Method and Apparatus

• US 20120287790A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Min, Zhou, Wei Hua, Zhao, Zhu Yan, Du, Lei
• Application Number:
  US13/521,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage

Abstract

A method including determining traffic adjustment information for traffic from a base station to a relay node in dependence on a quantity of data intended for each user equipment at a first quality of service level on a first radio bearer; and causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent to a network element.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining traffic adjustment information for traffic from a base station to a relay node in dependence on a quantity of data intended for each user equipment at a first quality of service level on a first radio bearer; and

causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent to a network element.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining is responsive to traffic congestion.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising determining traffic adjustment information for said first radio bearer between said base station and said relay node.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises determining traffic adjustment information in dependence on the quantity of data intended for said user equipment at a plurality of quality of service levels on a plurality of radio bearers between the base station and the relay node.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises determining a weight dependent on each quality of service level on a plurality of radio bearers between the base station and the relay node.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said quality of service is indicated by a quality of service class index.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent to said network element comprises providing a MAC layer message.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, comprising causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent in a MAC control element.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, comprising causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent in a MAC packet data unit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent to said network element occurs periodically.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said causing said traffic adjustment information to be sent to said network element occurs in response to a trigger.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said trigger comprises a buffer being filled to a predetermined extent.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network element comprises said base station.

14. A method comprising:

receiving traffic adjustment information for at least one radio bearer from a relay node; and

using said traffic adjustment information to control the traffic rate of said at least one radio bearer between said relay node and said base station, said at least one radio bearer having an associated quality of service and configured to carry data for a plurality of user equipment.

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32. A method comprising:

receiving in a network element, via a tunnel, traffic adjustment information for traffic from a base station to a relay node, and

using said traffic adjustment information to adjust the traffic on a bearer between said base station and said relay node associated with said tunnel.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said network element comprises said base station and said method comprises receiving in said base station said traffic adjustment information and preventing the forwarding of at least one flow control specific packet to a gateway

34. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said network element comprises a gateway

35. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said traffic adjustment information comprises one of:

decrease traffic rate;

increase traffic rate;

stop sending traffic and start sending traffic.

36. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said traffic adjustment information is provided in a GTP packet.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36, wherein said traffic adjustment information is provided with an empty GTP packet.

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