IP-flow characterization in a wireless point to multi-point (PTMP) transmission system

• US 6,590,885 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Malibu Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Jacob W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US09/350,150
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/468, 370/230, 370/349, 370/312, 370/229, 370/235, 370/328, 370/329, 370/464, 370/465, 370/432, 370/390, 704/234
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0414 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 : Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 : Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0242 : Determining whether packet losses are due to overload or to deterioration of radio communication conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0273 : adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00
• 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 28/20 : Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 : Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1221 : based on age of data to be sent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system, including: a wireless base station coupled to a first data network; one or more host workstations coupled to the first data network; one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with the wireless base station over a shared bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of the subscriber CPE stations over a second network; a resource allocation device optimizing end-user quality of service (QoS) and allocating shared bandwidth among the subscriber CPE stations; a device for analyzing and scheduling an internet protocol (IP) flow over the shared wireless bandwidth. The analyzing device includes a characterizing device for characterizing the IP flow. The characterizing device can include a device for determining whether a packet is older than a threshold age. The age determining device can include a device for analyzing a time to live (TTL) packet header field for determining the age of the packet, or a device for anticipating application IP flow discards based on the age of the packet. The characterizing device can include a device for determining a QoS requirement for the IP flow if the IP flow is a new IP flow. The characterizing device scan include a device for determining a subscriber CPE identification for a subscriber CPE station associated with the IP flow if the IP flow is a new IP flow.

Claims

1. A packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system comprising:

a wireless base station coupled to a first data network;

one or more host workstations coupled to said first data network;

one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over a shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol;

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said subscriber CPE stations over a second network;

resource allocation means for optimizing end-user quality of service (QoS) and allocating said shared wireless bandwidth among said subscriber CPE stations; and

analyzing means for analyzing and scheduling an internet protocol (IP) flow over said shared wireless bandwidth, wherein said analyzing means comprises;

characterizing means for characterizing said IP flow.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said characterizing means comprises:

means for determining whether age of a packet exceeds a threshold age.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said age determining means comprises:

means for analyzing a time to live (TTL) packet header field for determining said age of said packet.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said age determining means comprises:

means for anticipating application IP flow discards based on said age of said packet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said characterizing means comprises:

means for determining a QoS requirement for said IP flow if said IP flow is a new IP flow.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said characterizing means comprises:

means for determining a subscriber CPE identification for a said subscriber CPE station associated with said IP flow if said IP flow is a new IP flow.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said means for determining a QoS requirement for said new IP flow comprises:

means for determining QoS requirements based on at least one of;

a source address,

a destination address, and

a user datagram protocol (UDP) port number.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said means for determining a QoS requirement for said new IP flow comprises:

means for storing and retrieving a QoS requirement for an IP flow from an IP flow QoS requirement table.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said resource allocation means is application aware.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said characterization component includes a QoS requirement module operative to determine a QoS requirement for said IP flow if said IP flow is a new IP flow.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said characterization component comprises a subscriber CPE identification module operative to determine a subscriber CPE identification associated with one of said subscriber CPE stations associated with said IP flow if said IP flow is a new IP flow.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said QoS requirement module is operative to determine the QoS requirement based on at least one of a source address, a destination address, and a user datagram protocol (UDP) port number.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said QoS requirement module for said new IP flow comprises an IP flow QoS requirement table.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said QoS requirement module for said new IP flow is operative to store and retrieve a QoS requirement for an IP flow from an IP flow QoS requirement table.

10. A packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system comprising:

a wireless base station coupled to a first data network;

one or more workstations coupled to said first data network;

one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over a shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said subscriber CPE stations over a second network;

a resource allocator operative to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) and to allocate shared bandwidth among said subscriber CPE stations; and

an internet protocol (IP) analyzer and IP scheduler operative to analyze and schedule an internet protocol (IP) flow over said shared wireless bandwidth, wherein said IP analyzer and scheduler comprises;

a packet characterization component operative to characterize said IP flow.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said packet characterization component includes an age determination module operative to determine whether age of a packet exceeds a threshold age.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said age determination module analyzes a time to live (TTL) packet header field operative to determine said age of said packet.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said age determination module includes means for anticipating application IP flow discards based on said age of said packet.

19. The system according to claim 10, wherein said resource allocator is application aware, wherein said resource allocator is operative to recognize an application type associated with said IP flow by analysis of said application at above layer 4 of Open Systems Interoperability (OSI) model, and wherein said application type associated with said IP flow is operative to recognize said application type by further analysis comprising analysis of at least one of:

packet contents, packet header contents, packet payload contents, port numbers, information operated on at layer 3 of the OSI model, information operated on at layer 4 of the OSI model, information operated on at layer 5 of the OSI model, information operated on at layer 6 of the OSI model, and information operated on at layer 7 of the OSI model.

20. A computer program product embodied on a computer usable medium comprising program logic to be executed on a computer included as part of a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system comprising:

a wireless base station coupled to a first data network;

one or more host workstations coupled to said first data network;

one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over a shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said subscriber CPE stations over a second network;

wherein said computer program logic comprises;

resource allocation means for enabling a computer to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) and to allocate said shared wireless bandwidth among said subscriber CPE stations; and

analyzing means for enabling the computer to analyze and schedule an internet protocol (IP) flow over said shared wireless bandwidth, wherein said analyzing means comprises;

characterizing means for enabling the computer to characterize said IP flow.