SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING RATE CONTROL IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110228673A1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grayson, Mark, Iyer, Jayaraman R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/17 Interaction among intermediate nodes, e.g. hop by hop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/748 Negotiation of resources, e.g. modification of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes identifying a bandwidth parameter associated with a network link. The method includes evaluating a bandwidth request associated with user equipment, the bandwidth request is associated with a session, which involves the user equipment and which implicates the network link. The bandwidth request can be modified based on the bandwidth parameter that was identified. In more detailed embodiments, one or more header extensions in one or more packets are evaluated in order to assist in identifying the bandwidth parameter. The one or more header extensions can include a selected one of packet sequence numbers, an average packet transmission rate, an average packet receiving rate, and a packet reception error rate. In other examples, modifying the bandwidth request can include downgrading the bandwidth request to lower a bit rate based on the bandwidth parameter identified for the network link.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a bandwidth parameter associated with a network link;

evaluating a bandwidth request associated with user equipment, wherein the bandwidth request is associated with a session, which involves the user equipment and which implicates the network link; and

modifying the bandwidth request based on the bandwidth parameter that was identified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more header extensions in one or more packets are evaluated in order to assist in identifying the bandwidth parameter, and wherein the one or more header extensions include a selected one of packet sequence numbers, an average packet transmission rate, an average packet receiving rate, and a packet reception error rate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying the bandwidth request includes downgrading the bandwidth request to lower a bit rate based on the bandwidth parameter identified for the network link.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bandwidth parameter associated with the network link is subsequently evaluated in order to reverse the downgrading of the bandwidth request.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the header extensions include negotiated aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR)/guaranteed bit rate (GBR) values.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying that the AMBR/GBR value cannot be sustained due to the bandwidth parameter; and

communicating to a mobility management entity (MME) that a packet data protocol (PDP) context modification should occur for downgrading the network link.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a local gateway (L-GW) option for a subsequent request; and

determining not to downgrade the network link based on the L-GW option being present.

8. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

identifying a bandwidth parameter associated with a network link;

evaluating a bandwidth request associated with user equipment, wherein the bandwidth request is associated with a session, which involves the user equipment and which implicates the network link; and

modifying the bandwidth request based on the bandwidth parameter that was identified.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein one or more header extensions in one or more packets are evaluated in order to assist in identifying the bandwidth parameter, and wherein the one or more header extensions include a selected one of packet sequence numbers, an average packet transmission rate, an average packet receiving rate, and a packet reception error rate.

10. The logic of claim 9, wherein one or more of the header extensions include negotiated aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR)/guaranteed bit rate (GBR) values.

11. The logic of claim 9, being further operable to perform operations comprising:

identifying that the AMBR/GBR value cannot be sustained due to the bandwidth parameter; and

communicating to a mobility management entity (MME) that a packet data protocol (PDP) context modification should occur for downgrading the network link.

12. The logic of claim 8, wherein the bandwidth parameter associated with the network link is subsequently evaluated in order to reverse a downgrading of the bandwidth request.

13. The logic of claim 8, being further operable to perform operations comprising:

identifying a local gateway (L-GW) option for a subsequent request; and

determining not to downgrade the network link based on the L-GW option being present.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data,

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, and

a bandwidth sensing module configured to;

identify a bandwidth parameter associated with a network link;

evaluate a bandwidth request associated with user equipment, wherein the bandwidth request is associated with a session, which involves the user equipment and which implicates the network link; and

modify the bandwidth request based on the bandwidth parameter that was identified.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one or more header extensions in one or more packets are evaluated in order to assist in identifying the bandwidth parameter, and wherein the one or more header extensions include a selected one of packet sequence numbers, an average packet transmission rate, an average packet receiving rate, and a packet reception error rate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein modifying the bandwidth request includes downgrading the bandwidth request to lower a bit rate based on the bandwidth parameter identified for the network link.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bandwidth parameter associated with the network link is subsequently evaluated in order to reverse the downgrading of the bandwidth request.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein one or more of the header extensions include negotiated aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR)/guaranteed bit rate (GBR) values.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the bandwidth sensing module is further configured to:

identify that the AMBR/GBR value cannot be sustained due to the bandwidth parameter; and

communicate to a mobility management entity (MME) that a packet data protocol (PDP) context modification should occur for downgrading the network link.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bandwidth sensing module is further configured to:

identify a local gateway (L-GW) option for a subsequent request; and

determine not to downgrade the network link based on the L-GW option being present.