Selectively delaying data communications in a wireless communication system to provide voice communications capacity

• US 6,330,451 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Das, Sajal, Giridharagopal, Giri, Kakani, Naveen K., Basu, Kalyan K., Sen, Sanjoy K., Jawanda, Jastinder
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/170,843
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452, 455/453, 455/450, 455/466, 370/229, 370/230, 370/329, 375/329
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A wireless communication system selectively delays serviced data communications to produce a desired level of voice communications capacity. The system first determines whether the wireless communication system has sufficient voice communications capacity. If it is determined that the wireless communication system has insufficient voice communications capacity, the system determines a data communications delay that is required to provide sufficient voice communications capacity. Based upon its determination, the system then selectively delays some or all of the data communications to create the sufficient voice communications capacity. In one operation, one data communication serviced by the wireless communication system is selectively delayed to create the sufficient voice communications capacity. In another operation, a plurality of data communications serviced by the wireless communication system are selectively delayed to create the sufficient voice communications capacity. When a plurality of data communications being serviced by the wireless communication system, some of the plurality of the data communications serviced by the wireless communication system are delayed by a first delay level and other of the data communications serviced are delayed by a second delay level.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless communication system to manage available wireless capacity, the method comprising:

servicing a plurality of wireless subscriber units, wherein a first group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives voice service and a second group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives data service;

determining that the wireless communication system has insufficient capacity to adequately service the voice communications for the first group of wireless subscriber units;

identifying a plurality of ongoing data communications between serviced wireless subscriber units of the second plurality of subscriber units and corresponding data communication devices;

determining a delay to introduce into the plurality of ongoing data communications;

introducing the delay into the plurality of ongoing data communications;

wherein by introducing the delay into the plurality of ongoing data communications, the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases;

wherein because the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases, the corresponding data communication devices apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications at reduced rates; and

wherein by the corresponding data communication devices reducing the rate at which they apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications, the wireless capacity used by the plurality of ongoing data communications is thereby reduced to increase the wireless capacity available for the voice service provided to the first group of the wireless subscriber units.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein some of the plurality of subscriber units are both in the first group and in the second group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delay is introduced into the plurality of data communications at an intermediate protocol layer residing above a physical protocol layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer causes upper protocol layers of the corresponding data communication devices to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first delay level is introduced into some of the plurality of ongoing data communications and a second delay level is introduced into other of the plurality of ongoing data communications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the delay is introduced into the plurality of data communications at an intermediate protocol layer residing above a physical protocol layer by selectively delaying Radio Link Protocol frames.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer causes Transmission Control Protocol layers of the corresponding data communication devices to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein because the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases, the serviced wireless subscriber units of the first plurality of subscriber units also apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications at reduced rates.

9. The method of claim 8, herein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer further causes upper protocol layers of the serviced wireless subscriber units of the first plurality of subscriber units to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein introduction of the delay into the plurality of ongoing data communications is performed by a base station controller.

17. The base station controller of claim 1, wherein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer causes Transmission Control Protocol layers of the corresponding data communication devices to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

18. The base station controller of claim 1, wherein because the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases, the serviced wireless subscriber units of the first plurality of subscriber units also apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications at reduced rates.

19. The base station controller of claim 18, wherein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer further causes upper protocol layers of the serviced wireless subscriber units of the first plurality of subscriber units to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

11. A base station controller comprising:

a base station interface that interfaces the base station controller to a base station;

a mobile switching station interface that interfaces the base station controller to a mobile switching center;

wherein the base station controller services communications for a plurality of wireless subscriber units via the base station, wherein a first group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives voice service and a second group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives data service;

processing circuitry that;

determines that the base station has insufficient capacity to service the voice communications for the first group of wireless subscriber units;

identifies a plurality of ongoing data communications between serviced wireless subscriber units of the first plurality of subscriber units and corresponding data communication devices;

determines a delay to introduce into the plurality of ongoing data communications;

introduces the delay into the plurality of ongoing data communications;

wherein by introducing the delay into the plurality of ongoing data communications, the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases;

wherein because the round trip delay of the plurality of ongoing data communications increases, the corresponding data communication devices apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications at reduced rates; and

wherein by the corresponding data communication devices reducing the rate at which they apply data to the plurality of ongoing data communications, the wireless capacity used by the plurality of ongoing data communications is thereby reduced to increase the wireless capacity available for the voice service provided to the first group of the wireless subscriber units.

12. The base station controller of claim 11, wherein some of the plurality of subscriber units are both in the first group and in the second group.

13. The base station controller of claim 11, wherein the base station controller introduces the delay into the plurality of data communications at an intermediate protocol layer residing above a physical protocol layer.

14. The base station controller of claim 13, wherein the introduction of the delay at the intermediate protocol layer causes upper protocol layers of the corresponding data communication devices to reduce the rate at which they apply data to corresponding intermediate protocol layers.

15. The base station controller of claim 11, wherein a first delay level is introduced into some of the plurality of ongoing data communications and a second delay level is introduced into other of the plurality of ongoing data communications.

16. The base station controller of claim 11, herein the delay is introduced into the plurality of data communications at an intermediate protocol layer residing above a physical protocol layer by selectively delaying Radio Link Protocol frames.

20. A method for operating a wireless communication system to manage available wireless capacity within a service coverage area serviced by a base station, the method comprising:

servicing a plurality of wireless subscriber units within the service coverage area, wherein a first group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives voice service and a second group of wireless subscriber units of the plurality of wireless subscriber units receives data service;

determining that the base station has insufficient capacity to adequately service the voice communications for the first group of wireless subscriber units;

identifying an ongoing data communication between a serviced wireless subscriber unit of the second plurality of subscriber units and a corresponding data communication device;

determining a delay to introduce into ongoing data communication;

introducing the delay into the ongoing data communication;

wherein by introducing the delay into the ongoing data communication, the round trip delay of the ongoing data communications increases;

wherein because the round trip delay of the ongoing data communication increases, the corresponding data communication device applies data to the ongoing data communication at a reduced rate;

wherein because the round trip delay of the ongoing data communication increases, the serviced wireless subscriber unit also applies data to the ongoing data communication at a reduced rate; and

wherein by the serviced wireless subscriber unit and the serviced subscriber unit reducing the rate at which they apply data to the ongoing data communication, the wireless capacity used by the ongoing data communication is thereby reduced to increase the wireless capacity available for the voice service provided to the first group of the wireless subscriber units.