Wi-Fi Evolution
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on April 20 that electrical and electronics engineering professors Park Kyung-soo, Lee Yung, and Jung Song have developed a technique and a system that can smooth mobile network communication over Wi-Fi networks while moving based on the automatic detection of Wi-Fi-mobile communication network disconnections.
Data distribution and handover from a mobile communication network to Wi-Fi networks is called Wi-Fi offloading. At present, Wi-Fi offloading must be done manually by individuals, not automated systems, due to the lack of a smooth transition. When users leave a Wi-Fi network area, disconnection and buffering occur. This problem compels users to stay in one place and use Wi-Fi or cut the connection for a mobile communication network instead.
The research team, however, set up a mobile network platform maximizing the use of Wi-Fi while automatically dealing with the disconnection problem. The protocol they developed directly handles network disconnections at the transport layer, so as to prevent disconnections even during inter-network movement.
Also, they came up with a delay-tolerant Wi-Fi offloading technique. In this algorithm, information such as the remaining time and volume are calculated after the download completion time is set, and then LTE and Wi-Fi are auto-adjusted so that downloading can be completed by using a minimum of LTE data.
This technique can be applied to streaming players as well. Buffering-free video footage can be provided in and out of certain zones with more traffic transmitted during the stay in a Wi-Fi network. With this technique, users can enjoy better content at lower prices, and service providers can guide users into Wi-Fi networks efficiently and increase their reinvestment in LTE networks. “Our new development, which is characterized by minimizing the relationship between Wi-Fi offloading and LTE networks, will be a win-win tool for mobile content providers, network providers, and customers,” professor Lee Yung remarked.