Handover for mobile edge computing applications in mobile networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11032745-B2
Application number	US-201916424442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2019
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A method, mobile edge system and network system are provided for performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications in a mobile communication network. The method includes: evaluating signal characteristics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is connected to the network via a first base station; exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first system executes an application assigned to the mobile device; connecting the first system to a second mobile edge system depending on the signal characteristics, wherein the second system is assigned to a second base station; executing the application assigned to the mobile device on the second system; and performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the network via the second base station.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications a mobile communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
evaluating signal characteristics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is connected to the mobile communication network via a first base station,
exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first mobile edge system executes an application assigned to the mobile device,
establishing a connection between the first mobile edge system and a second mobile edge system depending on the evaluation of the signal characteristics of the radio signals wherein the second mobile edge system is assigned to a second base station,
activating execution of the application assigned to the e device on the second mobile edge system, and
performing a handover from the first base station second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the mobile communication network via the second base station,
further wherein the step of activating execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on the second mobile edge system, comprises the further step of:
exchanging application data of the application between the first mobile edge system and the second mobile edge system prior to performing the handover,
further wherein the method comprises the additional steps of:
determining, after performing the handover, whether additional application data has to be transferred in order to execute the application assigned to the mobile device by means of the second mobile edge system,
exchanging the additional application data of the application between the first mobile edge system and the second mobile edge system.

2. A method of performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications in a mobile communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
evaluating signal characteristics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is connected to the mobile communication network via a first base station,
exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first mobile edge system executes an application assigned to the mobile device,
establishing a connection between the first mobile edge system and a second mobile edge system depending on the evaluation of the signal characteristics of the radio signals, wherein the second mobile edge system is assigned to a second base station,
activating execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on the second mobile edge system, and
performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the mobile communication network via the second base station,
further wherein the method comprises the additional steps of:
transferring an identifier of the first mobile edge system from the mobile device to the second mobile edge system via the second base station,
exchanging application data of the application between the first mobile edge system and the second mobile edge system after performing the handover upon reception of the identifier of the first mobile edge system.

3. A method of performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications in a mobile communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
evaluating signal characteristics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the nubile device is connected to the mobile communication network via a first base station,
exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first mobile edge system executes an application assigned to the mobile device,
establishing a connection between the first mobile edge system and a second mobile edge system depending on the evaluation of the signal characteristics of the radio signals, wherein the second mobile edge system is assigned to a second base station,
activating execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on the second mobile edge system, and
performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the mobile communication network via the second base station,

further wherein the step of evaluating the signal characteristics of the radio signals received by the mobile device comprises the step of:
determining a probability of a handover to at least one base station,
wherein the method comprises the further step of:
preparing execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on at least one mobile edge system assigned to the at least one base station if the probability of the handover is bigger than a defined threshold value.

4. A method of performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications in a mobile communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
evaluating signal characteristics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is connected to the mobile communication network via a first base station,
exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first mobile edge system executes an application assigned to the mobile device,
establishing a connection between the first mobile edge system and a second mobile edge system depending the evaluation of the signal characteristics of the radio signals, wherein the second mobile edge system is assigned to a second base station,
activating execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on the second mobile edge system, and
performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the mobile communication network via the second base station,
further wherein the step of evaluating the signal characteristics of the radio signals received by the mobile device comprises the step of:
determining a probability of a handover to at least one base station,

wherein the method comprises the further step of:
preparing execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on at least one mobile edge system assigned to the at least one base station if the probability of the handover is bigger than a defined threshold value,

further wherein execution of the application assigned to the mobile device is prepared if the signal characteristics of the received radio signals is above a defined threshold value.

5. A method of performing an application handover for mobile edge computing applications in a mobile communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
evaluating signal characterisitics of radio signals sent by base stations received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is connected to the mobile communication network via a first base station,
exchanging data with a first mobile edge system assigned to the first base station, wherein the first mobile edge system executes an application assigned to the mobile device,
establishing a connection between the first mobile edge system and a second mobile edge system depending on the evaluation of the signal characteristics of the radio signals, wherein the second mobile edge system is assigned to a second base station,
activating execution of the application assigned to the mobile device on the second mobile edge system, and
performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station such that the mobile device is connected with the mobile communication network via the second base station, wherein the method comprises the further optional step of:
further wherein the step of ev

Assignees

• Vodafone Gmbh

Inventors

• Caldenhoven Jürgen
• Lu Yang
• Kulakov Alexej
• Wild Peter Alexander

Classifications

• H04W36/302

  due to low signal strength · CPC title

• H04W36/32

  by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data · CPC title

• H04W36/0022 Primary

  for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies · CPC title

• H04W80/10

  adapted for {application} session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] {(connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14)} · CPC title

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title