31 may be specifically configured to
measure at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement trigger event; and the sending unit may be specifically configured
to send the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device to the base
station according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the
sending indication.
[0118] It should be noted that FIG 4 shows only the case where the first
configuring unit
41, the second configuring unit 42, the third configuring unit 43, the fourth
configuring unit
44, and the fifth configuring unit 45 are all included. In an optional
embodiment, only one,
two, three, and four of the five units may be included.
[0119] In this embodiment, in a user equipment, a measuring unit measures
at least one of
signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload access device, and
obtains the at least one
of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device,
so that a sending
unit can send the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of
the data offload
access device obtained by measurement by the measuring unit to the base
station, so that the
base station can select, according to the at least one of the signal intensity
and signal quality,
at least one data offload access device to offload transmission data of the
user equipment. This
embodiment can meet continuously increasing requirements for mobile bandwidth,
while
reducing transmission bandwidth of an air interface.
[0120] FIG 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station
according to another
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG 5, the base station in
this embodiment
may include a receiving unit 51 and an offloading unit 52. The receiving unit
51 is configured
to receive at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a data
offload access device sent
by a user equipment served by the base station, where the at least one of the
signal intensity
and signal quality is obtained by measurement by the user equipment; and the
offloading unit
52 is configured to select, according to the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality received by the receiving unit 51, at least one data offload access
device to offload
transmission data of the user equipment.
[0121] Functions of the base station in the embodiment corresponding to
FIG 2 may be
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implemented by the base station provided by this embodiment.
[0122] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the base station provided by this
embodiment may
further include a sending unit 61, configured to broadcast identity
information of a data
offload access device that can be connected to the base station, so that the
user equipment
measures at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access
device that can be connected to the base station.
[0123] The identity information of the data offload access device
broadcast by the sending
unit 61 in this embodiment may include but is not limited to at least one of
the following:
an ID of the data offload access device;
a MAC address of the data offload access device;
the ID and an IP address of the data offload access device; and
the MAC address and the IP address of the data offload access device.
[0124] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
obtain the
configured identity information of the data offload access device that can be
connected to the
base station; or further obtain the identity information of the data offload
access device that
can be connected to the base station, where the identity information is sent
by the user
equipment.
[0125] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send a first
frequency range to the user equipment according to configuration information,
so that the user
equipment scans the first frequency range and finds the data offload access
device; or send a
first frequency range to the user equipment according to a frequency range
supported by the
base station and an obtained frequency range supported by the user equipment,
so that the user
equipment scans the first frequency range and finds the data offload access
device.
[0126] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send offload
configuration information to the user equipment, where the offload
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includes at least one of a second frequency range, a measurement interval, and
a measurement
object, and the measurement object includes at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality, so that the user equipment measures the at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device according to the at least one of the
second frequency
range, the measurement interval, and the measurement object.
[0127] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send offload
configuration information to the user equipment, where the offload
configuration information
includes a measurement period, and a sending period, or a sending trigger
event, or a sending
indication, so that the user equipment measures at least one of the signal
intensity and signal
quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement period
and sends the at
least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload
access device to the base
station according to the sending period, or the sending trigger event, or the
sending indication.
[0128] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send offload
configuration information to the user equipment, where the offload
configuration information
includes a measurement indication, and a sending period, or a sending trigger
event, or a
sending indication, so that the user equipment measures at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
indication and
sends the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access
device to the base station according to the sending period, or the sending
trigger event, or the
sending indication.
[0129] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send offload
configuration information to the user equipment, where the offload
configuration information
includes a measurement indication, so that the user equipment measures the at
least one of the
signal intensity and signal quality of the data offload access device
according to the
measurement indication and sends the at least one of the signal intensity and
signal quality of
the data offload access device to the base station according to the
measurement indication and
a configured subframe pattern. Specifically, after receiving the measurement
indication, the
user equipment may measure at least one of the signal intensity and signal
quality of the data
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offload access device in nth subframe according to the configured subframe
pattern, and send
the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the data
offload access device in
(n+m)th subframe to the base station.
[0130] Optionally, the sending unit 61 in this embodiment may further
send offload
configuration information to the user equipment, where the offload
configuration information
includes a measurement trigger event, and a sending period, or a sending
trigger event, or a
sending indication, so that the user equipment measures at least one of the
signal intensity and
signal quality of the data offload access device according to the measurement
trigger event
and sends the at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality of the
data offload access
device to the base station according to the sending period, or the sending
trigger event, or the
sending indication.
[0131] Specifically, the offloading unit 52 in this embodiment may
specifically initially
select, according to at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality,
at least one data
offload access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment; or
may further
update, according to at least one of the signal intensity and signal quality,
the selected at least
one data offload access device to offload transmission data of the user
equipment.
[0132] In this embodiment, in a base station, a receiving unit receives
at least one of
signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload access device sent by a
served user
equipment, so that an offloading unit can select, according to the at least
one of the signal
intensity and signal quality, at least one data offload access device to
offload transmission data
of the user equipment. This embodiment can meet continuously increasing
requirements for
mobile bandwidth, while reducing transmission bandwidth of an air interface.
[0133] FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a
data offload access
device according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG 7, the
method for determining a data offload access device in this embodiment may
include the
following:
[0134] 701. A base station obtains a parameter for offloading
transmission data of a user
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equipment.
[0135] 702. The base station selects, according to the parameter, at
least one data offload
access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0136] The parameter may include but is not limited to at least one of
the following:
at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload access
device
sent by a user equipment served by the base station, where the at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality is obtained by measurement by the user equipment;
location information of the user equipment; and
load information of the data offload access device.
[0137] In this embodiment, a base station obtains a parameter for
offloading transmission
data of a user equipment, so that the base station selects, according to the
parameter, at least
one data offload access device to offload transmission data of the user
equipment. This
embodiment can meet continuously increasing requirements for mobile bandwidth,
while
reducing transmission bandwidth of an air interface.
[0138] FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according
to another
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG 8, the base station in
this embodiment
may include an obtaining unit 81 and an offloading unit 82. The obtaining unit
81 is
configured to obtain a parameter for offloading transmission data of a user
equipment; and the
offloading unit 82 is configured to select, according to the parameter, at
least one data offload
access device to offload transmission data of the user equipment.
[0139] Functions of the base station in the embodiment corresponding to
FIG. 7 may be
implemented by the base station provided by this embodiment.
[0140] The parameter obtained by the obtaining unit 81 may include but
is not limited to
at least one of the following:
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at least one of signal intensity and signal quality of a data offload access
device
sent by a user equipment served by the base station, where the at least one of
the signal
intensity and signal quality is obtained by measurement by the user equipment;
location information of the user equipment; and
load information of the data offload access device.
[0141] In this embodiment, in a base station, an obtaining unit obtains
a parameter for
offloading transmission data of a user equipment, so that an offloading unit
can select,
according to the parameter, at least one data offload access device to offload
transmission data
of the user equipment. This embodiment can meet continuously increasing
requirements for
mobile bandwidth, while reducing transmission bandwidth of an air interface.
[0142] It may be clearly understood by persons skilled in the art that,
for the purpose of
convenient and brief description, for a detailed working process of the
foregoing system,
apparatus, and unit, reference may be made to a corresponding process in the
foregoing
method embodiments, and details are not described herein again.
[0143] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it
should be
understood that the disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be implemented
in other
manners. For example, the described apparatus embodiment is merely exemplary.
For
example, the unit division is merely logical function division and may be
other division in
actual implementation. For example, a plurality of units or components may be
combined or
integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not
performed. In addition,
the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or
communication
connections may be implemented through some interfaces. The indirect couplings
or
communication connections between the apparatuses or units may be implemented
in
electronic, mechanical, or other forms.
[0144] The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically
separate, and
the parts displayed as units may or may not be physical units, may be located
in one position,
or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. A part of or all of the
units may be
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selected according to actual needs to achieve the objectives of the solutions
of the
embodiments.
[0145] In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present
invention may be
integrated into one processing unit, or each of the units may exist alone
physically, or two or
more units may be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit may be
implemented in a form
of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of hardware plus a software
functional unit.
[0146] The integrated unit implemented in a form of software functional
unit may be
stored in a computer readable storage medium. The software functional unit is
stored in a
storage medium and includes several instructions for instructing a computer
device (which
may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device or the like) to
perform a part of the
steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present invention.
The foregoing
storage medium includes various mediums capable of storing program code, such
as a USB
flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read only memory (Read Only Memory, ROM for
short), a
random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM for short), a magnetic disk,
or an
optical disc.
[0147] Finally, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are
merely intended for
describing the technical solutions of the present invention rather than
limiting the present
invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with
reference to the foregoing
embodiments, persons of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they
may still make
modifications to the technical solutions described in the foregoing
embodiments or make
equivalent replacements to some technical features thereof, as long as such
modifications or
replacements do not cause the essence of corresponding technical solutions to
depart from the
scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Representative Drawing