Messages and control methods for controlling resource allocation and flow admission control in a mobile communications system

• US 7,027,400 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flarion Technologies (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neill, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngo, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US10/739,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 370/235, 370/236, 370/338, 370/468, 370/230, 370/401, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• 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 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/767 after changing the attachment point, e.g. after hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS
• 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 69/166 IP fragmentation; TCP segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 : Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 : between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 : Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 : between backbone network devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for aggregating IP packets over an access link between a wireless access router and a core node and for managing resource allocation to access link packet aggregates, e.g., as a function of the status of wireless communications links used to couple mobile nodes to the access router are described. Improved aggregate resource control messages and use of such messages are described. Some of the new messages allow aggregate resources for both upstream and downstream aggregates to be controlled in a single message. A single message may include information corresponding to multiple aggregates and/or multiple constituent flows included in an aggregate with aggregate direction information being included. Use of tunnels to communicate management messages, e.g., messages used to control resource allocation to aggregates is also described. Propagation of access link aggregate information is communicated to tunnel end nodes which generate packets that are communicated over the access link.

Claims

1. A method of communicating packet flow aggregation information from a first node to a second node, in a system which uses a first packet flow aggregate to communicate a first set of constituent packet flows in a first direction between said first and second nodes, said method including:

transmitting an aggregation management message from the first node, said aggregation management message including;

i) a first aggregate identifier which uniquely identifies a first packet flow aggregate to which at least some of the information included in the aggregation message applies;

ii) a first aggregate classifier including classification information which can be used to classify packet flows as corresponding to the packet flow aggregate identified by said first aggregate identifier; and

iii) information identifying at least two constituent packet flows which are included in said first packet flow aggregate; and

wherein said aggregation management message establishes a mapping between said at least two constituent packet flows and said packet flow aggregate classifier.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message from said first node to said second node, said packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message including;

a message identifier identifying said message as a packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message; and

information indicating downlink resources available for allocation to downlink packet flow aggregates.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message further includes:

a set of downstream resource allocation weights used to control allocation of said indicated available downlink resources amongst a plurality of downlink packet aggregates.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message further includes:

information indicating uplink resources available to be allocated to uplink packet flow aggregates.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said packet flow aggregate resource allocation update message further includes:

a set of upstream resource allocation weights used to control allocation of said indicated uplink resources amongst a plurality of uplink packet aggregates.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a packet flow aggregate resource allocation reply message from said second node to said first node, said packet flow aggregate resource reply message including;

a packet flow aggregate identifier; and

information indicating a positive or negative acknowledgment of a previous message from the first node relating to resource allocation to at least one packet flow aggregate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, transmitting in said packet flow aggregate resource reply message a set of modified resource allocation weights to be used in controlling allocation of resources to the packet flow aggregate identified by the packet flow aggregate identifier included in said packet flow aggregate resource allocation reply message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, transmitting in said packet flow aggregate resource reply message information indicating a modified set of resources available for use by the packet flow aggregate identifier included in said packet flow that is identified by the packet flow aggregate resource allocation reply message.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said first node is a base station.

2. A method of communicating packet flow aggregation information from a first node to a second node, in a system which uses a first packet flow aggregate to communicate a first set of constituent packet flows in a first direction between said first and second nodes, said method including:

transmitting an aggregation management message from the first node, said aggregation management message including;

i) a first aggregate identifier which uniquely identifies a first packet flow aggregate to which at least some of the information included in the aggregation message applies;

ii) a first aggregate classifier including classification information which can be used to classify packet flows as corresponding to the packet flow aggregate identified by said first aggregate identifier; and

iii) information identifying at least two constituent packet flows which are included in said first packet flow aggregate; and

wherein said step of transmitting said aggregation message includes transmitting in said message, information indicating the direction of said first packet flow aggregate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said information identifying at least two constituent packet flows which are included in said first packet flow aggregate includes, for each identified constituent packet flow:

i) a unique constituent packet flow identifier; and

ii) information indicating resources allocated for said identified constituent packet flow.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of transmitting said aggregation message includes transmitting in said message, information including:

i) a second aggregate identifier which uniquely identifies a second packet flow aggregate to which at least some of the information included in the aggregation message applies;

ii) a second aggregate classifier including classification information which can be used to classify packet flows as corresponding to the packet flow aggregate identified by said second aggregate identifier; and

iii) information identifying at least two constituent packet flows which are included in said second packet aggregate.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of transmitting said aggregation message includes transmitting in said message, information including:

a second aggregation direction indicator, said aggregation direction indicator indicating an aggregation direction for said second packet flow aggregate which is opposite to the direction of said first packet flow aggregate.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein said first node is a base station.

13. A communications method for use in a communications system including a first node, a second node, a third node and a fourth node, said third node having an IP address used to identify packets transmitted to or transmitted from said third node, a packet flow existing between said third node and said fourth node, each packet included in said packet flow including the third address, said packet flow passing through said first and second nodes, the method comprising:

generating at said first node an aggregate management message that establishes a mapping between said packet flow and a packet flow aggregate extending between said first and second nodes to be used to convey said packet flow, said aggregate management message including;

i) an aggregate classifier including information used to classify packets as corresponding to said packet flow aggregate;

ii) at least one packet flow classifier including information used to classify packets as corresponding to said at least one packet flow; and

a source address corresponding to said first node, wherein any IP packet address included in the aggregate management message within said message but outside said packet flow classifier being different from the IP address of said third node; and

transmitting said generated aggregate management message to said second node.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said third node is a mobile node, the first node is an access node coupled to said mobile node by a wireless communication link, said second node is a network node coupled to said access node and wherein said fourth node is a mobile IP Home agent node.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating information into said message indicating resources assigned for said packet flow aggregate.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating an aggregate identifier which uniquely identifies said packet flow aggregate, and a constituent flow identifier that uniquely identifies said packet flow.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating at least one additional packet flow classifier corresponding to another packet flow to be included in said packet flow aggregate.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating at least one additional packet aggregate classifier corresponding to another packet aggregate extending between said first and second nodes.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating aggregate direction indication information indicating the direction of said packet flow aggregate, this being one of either;

i) from the first node to the second node or ii) from the second node to the first node.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating aggregate parameter direction indication information indicating that said packet flow aggregate corresponds to a different direction than said another packet flow aggregate that has either a packet aggregate classifier or a packet aggregate identifier included in said message.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating a message identifier used to uniquely identify the message within a plurality of such generated messages.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating said aggregate management message includes:

incorporating information indicating resources specifically required for one or more packet flows for which the associated packet flow classifier or identifier is included in said message.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein said first node is a base station.