Systems and methods using a centralized node to collect ran user plane congestion information

• US 10,638,449 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shan, Chang Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris, Derrick W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Farhad
• Application Number:
  US14/771,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/005 of intercell interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0033 each allocating device acting autonomously, i.e. without negotiation with other allocating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 : Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 : Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 : Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 : for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 : Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 : between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 : radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 : of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 : Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 : Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 : taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/32 : TPC of broadcast or control channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/325 : Power control of control or pilot channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 : Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 : triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• 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 centralized node collects and stores radio access network (RAN) user plane congestion information (RCI) that is reported from the RAN to a core network. The centralized node provides a congestion information collection function (CICF) and includes one or more interface to communicate with a mobility management entity (MME) and/or a serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN). The MME and/or SGSN allows the centralized node to determine user equipments (UEs) and associated access point name (APNs) impacted by RAN congestion. The centralized node reports the RCI to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) associated with the APNs for congestion mitigation.

Claims

1. A radio access network (RAN) congestion awareness function (RCAF) element, the RCAF element comprising:

a first interface between the RCAF element and an operations and maintenance (O&

M) system to receive RAN user plane congestion information (RUCI) from the O&

M system, the RCAF element to process the RUCI to determine a congestion level of a base station or a cell;

a second interface between the RCAF element and a mobility management entity (MME) to request and receive a list of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) served by the base station or cell, and to receive, in response to the request for the list of IMSIs, a corresponding list of access point names (APNs) of active packet data network (PDN) connections from the MME; and

a third interface between the RCAF element and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) serving the PDN connection for congestion mitigation to report the RUCI to the PCRF, wherein the PCRF is identified from a plurality of PCRFs using the list of APNs, wherein the RCAF element uses the RUCI from the first interface to determine a congested base station or congested cell, uses the list of IMIs from the second interface to determine a user equipment (UE) served by the congested base station or congested cell, and uses the third interface to report the RUCI to the PCRF associated with the list of APNs from the second interface.

2. The RCAF element of claim 1, wherein the RCAF element is configured to receive a UE identifier, wherein the UE identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) corresponding to the UE served by the base station or cell.

3. The RCAF element of claim 1, wherein the RUCI includes one or more information element (IE) selected from a group comprising a first IE for a congested interface direction and node, a second IE for a congestion severity level, a third IE for a congestion situation indicating a change in whether or not congestion is detected, a fourth IE for congestion cell location information, a fifth IE for identifying the UE, a sixth IE for identifying a user associated with the UE, a seventh IE for identifying an APN from the list of APNs, an eighth IE for packet data protocol (PDP) context information, and a ninth IE for a bearer identifier.

4. The RCAF element of claim 3, wherein the first IE for the congested interface direction and node includes at least one interface or node identifier selected from a group comprising a radio interface downlink identifier, a radio interface uplink identifier, a network interface downlink identifier, a network interface uplink identifier, a RAN node identifier.

5. The RCAF element of claim 3, wherein the fifth IE for identifying the UE comprises an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI), and wherein the sixth IE for identifying a user associated with the UE comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).

6. The RCAF element of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory device to store the RUCI received through the first interface; and

a processor to process the stored RUCI and to trigger the PCRF to modify an internet protocol connectivity access network (IP-CAN) session.

7. A method for user plane congestion awareness in a mobile network, the method comprising:

receiving and storing an event or report indicating a change in a radio node or cell user plane congestion status with an radio access network (RAN) congestion awareness function (RCAF) element from an operations and maintenance (O&

M) system, the event or report including an indication of one or more congested areas and corresponding congestion levels;

determining one or more mobility management entities (MMES) associated with the one or more congested areas;

establishing an interface between the one or more MMES and the RCAF element;

determining, through the interface, wireless communication devices and associated active connections in the one or more congested areas, wherein determining the wireless communication devices comprises;

querying, via the interface, for the wireless communication devices;

receiving, via the interface, a list of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) associated with the wireless communication devices; and

receiving, via the interface, a list of access point names (APNs) of the associated active connections corresponding the list of IMSIs;

identifying one or more network elements from a plurality of network elements configured to adjust a quality of service (QoS), the one or more identified network elements configured to adjust QoS for the one or more congested areas, respectively, wherein the one or more network elements configured to adjust QoS for the one or more congested areas are identified using the list of APNs, wherein the one or more elements comprise respective policy and charging rules function (PCRF) nodes; and

communicating, using the RCAF element, user plane congestion information to the one or more identified network elements serving the wireless communication devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving and storing the event or report comprises:

receiving the event or report from a radio access network (RAN); and

storing the event or report for a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a request to the RAN for the event or report based on a configured time interval.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving and storing the event or report comprises receiving the event or report from one or more network elements selected from a group comprising the O&

M system, a access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) server, a mobility management entity (MME), a serving gateway (S-GW), serving gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN), a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN), and a packet data network (PDN) gateway (P-GW).

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the one or more MMES associated with the one or more congested areas comprises:

determining tracking area identities (TAIs) based fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for MME discovery; and

receiving, from the O&

M system of a radio access network (RAN), a list of the TAIs supported by the one or more congested areas.

12. A server comprising:

a processor;

a storage device to store an indication from an operations and maintenance (O&

M) system that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity in an identified area of a wireless cellular network;

a radio access network (RAN) congestion awareness function (RCAF) comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, manage congestion information for the wireless cellular network, the RCAF configured to;

establish a first interface between an RCAF element and the O&

M system;

discover a mobility management entity (MME) serving the identified area of the wireless cellular network;

establish a second interface between the MME and the RCAF element;

request and receive, from the MME, a list of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) associated with the identified area of the wireless cellular network;

receive, from the MME in response to the request for the list of IMSIs, a corresponding list of access point names (APNs) of active packet data network (PDN) connections;

discover a network node associated with the list of IMSIs from a plurality of network nodes configured to initiate an internet protocol connectivity access network (IP-CAN) session modification procedure;

establish a third interface between the RCAF element and the network node; and

notify the network node configured to initiate the IP-CAN session modification procedure of the demand for radio access network resources.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the RCAF is further configured to:

receive, from the O&

M system, the indication that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the RCAF is further configured to:

receive, from the O&

M system, tracking area identity (TAI) supported by the identified area of the wireless cellular network; and

use the TAI to discover the MME.

15. The server of claim 12, wherein the discovered network node associated with the list of IMSIs comprises a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) associated with the corresponding list of APNs.

16. The server of claim 12, wherein the RCAF is further configured to:

receive the indication that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity through one or more interface selected from a group comprising a user plane interface, a control plane interface, and a network management plane interface.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

storing an indication that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity from an operations and maintenance (O&

M) system in an identified area of a wireless cellular network; and

performing a radio access network (RAN) congestion awareness function (RCAF) comprising;

establishing a first interface between an RCAF element and the O&

M system;

receiving the indication that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity;

receiving tracking area identity (TAI) supported by the identified area of the wireless cellular network;

discovering, using the TAI, a mobility management entity (MME) serving the identified area of the wireless cellular network;

establishing a second interface between the MME and the RCAF element;

requesting and receiving, from the MME, a list of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) associated with the identified area of the wireless cellular network;

discovering a network node associated with the list of IMSIs from a plurality of network nodes configured to initiate an internet protocol connectivity access network (IP-CAN) session modification procedure;

establishing a third interface between the RCAF element and the network node; and

notifying the network node configured to initiate the IP-CAN session modification procedure of the demand for radio access network resources.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein performing the RCAF further comprises receiving, from the MME in response to the request for the list of IMSIs, a corresponding list of access point names (APNs) of active packet data network (PDN) connections.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the discovered network node associated with the list of IMSIs comprises a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) associated with the APNs.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein performing the RCAF further comprises receiving the indication that demand for radio access network resources exceeds available capacity through one or more interface selected from a group comprising a user plane interface, a control plane interface, and a network management plane interface.

21. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, via a first interface between a radio access network (RAN) congestion awareness function (RCAF) element and the an operations and maintenance (O&

M) system, radio access network (RAN) user plane congestion information (RUCI) from the O&

M system;

processing the RUCI to determine a congestion level of a base station or a cell;

determining a mobility management entity (MME) serving an identified area of a wireless cellular network;

requesting and receiving a list of user equipment (UE) identifiers for UEs served by the base station or the cell from the MME over a second interface between the RCAF element and the MME;

receiving, in response to the request for the list of UE identifiers, a list of access point names (APNs) of an active packet data network (PDN) connections corresponding to the list of UE identifiers from the MME over the second interface;

discovering a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) associated with the list of UE identifiers from a plurality of PCRFs; and

reporting the RUCI to the PCRF identified from the plurality of PCRFs as serving one of the PDN connections associated with the list of APNs for congestion mitigation over a third interface between the PCRF and the RCAF element.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising receiving a UE identifier, wherein the UE identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) corresponding to the UE served by the base station or the cell.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the RUCI includes one or more information element (IE) selected from a group comprising a first IE for a congested interface direction and node, a second IE for a congestion severity level, a third IE for a congestion situation indicating a change in whether or not congestion is detected, a fourth IE for congestion cell location information, a fifth IE for identifying a UE, a sixth IE for identifying a user associated with the UE, a seventh IE for identifying an APN, an eighth IE for packet data protocol (PDP) context information, and a ninth IE for an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer identifier.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the first IE for the congested interface direction and node includes at least one interface or node identifier selected from a group comprising a radio interface downlink identifier, a radio interface uplink identifier, a network interface downlink identifier, a network interface uplink identifier, a RAN node identifier.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the fifth IE for identifying the UE comprises an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI), and wherein the sixth IE for identifying a user associated with the UE comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

storing the RUCI; and

processing the stored RUCI to trigger the PCRF to modify an internet protocol connectivity access network (IP-CAN) session.