System and method for dynamic allocation of capacity on wireless networks

• US 7,420,981 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark J., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US11/248,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 370233-235, 370328-349, 370412-442, 370/352, 370/395, 370/401, 455450-517, 379207-266
• US Class Current: 370/412
• 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 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A wireless communication system is described for allocating limited network access according to priorities designated for requested transactions of wireless communications. The wireless network has a number of access links for transmitting transactions for wireless communications. A plurality of wireless communications devices request transmission of transactions on the wireless network. A designated priority level is associated with each transaction. In response to the transaction requests, an access control manager in the wireless network schedules transmission of transactions when all of the plurality of access links are occupied, by authorizing a transmission of a transaction of higher priority than another transaction that is being transmitted, and discontinuing the transmission of the transaction of lower priority.

Claims

1. A communications device for accessing a network, the communications device comprising:

an application operative to specify a first priority level for a communication, the first priority level being selected from a plurality of possible priority levels;

a communications manager operative to configure a control packet based on the first priority level associated with the communication;

a transmitter operative to transmit the control packet to the network, wherein a communication associated with a second priority level accessing the network is discontinued to allow the communication associated with the first priority level to access the network in response to receipt of the control packet, the first priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the second priority level;

after transmission of the control packet, the communications manager further operative to receive a notification from the network that access to the network at the first priority level is unavailable; and

the application further operative to specify a third priority level for the communication originally associated with the first priority level in response to the notification received by the communications manager that access to the network at the first priority level is unavailable.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communication associated with the first priority level includes time-sensitive information.

3. The communications device of claim 2, wherein the time-sensitive information comprises speech communication.

4. The communications device of claim 3, wherein the speech communication is communicated using a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP).

5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the control packet includes information specifying at least one of a connection establishment, a desired data rate, a priority level, a symmetric transmission, a asymmetric transmission, an encryption on/off, an acceptable delay, an estimated quantity of data to transmit, an expected duration, a destination point of session, an originating device ID, and a required number of packets per second.

6. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further operative to transmit the communication associated with the third priority level to the network, the third priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the first priority level.

7. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communications device is operative to contemporaneously communicate at the first priority level and at the third priority level.

8. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the application is further operative to contemporaneously communicate at the first priority level and at the third priority level.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications manager is further operative to receive authorization information from the network regarding communicating on the network at the first priority level.

10. A method for accessing a network, the method comprising:

specifying a first priority level for a communication, the first priority level being selected from a plurality of possible priority levels;

configuring a control packet based on the first priority level associated with the communication;

transmitting the control packet to the network, wherein a communication associated with a second priority level accessing the network is discontinued to allow the communication associated with the first priority level to access the network in response to receipt of the control packet, the first priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the second priority level;

after transmitting the control packet, receiving a notification from the network that access to the network at the first priority level is unavailable; and

specifying a third priority level for the communication originally associated with the first priority level in response to the received notification that access to the network at the first priority level is unavailable.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication associated with the first priority level includes time-sensitive information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the time-sensitive information comprises speech communication.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the speech communication is communicated using a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP).

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the control packet includes information specifying at least one of a connection establishment, a desired data rate, a priority level, a symmetric transmission, a asymmetric transmission, an encryption on/off, an acceptable delay, an estimated quantity of data to transmit, an expected duration, a destination point of session, an originating device ID, and a required number of packets per second.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the communication associated with the third priority level to the network, the third priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the first priority level.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising contemporaneously communicating at the first priority level and at the third priority level.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving authorization information from the network regarding communicating on the network at the first priority level.

18. A method for accessing a network, the method comprising:

specifying a first priority level for a first communication, the first priority level being selected from a plurality of possible priority levels;

configuring a control packet based on the first priority level associated with the first communication, wherein the control packet includes information specifying at least one of a connection establishment, a desired data rate, a priority level, a symmetric transmission, a asymmetric transmission, an encryption on/off, an acceptable delay, an estimated quantity of data to transmit, an expected duration, a destination point of session, an originating device ID, and a required number of packets per second;

transmitting the control packet to the network, wherein a second communication associated with a second priority level accessing the network is discontinued to allow the first communication associated with the first priority level to access the network in response to receipt of the control packet, the first priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the second priority level; and

after transmitting the control packet, specifying a third priority level for the first communication, the third priority level different from the first priority level.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first communication includes time-sensitive information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the time-sensitive information comprises speech communication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the speech communication is communicated using a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP).

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting the first communication associated with the third priority level to the network, the third priority level corresponding to a higher priority level than the first priority level.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising contemporaneously communicating at the first priority level and at the third priority level.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving authorization information from the network regarding communicating on the network at the first priority level.