Mobile communications networks

• US 20040203796A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Strathclyde
• Original Assignee: University of Strathclyde
• Inventors: Irvine, James, Girma, Demessie, Dunlop, John, Atkinson, Robert, Bodic, Gwenael
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A mobile communications system comprising a radio access network having a multiplicity of network sites organised in a multi-layered hierarchy and a traffic flow management system for controlling the routing of traffic flow through the network. The management system trades resource at the various network sites against a plurality of user Quality of Service parameters to achieve required contractual levels of commitment to a multiplicity of users.

Claims

1. A mobile communications system comprising a radio access network having a multiplicity of network sites, and a traffic flow management system for controlling the routing of traffic flows through the network, wherein the management system is adapted to trade resource at the various network sites against a plurality of user Quality of Service parameters to achieve required contractual levels of commitment to a multiplicity of users.

2. A mobile communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the management system establishes a definition of commitment for each traffic flow and has a Networks Layer organised as a hierarchial structure of three separate entities one of which (FC) is responsible for flow within the network, a second one of which (CC) is responsible for a specific link, and the third one of which (MRM) is responsible for a specific air interface.

3. A mobile communications system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each entity comprises a resource data base.

4. A mobile communications system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the resource database of the FC entity has knowledge of each of a plurality of CC entities, including their location and capabilities;

the resource database of each CC entity has knowledge of each of a plurality of MRM entities, including the load of each;

the resource database of each MRM entity logs details of resources used, the services occupying the resources and the quality available for each resource.

5. A mobile communications system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the management system is arranged so that when a request for a traffic flow is received by the FC entity which will control the traffic flow, the FC entity tenders a contract to each CC entity available to serve the FC entity, each CC entry calculates the capability to serve the contract and the level of commitment which can be given and uses this to provide the FC entity with a bid for the contract, the FC entity then selects the most suitable bid, and therefore CC entity, to serve the terms of the request.