Application, Usage & Radio Link Aware Transport Network Scheduler

• US 20100195602A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Securities Corp. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Movik Networks, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Ronald, Raghavan, Ramji, Kovvali, Surya Kumar, Leary, Christopher, Purayil, Nizar K., Boyle, Charles W., Ramakrishnan, Krishnan
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS

Abstract

A packet scheduling method and apparatus with the knowledge of application behavior, anticipated usage/behavior based on the type of content, and underlying transport conditions during the time of delivery, is disclosed. This type of scheduling is applicable to a content server or a transit network device in wireless (e.g., 3G, WIMAX, LTE, WIFI) or wire-line networks. Methods for identifying or estimating rendering times of multi-media objects, segmenting a large media content, and automatically pausing or delaying delivery are disclosed. The scheduling reduces transit network bandwidth wastage, and facilitates optimal sharing of network resources such as in a wireless network.

Claims

1. A network device, adapted to operate on a RAN network,

wherein components in said RAN network communicate using a plurality of protocols, said device comprising:

first and second interface modules, adapted to communicate with a respective first and second component in said RAN network, such that one of said interface modules delivers content to a user device on said RAN network;

a storage device; and

control logic adapted to estimate the rate at which said user utilizes said content, and based on said estimate, controlling the delivery of said content to said user to optimize resources of said RAN network.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein said control logic is adapted to interpret said plurality of protocols in a communication between said first and second component, and based on said communication, estimate the rate at which said user consumes said content.

3. The network device of claim 2, wherein said control logic is adapted to determine at least one parameter based on said communication.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein said parameter is selected from the group consisting of content type, content length, user device type, application type, QoS parameters, normal user behavior, sector load, estimated bandwidth to said user device, predicted mobility of said user device, and channel quality.

5. The network device of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a storage element and said device receives content via said first interface module, and stores said content in said storage element prior to delivery to said user device via said second interface module.

6. The network device of claim 5, wherein said control logic divides said content into a plurality of smaller segments prior to delivery to said user device.

7. A method of delivering content to a user device on a RAN network, wherein components in said RAN network communicate using a plurality of protocols, said method comprising:

monitoring communication between said user device and other components in said RAN network to acquire parameters about said user device and said content to be delivered;

estimating the time required to deliver said content to said user device using said parameters;

estimating the time required by said user device to consume said content using said parameters;

dividing said content into a plurality of segments;

transmitting a first of said plurality of segments to said user device;

waiting a predetermined time before transmitting a second of said plurality of segments to said user device, wherein said predetermined time is calculated based on said parameters, said estimated time to deliver said content, and said estimated time to utilize said content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said parameters are selected from the group consisting of content type, content length, user device type, application type, QoS parameters, normal user behavior, sector load, estimated bandwidth to said user device, predicted mobility of said user device, and channel quality.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing said content in a storage element prior to delivery to said user device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said dividing step is performed only if said estimated delivery time is less than said estimated consumption time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein if, before expiration of said predetermined time, said user terminates use of said content, said second segment is not delivered.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said content comprises a multimedia file.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said parameters are selected from the group consisting of protocol type, the identity of a content source site, the configuration of said content source, packet sizes during initial transfers between said content source and said client, and previously completed transfers using the same pair of application ports between said content source and said client.