Patent ID: 9634939
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A method for reducing load in a cellular communication network within at least one cell that covers an area which overlaps an area that is at least partially covered by one or more Wi-Fi networks, the method comprises the steps of: (a) prioritizing a plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to the one or more Wi-Fi networks according to their proximity to a core or an edge of the area covered by the at least one cell, wherein Wi-Fi access points located in a vicinity of the edge of the area covered by the at least one cell are at a higher priority than access points located in a vicinity of the core of the area covered by the at least one cell; (b) monitoring traffic load within the at least one cell, wherein the monitoring is performed, at least in part by a server; (c) determining a composite offload score for each of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points, wherein the composite offload score is based, at least in part, on an effectiveness of each Wi-Fi access point to offload traffic and in relation to a time of day and a quality of experience (QoE) score associated with each Wi-Fi access point in relation to the time of day; (d) providing information to a plurality of mobile stations operative in a cellular mode which are currently communicating via their respective at least one cell, to enable one or more of the plurality of mobile stations to switch to their Wi-Fi operating mode, wherein the plurality of mobile stations are capable of operating both in a cellular operating mode and in a Wi-Fi operating mode, and wherein the information indicates to the plurality of mobile stations receiving the information to perform a switch to their Wi-Fi operating mode based, at least in part, on the priority and the composite offload score of each of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points; and (e) for at least one of the plurality of mobile stations, switching its operation mode to Wi-Fi operating mode.