Method and apparatus for providing distinctive levels of access to resources on a high-speed wireless packet data network

• US 7,787,371 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Davolos, Christopher John, Walsh, Patrick Jay, Laha, Subhasis
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Seema S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baron; Henry
• Application Number:
  US10/447,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040240383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,651 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/442, 455/13, 370/230, 370/342, 370/235, 370/445
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the 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: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing system resources in a data transmission system are disclosed herein. An adaptive packet inactivity timer can be associated with the data transmission system, wherein the adaptive packet inactivity timer dynamically changes a behavior thereof based on one or more customer attributes, such as, for example, of quality of service (QoS) level. The customer attribute is linked to a plurality of timer parameters that define the behavior of the adaptive packet inactivity timer for management of the data transmission system. Additionally, the customer attributes can be assigned to a customer based on a contract level associated with the customer, or based on an application type intended for use with the customer contract.

Claims

1. A method for managing system resources in a data transmission system, said method comprising the steps of:

associating an adaptive packet inactivity timer with said data transmission system, wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer comprises a plurality of timer parameters that employ a plurality of varying values to dynamically change a behavior thereof when associated with one or more quality of service levels assigned based on at least one customer application type or contract level, and wherein at least one of said one or more quality of service levels comprises an ANSI-41 parameter sent during a call set-up; and

linking said one or more quality of service levels to said plurality of timer parameters that define said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer to manage use of said system resources in said data transmission system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

instantiating said adaptive packet inactivity timer according to said plurality of varying parameters;

thereby changing said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of configuring said data transmission system to comprise an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) module for transmitting at least one customer attribute.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of configuring said data transmission system to comprise:

at least one HLR operable to transmit said one or more quality of service levels to at least one VLR;

a radio network controller operable to receive said one or more quality of service levels from said at least one VLR; and

a packet control function operable to receive said one or more quality of service levels from said radio network controller, wherein said packet control function is operable to process said adaptive packet inactivity timer.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

automatically notifying said radio network controller when said adaptive packet inactivity timer expires at said packet control function; and

thereafter releasing a traffic channel associated with a call thereof.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

utilizing said one or more quality of service levels as an index of said plurality of timer parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating an adaptive packet inactivity timer with said data transmission system, and wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer comprises said plurality of timer parameters that employ said plurality of varying values to dynamically change said behavior thereof when associated with one or more quality of service levels, further comprises the step of:

associating said adaptive packet inactivity timer with said data transmission system, wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer dynamically changes said behavior thereof based on a plurality of customer attributes operating simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer is optimized towards a particular set of applications designated by the at least one of said one or more quality of service levels.

8. A method for managing system resources in a data

transmission system, said method comprising the steps of:

associating an adaptive packet inactivity timer with said data transmission system, wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer comprises a plurality of timer parameters that employ a plurality of varying values to dynamically change a behavior thereof when associated with one or more quality of service levels assigned based on at least one customer application type or contract level, and wherein at least one of said one or more quality of service levels comprises an ANSI-41 parameter sent during a call set-up;

linking said one or more quality of service levels to said plurality of timer parameters that define said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer to manage use of said system resources in said data transmission system; and

instantiating said adaptive packet inactivity timer according to said plurality of varying parameters;

thereby changing said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer is optimized towards a particular set of applications designated by the at least one of said one or more quality of service levels.

9. An apparatus for managing system resources in a data transmission system, said apparatus comprising:

an adaptive packet inactivity timer associated with said data transmission system, wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer comprises a plurality of timer parameters that employ a plurality of varying values to dynamically change a behavior thereof when associated with one or more quality of service levels assigned based on at least one customer application type or contract level, and wherein at least one of said one or more quality of service levels comprises an ANSI-41 parameter sent during a call set-up; and

a plurality of timer parameters stored within a database associated with said data transmission system, wherein said one or more quality of service levels are linked to said plurality of timer parameters, and wherein said plurality of timer parameters define said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer to manage use of said system resources in said data transmission system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

said adaptive packet inactivity timer is instantiated according to a plurality of varying parameters;

to alter said behavior of said adaptive packet inactivity timer.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data transmission system comprises an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) module for transmitting at least one customer attribute.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data transmission system comprises:

at least one HLR operable to transmit said one or more quality of service levels to at least one VLR;

a radio network controller operable to receive said one or more quality of service levels from said at least one VLR; and

a packet control function operable to receive said one or more quality of service levels from said radio network controller, wherein said packet control function is operable to process said adaptive packet inactivity timer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said radio network controller is automatically notified when said adaptive packet inactivity timer expires at said packet control function, such that thereafter a traffic channel associated with a call thereof is released.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said adaptive packet inactivity tinier dynamically changes said behavior thereof based on a plurality of customer attributes operating simultaneously.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said adaptive packet inactivity timer is optimized towards a particular set of applications designated by the at least one of said one or more quality of service levels.