METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING CONGESTION IN A WIRELESS SYSTEM

• US 20100293275A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rezaiifar, Ramin, Tinnakornsrisuphap, Peerapol
• Granted Patent: US 9,729,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/21 using leaky-bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/215 using token-bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate congestion control in a wireless communication system. As described herein, an access network and associated terminals can utilize a token bucket access control mechanism, through which respective terminals can be allotted access tokens and/or other units for access to the access network. For example, upon requesting access to a given network, a user of the network can determine whether sufficient access tokens have been accumulated, based on which the request can be selectively allowed or denied. As further described herein, multiple token bucket mechanisms can be utilized, which can correspond to respective packet flows or the like. Additionally, token bucket access control can be implemented as described herein in cooperation with conventional access persistence functionality. Further aspects described herein facilitate the adjustment of token bucket parameters for network access control based on network loading.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining one or more access rules relating to a network, the one or more access rules specifying a rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate specified as an amount of permitted accessed per unit of time; and

selectively accessing the network according to the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively accessing comprises:

identifying a request to access the network; and

selectively allowing the request to access the network upon determining that a number of accumulated permitted accesses determined according to the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing the request to access the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the obtaining comprises obtaining respective access rules that specify a rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate for respective packet flows specified as respective amounts of permitted accessed per unit of time for the respective packet flows; and

the selectively accessing further comprises identifying a packet flow associated with the request to access the network and selectively allowing the request to access the network upon determining that a number of accumulated permitted accesses determined according to the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate for the packet flow associated with the request to access the network is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing the request to access the network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the obtaining comprises obtaining an access persistence threshold value; and

the selectively accessing further comprises;

generating an access persistence priority value corresponding to the request to access the network; and

selectively allowing the request to access the network upon determining that the number of accumulated permitted accesses determined according to the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing the request to access the network and that the access persistence priority value is less than the access persistence threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of accumulated permitted accesses according to the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining comprises:

determining an elapsed time from a previous request to access the network;

computing a number of additional accumulated permitted accesses as a function of the elapsed time from the previous request to access the network and the rate at which permitted accesses to the network accumulate; and

adding the number of additional accumulated permitted accesses to a number of previously accumulated permitted accesses.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the obtaining comprises obtaining one or more access rules specifying a maximum number of permitted accesses; and

the adding comprises adding the number of additional accumulated permitted accesses to a number of previously accumulated permitted accesses subject to the maximum number of permitted accesses.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising subtracting a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing a request to access the network from the number of accumulated permitted accesses upon allowing the request to access the network.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising denying a request to access the network upon determining that the number of accumulated permitted accesses is less than a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing the request to access the network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the denying comprises denying the request to access the network pending accumulation of sufficient permitted accesses.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more access rules from the network.

12. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to an associated network and one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network given in terms of permitted accesses to the associated network per unit of time; and

a processor configured to identify a request to access the associated network and to selectively allow the request to access the associated network according to the one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to allow the request to access the associated network upon determining that a number of permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued according to the one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses to the associated network required for allowing the request to access the associated network.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the memory further stores data relating to respective rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network via corresponding packet flows given in terms of permitted accesses to the associated network per unit of time via respective packet flows; and

the processor is further configured to identify a packet flow associated with the request to access the associated network and to allow the request to access the associated network upon determining that a number of permitted accesses that have accrued as determined according to a rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network via the packet flow associated with the request to access the associated network is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses required for allowing the request to access the associated network via the packet flow.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the memory further stores data relating to an access persistence threshold value; and

the processor is further configured to generate an access persistence priority value corresponding to the request to access the associated network and to allow the request to access the associated network upon determining that the number of permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued according to the one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network is greater than or equal to a predefined number of permitted accesses to the associated network required for allowing the request to access the associated network and that the access persistence priority value is less than the access persistence threshold value.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the memory further stores data relating to a previous request to access the associated network; and

the processor is further configured to determine an elapsed time from the previous request to access the associated network, to compute a number of additional permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued as a function of the elapsed time from the previous request to access the associated network and the one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network, and to determine a number of permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued at least in part by adding the number of additional permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued to a number of previously accrued permitted accesses to the associated network.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the memory further stores data relating to a maximum number of accrued permitted accesses to the associated network; and

the processor is configured to add the number of additional permitted accesses to the associated network that have accrued to the number of previously accrued permitted accesses to the associated network subject to the maximum number of accrued permitted accesses to the associated network.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the one or more rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network from the associated network.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving information relating to an accumulation rate for access tokens associated with a network, the accumulation rate for access tokens given as an amount of access tokens accumulated per unit of time; and

means for selectively allowing a request to access the network according to the accumulation rate for access tokens.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the means for receiving comprises means for receiving respective accumulation rates for access tokens associated with the network corresponding to respective packet flows associated with the network, the respective accumulation rates for access tokens given as amounts of access tokens accumulated for the respective packet flows per unit of time; and

the means for selectively allowing comprises;

means for identifying a packet flow associated with the request to access the network;

means for computing an amount of accumulated access tokens according to an accumulation rate for access tokens for the packet flow associated with the request to access the network; and

means for allowing the request to access the network upon determining that at least a predefined number of access tokens required for allowing the request to access the network via the packet flow associated with the request to access the network has been accumulated.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises means for receiving an access persistence threshold value and means for generating an access persistence priority value corresponding to the request to access the network; and

the means for selectively allowing comprises means for allowing the request to access the network upon determining that at least a predefined required number of access tokens have been accumulated according to the accumulation rate for access tokens and that the access persistence priority value is less than the access persistence threshold value.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining an elapsed time from a previous request to access the network;

means for computing an amount of newly accumulated access tokens as a function of the elapsed time from the previous request to access the network and the accumulation rate for access tokens; and

means for identifying an amount of accumulated access tokens at least in part by adding the amount of newly accumulated access tokens to an amount of previously accumulated access tokens.

23. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive information relating to an accumulation rate for access tokens associated with a network, the accumulation rate for access tokens given as an amount of access tokens accumulated per unit of time; and

code for causing a computer to selectively allow a request to access the network according to the accumulation rate for access tokens.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to receive comprises code for causing a computer to receive respective accumulation rates for access tokens associated with the network corresponding to respective packet flows associated with the network, the respective accumulation rates for access tokens given as amounts of access tokens accumulated for the respective packet flows per unit of time; and

the code for causing a computer to selectively allow comprises;

code for causing a computer to identify a packet flow associated with the request to access the network;

code for causing a computer to compute an amount of accumulated access tokens according to an accumulation rate for access tokens for the packet flow associated with the request to access the network; and

code for causing a computer to allow the request to access the network upon determining that at least a predefined required number of access tokens required for allowing the request to access the network via the packet flow associated with the request to access the network has been accumulated.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein:

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing a computer to receive an access persistence threshold value and code for causing a computer to generate an access persistence priority value corresponding to the request to access the network; and

the code for causing a computer to selectively allow comprises code for causing a computer to allow the request to access the network upon determining that at least a predefined required number of access tokens have been accumulated according to the accumulation rate for access tokens and that the access persistence priority value is less than the access persistence threshold value.

26. A method, comprising:

defining one or more access rules relating to an associated network, the one or more access rules comprising a rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network; and

conveying the one or more access rules to respective users of the associated network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the defining comprises:

identifying a plurality of packet flows utilized by the associated network; and

defining respective rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network corresponding to respective packet flows in the plurality of packet flows.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein:

the defining comprises defining a threshold for access persistence values such that accesses to the associated network by a user of the associated network are selectively allowed according to an access persistence value generated by the user of the associated network in relation to the threshold for access persistence values; and

the conveying comprises conveying the threshold for access persistence values to the respective users of the associated network.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the defining further comprises adjusting the threshold for access persistence values in relation to the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more access rules facilitate selective allowance of accesses to the associated network based on the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the one or more access rules further facilitate allowance of an access to the associated network by a user of the associated network if the user of the associated network has accrued a permitted access to the associated network and denial of the access to the associated network by the user of the associated network if the user of the associated network has not accrued a permitted access to the associated network.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more access rules further facilitate removal of an accrued permitted access to the associated network corresponding to a user of the associated network upon allowance of an access to the associated network by the user of the associated network.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the defining comprises adjusting the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network as a function of network loading.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the adjusting comprises:

increasing the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network upon detecting a decrease in loading of the associated network; and

decreasing the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the associated network upon detecting an increase in loading of the associated network.

35. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to at least one network user and a network serving the at least one network user; and

a processor configured to define one or more access rules relating to the network serving the at least one network user, the one or more access rules comprising a rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the network serving the at least one network user, and to conveying the one or more access rules to the at least one network user.

36. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the memory further stores data relating to a plurality of packet flows utilized by the network serving the at least one network user; and

the processor is further configured to define respective rates of accrual for permitted accesses to the network serving the at least one network user corresponding to respective packet flows in the plurality of packet flows.

37. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to define a threshold for access persistence values such that accesses to the network serving the at least one network user conducted by a network user are selectively allowed according to an access persistence value generated by the network user in relation to the threshold for access persistence values and to convey the threshold for access persistence values to the at least one network user.

38. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the threshold for access persistence values in relation to the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the network serving the at least one network user.

39. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the one or more access rules facilitate selective allowance of accesses to the network serving the at least one network user based on the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the network serving the at least one network user.

40. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the rate of accrual for permitted accesses to the network serving the at least one network user as a function of network loading.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

means for defining an accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by an associated network; and

means for advertising the accumulation rate for permitted access requests to at least one terminal served by the associated network.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the means for defining comprises:

means for identifying respective packet flows associated with the associated network; and

means for defining respective accumulation rates for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network corresponding to the respective packet flows associated with the associated network.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

the means for defining comprises means for defining an access persistence threshold parameter such that requested accesses to the associated network are selectively allowed according to a generated access persistence probability parameter in relation to the access persistence threshold parameter; and

the means for advertising comprises means for advertising the access persistence threshold parameter to at least one terminal served by the associated network.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the means for defining further comprises means for adjusting the access persistence threshold parameter in relation to the accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the means for defining comprises means for adjusting the accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network as a function of network loading.

46. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to define an accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by an associated network; and

code for causing a computer to advertise the accumulation rate for permitted access requests to at least one terminal served by the associated network.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein the code for causing a computer to define comprises:

code for causing a computer to identify respective packet flows associated with the associated network; and

code for causing a computer to define respective accumulation rates for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network corresponding to the respective packet flows associated with the associated network.

48. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to define comprises code for causing a computer to define an access persistence threshold parameter such that requested accesses to the associated network are selectively allowed according to a generated access persistence probability parameter in relation to the access persistence threshold parameter; and

the code for causing a computer to advertise comprises code for causing a computer to advertise the access persistence threshold parameter to at least one terminal served by the associated network.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein the code for causing a computer to define further comprises code for causing a computer to adjust the access persistence threshold parameter in relation to the accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network.

50. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein the code for causing a computer to define comprises code for causing a computer to adjust the accumulation rate for permitted access requests utilized by the associated network as a function of network loading.