Patent ID: 9107130
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for traffic offloading procedure management in a Public Safety communication system, the method comprising: receiving, by a service network element, information comprising an identifier of a communications group, an identifier of each user equipment (UE) of a plurality of UEs that are members of the communications group, and an identifier of a cell of a primary network where each UE of the plurality of UEs resides; storing, by the service network element and in association with the identifier of each UE of the plurality of UEs, the identifier of the communications group and the identifier of the cell of the primary network where each UE of the plurality of the UEs resides; determining, by the service network element, that a cell of the primary network is congested; in response to determining that the cell of the primary network is congested, determining, by the service network element, a subset of the plurality of UEs, wherein the subset of the plurality of UEs are members of the communications group, reside in the congested cell, and are capable of being served by one or more secondary networks; and instructing, by the service network element, the subset of the plurality of UEs to offload their traffic associated with the communications group to the one or more secondary networks, causing bearers associated with the traffic of the communication group of the subset of the plurality of the UEs to route their traffic via the one or more secondary networks.