Network resource manager in a mobile telecommunication system

• US 20040082338A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetSocket, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetSocket, Inc.
• Inventors: Larsson, Anders, Norrgard, Joakim, Schelen, Olov
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• 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 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• 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 47/746 Reaction triggered by a failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/767 after changing the attachment point, e.g. after hand-off
• 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 47/822 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 47/829 Topology based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 : per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 : Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for providing end-to-end Quality of Service within a mobile telecommunication system. The communication system comprises at least one network e.g. a Core Network (CN) and at least one Radio Access Network (RAN) for Internet Protocol (IP) based transmission, wherein a Network Resource Manager (NRM) comprising a resource map is monitoring and/or controlling resources within the IP network.

Claims

1. A method for providing end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) within a mobile telecommunication system comprising at least one network means, e.g. a Core Network (CN) connected to at least one Radio Access Network (RAN), using Internet Protocol (IP) based transmission, wherein the method comprising the step of:

handling radio resources within RAN by using a radio resource manager, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of;

controlling IP network resources by using a Network Resource Manager (NRM) comprising a resource map in order to provide said end-to-end QoS.

2. Method according to any of claims 1, characterised in that the NRM is used within the RAN and a CN.

3. Method according to any of claims 1, characterised in that the NRM is used within the RAN.

4. Method according to any of claims 1, characterised in that the NRM is used within the CN.

5. Method according any of claims 1-3, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

communicating resource information between the NRM and the radio resource manager.

6. Method according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

reserving IP network resources by the NRM if said end-to-end QoS can be fulfilled.

7. Method according to any of claims 1-6, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

pre-allocating resources by the NRM in the IP network.

8. Method according to any of claims 1-7, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

signalling resource information between the NRM and at least a second NRM used within at least a second network domain.

9. Method according to any of claims 1-8, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

monitoring topology changes by using the NRM, that retrieves routing information concerning the IP network.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that topology is monitored in order to be able to re-allocate IP network resources.

11. Method according to any of claims 1-10, characterised in that the method comprising the further step of:

performing path-sensitive call admission control by using the resource map and checking that resources are available along a path.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the path-sensitive call admission control is parameter based.

13. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the path-sensitive call admission control is measurement based.

14. Method according to any of claims 1-13, characterised in that the method comprising the further step:

scheduling resources over time by introducing a start- and a stop time as a parameter in a resource request handled by the NRM.

15. A computer program product directly loadable into a processing means within a server and/or a router in an IP network, and/or a Radio Network controller (RNC) and/or a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), and/or Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) within a telecommunication system, comprising the software code portions for performing the steps of any of claims 1-14.

16. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising readable program for causing a processing means within a server and/or a router in an IP network, and/or a Radio Network controller (RNC) and/or a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), and/or Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) within a telecommunication system to control the execution of the steps of any of claims 1-14.

17. A Network Resource Manager (NRM) comprising a resource map within a mobile telecommunication system, comprising at least one network means, e.g. a Core Network (CN), connected to at least one Radio Access Network (RAN), using Internet Protocol (IP) based transmission and a radio resource manager comprising means for controlling radio resources within the RAN, is characterised in that NRM further comprises means for controlling resources within the IP network in order to provide end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS).

19. NRM according to any of claims 17-18, characterised in that it comprises means for be used within the RAN and a CN.

20. NRM according to any of claims 17-18, characterised in that it comprises means for be used IP network resources within the RAN.

21. NRM according to any of claims 17-18, characterised in that it comprises means for be used within the CN.

22. NRM according to claim 17-20, characterised in that it comprises means for communicating resource information with the radio resource manager.

23. NRM according to any of claims 17,19-22, characterised in that it comprises means for reserving IP network resources if it is possible to fulfil said end-to-end QoS.

24. NRM according to any of claims 17,19-23, characterised in that it comprises means for pre-allocating resources in the IP network part of the telecommunication system.

25. NRM according to any of claims 17-24, characterised in that it comprises means for communicating with at least a second NRM used within at least a second IP network domain.

26. NRM according to any of claims 17-25, characterised in that it comprises means for monitoring topology changes by retrieving routing information concerning the IP network.

27. NRM according to claim 26, characterised in that topology is monitored in order to be able to reallocate access resources.

28. NRM according to any of claims 17-27, characterised in that it comprises means for performing path-sensitive call admission control by using a resource map and checking that resources are available along a path.

29. NRM according to claim 28, characterised in that the path-sensitive call admission control is parameter based.

30. NRM according to claim 28, characterised in that the path-sensitive call admission control is measurement based.

31. NRM according to any of claims 17-30, characterised in that it comprises means for scheduling resources over time by introducing a start- and a stop time as a parameter in a resource request.

18. A Network Resource Manager (NRM) comprising a resource map within a mobile telecommunication system, comprising at least one network means, e.g. a Core Network (CN), connected to at least one Radio Access Network (RAN), using Internet Protocol (IP) based transmission and a radio resource manager comprising means for controlling radio resources within the RAN, is characterised in that NRM further comprises means for monitoring resources within the IP network in order to provide feedback to the network operator.