SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY PROVIDING CONTROL PLANE CAPACITY

• US 20080311946A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: BRITTON, RICHARD E.
• Application Number:
  US11/762,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20080311946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically provisioning control plane signaling capacity for each base site in a communication system. Each base site is configured to monitor at least one criteria, such as a control plane traffic throughput level, of at least one control channel. If the criteria indicate that that additional control plane signaling capacity is required, the base site assigns an available communication channel as an additional control channel to transmit control plane signaling and causes selected talk groups to move to the additional channel. If the criteria indicate that the control plane signaling capacity should be decreased, the base site selects a control channel to be de-assigned from the control plane and causes talk groups associated with the selected control channel to another available control channel.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning control plane signaling capacity for a base site in a communication system, the base site being configured to communicate with a plurality of talkgroups using a plurality of communication channels, each of the plurality of talkgroups comprising a group of communication units, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one criteria of a first control channel for transmitting control plane signaling in a control plane, the first control channel being one of the plurality of communication channels;

determining, based on the at least one criteria, that additional control plane signaling capacity is required;

assigning an available communication channel as an additional control channel to transmit control plane signaling;

determining a set of talkgroups to be serviced by the additional control channel, the set of talkgroups being at least a portion of the plurality of talkgroups; and

transmitting a move message to each talkgroup in the set of talkgroups instructing communication units within the set of talkgroups to begin utilizing the additional communication channel for control plane signaling.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring at least one criteria of the first control channel includes monitoring a control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel;

and wherein determining that additional control plane signaling capacity is required includes determining that the control plane traffic throughput level has exceeded a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein monitoring the control plane traffic throughput level includes monitoring at least one of an outbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel and an inbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein monitoring the outbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel includes determining a number of control packets in an outbound queue for the first communication channel.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein monitoring the outbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel includes determining an amount of time until a selected type of control packet in an outbound queue for the first communication channel is to be transmitted.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein monitoring the inbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel includes at least one of (a) determining a number of inbound control packets received on the first communication channel over a predetermined amount of time and (b) determining a total size of inbound control packet data received on the first communication channel over a predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one criteria includes a control channel failure.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein determining that the control plane traffic throughput level has exceeded a predetermined threshold includes determining that at least one of the outbound control plane traffic throughput level and inbound control plane traffic throughput level has exceeded a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the additional communication channel as control channel includes transmitting a channel request to a zone controller requesting an available communication channel be allocated for control plane signaling.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a set of talkgroups to be serviced by the additional communication channel includes determining a set of talkgroups to be serviced by the second communication channel based on an amount of bandwidth required by each of the plurality of talkgroups.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the control plane allocation manager determines the first set of talkgroups to be serviced by the additional control channel based on information recorded in the use database,

20. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the control plane monitor, the use database, the allocation database, and the control plane allocation manager are located within a site controller at the base site.

11. A method for provisioning control plane signaling capacity for a base site in a communication system, the base site being configured to communicate with a plurality of talkgroups using a plurality of communication channels, each of the plurality of talkgroups comprising a group of communication units, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one criteria of a plurality of control channels for transmitting control plane signaling in a control plane;

determining, based on the at least one criteria, that the control plane signaling capacity should be decreased;

selecting a control channel from the plurality of control channels to be de-assigned from the control plane;

transmitting a move message to a set of talkgroups associated with the selected control channel instructing the communication units within the set of talkgroups to begin utilizing one of the plurality of control channels other than the selected control channel for control plane signaling; and

de-assigning the selected control channel from the control plane.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein monitoring at least a one criteria includes monitoring a control plane traffic throughput level for the plurality of control channels;

and wherein determining that the control plane signaling capacity should be decreased includes determining that the control plane traffic throughput level for at least one of the plurality of control channels has fallen below a predetermined threshold.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein monitoring the control plane traffic throughput level includes monitoring at least one of an outbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel and an inbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein monitoring the outbound control plane traffic throughput level for the first communication channel includes determining an amount of time until a selected type of control packet in an outbound queue for the first communication channel is to be transmitted.

15. The method of claim 11 further including determining whether each talkgroup in the set of talkgroups is idle and transmitting the move message to each talkgroup in the set of talkgroups upon determining that the talkgroup is idle.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein de-assigning the selected control channel includes transmitting a request to a zone controller requesting the selected control channel be de-allocated from the control plane.

17. A system for provisioning control plane signaling capacity including:

a plurality of talkgroups, each of the plurality of talkgroups including a plurality of communication units;

a base site in wireless communication with each of the plurality of talkgroups via a plurality of communication channels, wherein at least a first portion of the plurality of communication channels are capable of being configured as control channels;

a control plane monitor located at the base site for monitoring at least one criteria of at least one control channel;

a use database located at the base site for recording information regarding an amount of bandwidth required by each of the plurality of talkgroups for communicating with the base site;

an allocation database located at the base site for recording information identifying which control channel is servicing each one of the plurality of talkgroups; and

a control plane allocation manager located at the base site and coupled to the control plane traffic monitor, the use database, and the allocation database;

the control plane allocation manager being configured to determine, based on the at least one criteria, that additional control plane signaling capacity is required;

assign an available communication channel as an additional control channel to transmit control plane signaling;

determine a first set of talkgroups to be serviced by the additional control channel, and initiate transmission of a move message to each talkgroup in the first set of talkgroups instructing communication units within the first set of talkgroups to begin utilizing the additional communication channel for control plane signaling,

the control manager being further configured to determine, based on the at least one criteria, that the control plane signaling capacity should be decreased;

select a control channel from the at least one of the control channels to be de-assigned from the control plane;

initiate transmission of a move message to each talkgroup in a second set of talkgroups associated with the selected control channel instructing the communication units within the second set of talkgroups to begin utilizing a control channel other than the selected control channel for control plane signaling; and

de-assign the selected control channel from the control plane.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the control plane monitor is configured to monitor a traffic throughput level for the at least one control channel, and wherein the control plane allocation manager is configured to determine that additional control plane signaling capacity is required upon the traffic throughput level exceeding a first threshold, and wherein the control plane allocation manager is configured to determine that the control plane signaling capacity should be decreased upon the traffic throughput level falling below a second threshold.