Methods and apparatus for controlling IP applications during resources shortages

• US 7,536,192 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Neill, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US11/137,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 455/512, 455/414.1, 455/509, 455/436, 455/408, 455/34.1, 455/54.1, 455/453, 455/442, 455/450, 455/452.1
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections

Abstract

This invention describes how combined session and resource tracking in a mobile node (MN) and/or basestation in a dynamic network resource environment can be used to control reactions to resource shortages. The session that is to experience a resource shortage is detected either by the MN, or communicated to the MN where session signaling is used to modify the session according to MN and basestation policy/configuration. The basestation can alternatively modify the session itself with all the session peers, on behalf of the MN. The specific new reaction to resource shortages that is then enabled is to place the session on hold such that the resources are freed, but so that the session state is maintained in the peers. This is preferable to dropping the session, as is generally the case in dynamic environments, if the likely period of resource loss is short and the session modifications require less overhead than restarting the session when the resources return after dropping the session. In addition, before having resources removed, the basestation can provide the MN with an opportunity to upgrade the priority of its resource request compared to other users in the cell, so that a resource auction is conducted to decide which MN actually loses its resources.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile communications device, in a communications system wherein communications resources are shared, the method comprising:

responding to a loss of communications resources used by a communications session by placing said, communications session in a session hold state in which at least one other party to the communications session is aware that said mobile communications device is in a session hold state; and

responding to allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state by restoring said communications session to an active session state, said active session state involving the use of the allocated resources by said communications session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a session hold message indicative of the loss of resources; and

wherein said step of responding to said loss of resources is performed in response to receiving said session hold message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

detecting said loss of communications resources; and

identifying a communications session affected by said loss of communications resources, said identified communications session being the communications session that is placed into a session hold state.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending, over a wireless communications link, a session hold message to a participant in said communications session which is placed into a session hold state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said session hold message is a multicast group message which identifies said communications session and includes a reason for putting said communications session into a hold state.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said session hold message is a unicast message which identifies said communications session and includes a reason for putting said communications session into a hold state.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

processing a response to the session hold message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said response indicates whether said session hold was accepted or rejected.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said loss of communications resources is due to resource reallocation in a cell in which said mobile communications device is operating.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein placing said communications session into a session hold state includes:

operating an application to indicate to a user of the mobile node that said communications session is being placed into a session hold state; and

maintaining in memory communications information relating to said communications session placed into a session hold, state.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state.

12. The method of claim 11, said step of detecting the allocation of resources includes:

receiving a resource available message from a base station.

13. The method of claim 11,

wherein responding to allocation of resources to said communications session includes indicating to a user of the mobile device that the communications session has been restored to an active state.

14. A method of operating a mobile communications device, in a communications system wherein communications resources are shared, the method comprising:

responding to a loss of communications resources used by a communications session by placing said communications session in a session hold state in which at least one other party to the communications session is aware that said mobile node is in a session hold state;

responding to allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state by restoring said communications session to an active session state, said active session state involving the use of the allocated resources by said communications session;

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

15. A method of operating a mobile communications device, in a communications system wherein communications resources are shared, the method comprising:

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed;

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded;

wherein the mobile communications device receives multiple upgrade option messages and sends multiple replies as part of a bidding session for shared communications session resources; and

wherein the method further comprises;

responding to a loss of communications resources used by a communications session by placing said communications session in a session hold state; and

responding to allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state by restoring said communications session to an active session state, said active session state involving the use of the allocated resources by said communications session.

16. A mobile communications device comprising:

means for responding to a loss of communications resources used by a communications session by placing said communications session in a session hold state in which at least one other party to the communications session is aware that said mobile node is in a session hold state; and

means for responding to allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state by restoring said communications session to an active session state, said active session state involving the use of the allocated resources by said communications session.

17. The mobile communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

means for sending a session hold message to a participant in said communications session which is placed into a hold state.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting the allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state.

19. A mobile communications device comprising:

means for responding to a loss of communications resources used by a communications session by placing said communications session in a session hold state in which at least one other party to the communications session is aware that said mobile node is in a session hold state; and

means for responding to allocation of resources to said communications session in said session hold state by restoring said communications session to an active session state, said active session state involving the use of the allocated resources by said communications session;

means for receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

means for sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

20. A method of operating a mobile communications device in a communications network having shared communications resources, comprising:

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a signal indicating that a communications session is to be put into a hold state; and

operating an application associated with said communications session to be put into a hold state to perform a session hold action.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

operating said application associated with said communications session to perform a session action including the use of shared communication resources which were unavailable while said communications session was in said session hold state.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the

session hold action includes indicating to a user of the mobile communications device that said communications session has been put into the hold state.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a signal indicating that said communications session is to be changed from said hold state to an active state.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting when a shared communication resource being used by said mobile communications device becomes unavailable;

identifying a communications session affected by said shared communication resource being unavailable; and

transmitting a session hold message to indicate that said affected communications session is to be put into a hold state.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the session hold message identifies the mobile communications device transmitting said message and said affected communications session.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

operating the affected communications application to implement a session hold operation.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of operating the affected communications application to implement as session hold operation includes indicating to the user of the mobile communications device that the affected communications session has been put on hold.

29. A method of operating a mobile communications device in a communications network having shared communications resources, comprising;

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed;

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded; and

wherein the mobile communications device receives multiple upgrade option messages and sends multiple replies as part of a bidding session for shared communications session resources.

30. A mobile communications device comprising:

means for receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having, shared communications resources being used by said mobile calumniations device to support a communications session removed; and

means for sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

31. The mobile communications device of claim 30, further comprising:

means for receiving input from a user indicating if resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

32. A mobile communications device comprising a processor configured to control the mobile communications device, in a communications network having shared communications resources, to implement a communications method, the method comprising:

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

33. The mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a signal indicating that a communications session is to be put into a hold state; and

operating an application associated with said communications session to be put into a hold state to perform a session hold action.

34. The mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein the session hold action includes indicating to a user of the mobile communications device that said communications session has been put into the hold state.

35. A mobile communications device controlled by the processor under direction of one or more routines stored in the memory for use in a communications system wherein communications resources are shared, to implement a communications method, the method comprising:

receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a signal indicating that a communications session is to be put into a hold state; and

operating an application associated with said communications session to be put into a hold state to perform a session hold action.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the session hold action includes indicating to a user of the mobile communications device that said communications session has been put into the hold state.

38. A mobile communications device comprising:

a receiver for receiving an upgrade option message presenting an opportunity to upgrade a resource allocation priority prior to having shared communications resources being used by said mobile communications device to support a communications session removed; and

a transmitter for sending a reply to said received upgrade option message indicating if the resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.

39. The mobile communications device of claim 38, further comprising:

a user input device for receiving input from a user indicating is resource allocation priority is to be upgraded.