Communication control method and system

• US 10,142,237 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Parron, Jerome, Sirotkin, Alexander, Hareuveni, Ofer
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US15/386,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20180176135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A data flow control method and communication device operable to communicate using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT are described. In a data flow control method, data flow congestion is detected. The congestion can be detected on a first communication link associated with the first RAT. The communication device can be controlled to enter a reduced power operating mode for communications via the first communication link. The entry of the reduced power mode can induce a base station supporting the second communication link associated with the second RAT to perform one or more data flow control operations. A data flow control method can include dropping data packets on a lower protocol layer to induce a higher protocol layer to perform a data flow control operation. The data flow control operation can induce the network to reduce data flow.

Claims

1. A data flow control method for a communication device configured to communicate using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, comprising:

detecting data flow congestion on a first communication link via the first RAT;

controlling the communication device to trigger a base station supporting a second communication link associated with the second RAT to perform one or more data flow operations based on the communication device'"'"'s intention to enter a reduced power operating mode for communications via the first communication link; and

notifying the base station of the communication device'"'"'s intention to enter the reduced power operating mode to trigger the base station to perform the one or more data flow operations, the notification triggering increased data buffering in an access point (AP) supporting the first communication link and associated with the base station, the increased data buffering triggering the base station to perform the one or more data flow control operations.

2. The data flow control method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the communication device to enter the reduced power operating mode for communications via the first communication link.

3. The data flow control method of claim 2, further comprising periodically exiting the reduced power mode to check for available data communications associated with the first RAT.

4. The data flow control method of claim 3, further comprising:

analyzing the available data communications; and

receiving the available communications based on the analysis.

5. The data flow control method of claim 3, wherein the communication device is configured to perform LTE-WLAN Aggregation (LWA) of the first RAT and the second RAT.

6. The data flow control method of claim 1, wherein the triggering of the base station to perform one or more data flow control operations by the base station is based on a buffer status report (BSR) received by the base station from the AP, the BSR being generating by the AP in response to the increased data buffering at the AP.

7. The data flow control method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to aggregate a first RAT communication received via the first communication link and a second RAT communication received via the second communication link.

8. The data flow control method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT conforms to one or more Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocols and the second RAT conforms to one or more Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocols.

9. The data flow control method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to perform LTE-WLAN Aggregation (LWA) of the first RAT and the second RAT.

10. A communication device adapted for communications based on a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit or receive communications based on the first RAT and the second RAT; and

a controller configured to;

detect data flow congestion on a first communication link via the first RAT;

control the communication device to trigger a base station supporting a second communication link associated with the second RAT to perform one or more data flow control operations based on the communication device'"'"'s intention to enter a reduced power operating mode for communications via the first communication link; and

notify the base station of the communication device'"'"'s intention to enter the reduced power operating mode to trigger the base station to perform the one or more data flow operations, wherein the notification that the communication device intends to enter the reduced power operating mode triggers increased data buffering in an access point (AP) supporting the first communication link, the increased data buffering inducing the performance of the one or more data flow control operations by the base station.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the communication device to enter the reduced power operating mode for communications via the first communication link.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the communication device to periodically exit the reduced power mode to check for available data communications associated with the first RAT.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

analyze the available data communications; and

control the communication device to receive the available communications based on the analysis.

14. The communication device of claim 10, wherein triggering of the base station to perform one or more data flow control operations by the base station is based on a buffer status report (BSR) received by the base station from the AP, the BSR being generating by the AP in response to the increased data buffering at the AP.

15. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the communication device is configured to aggregate a first RAT communication received via the first communication link and a second RAT communication received via the second communication link.

16. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the first RAT conforms to one or more Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocols and the second RAT conforms to one or more Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocols.

17. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to control the communication device to perform LTE-WLAN Aggregation (LWA) of the first RAT and the second RAT.