Variable transmission rate services in a radio access network

• US 6,889,050 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Willars, Per, Rune, Göran
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/717,386
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/442, 455/450, 455/453, 455/510, 455/517, 370/310.2, 370/320, 370/329, 370/331, 370/395.21
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• 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 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A connection is supported in a radio access network (RAN) between an external network to a UE using a first RAN node and second RAN node. The transmission rate from the first RAN node to the second RAN node is regulated based on a rate control request from the second RAN node. In one example embodiment, the first and second RAN nodes correspond to a serving radio network controller and a drift radio network controller, respectively. In another example embodiment, the first and second RAN nodes correspond to a radio network controller and radio base station, respectively. The rate control request is made based upon a congestion or load condition being monitored by the second RAN node. When the load condition is detected, the second RAN node requests the first RAN node to lower the transmission rate of information. Conversely, when the load condition is relieved, the second RAN node can request that the first RAN node increase the transmission rate of information. The rate control may be applied in both downlink and uplink directions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a connection between an external network to a user equipment unit over a radio interface via a radio access network (RAN) including a first RAN node and a second RAN node;

regulating the transmission rate of information between the first RAN node to the second RAN node based on a rate control request from the second RAN;

associated with establishment of the connection, the first RAN node requests a guaranteed bit rate from the second RAN node to be supported by the second RAN node for the connection, and

the second RAN node performs an admission control operation for the connection taking into account the guaranteed bit rate and reserving resources for the guaranteed bit rate,

wherein the guaranteed bit rate is a minimum bit rate lower than a maximum bit rate permitted for the connection, and

wherein the second RAN node does not request a change in bit rate lower than the guaranteed bit rate.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the first RAN node and second RAN node correspond to a serving radio network controller and a drift radio network controller, respectively.

2. A method, comprising:

establishing a connection between an external network to a user equipment unit over a radio interface via a radio access network (RAN) including a radio network controller node and a radio base station node, and

regulating the transmission rate of information between the radio network controller node to the radio base station node based on a rate control request from the radio base station nodes,

wherein when a load condition is detected by the radio base station node, the radio base node requests the radio network controller node to lower the transmission rate of information and the radio network controller node lowers the transmission rate of information.

3. The method in claim 2, wherein the transmission rate of information is regulated in a downlink direction from the radio network controller node to the radio base station node.

4. The method in claim 2, wherein the transmission rate of information is regulated in an uplink direction from the radio base station node to the radio network controller node.

5. The method in claim 2, further comprising:

permitting an increase of the transmission rate of information when the load condition is relieved.

7. In a mobile radio communications system including a core network, a radio access network with a serving radio network controller (SRNC) coupled to an SRNC radio base station and a drift radio network controller (DRNC) coupled to a DRNC radio base station, and a user equipment unit capable of communicating with one or more base stations over a radio interface, a method comprising:

establishing connection to the user equipment unit via the SRNC, the DRNC, and the DRNC base station;

the SRNC sends a set of transport formats to be supported by the DRNC for the connection, wherein the set of transport formats includes a minimum bit rate and one or more higher bit rates; and

the DRNC performs an admission control operation for the connection and reserves resources to support the minimum bit rate;

monitoring a condition in a cell corresponding to the DRNC base station;

based on the condition in the cell, making a first request that the SRNC change a bit rate the SRNC is allowed to use; and

the SRNC changes the bit rate for the connection in response to the first request,

wherein when a congestion condition is detected in the cell, the DRNC sends a message to the SRNC restricting which one or ones of the transport formats from the transport format set may be employed.

8. The method in claim 7, further comprising:

a changed condition is detected in the cell, making an additional request that the SRNC change the bit rate the SRNC is allowed to use in accordance with the changed condition; and

changing the bit rate for the connection in response to the additional DRNC request.

9. The method in claim 7,

wherein the set of transport formats includes a guaranteed bit rate from the DRNC to be supported by the DRNC for the connection, and

the DRNC performs the admission control operation for the connection taking into account the guaranteed bit rate.

10. The method in claim 9, wherein the guaranteed bit rate is a minimum bit rate lower than a maximum bit rate permitted for the connection.

11. The method in claim 10, wherein the DRNC is not permitted to request a change in bit rate lower than the guaranteed bit rate.

12. For use in a mobile radio communications system including a core network, a radio access network with a serving radio network controller (SRNC) coupled to an SRNC radio base station and a drift radio network controller (DRNC) coupled to a DRNC radio base station, and a user equipment unit capable of communicating with one or more base stations over a radio interface, a method comprising:

establishing connection to the user equipment unit via the SRNC, the DRNC, and the DRNC base station;

monitoring a condition in a cell corresponding to the DRNC base station;

based on the condition in the cell, making a first request that the SRNC change a bit rate the SRNC is allowed to use; and

the SRNC changes the bit rate for the connection in response to the first request,

wherein the connection is mapped to one or more dedicated transport channels, the SRNC sends to the DRNC a set of transport formats for each transport channel, and the first request limits which ones of the transport formats are allowed to be used for the one or more transport channels.

13. The method in claim 12, wherein if the connection is in soft handover between two cells, the SRNC limits the bit rate for the connection in both cells to the lower of the bit rates permitted in the two cells.

14. The method in claim 12, wherein the condition is a load or congestion condition in the cell based on measured interference or transmission power.

15. In a mobile radio communications system including a core network, a radio access network with a serving radio network controller (SRNC) coupled to an SRNC radio base station and a drift radio network controller (DRNC) coupled to a DRNC radio base station, and a user equipment unit capable of communicating with one or more base stations over a radio interface, a method comprising:

establishing connection to the user equipment unit via the SRNC, the DRNC, and the DRNC base station;

monitoring a condition in a cell corresponding to the DRNC base station;

based on the condition in the cell, making a first request that the SRNC change a bit rate the SRNC is allowed to use; and

the SRNC changes the bit rate for the connection in response to the first request,

wherein the connection is mapped to one or more dedicated channels, and the SRNC determines how to respond to the request based one or more attributes associated with the transport channels.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein for a real time type of service, the SRNC initiates a rate control procedure with the core network to limit the rate at which information associated with the connection is provided to the radio access network.

17. The method in claim 15, wherein for a non-real time type of service, the SRNC schedules delivery of information associated with the connection over the transport channel in accordance with a change in a maximum allowed bit rate.

18. Apparatus for use in a radio access network, comprising:

a first RAN node configured to establish a connection between an external network and a user equipment unit over a radio interface via radio access network (RAN), where the connection is supported by the first RAN node and a second RAN node, and

the second RAN node configured to regulate a transmission rate of information associated with the user equipment unit from the first RAN node to the second RAN node based on a rate control request from the second RAN node,

wherein the first RAN node is configured to request a guaranteed bit rate from the second RAN node to be supported by the second RAN node for the connection, and the second RAN node is configured to perform an admission control operation for the connection taking into account the guaranteed bit rate,

wherein the guaranteed bit rate is a minimum bit rate lower than a maximum bit rate permitted for the connection, and

wherein the second RAN node is configured to not request a change in bit rate lower than the guaranteed bit rate.

19. The apparatus in claim 18, wherein the rate control request is made based on a congestion condition being monitored by the second RAN node.

20. The apparatus in claim 19, wherein the second RAN node is configured to detect the congestion condition and lower the transmission rate of information.

21. The apparatus in claim 20, wherein an increase of the transmission rate of information is permitted by the second RAN node when the congestion condition is relieved.

22. The apparatus in claim 18, wherein the first RAN node and second RAN node correspond to a serving radio network controller and a drift radio network controller, respectively.

23. The apparatus in claim 18, wherein the transmission rate is regulated in a downlink direction from the radio network controller node to the radio base station node.

24. The apparatus in claim 18, wherein the transmission rate is regulated in an uplink direction from the radio base station node to the radio network controller node.

25. Apparatus for use in a radio access network, comprising

a radio network controller node configured to establish a connection between an external network and a user equipment unit over a radio interface via radio access network (RAN), where the connection is supported by the radio network controller node and a radio base station node, and

the radio base station node configured to regulate a transmission rate of information associated with the user equipment unit from the radio network controller node to the radio base station node based on a rate control request from the radio base station node,

wherein when a load condition is detected by the radio base station node, the radio base station node is configured to request the radio network controller node to lower the transmission rate of information, and in response, the radio network controller node is configured to lower the transmission rate of information.

26. A radio access network (RAN) configured to provide radio access bearer services between a core network and wireless user equipment units (UEs) over a radio interface, comprising:

a serving radio network controller (SRNC) coupled to an SRNC radio base station having a first cell area;

a drift radio network controller (DRNC) coupled to a DRNC radio base station having a second cell area,

where when the core network requests a connection to a user equipment unit, a connection is established through the SRNC and SRNC base station over the radio interface to the user equipment unit in the first cell area, and when the connection is handed over to the second cell area, the connection is established to the user equipment unit by way of the SRNC, the DRNC, and the DRNC base station;

the DRNC being configured to monitor a condition in the second cell area corresponding the DRNC base station, and based on the condition in the second cell area, to make a first request that the SRNC change a bit rate at which the SRNC is permitted to send information from the core network to the DRNC for the connection; and

the SRNC being configured to change the bit rate for the connection in response to the first request,

wherein the connection is mapped to one or more dedicated transport channels, the SRNC is configured to send to the DRNC a set of transport formats for each transport channel, and the first request limits which ones of the transport formats are allowed to be used for the one or more transport channels.

27. The RAN in claim 26, wherein if the DRNC detects a changed condition in the cell, the DRNC is configured to make a second request that the SRNC change the bit rate the SRNC is allowed to use in accordance with the changed condition, and in response to the second request, the SRNC is configured to change the bit rate for the connection.

28. The RAN in claim 26, wherein the SRNC is configured to request a guaranteed bit rate from the DRNC to be supported by the DRNC for the connection, the set of transport formats including a minimum bit rate and one or more higher bit rates, and wherein the DRNC is configured to perform an admission control operation for the connection taking into account the guaranteed bit rate.

29. The RAN in claim 28, wherein the guaranteed bit rate is a minimum bit rate lower than a maximum bit rate permitted for the connection.

30. The RAN in claim 29, wherein the DRNC is not permitted to request a change in bit rate lower than the guaranteed bit rate.

31. The RAN in claim 26, wherein the SRNC performs a radio link reconfiguration to release not allowed transport formats from the one or more dedicated transports channels.

32. The RAN in claim 26, wherein if the connection is in soft handover between two cells, the SRNC limits the bit rate for the connection in both cells to the lower of the bit rates permitted in the two cells.

33. The RAN in claims 26,

wherein the condition is a load or congestion condition in the cell as measured by interference or power levels.

34. A radio access network (RAN) configured to provide radio access bearer services between a core network and wireless user equipment units (UEs) over a radio interface, comprising:

a serving radio network controller (SRNC) coupled to an SRNC radio base station having a first cell area;

a drift radio network controller (DRNC) coupled to a DRNC radio base station having a second cell area,

where when the core network requests a connection to a user equipment unit, a connection is established through the SRNC and SRNC base station over the radio interface to the user equipment unit in the first cell area, and when the connection is handed over to the second cell area, the connection is established to the user equipment unit by way of the SRNC, the DRNC, and the DRNC base station;

the DRNC being configured to monitor a condition in the second cell area corresponding the DRNC base station, and based on the condition in the second cell area, to make a first request that the SRNC change a bit rate at which the SRNC is permitted to send information from the core network to the DRNC for the connection; and

the SRNC being configured to change the bit rate for the connection in response to the first request,

wherein the connection is mapped to one or more transport channels, and the SRNC determines how to respond to the first request based one or more attributes associated with the transport channels.

35. The RAN in claim 34, wherein for a real time type of service, the SRNC is configured to initiate a rate control procedure with the core network to limit the rate at which information associated with the connection is provided to the radio access network over the transport channel.

36. The RAN in claim 35, wherein for a non-real time type of service, the SRNC is configured to schedule delivery of information associated with the connection over the transport channel in accordance with the change in bit rate.