HIGH-PRIORITY COMMUNICATIONS SESSION WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20100214996A1
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Santhanam, Arvind V., Song, Bongyong, Gill, Harleen K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

An access network receives a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session, determines whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal and selects communication session support resources from another access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session. The access network sends instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected communication session support resource, and allocates communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected communication session support resource is de-allocated from the other access terminal.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a high-priority communication session within a wireless communications system operating in accordance with a wireless communications protocol, comprising:

receiving a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session;

determining whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal for supporting the communication session;

selecting at least one communication session support resource from at least one other access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session;

sending instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected at least one communication session support resource; and

allocating one or more communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected at least one communication session support resource is de-allocated from the at least one other access terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is an initiator of the communication session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request for resources includes a connection request message having a flag that indicates high priority status for the communication session.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communications protocol is 1xEV-DO Rev. A, and the flag is within a RequestReason field of the connection request message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communications protocol is in accordance with 1xEV-DO Rev. B, and the flag is within an EmergencyIndicator field of the connection request message.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communications protocol is 1xEV-DO Rev. A, and the flag is within a Reserved field of the connection request message.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the request for resources includes a reservation on request message having a flag that indicates high priority status for the group communication session.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless communications protocol is 1xEV-DO Rev. B, and the flag is an EmergencyIndicator field of the reservation on request message.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the request for resources is included within a bundled message that includes a route update (RUP) message, a connection request message, a reservation on request message and a communication session request message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for resources requests a traffic channel (TCH) and quality of service (QoS) resources.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the request for resources includes a signaling message having a flag that indicates high priority status for the communication session.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the flag is a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sending step sends instructions to tear down the TCH from the at least one other access terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sent instructions correspond to a ConnectionClose message.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH) and a quality of service (QoS) resource.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sending step sends instructions to tear down the TCH and the QoS resource from the at least one other access terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sent instructions correspond to a ConnectionClose message for tearing down the TCH and a Fwd/RevReservationOff message for de-allocating the QoS resource from the at least one other access terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein more than two priority levels for communication sessions are provided for within a priority hierarchy by the wireless communications protocol, with the communication session having a higher priority than the communication session associated with the selected at least one communication session support resource within the priority hierarchy.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is a target access terminal for the communication session.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session has a high priority status;

scheduling a page of the target access terminal; and

paging at least the target access terminal,

wherein the receiving step receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the page.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the scheduling step places the page of the target access terminal ahead of at least one page for one or more communication sessions having a lower priority status than the communication session on a transmission queue of a downlink paging channel.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting the communication session set-up message as an announce message announcing the communication session to the target access terminal after the allocating step.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session set-up message is to be transmitted to the target access terminal on a downlink control channel;

scheduling the communication session set-up message for transmission on the downlink control channel; and

transmitting the communication session set-up message to the target access terminal on the downlink control channel,

wherein the receiving step receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the communication session set-up message.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the scheduling step positions the communication session set-up message of the target access terminal ahead of at least one message for one or more communication sessions having a lower priority status than the communication session on a transmission queue of the downlink control channel.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the communication session set-up message is an announce message, and the transmitting step transmits the announce message within a data-over-signaling (DOS) message on a control channel capsule of the downlink control channel.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session corresponds to a call.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the call is a unicast call or a multicast call.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session corresponds to data transfer to establish a transport channel.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session includes messaging corresponding to both a request for a call and a data transfer to establish a transport channel.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a complete de-allocation of communication session support resources of a type from the at least one other access terminal or a partial de-allocation of communication session support resources of the type from the at least one other access terminal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a complete de-allocation of Quality of Service (QoS) resources from the at least one other access terminal, such that the at least one other access terminal has no QoS resources after the de-allocation.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a partial de-allocation of Quality of Service (QoS) resources from the at least one other access terminal, such that the at least one other access terminal has fewer QoS resources after the de-allocation than before the de-allocation.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a complete de-allocation of a traffic channel (TCH) from the at least one other access terminal, such that the TCH is torn down after the de-allocation.

35. An access network within a wireless communications system operating in accordance with a wireless communications protocol, comprising:

means for receiving a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session;

means for determining whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal for supporting the communication session;

means for selecting at least one communication session support resource from at least one other access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session;

means for sending instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected at least one communication session support resource; and

means for allocating one or more communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected at least one communication session support resource is de-allocated from the at least one other access terminal.

36. The access network of claim 35, wherein the access terminal is an initiator of the communication session.

37. The access network of claim 36, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH).

38. The access network of claim 36, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH) and a quality of service (QoS) resource.

39. The access network of claim 35, wherein the access terminal is a target access terminal for the communication session.

40. The access network of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session has a high priority status;

means for scheduling a page of the target access terminal; and

means for paging at least the target access terminal,

wherein the means for receiving receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the page.

41. The access network of claim 40, wherein the means for scheduling places the page of the target access terminal ahead of at least one page for one or more communication sessions having a lower priority status than the communication session on a transmission queue of a downlink paging channel.

42. The access network of claim 39, further comprising:

means for transmitting the communication session set-up message as an announce message announcing the communication session to the target access terminal after the allocation.

43. The access network of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session set-up message is to be transmitted to the target access terminal on a downlink control channel;

means for scheduling the communication session set-up message for transmission on the downlink control channel; and

means for transmitting the communication session set-up message to the target access terminal on the downlink control channel,

wherein the means for receiving receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the communication session set-up message.

44. An access network within a wireless communications system operating in accordance with a wireless communications protocol, comprising:

logic configured to receive a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session;

logic configured to determine whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal for supporting the communication session;

logic configured to select at least one communication session support resource from at least one other access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session;

logic configured to send instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected at least one communication session support resource; and

logic configured to allocate one or more communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected at least one communication session support resource is de-allocated from the at least one other access terminal.

45. The access network of claim 44, wherein the access terminal is an initiator of the communication session.

46. The access network of claim 45, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH).

47. The access network of claim 45, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH) and a quality of service (QoS) resource.

48. The access network of claim 44, wherein the access terminal is a target access terminal for the communication session.

49. The access network of claim 48, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session has a high priority status;

logic configured to schedule a page of the target access terminal; and

logic configured to page at least the target access terminal,

wherein the logic configured to receive receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the page.

50. The access network of claim 49, wherein the logic configured to schedule places the page of the target access terminal ahead of at least one page for one or more communication sessions having a lower priority status than the communication session on a transmission queue of a downlink paging channel.

51. The access network of claim 49, further comprising:

logic configured to transmit the communication session set-up message as an announce message announcing the communication session to the target access terminal after the allocation.

52. The access network of claim 44, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session set-up message is to be transmitted to the target access terminal on a downlink control channel;

logic configured to schedule the communication session set-up message for transmission on the downlink control channel; and

logic configured to transmit the communication session set-up message to the target access terminal on the downlink control channel,

wherein the logic configured to receive receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the communication session set-up message.

53. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an access network within a wireless communications system operating in accordance with a wireless communications protocol, cause the access network to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session;

program code to determine whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal for supporting the communication session;

program code to select at least one communication session support resource from at least one other access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session;

program code to send instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected at least one communication session support resource; and

program code to allocate one or more communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected at least one communication session support resource is de-allocated from the at least one other access terminal.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the access terminal is an initiator of the communication session.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH).

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the selected at least one communication session support resource corresponds to a traffic channel (TCH) and a quality of service (QoS) resource.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the access terminal is a target access terminal for the communication session.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising:

program code to receive a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session has a high priority status;

program code to schedule a page of the target access terminal; and

program code to page at least the target access terminal,

wherein the program code to receive receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the page.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the program code to schedule places the page of the target access terminal ahead of at least one page for one or more communication sessions having a lower priority status than the communication session on a transmission queue of a downlink paging channel.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, further comprising:

program code to transmit the communication session set-up message as an announce message announcing the communication session to the target access terminal after the allocation.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, further comprising:

program code to receive a communication session set-up message with a flag indicating that the communication session set-up message is to be transmitted to the target access terminal on a downlink control channel;

program code to schedule the communication session set-up message for transmission on the downlink control channel; and

program code to transmit the communication session set-up message to the target access terminal on the downlink control channel,

wherein the program code to receive receives the request for communication session support resources from the target access terminal in response to the communication session set-up message.