Method and apparatus for communications bandwidth allocation

• US 20040218604A1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited
• Inventors: Porter, John David
• Application Number:
  US10/478,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218604A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• 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 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

In a multi-user communications system in which users contend for limited total bandwidth, a bandwidth allocation method operates as follows. Each user is classified into one of a plurality of ranked classes. Each class contains an active pool (2), containing users which are queued to receive an allocated amount of bandwidth to transmit and/or receive a quantity of data, and an inactive pool, containing users which are not currently seeking to transmit and/or receive. In each class, the user at the head of the active pool queue uses its allocated bandwidth and then moves to the back of the queue if it has more data to transmit and/or receive; otherwise it moves to the inactive pool. In each class, if a user in the inactive pool contends for a bandwidth allocation, it is moved into the active pool queue. Preferably, different bandwidth access priorities are provided in different classes, so that users seeking bandwidth-critical communications, such as voice channels, may be placed in a high-priority class.

Claims

1. A method for allocating bandwidth to users in a communications system when the total bandwidth available is less than the aggregate bandwidth sought by users, comprising the steps of;

classifying each user into one of one or more priority classes, and in each class carrying out the following steps;

queuing in an active pool all the users seeking bandwidth;

allocating to the user at the head of the queue bandwidth to transmit and/or receive a predetermined quantity of data;

if, after sending and/or receiving the predetermined quantity of data the user is seeking further bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool, and otherwise moving the user to an inactive pool; and

if a user in the inactive pool seeks or contends for bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the quantity of data assigned to each user is varied in response to the total bandwidth available and the number of users seeking bandwidth.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the quantity of data assigned to each user is varied in order to provide each user with an acceptably short bandwidth access time or an acceptable average bandwidth.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which two or more users are assigned different quantities of data to be transmitted or received when each user reaches the head of the queue in the active pool.

5. A method according to claim 4, in which the ratios between the quantities of data remain fixed if the quantity of data assigned to each user is varied.

6. A method according to claim 1, in which, when the total bandwidth available reduces or the bandwidth sought by users increases, the quantity of data assigned to each user in a lower priority class is reduced further than for each user in a higher priority class.

7. A method according to claim 1, in which a bandwidth-critical type of communication, such as a voice channel, is classified into a high priority class.

9. A method according to claim 1, in which two or more users may represent the same communications system subscriber seeking bandwidth for two or more different communications channels, which may carry different types of communications.

8. A method for allocating bandwidth to users in a communications system when the total bandwidth available is less than the aggregate bandwidth sought by users, comprising the steps of;

queuing in an active pool all the users seeking bandwidth;

allocating to the user at the head of the queue bandwidth to transmit and/or receive a predetermined quantity of data;

if, after sending and/or receiving the predetermined quantity of data, the user is seeking further bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool, and otherwise moving the user to an inactive pool; and

if a user in the inactive pool seeks or contends for bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool.

10. A controller for a communications system in which a plurality of users may contend for bandwidth, comprising, in order to allocate bandwidth to users when the total bandwidth available is less than the aggregate bandwidth sought by users;

a classifier for classifying the users into one or more priority classes;

an active pool queuer for queuing in an active pool in each class the users in that class seeking bandwidth;

an allocator for, in each class, repeatedly (1) allocating bandwidth to the user at the head of the active pool queue to transmit and/or receive a predetermined quantity of data, and (2) if, after sending and/or receiving the predetermined quantity of data, the user is seeking further bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool, and otherwise moving the user to an inactive pool; and

a contention processor for, in each class, moving to the end of the queue in the active pool any user in the inactive pool seeking or contending for bandwidth.

11. A controller according to claim 10, in which the allocator varies the quantity of data assigned to each user in response to the total bandwidth available and the number of users seeking bandwidth.

12. A controller according to claim 11, in which the quantity of data assigned to each user is varied in order to provide each user with an acceptably short bandwidth access time or an acceptable average bandwidth.

13. A controller according to claim 10, in which the allocator assigns to two or more users different quantities of data to be transmitted or received when each user reaches the head of the queue in the active pool.

14. A controller according to claim 13, in which the ratios between the quantities of data remain fixed when the quantity of data assigned to each user is varied.

15. A controller according to claim 10, in which, when the total bandwidth available reduces or the bandwidth sought by users increases, the allocator reduces the quantity of data assigned to each user in a lower priority class further than for each user in a higher priority class.

16. A controller according to claim 10, in which the classifier classifies a bandwidth-critical type of communication, such as a voice channel, into a high priority class.

18. A controller according to claim 10, in which two or more users may represent the same communications system subscriber seeking bandwidth for two or more different communications channels, which may carry different types of communications.

19. A communications system comprising a controller as defined in claim 10.

20. A communications system according to claim 19, being a fixed wireless access system.

17. A controller for a communications system in which a plurality of users may contend for bandwidth, comprising, in order to allocate bandwidth to users when the total bandwidth available is less than the aggregate bandwidth sought by users;

an active pool queuer for queuing in an active pool the users seeking bandwidth;

an allocator for repeatedly (1) allocating bandwidth to the user at the head of the active pool queue to transmit and/or receive a predetermined quantity of data, and (2) if, after sending and/or receiving the predetermined quantity of data, the user is seeking further bandwidth, moving the user to the end of the queue in the active pool, and otherwise moving the user to an inactive pool; and

a contention processor for moving to the end of the queue in the active pool any user in the inactive pool seeking or contending for bandwidth.