Method and apparatus for network service reservations over wireless access networks

• US 20010032262A1
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Timus, Bogdan, Sundqvist, Jim, Hannu, Hans, Norrgard, Joakim, Schelen, Olov
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/781 Centralised allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/785 among multiple network domains, e.g. multilateral agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for reserving resources in a wireline network from a wireless network. A resource reservation request is made by a service client to a service broker. The service broker contacts a bandwidth broker to determine the available resources in the wireline network. The service broker also contacts a geographical domain server for information related to wireless access for the requested reservation. Using information provided by the geographical domain server, the service broker contacts a radio bearer broker to determine the resources available in a particular wireless network. Based upon the information provided by bandwidth brokers and radio bearer brokers, the service client can reserve the requested resources.

Claims

1. A method for reserving resources in wireline and wireless networks comprising the steps of:

sending a reservation request for a terminal to a service reservation node requesting a reservation of resources;

determining, by the service reservation node, whether resources in the wireless network and the wireline network are available;

reserving, by the service reservation node, resources in the wireline network and the wireless network in accordance with the determined available resources.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the service reservation node is a service broker.

3. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the service broker and the terminal are associated with a first network operator and wherein if resources are not available in the first network operator'"'"'s network, contacting, by the service broker, another service broker associated with another network operator to determine if resources are available.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the reservation request includes information related to the service requirements for a communication session associated with the reservation.

5. The method of

claim 4

, wherein the information related to the service requirements includes information selected from the group consisting of:

information regarding the access technologies supported by the terminal, information regarding the services desired by the terminal, information regarding the requirements for the services desired by the terminal, information regarding the geographic area over which the service is required, information regarding the duration of the reservation, information regarding the time span over which the reservation can be made, information regarding the grade of the reservation and information regarding the mobility of the terminal.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of determining comprises the steps of:

sending a message to a geographical domain server requesting information as to the network nodes that are located in a geographic area which can reserve the requested resource; and

receiving a message from the geographical domain server indicating the network nodes that are located in the geographic area which can provide the requested resource.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein the network nodes that are located in the geographic area which can reserve the requested resource are radio bearer brokers which reserve resources in the wireless network.

8. The method of

claim 6

, wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of:

sending a message to network nodes in the wireline network which are connected to the network node located in the geographic area which can provide the requested resource; and

receiving responses from the network nodes in the wireline network.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the network nodes in the wireline network are bandwidth brokers.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the reservation is made for the terminal by another terminal for a different geographic location than a geographic location from which the another terminal sent the reservation request.

11. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the determination of whether resources are available is based upon a historical analysis of traffic load, configuration parameters, characteristics of a radio environment for an area of the wireless network to be reserved and the amount of already reserved resources.

12. The method of

claim 1

, wherein a guaranteed reservation is made with a first wireless network which uses a local area network access technology and a non-guaranteed reservation is made with a second wireless network which uses a wide area network access technology, wherein if resources are not available in the first wireless network, the terminal uses the second wireless network for a communication session.

13. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the steps of:

providing the terminal with information related to the types of resources which can be reserved, wherein the resources are reserved based upon the information.

14. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the terminal is a mobile terminal.

15. A apparatus for reserving resources in wireline and wireless networks comprising:

a terminal;

a service reservation node, wherein a reservation request is sent to the service reservation node requesting a reservation of resources,

wherein the service reservation node determines whether resources in the wireless network and the wireline network are available, and

wherein the service reservation node reserves resources in the wireline network and the wireless network in accordance with the determined available resources.

16. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the service reservation node is a service broker.

17. The apparatus of

claim 16

, wherein the service broker and the terminal are associated with a first network operator and wherein if resources are not available in the first network operator'"'"'s network, contacting, by the service broker, another service broker associated with another network operator to determine if resources are available.

18. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the reservation request includes information related to the service requirements for a communication session associated with the reservation.

19. The apparatus of

claim 18

, wherein the information related to the service requirements includes information selected from the group consisting of:

information regarding the access technologies supported by the terminal, information regarding the services desired by the terminal, information regarding the requirements for the services desired by the terminal, information regarding the geographic area over which the service is required, information regarding the duration of the reservation, information regarding the time span over which the reservation can be made, information regarding the grade of the reservation and information regarding the mobility of the terminal.

20. The apparatus of

claim 15

, further comprising:

a geographical domain server, wherein the geographical domain server receives a request for information as to the network nodes that are located in a geographic area which can reserve the requested resource, and

wherein the geographical domain server sends a message indicating the network nodes that are located in the geographic area which can provide the requested resource.

21. The apparatus of

claim 20

, wherein the network nodes that are located in the geographic area which can reserve the requested resource are radio bearer brokers which reserve resources in the wireless network.

22. The apparatus of

claim 20

, further comprising:

a bandwidth broker, wherein the bandwidth broker provides a message indicating network nodes in the wireline network which are connected to the network node located in the geographic area which can provide the requested resource.

23. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the reservation is made for the terminal by another terminal for a different geographic location than a geographic location from which the another terminal sent the reservation request.

24. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the determination of whether resources are available is based upon a historical analysis of traffic load, configuration parameters, characteristics of a radio environment for an area of the wireless network to be reserved and the amount of already reserved resources.

25. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein a guaranteed reservation is made with a first wireless network which uses a local area network access technology and a non-guaranteed reservation is made with a second wireless network which uses a wide area network access technology, wherein if resources are not available in the first wireless network, the terminal uses the second wireless network for a communication session.

26. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the terminal is provided with information related to the types of resources which can be reserved, wherein the resources are reserved based upon the information.

27. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the terminal is a mobile terminal.