Provision of QoS treatment based upon multiple requests

• US 20070076658A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Vincent, Mazik, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/767 after changing the attachment point, e.g. after hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/827 Aggregation of resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to providing quality of service treatment to a subscriber (e.g., wireless terminal) based upon requests made on behalf of the subscriber by a plurality of logically separate entities from the subscriber. For instance, two network infrastructure devices, such as application servers, can initiate separate requests for quality of service treatment on behalf of the subscriber. Additionally or alternatively, a subscriber-side device can initiate a request for quality of service treatment on behalf of the subscriber. A provider of the quality of service treatment can provide appropriate treatment to one or more traffic flows based at least in part upon the requests.

Claims

1. A method for controlling quality of service resource states with respect to a terminal, comprising:

receiving a first request pertaining to quality of service with respect to a subscriber from a first requester;

receiving a second request pertaining to quality of service with respect to the subscriber from a second requester; and

controlling quality of service resources with respect to the wireless terminal as a function of the first and second requests.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second requesters are network infrastructure devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first requester is on a network operator side of an access link and the second requester is on a subscriber side of the access link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second requests are received over a substantially similar protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising relaying parameters relating to the first and second requests to another node in conjunction with modification to point of attachment with respect to the subscriber.

6. A base station configured to perform the method of claim 1.

7. A base station configured to perform the method of claim 2.

8. A base station configured to perform the method of claim 3.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second requests includes requests for quality of service with respect to at least one particular traffic flow.

10. A wireless communications device, comprising:

means for receiving a first request relating to quality of service from a first requester;

means for receiving a second request relating to quality of service from a second requester, wherein at least one of the first and second requests are made on behalf of a subscriber; and

means for simultaneously controlling quality of service resources with respect to the subscriber as a function of the first and second requests.

11. The wireless communications device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second requests includes request for quality of service with respect to at least one particular traffic flow.

12. The wireless communications device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second requesters is an application server.

13. The wireless communications system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second requesters is a device that corresponds to the subscriber.

14. A processor configured to execute the following instructions:

receiving a first request relating to quality of service treatment with respect to a subscriber, the first request is generated by a first requester;

receiving a second request relating to quality of service treatment with respect to the subscriber, the second request is generated by a second requester; and

providing quality of service treatment to the subscriber based at least in part upon the first and second request.

15. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

receiving a first request from a first network infrastructure device pertaining to quality of service treatment to provide to a wireless terminal;

receiving a second request from a second network infrastructure device pertaining to quality of service treatment to provide to the wireless terminal; and

providing quality of service treatment to at least one traffic flow associated with the wireless terminal based at least in part upon one or more of the first and second requests.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 having stored thereon further machine-executable instructions for:

receiving a third request from a device on a subscriber side of an access link pertaining to quality of service treatment to provide to the wireless terminal; and

providing quality of service treatment to at least one traffic flow associated with the wireless terminal based at least in part upon the third request.

17. A wireless communications apparatus comprising:

a memory that retains instructions for receiving first and second requests pertaining to quality of service with respect to a wireless terminal, wherein the first and second requests are created by separate entities and at least one of the requests is made on behalf of the wireless terminal; and

a processor that executes the instructions and analyzes contents of the first and second requests in connection with providing quality of service treatment with respect to the wireless terminal for at least one traffic flow.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 17, the memory further retains instructions for relaying contents of the first and second requests to another node upon occurrence of a handoff with respect to the wireless terminal.

19. A method for receiving requested quality of service treatment in a wireless communications environment, comprising:

receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a first traffic flow from a provider based at least in part upon a first request made by a first requester; and

receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a second traffic flow from the provider based at least in part upon a second request made by a second requester.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

communicatively coupling to a second provider; and

receiving quality of service treatment with respect to the first and second traffic flows from a second provider.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the provider is a base station.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second requesters are network infrastructure devices.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second requesters is a device on a subscriber side of an access link.

24. A communications device, comprising:

means for receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a first traffic flow, the quality of service treatment is based upon a first request made by a first requester on behalf of the communications device; and

means for simultaneously receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a second traffic flow, the quality of service treatment is based upon a second request made by a second requester on behalf of the communications device.

25. The communications device of claim 24 being a wireless terminal.

26. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the first requester is a network infrastructure device and the second requester is a subscriber-side device.

27. The communications device of claim 24 a provider of the quality of service treatment with respect to the first and second traffic flows is a base station.

28. A processor configured to execute the following instructions:

receiving a first traffic flow that is subject to quality of service treatment as requested by a first requester on behalf of a subscriber; and

receiving a second traffic flow that is subject to quality of service treatment as requested by a second requester.

29. A mobile handset comprising the processor of claim 28.

30. The processor of claim 28 further configured to receive the first and second traffic flows simultaneously.

31. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a first traffic flow from a provider based at least in part upon a first request made by a first requester; and

receiving quality of service treatment with respect to a second traffic flow from the provider based at least in part upon a second request made by a second requester.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31 having stored thereon additional machine-executable instructions for requesting quality of service treatment with respect to a third traffic flow.

33. A wireless communications apparatus comprising:

a memory that retains instructions for receiving first and second traffic flows, the first and second traffic flows are subject to quality of service treatment based upon first and second requests generated by first and second requesters; and

a processor that executes the instructions and provides a user with the first and second traffic flows.