BEARER QoS MAPPING FOR CELL RELAYS

• US 20100103863A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shi, Yongsheng, Agashe, Parag A., Ulupinar, Fatih, Tenny, Nathan E., Horn, Gavin B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate mapping multiple evolved packet system (EPS) bearers to a single relay eNB radio bearer. In particular, an upstream eNB can select a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to an EPS bearer; the selection can be based on a best effort match or substantially any logic. The upstream eNB can store an association between the radio bearer and EPS bearer for subsequent downstream packet routing. The upstream eNB can also provide an indication of the selected radio bearer to the downstream relay eNB to facilitate upstream packet routing therefrom. The upstream eNB can alternatively select the radio bearer of the downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer based on a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a bearer setup request comprising parameters regarding an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer initialized in a wireless network;

selecting a radio bearer of a downstream relay evolved Node B (eNB) to facilitate communicating data to and from the EPS bearer; and

transmitting data received over the EPS bearer to the downstream relay eNB using the radio bearer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification of the selected radio bearer to the downstream relay eNB.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the notification includes transmitting the notification in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing an association of the selected radio bearer to the EPS bearer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the radio bearer includes selecting the radio bearer according to a best effort match.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer, wherein the selecting the radio bearer is based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the QCI to the downstream relay eNB.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a notification of a local radio bearer selected by an upstream eNB for association with the EPS bearer.

9. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain a bearer setup request including parameters related to an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer;

select a radio bearer of a downstream evolved Node B (eNB) for association with the EPS bearer; and

transmit data received over the EPS bearer to the downstream eNB over the radio bearer; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

10. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an identifier for the radio bearer to the downstream eNB.

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor transmits the identifier in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store an association of the selected radio bearer to the EPS bearer for subsequent packet routing between the selected radio bearer and the EPS bearer.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor selects the radio bearer of the downstream eNB according to a best effort match.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer, and the at least one processor selects the radio bearer based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide the QCI to the downstream eNB.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a notification of a local radio bearer selected by an upstream eNB for association with the EPS bearer.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a bearer setup request comprising parameters regarding an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer initialized in a wireless network;

means for selecting a radio bearer of a downstream relay evolved Node B (eNB) to facilitate communicating data to and from the EPS bearer; and

means for transmitting data received over the EPS bearer to the downstream relay eNB using the radio bearer.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for communicating a notification of the selected radio bearer to the downstream relay eNB.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for communicating the notification transmits the notification in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for storing an association of the selected radio bearer to the EPS bearer.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for selecting selects the radio bearer according to a best effort match.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving the bearer setup request further receives a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer in the bearer setup request, and the means for selecting selects the radio bearer based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for providing the QCI to the downstream relay eNB.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving a notification of a local bearer selected by an upstream eNB for association with the EPS bearer.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a bearer setup request comprising parameters regarding an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer initialized in a wireless network;

code for causing the at least one computer to select a radio bearer of a downstream relay evolved Node B (eNB) to facilitate communicating data to and from the EPS bearer; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit data received over the EPS bearer to the downstream relay eNB using the radio bearer.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to transmit a notification of the selected radio bearer to the downstream relay eNB.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the notification transmits the notification in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to store an association of the selected radio bearer to the EPS bearer.

29. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to select the radio bearer selects the radio bearer according to a best effort match.

30. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to select the radio bearer selects the radio bearer based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to provide the QCI to the downstream relay eNB.

32. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a notification of a local radio bearer selected by an upstream eNB for association with the EPS bearer.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a backhaul link component that receives a bearer setup request comprising parameters regarding an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer initialized in a wireless network;

a relay bearer selecting component that chooses a radio bearer of a downstream relay evolved Node B (eNB) to facilitate communicating data to and from the EPS bearer; and

a bearer communicating component that transmits data received over the EPS bearer to the downstream relay eNB using the radio bearer.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a bearer select notifying component that communicates a notification of the selected radio bearer to the downstream relay eNB.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the bearer communicating component transmits the notification in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a bearer mapping component that stores an association of the selected radio bearer to the EPS bearer.

37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the relay bearer selecting component chooses the radio bearer according to a best effort match.

38. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the backhaul link component further receives a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer in the bearer setup request, and the relay bearer selecting component selects the radio bearer based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a bearer select notifying component that provides the QCI to the downstream relay eNB.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a bearer select receiving component that obtains a notification of a local bearer selected by an upstream eNB for association with the EPS bearer.

41. A method, comprising:

receiving an association of an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer to a local radio bearer;

storing the association in a routing table; and

receiving data related to the EPS bearer from an upstream evolved Node B (eNB) over the local radio bearer.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the receiving the association includes receiving the association from the upstream eNB.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving a portion of an identifier related to the EPS bearer from the upstream eNB along with the association.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the storing the association includes storing the portion of the identifier with an index of the local radio bearer.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the receiving the association from the upstream eNB includes receiving the association in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising receiving a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) related to the EPS bearer, wherein the receiving the association includes determining the association based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising selecting a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising associating the EPS bearer to a radio bearer of a directly connected user equipment (UE), wherein the receiving the association between the EPS bearer and the local radio bearer is based at least in part on a request received from the directly connected UE.

49. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain an association of an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer to a local radio bearer;

store the association in a routing table for subsequent packet routing; and

receive data from an upstream evolved Node B (eNB) related to the EPS bearer over the local radio bearer; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

50. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one processor obtains the association from the upstream eNB.

51. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a portion of an identifier related to the EPS bearer with the association.

52. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store the identifier with the association in the routing table.

53. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor receives the association in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message from the upstream eNB.

54. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) of the EPS bearer, and the at least one processor obtains the association based at least in part on determining the local radio bearer relating to the QCI in a static mapping of QCIs to local radio bearers.

55. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer.

56. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to associate the EPS bearer to a radio bearer of a directly connected user equipment (UE), and the at least one processor obtains the association based at least in part on a request from the directly connected UE.

57. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving an association of an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer to a local radio bearer;

means for storing the association in a routing table; and

means for receiving data related to the EPS bearer from an upstream evolved Node B (eNB) over the local radio bearer.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the means for receiving the association receives the association from the upstream eNB.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the means for receiving the association further receives an identifier related to the EPS bearer.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the means for storing the association stores the identifier related to the EPS bearer with the association.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the means for receiving the association receives the association in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

62. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the means for receiving the association determines the association based on a received (QoS) class identifier (QCI) related to the EPS bearer.

63. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising means for selecting a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer.

64. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the means for receiving the association receives the association based at least in part on a request from a user equipment (UE) directly communicating with the apparatus.

65. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive an association of an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer to a local radio bearer;

code for causing the at least one computer to store the association in a routing table; and

code for causing the at least one computer to receive data related to the EPS bearer from an upstream evolved Node B (eNB) over the local radio bearer.

66. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the association receives the association from the upstream eNB.

67. The computer program product of claim 66, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a portion of an identifier related to the EPS bearer from the upstream eNB along with the association.

68. The computer program product of claim 67, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to store the association stores the portion of the identifier with an index of the local radio bearer.

69. The computer program product of claim 66, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the association from the upstream eNB receives the association in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

70. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) related to the EPS bearer, and the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the association determines the association based at least in part on the QCI of the EPS bearer.

71. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to select a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer.

72. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to associate the EPS bearer to a radio bearer of a directly connected user equipment (UE), and the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the association between the EPS bearer and the local radio bearer receives the association based at least in part on a request received from the directly connected UE.

73. An apparatus, comprising:

a bearer select receiving component that receives an association of an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer to a local radio bearer;

an EPS bearer mapping component that stores the association in a routing table; and

a bearer communicating component that receives data related to the EPS bearer from an upstream evolved Node B (eNB) over the local radio bearer.

74. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein the bearer select receiving component receives the association from the upstream eNB.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the bearer select receiving component further receives an identifier related to the EPS bearer.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the EPS bearer mapping component stores the identifier related to the EPS bearer with the association.

77. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the bearer select receiving component receives the association in an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

78. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein the bearer select receiving component is an EPS class determining component that discerns the association based on a received (QoS) class identifier (QCI) related to the EPS bearer.

79. The apparatus of claim 73, further comprising a relay bearer selecting component that selects a radio bearer of a downstream eNB for association to the EPS bearer.

80. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein the bearer communicating component receives the association based at least in part on a request from a user equipment (UE) directly communicating with the apparatus.