NETWORK DELAY SHAPING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BACKHAUL OF WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20100278140A1
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson Wifi Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: BelAir Networks (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Williams, Chris, Rayment, Stephen, Smith, Roland A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0658 Clock or time synchronisation among packet nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection

Abstract

A distributed or centralized network backhaul delay system includes a plurality of cellular base transceiver stations. Each cellular base transceiver station includes a network backhaul delay element. The network backhaul delay element is configured to calculate delay information associated with network delays between cell sites. The network backhaul delay element is configured to adjust and shape the relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed.

Claims

1. A distributed network backhaul delay system, comprising:

a plurality of cellular base transceiver stations,

wherein each cellular base transceiver station comprises;

a network backhaul delay element,

wherein the network backhaul delay element is configured to adjust and shape relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network backhaul delay element is configured to calculate delay information associated with network delays between cell sites.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each cellular base transceiver station is associated with a pseudowire controller,

wherein the pseudowire controller is configured to perform pseudowire conversions, and

wherein the pseudowire controller is configured to modify a pseudowire jitter buffer size to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each cellular base transceiver station further comprises a pseudowire controller.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network management device configured to manage the network delays.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the network management device is further configured to adjust and shape the network delays to minimize overall and differential network delays between cell sites.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the network management device is further configured to use the delay information to monitor and measure changes in network topology resulting from network reconfigurations.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the network management device is further configured to use the delay information to compensate for the network delays.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the network backhaul delay element is further configured to modify packet sizes of packets communicated within the network to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein substantially all packets in a data stream are delayed by a predetermined duration.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network delays are shaped such that the largest delays correspond to the most interior areas of cellular coverage.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the network comprises wireless mesh backhaul links.

13. A distributed network backhaul delay system, comprising:

a plurality of cellular base transceiver stations; and

a plurality of network backhaul delay elements, each of the plurality of network backhaul delay elements being located at a central office, wherein each of the plurality of network backhaul delay elements is associated with a different one of the plurality of cellular base transceiver stations,

wherein each network backhaul delay element is configured to adjust and shape relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each network backhaul delay element is configured to calculate delay information associated with network delays between cell sites.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein each network backhaul delay element is associated with a pseudowire controller,

wherein each pseudowire controller is configured to perform pseudowire conversions, and

wherein each pseudowire controller is configured to modify a pseudowire jitter buffer size to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each network backhaul delay element further comprises a pseudowire controller.

17. A method of managing backhaul delay in a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating delay information associated with network delays between cell sites; and

(b) adjusting and shaping relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(c) modifying a pseudowire jitter buffer size to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(c) managing the network delays.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) further comprises the step of:

(c1) adjusting and shaping the network delays to minimize overall and differential network delays between cell sites.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) further comprises the step of:

(c1) utilizing the delay information to monitor and measure changes in network topology resulting from network reconfigurations.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) further comprises the step of:

(c1) utilizing the delay information to compensate for the network delays.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(c) modifying packet sizes of packets communicated within the network to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein substantially all packets in a data stream are delayed by a predetermined duration.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the network delays are shaped such that the largest delays correspond to the most interior areas of cellular coverage.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless network comprises wireless mesh backhaul links.