Uplink congestion detection and control between nodes in a radio access network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for managing an overload or congestion condition between nodes in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:
- monitoring for congestion in the RAN caused by transporting information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN;
detecting congestion over a base station-to-radio network controller interface or a radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN, said congestion being caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN; and
reducing the detected congestion over the base station-to-radio network controller interface or the radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN, wherein mobile terminals that can request service from the RAN over a radio interface are not nodes contained within the RAN, andwherein the RAN includes a first radio network controller coupled to a radio base station, and wherein the radio network controller detects uplink congestion over the base station and a radio network controller interface between the radio network controller and the radio base station,wherein the reducing the detected congestion includes taking an action to reduce a parameter associated with a bit rate at which the information is transported over the base station and radio network controller interface, andwherein the bit rate parameter is reduced based on an absolute bit rate parameter value or on a relative bit rate parameter value,wherein the absolute bit rate parameter value corresponds to a maximum bit rate or transmission rower and the relative bit rate parameter value corresponds to a percentage or fraction of a current bit rate or transmission power.
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Abstract
Congestion in a radio access network (RAN) associated with transporting uplink information originating from one or more mobile terminals is detected. That detected RAN congestion is reduced using any suitable technique (several examples are described) and may be implemented in one or more nodes in the RAN. One advantageous (but non-limiting) application is to a RAN that supports high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA) and/or one or more enhanced uplink dedicated channels (E-DCHs).
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for managing an overload or congestion condition between nodes in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:
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monitoring for congestion in the RAN caused by transporting information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN; detecting congestion over a base station-to-radio network controller interface or a radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN, said congestion being caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN; and reducing the detected congestion over the base station-to-radio network controller interface or the radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN, wherein mobile terminals that can request service from the RAN over a radio interface are not nodes contained within the RAN, and wherein the RAN includes a first radio network controller coupled to a radio base station, and wherein the radio network controller detects uplink congestion over the base station and a radio network controller interface between the radio network controller and the radio base station, wherein the reducing the detected congestion includes taking an action to reduce a parameter associated with a bit rate at which the information is transported over the base station and radio network controller interface, and wherein the bit rate parameter is reduced based on an absolute bit rate parameter value or on a relative bit rate parameter value, wherein the absolute bit rate parameter value corresponds to a maximum bit rate or transmission rower and the relative bit rate parameter value corresponds to a percentage or fraction of a current bit rate or transmission power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for managing an overload or congestion condition between nodes in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:
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monitoring for congestion in the RAN caused by transporting information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN; detecting congestion over a base station-to-radio network controller interface or a radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN, said congestion being caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN; and reducing the detected congestion over the base station-to-radio network controller interface or the radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN caused by transporting the information between a base station and a radio network controller or two radio network controllers contained in the RAN, wherein mobile terminals that can request service from the RAN over a radio interface are not nodes contained within the RAN, wherein the RAN includes a first radio network controller coupled to a radio base station, and wherein the radio network controller detects uplink congestion over the base station and a radio network controller interface between the radio network controller and the radio base station, wherein a first amount of bandwidth allocated to uplink dedicated channels and a second amount of bandwidth is allocated to enhanced uplink dedicated channels, and wherein the radio network controller sends a message to the radio base station to reduce the second amount of bandwidth when uplink congestion is detected in the RAN.
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14. Apparatus for use in managing an overload or congestion condition between nodes contained in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:
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a congestion detector for monitoring and detecting congestion on a link between two nodes contained in the RAN, where mobile terminals which receive service from the RAN are not nodes contained within the RAN, said congestion being caused by transporting the information on the link between the two nodes in the RAN, and a congestion controller for reducing the detected congestion on the link between the two nodes contained in the RAN associated with transporting the information on the link between the two nodes contained in the RAN, wherein the congestion controller is configured to reduce a parameter associated with a bit rate at which uplink mobile terminal information is transported through the RAN, and wherein the congestion controller is configured to send an absolute bit rate parameter value or a relative bit rate parameter value for use by the radio base station to reduce a bit rate or power of one or more uplink mobile terminal transmissions, wherein the absolute bit rate parameter value corresponds to a maximum bit rate or transmission power and the relative bit rate parameter value corresponds to a percentage or fraction of a current bit rate or transmission power. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for use in managing an overload or congestion condition in a radio access network (RAN) associated with transporting information in the RAN, comprising:
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a scheduler for scheduling uplink transmissions from one or more mobile terminals, and a congestion controller, coupled to the scheduler, for reducing congestion over a base station-to-base station interface, a base station-to-radio network controller interface, or a radio network controller-to-radio network controller interface within the RAN, said congestion being caused by transporting the information between two base stations, a base station and a radio network controller, or two radio network controllers contained within the RAN, wherein mobile terminals which receive service from the RAN are not contained within the RAN, and wherein the congestion controller is configured to receive one or more messages from a radio network controller in the RAN including information associated with reducing congestion in the RAN associated with transporting through the RAN the information received via an uplink radio interface from mobile terminals over one or more enhanced uplink dedicated channels (E-DCHs), wherein the congestion controller is configured to reduce a bit rate or power associated with one or more uplink mobile terminal communications using negative acknowledgement messages. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification