Routing quality-of-service traffic in a wireless system

• US 20040213198A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gage, William, Mahmood, Hamid
• Granted Patent: US 10,476,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/24 in which the allocation is indicated by an address the different channels being transmitted sequentiallyH04J3/17 takes precedence; in computers G06F12/00, G06F13/00 code multiplex systems H04J13/00; selecting techniques H04Q; relay systems H04B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

In a packet-based wireless access network, packet route selection is made in a terminal which communicates with the network via a wireless link. The route selection process uses information provided by the network relating to links in the network, and information available in the terminal relating to its wireless link to the network. Consequently the selected route may be via a wireless link between the terminal and a network node that does not provide the best signal strength but has the best prospect of providing a required Quality-of-Service (QoS) for a traffic flow. Monitoring enables the terminal to update the route selection to maintain the required QoS, despite changing conditions and handover, without a need for signalling messages.

Claims

1. A method of routing packets from a wireless communications terminal, comprising the steps of, in the terminal:

receiving, via a respective wireless link from at least one of a plurality of wireless access nodes forming a network, network information relating to links between the nodes;

selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal in dependence upon the network information and information dependent upon wireless communications between the terminal and at least one of the nodes; and

supplying packets with information relating to the selected route.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising the step of, in the terminal, monitoring a status of the selected route.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising the steps of, in the terminal, receiving and monitoring network information to determine a status of the selected route and, selectively in dependence upon the determined status, selecting a new route via the network for packets from the terminal.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the step of selecting a new route comprises selecting a route including wireless communications between the terminal and a different one of the nodes.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the links between the nodes comprise wireless communications links.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the links between the nodes comprise wireless communications links.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said network information comprises Quality-of-Service parameters.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said network information comprises an available bandwidth for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said network information comprises a current delay for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said network information comprises an error rate for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

11. A wireless communications terminal arranged for operation in accordance with the method of claim 1.

12. A wireless communications terminal arranged for operation in accordance with the method of claim 4.

13. A wireless access network comprising a plurality of wireless access nodes, a plurality of links between nodes for packet communications in the network, and at least one wireless communications terminal as claimed in claim 12 for wireless communications with the wireless access nodes, the wireless access nodes being arranged for supplying to the terminal said network information relating to links between the nodes.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal is also dependent upon at least one Quality-of-Service parameter for said packets.

22. A wireless communications terminal arranged for operation in accordance with the method of claim 21.

14. A method of routing packets from a wireless communications terminal via nodes of a network having wireless communications links between the nodes, comprising the steps of:

supplying network information, relating to links between the nodes, from at least one node to the terminal;

in the terminal, selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal in dependence upon the network information and information dependent upon wireless communications between the terminal and at least one of the nodes;

in the terminal, supplying packets with information relating to the selected route; and

communicating packets from the terminal via the selected route via the nodes of the network in dependence upon the information in the packets relating to the selected route.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising the steps of, in the terminal, monitoring network information to determine a status of the selected route and, selectively in dependence upon the determined status, selecting a new route via the network for packets from the terminal.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of selecting a new route comprises selecting a route including wireless communications between the terminal and a different one of the nodes.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said network information comprises Quality-of-Service parameters.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said network information comprises an available bandwidth for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said network information comprises a current delay for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

20. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said network information comprises an error rate for each link between nodes in at least a part of the network.

23. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal is also dependent upon at least one Quality-of-Service parameter for said packets.

24. A method of routing packets from a wireless communications terminal, comprising the steps of, in the terminal:

receiving, via a respective wireless link from at least one of a plurality of wireless access nodes forming a network, network information relating to links between the nodes;

selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal in dependence upon at least one Quality-of-Service parameter for said packets, the network information, and information dependent upon wireless communications between the terminal and at least one of the nodes; and

supplying packets with information relating to the selected route.

25. A wireless communications terminal arranged for operation in accordance with the method of claim 24.

26. A wireless access network comprising a plurality of wireless access nodes, a plurality of links between nodes for packet communications in the network, and at least one wireless communications terminal as claimed in claim 25 for wireless communications with the wireless access nodes, the wireless access nodes being arranged for supplying to the terminal said network information relating to links between the nodes.

27. A method of routing packets from a wireless communications terminal via nodes of a network having wireless communications links between the nodes, comprising the steps of:

supplying network information, relating to links between the nodes, from at least one node to the terminal;

in the terminal, selecting a route via the network for packets from the terminal in dependence upon at least one Quality-of-Service parameter for said packets, the network information, and information dependent upon wireless communications between the terminal and at least one of the nodes;

in the terminal, supplying packets with information relating to the selected route; and

communicating packets from the terminal via the selected route via the nodes of the network in dependence the information in the packets relating to the selected route.