METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SCHEDULING NETWORK TRAFFIC IN THE PRESENCE OF RELAYS

• US 20120250603A1
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaolong, Prakash, Rajat
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that include scheduling best effort (BE) traffic for devices communicating with a relay. A donor evolved Node B (eNB) schedules BE traffic for various devices based on a historical throughput. The donor eNB can determine a number of devices served by the relay for discounting the historical throughput, and accordingly assigning resources based on the number of devices instead of the single relay. In this regard, the donor eNB can maintain proportional fairness of the BE scheduling. Alternatively, the relay can request a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer to handle the BE traffic, where the requested data rate of the GBR bearer allows for communicating the BE traffic for the number of devices. Resource allocation for BE traffic can also be bound by a maximum throughput at the relay and/or one or more access link data rates.

Claims

1. A method for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

transmitting an indication of a number of served UEs; and

transmitting a request to establish a bearer for communicating best effort traffic for the served UEs based at least in part on the number of served UEs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the indication includes specifying a quality of service class identifier that corresponds to the number of served UEs in the request to establish the bearer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the indication includes transmitting the indication to an operation, administration, and management server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a different indication of a maximum throughput over one or more access links with the served UEs to the donor eNB.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a different indication of one or more access link data rates to the donor eNB.

6. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit an indication of a number of served UEs; and

transmit a request to establish a bearer for communicating best effort traffic for the served UEs based at least in part on the number of served UEs; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor transmits the indication at least in part by specifying a quality of service class identifier that corresponds to the number of served UEs in the request to establish the bearer.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor transmits the indication to an operation, administration, and management server.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a different indication of a maximum throughput over one or more access links with the served UEs to the donor eNB.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a different indication of one or more access link data rates to the donor eNB.

11. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

means for transmitting an indication of a number of served UEs; and

means for transmitting a request to establish a bearer for communicating best effort traffic for the served UEs based at least in part on the number of served UEs.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the indication specifies a quality of service class identifier that corresponds to the number of served UEs in the request to establish the bearer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the indication transmits the indication to an operation, administration, and management server.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for transmitting a different indication of a maximum throughput over one or more access links with the served UEs to the donor eNB.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for transmitting a different indication of one or more access link data rates to the donor eNB.

16. A computer program product for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to transmit an indication of a number of served UEs; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit a request to establish a bearer for communicating best effort traffic for the served UEs based at least in part on the number of served UEs.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the indication specifies a quality of service class identifier that corresponds to the number of served UEs in the request to establish the bearer.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the indication transmits the indication to an operation, administration, and management server.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to transmit a different indication of a maximum throughput over one or more access links with the served UEs to the donor eNB.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to transmit a different indication of one or more access link data rates to the donor eNB.

21. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a connection number indicating component for transmitting an indication of a number of served UEs; and

a bearer requesting component for transmitting a request to establish a bearer for communicating best effort traffic for the served UEs based at least in part on the number of served UEs.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connection number indicating component specifies a quality of service class identifier that corresponds to the number of served UEs in the request to establish the bearer.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connection number indicating component transmits the indication to an operation, administration, and management server.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a maximum throughput determining component for transmitting a different indication of a maximum throughput over one or more access links with the served UEs to the donor eNB.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an access link rate determining component for transmitting a different indication of one or more access link data rates to the donor eNB.

26. A method for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

determining one or more parameters related to best effort traffic with a donor eNB; and

requesting a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer from the donor eNB specifying a data rate based on the one or more parameters and a number of served UEs.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the determining the one or more parameters comprises determining a best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the specifying the data rate comprises specifying the best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

probing a best effort bearer with the donor eNB following establishment of the GBR bearer with the donor eNB to determine an updated best effort data rate related to the donor eNB; and

requesting modification of the GBR bearer specifying the data rate as the updated best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

establishing the GBR bearer with the donor eNB; and

mapping the served UEs to resources of the GBR bearer for communicating best effort traffic.

30. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine one or more parameters related to best effort traffic with a donor eNB; and

request a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer from the donor eNB specifying a data rate based on the one or more parameters and a number of served UEs; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor determines the one or more parameters as a best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and specifies the data rate as the best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

probe a best effort bearer with the donor eNB following establishment of the GBR bearer with the donor eNB to determine an updated best effort data rate related to the donor eNB; and

request modification of the GBR bearer specifying the data rate as the updated best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

establish the GBR bearer with the donor eNB; and

map the served UEs to resources of the GBR bearer for communicating best effort traffic.

34. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

means for determining one or more parameters related to best effort traffic with a donor eNB; and

means for requesting a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer from the donor eNB specifying a data rate based on the one or more parameters and a number of served UEs.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the means for determining determines the one or more parameters as a best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the means for requesting specifies the data rate as the best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the means for determining probes a best effort bearer with the donor eNB following establishment of the GBR bearer with the donor eNB to determine an updated best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the means for requesting requests modification of the GBR bearer specifying the data rate as the updated best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for mapping the served UEs to resources of the GBR bearer for communicating best effort traffic, wherein the means for requesting establishes the GBR bearer with the donor eNB.

38. A computer program product for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to determine one or more parameters related to best effort traffic with a donor eNB; and

code for causing the at least one computer to request a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer from the donor eNB specifying a data rate based on the one or more parameters and a number of served UEs.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the one or more parameters as a best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the code for causing the at least one computer to request specifies the data rate as the best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine probes a best effort bearer with the donor eNB following establishment of the GBR bearer with the donor eNB to determine an updated best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the code for causing the at least one computer to request requests modification of the GBR bearer specifying the data rate as the updated best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

41. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to map the served UEs to resources of the GBR bearer for communicating best effort traffic, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to request establishes the GBR bearer with the donor eNB.

42. An apparatus for requesting best effort resource scheduling from a donor evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a best effort throughput determining component for determining one or more parameters related to best effort traffic with a donor eNB; and

a bearer requesting component for requesting a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) bearer from the donor eNB specifying a data rate based on the one or more parameters and a number of served UEs.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the best effort throughput determining component determines the one or more parameters as a best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the bearer requesting component specifies the data rate as the best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the best effort throughput determining component probes a best effort bearer with the donor eNB following establishment of the GBR bearer with the donor eNB to determine an updated best effort data rate related to the donor eNB, and the bearer requesting component requests modification of the GBR bearer specifying the data rate as the updated best effort data rate multiplied by the number of served UEs.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a flow mapping component for mapping the served UEs to resources of the GBR bearer for communicating best effort traffic, wherein the bearer requesting component establishes the GBR bearer with the donor eNB.

46. A method for allocating best effort resources for one or more relay evolved Node Bs (eNB), comprising:

receiving a request for a best effort bearer from a relay eNB;

determining a number of UEs served by the relay eNB;

discounting a historical throughput of the relay eNB by the number of UEs; and

allocating resources for the best effort bearer to the relay eNB based at least in part on the discounted historical throughput.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the determining the number of UEs is based at least in part on obtaining a quality of service class identifier specified in the request.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the determining the number of UEs is based at least in part on requesting the number of UEs from an operation, administration, and management server.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising inspecting packets received from or transmitted to the relay eNB to determine a number of different identifiers in the packets, wherein the determining the number of UEs is based at least in part on determining the number of different identifiers.

50. The method of claim 46, further comprising receiving a maximum throughput from the relay eNB, wherein the allocating the resources is further based at least in part on the maximum throughput.

51. The method of claim 46, further comprising receiving one or more access link data rates from the relay eNB, wherein the allocating the resources is further based at least in part on the one or more access link data rates.

52. An apparatus for allocating best effort resources for one or more relay evolved Node Bs (eNB), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a request for a best effort bearer from a relay eNB;

determine a number of UEs served by the relay eNB;

discount a historical throughput of the relay eNB by the number of UEs; and

allocate resource for the best effort bearer to the relay eNB based at least in part on the discounted historical throughput; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor determines the number of UEs based at least in part on determining a quality of service class identifier specified in the request.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor determines the number of UEs based at least in part on requesting the number of UEs from an operation, administration, and management server.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to inspect packets received from or transmitted to the relay eNB to determine a number of different identifiers in the packets, and wherein the at least one processor determines the number of UEs based at least in part on the number of different identifiers.

56. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a maximum throughput from the relay eNB, and wherein the at least one processor allocates the resources further based at least in part on the maximum throughput.

57. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive one or more access link data rates from the relay eNB, and wherein the at least one processor allocates the resources further based at least in part on the one or more access link data rates.

58. An apparatus for allocating best effort resources for one or more relay evolved Node Bs (eNB), comprising:

means for receiving a request for a best effort bearer from a relay eNB;

means for determining a number of UEs served by the relay eNB; and

means for allocating resources for the best effort bearer to the relay eNB based at least in part on discounting a historical throughput of the relay eNB based on the number of UEs served by the relay eNB.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the means for determining determines the number of UEs based at least in part on determining a quality of service class identifier specified in the request.

60. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the means for determining determines the number of UEs based at least in part on requesting the number of UEs from an operation, administration, and management server.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the means for determining inspects packets received from or transmitted to the relay eNB to determine a number of different identifiers in the packets, and determines the number of UEs based at least in part on the number of different identifiers.

62. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising means for receiving a maximum throughput from the relay eNB, wherein the means for allocating allocates the resources further based at least in part on the maximum throughput.

63. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising means for receiving one or more access link data rates from the relay eNB, wherein the means for allocating allocates the resources further based at least in part on the one or more access link data rates.

64. A computer program product for allocating best effort resources for one or more relay evolved Node Bs (eNB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a request for a best effort bearer from a relay eNB;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a number of UEs served by the relay eNB;

code for causing the at least one computer to discount a historical throughput of the relay eNB by the number of UEs; and

code for causing the at least one computer to allocate the best effort bearer to the relay eNB based at least in part on the discounted historical throughput.

65. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the number of UEs based at least in part on determining a quality of service class identifier specified in the request.

66. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the number of UEs based at least in part on requesting the number of UEs from an operation, administration, and management server.

67. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to inspect packets received from or transmitted to the relay eNB to determine a number of different identifiers in the packets, and wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the number of UEs based at least in part on the number of different identifiers.

68. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a maximum throughput from the relay eNB, and wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to allocate allocates the resources further based at least in part on the maximum throughput.

69. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive one or more access link data rates from the relay eNB, and wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to allocate allocates the resources further based at least in part on the one or more access link data rates.

70. An apparatus for allocating best effort resources for one or more relay evolved Node Bs (eNB), comprising:

a bearer establishing component for receiving a request for a best effort bearer from a relay eNB;

a connection count determining component for determining a number of UEs served by the relay eNB; and

a best effort traffic scheduling component for allocating resources for the best effort bearer to the relay eNB based at least in part on discounting a historical throughput of the relay eNB based on the number of UEs served by the relay eNB.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the connection count determining component determines the number of UEs based at least in part on determining a quality of service class identifier specified in the request.

72. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the connection count determining component determines the number of UEs based at least in part on requesting the number of UEs from an operation, administration, and management server.

73. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the connection count determining component inspects packets received from or transmitted to the relay eNB to determine a number of different identifiers in the packets, and determines the number of UEs based at least in part on the number of different identifiers.

74. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising a maximum throughput receiving component for receiving a maximum throughput from the relay eNB, wherein the best effort traffic scheduling component allocates the resources further based at least in part on the maximum throughput.

75. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising an access link rate receiving component for receiving one or more access link data rates from the relay eNB, wherein the best effort traffic scheduling component allocates the resources further based at least in part on the one or more access link data rates.