QUALITY OF SERVICE PRIORITISATION

• US 20140162677A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: DE PASQUALE, Andrea, SERRANO SOLSONA, Clara, DOMINGUEZ ROMERO, Francisco Javier
• Application Number:
  US13/891,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20140162677A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A cellular network comprises a base station in communication with a plurality of User Equipment stations. A scheduling controller for an entity in the cellular network is configured to allocate a priority to the transmissions for each of the plurality of User Equipment stations according to a device type determined for the respective User Equipment station. A User Equipment device analyser for an entity in a cellular network, configured to determine a device type for a User Equipment station within the cellular network on the basis of one or more of: the IMEI of the User Equipment station; the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within HTTP data.

Claims

1. A scheduling controller for an entity in a cellular network, the cellular network comprising a base station in communication with a plurality of User Equipment stations, the scheduling controller being configured to allocate a priority to the transmissions for each of the plurality of User Equipment stations according to a device type determined for the respective User Equipment station.

2. The scheduling controller of claim 1, wherein the scheduling controller is configured to allocate a priority to transmissions for a user by setting a parameter associated with user, the parameter being for use by an associated scheduler in determining the scheduling priority of transmissions for the user.

3. The scheduling controller of claim 1, further configured to determine the respective device type for each of the plurality of User Equipment stations.

4. The scheduling controller of claim 3, wherein the device type is determined on the basis of one or more of:

an indication of the device type transmitted by the User Equipment station to the cellular network;

the International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of the User Equipment station;

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.

5. The scheduling controller of claim 1, wherein the device type is indicative of one or more of:

the hardware composition of the User Equipment station;

the hardware configuration of the User Equipment station;

the operating system used by the User Equipment station;

the manufacturer of the User Equipment station; and

the model of the User Equipment station.

8. A Radio Network Controller, RNC, for a cellular network comprising at least one of:

the scheduling controller of claim 1; and

a User Equipment device analyser for an entity in a cellular network, configured to determine a device type for a User Equipment station within the cellular network on the basis of one or more of;

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.

9. A base station for a cellular network comprising at least one of:

the scheduling controller of claim 1; and

a User Equipment device analyser for an entity in a cellular network, configured to determine a device type for a User Equipment station within the cellular network on the basis of one or more of;

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.

6. A User Equipment device analyser for an entity in a cellular network, configured to determine a device type for a User Equipment station within the cellular network on the basis of one or more of:

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.

7. The User Equipment device analyser of claim 6, wherein the device type indicates one or more of:

the hardware composition of the User Equipment station;

the hardware configuration of the User Equipment station;

the operating system used by the User Equipment station;

the manufacturer of the User Equipment station; and

the model of the User Equipment station.

10. A method of allocating a priority for transmissions between a base station of a cellular network and each of a plurality of User Equipment stations, the method comprising:

allocating a priority to the transmissions for each of the plurality of User Equipment stations according to a device type determined for the respective User Equipment station.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a respective device type for each of the plurality of User Equipment stations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the device type for each User Equipment station is based on one or more of:

an indication of the device type transmitted by the respective User Equipment station to the cellular network;

the International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of the respective User Equipment station;

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the respective User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the respective User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the device type indicates one or more of:

the hardware composition of the User Equipment station;

the hardware configuration of the User Equipment station;

the operating system used by the User Equipment station;

the manufacturer of the User Equipment station; and

the model of the User Equipment station.

15. A computer program, configured when operated by a processor to carry out the method of claim 10.

13. A method of determining, at an entity of a cellular network, a device type for a User Equipment station within the cellular network on the basis of one or more of:

the International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of the User Equipment station;

the traffic pattern for previous communications between the cellular network and the User Equipment station; and

a terminal type information transmitted by the User Equipment station within Hypertext Transfer Protocol, HTTP, data.