QUALITY OF SERVICE (QoS) ACQUISITION AND PROVISIONING WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20110211439A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosen, Eric C., Razdan, Ashu, Manpuria, Vivek, Ananthanarayanan, Arulmozhi K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,804,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0009 for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

In an embodiment, an access network (AN) receives a message configured to prompt a conditional allocation of Quality of Service (QoS) resources to an access terminal (AT). The message can be received from the AT or from an application server (AS) that arbitrates a communication session for the AT. In another embodiment, if the AT determines that a QoS resource request has not yet been granted, the AT waits until the traffic channel (TCH) has been obtained for a communication session before resending the QoS resource request. In another embodiment, if the AT determines to initiate or join a second communication session before a confirmation that QoS resources for a first communication session are relinquished, the AT waits until the confirmation is received before a request for QoS resources for the second communication session is sent.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources at an access terminal within a wireless communications system, comprising:

sending a request, within a second serving area, for QoS resources, the request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

sending a call message, within the second serving area, that requests set-up of the group communication session by an application server, the call message based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

receiving an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the call message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives the allocation of the requested QoS resources before a STATUS message is received at the access terminal, the STATUS message indicating to the access terminal that the group communication session can begin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives the allocation of the requested QoS resources after a STATUS message is received at the access terminal, the STATUS message indicating to the access terminal that the group communication session can begin.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the call message to include a flag,

wherein the receiving step receives the QoS resource allocation from an access network, and the QoS resource allocation is triggered by the flag contained in the call message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the flag corresponds to a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value contained in a header portion of the call message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the flag contains a value configured to indicate, to the access network, to allocate QoS resources to an originator of the message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives the QoS resource allocation from an access network, and the QoS resource allocation is triggered by a flag contained in a message that originates at the application server that is configured to arbitrate the group communication session.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the flagged message corresponds to a message acknowledging the call message or a message configured to indicate, to the access terminal, that the group communication session can begin.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the flag contains a value configured to indicate, to the access network, to allocate QoS resources to a destination or target of the message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the flag corresponds to a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value contained in a header portion of the flagged message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the request for QoS resources has failed;

not failing the group communication session attempt even though the request for QoS resources is determined to have failed; and

performing the sending the call message step after the not failing step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining step is based on an expiration of a timer or a message indicating failure for the request.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an identifier request to obtain the second access terminal identifier;

receiving, in response to the identifier request, an assignment message assigning the second access terminal identifier,

wherein the sending the request step is performed before the second access terminal identifier is assigned, and the sending the call message step is performed after the second access terminal identifier is assigned.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second access terminal identifiers correspond to Unicast Access Terminal Identifiers (UATIs).

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second serving areas correspond to different cells or sectors within the wireless communications system.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the request corresponds to a bundled message including a ReservationOnRequest message, a data-over-signaling (DoS) message, a ConnectionRequest message and a RouteUpdate message.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the request corresponds to a non-bundled ReservationOnRequest message.

19. A method of setting up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources at an access terminal within a wireless communications system, comprising:

sending a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

determining that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;

sending a second request, in response to the determining step and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

receiving an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining that the first request has failed to obtain the requested QoS resources;

not failing the group communication session attempt even though the first request is determined to have failed to obtain the requested QoS resources; and

performing the sending the second request step after the not failing step.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining that the request for QoS resources has failed step is based on an expiration of a timer or a message indicating failure for the first request.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

sending an identifier request to obtain the second access terminal identifier;

receiving, in response to the identifier request, an assignment message assigning the second access terminal identifier,

wherein the sending the first request step is performed before the second access terminal identifier is assigned, and the sending the second request step is performed after the second access terminal identifier is assigned.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second access terminal identifiers correspond to Unicast Access Terminal Identifiers (UATIs).

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second serving areas correspond to different cells or sectors within the wireless communications system.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the first request corresponds to a bundled message including a ReservationOnRequest message, a data-over-signaling (DoS) message, a ConnectionRequest message and a RouteUpdate message.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the first request corresponds to a non-bundled ReservationOnRequest message.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the second request corresponds to a non-bundled ReservationOnRequest message.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals.

29. A method of setting up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources at an access network within a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session and includes a flag configured to prompt the access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal;

determining whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

allocating the QoS resources to the access terminal if the determining step determines the QoS resources have not yet been allocated.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a request, within a second serving area, for the QoS resources, the request including a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area; and

not granting the request because the first access terminal identifier does not identify the access terminal within the second serving area.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a call message, within the second serving area, that requests set-up of the group communication session by an application server, the call message based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the call message corresponds to the received message.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

forwarding the call message to the application server; and

receiving an acknowledgment of the forwarded call message from the application server

wherein the received message corresponds to the acknowledgment.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an identifier request from the access terminal to obtain the second access terminal identifier;

sending, in response to the identifier request, an assignment message assigning the second access terminal identifier to the access terminal,

wherein the receiving step receives the received message after the second access terminal identifier is assigned.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second access terminal identifiers correspond to Unicast Access Terminal Identifiers (UATIs).

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second serving areas correspond to different cells or sectors within the wireless communications system.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the receiving step receives the received message either from the access terminal or from an application server configured to arbitrate the group communication session.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the received message corresponds to a message received from the application server for transmission to the access terminal that is configured to instruct the access terminal that the group communication session can begin.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the received message is a STATUS message.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the flag corresponds to a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value contained in a header portion of the received message.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals.

42. A method of setting up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources at an application server configured to arbitrate the group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

configuring a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session to include a flag configured to prompt an access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

forwarding the configured message to an access network for transmission to the access terminal.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving a call message from the access terminal that requests set-up of the group communication session by the application server;

forwarding an acknowledgment of the call message to the access network for transmission to the access terminal,

wherein the configured message corresponds to the forwarded acknowledgment.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving a call message from the access terminal that requests set-up of the group communication session by the application server;

forwarding an announce message to the access network for transmission to a group of target access terminals;

receiving an acceptance message from one of the group of target access terminals indicating that the announced group communication session has been accepted; and

forwarding, in response to the received acceptance message, a status message to the access network for transmission to the access terminal that indicates the group communication session can begin,

wherein the configured message corresponds to the forwarded status message.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals.

46. A method of setting up a group communication session at an access terminal within a wireless communications system, comprising:

determining to terminate a first communication session;

sending a first request to an access network to relinquish Quality of Service (QoS) resources for the first communication session;

determining to set-up a second communication session before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished;

receiving a message from the access network that confirms that the QoS resources for the first communication session have been relinquished; and

responsive to the received message, sending a second request to the access network to establish QoS resources for the second communication session.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the access terminal corresponds to an originator of the second communication session, further comprising:

responsive to the determining to set-up the second communication session step, sending one or more call messages to the access network to request set-up of the second communication session by an application server before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the one or more call messages requesting set-up of the second communication session are sent on a traffic channel (TCH) that was used for the first communication session.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the access terminal corresponds to a target of the second communication session, further comprising:

receiving an announce message that announces the second communication session,

wherein the determining to set-up the second communication session step corresponds to a decision by the access terminal to accept the announce message.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the announce message that announces the second communication session is received on a traffic channel (TCH) that was used for the first communication session.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the first request corresponds to a ReservationOffRequest message.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the second request corresponds to a ReservationOnRequest message.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein the received message corresponds to a ReservationAccept message.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein the determining to terminate step is based on an independent decision of the access terminal or a user of the access terminal to terminate the first communication session.

56. The method of claim 46, wherein the determining to terminate step is based on a given message from the access network that instructs the access terminal to terminate the first communication session.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the given message is an END message from the access network.

58. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for sending a request, within a second serving area, for QoS resources, the request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

means for sending a call message, within the second serving area, that requests set-up of the group communication session by an application server, the call message based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

means for receiving an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the call message.

59. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for sending a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

means for determining that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;

means for sending a second request, in response to the determining step and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

means for receiving an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request.

60. An access network configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session and includes a flag configured to prompt the access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal;

means for determining whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

means for allocating the QoS resources to the access terminal if the determining step determines the QoS resources have not yet been allocated.

61. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for configuring a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session to include a flag configured to prompt an access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

means for forwarding the configured message to an access network for transmission to the access terminal.

62. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for determining to terminate a first communication session;

means for sending a first request to an access network to relinquish Quality of Service (QoS) resources for the first communication session;

means for determining to set-up a second communication session before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished;

means for receiving a message from the access network that confirms that the QoS resources for the first communication session have been relinquished; and

means for, responsive to the received message, sending a second request to the access network to establish QoS resources for the second communication session.

63. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to send a request, within a second serving area, for QoS resources, the request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

logic configured to send a call message, within the second serving area, that requests set-up of the group communication session by an application server, the call message based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

logic configured to receive an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the call message.

64. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to send a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

logic configured to determine that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;

logic configured to send a second request, in response to the determining step and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

logic configured to receive an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request.

65. An access network configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session and includes a flag configured to prompt the access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal;

logic configured to determine whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

logic configured to allocate the QoS resources to the access terminal if the determining step determines the QoS resources have not yet been allocated.

66. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to configure a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session to include a flag configured to prompt an access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

logic configured to forward the configured message to an access network for transmission to the access terminal.

67. An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to determine to terminate a first communication session;

logic configured to send a first request to an access network to relinquish Quality of Service (QoS) resources for the first communication session;

logic configured to determine to set-up a second communication session before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished;

logic configured to receive a message from the access network that confirms that the QoS resources for the first communication session have been relinquished; and

logic configured to, responsive to the received message, send a second request to the access network to establish QoS resources for the second communication session.

68. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, causes the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to send a request, within a second serving area, for QoS resources, the request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

program code to send a call message, within the second serving area, that requests set-up of the group communication session by an application server, the call message based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

program code to receive an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the call message.

69. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, causes the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to send a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;

program code to determine that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;

program code to send a second request, in response to the determining step and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and

program code to receive an allocation of the requested QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request.

70. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access network configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, causes the access network to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session and includes a flag configured to prompt the access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal;

program code to determine whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

program code to allocate the QoS resources to the access terminal if the determining step determines the QoS resources have not yet been allocated.

71. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, causes the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to configure a message that is related to an access terminal'"'"'s attempt to originate the group communication session to include a flag configured to prompt an access network to conditionally allocate QoS resources to the access terminal based on whether the QoS resources have already been allocated to the access terminal; and

program code to forward the configured message to an access network for transmission to the access terminal.

72. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to set-up a group communication within a wireless communications system, causes the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to determine to terminate a first communication session;

program code to send a first request to an access network to relinquish Quality of Service (QoS) resources for the first communication session;

program code to determine to set-up a second communication session before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished;

program code to receive a message from the access network that confirms that the QoS resources for the first communication session have been relinquished; and

program code to, responsive to the received message, send a second request to the access network to establish QoS resources for the second communication session.