Network delay shaping system and method for backhaul of wireless networks

• US 8,194,544 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson Wifi Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: BelAir Networks Inc (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Smith, Roland A., Williams, Chris, Rayment, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Eunsook
• Application Number:
  US11/938,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0658 Clock or time synchronisation among packet nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection

Abstract

A distributed or centralized network backhaul delay system includes a plurality of cellular base transceiver stations. Each cellular base transceiver station includes a network backhaul delay element. The network backhaul delay element is configured to calculate delay information associated with network delays between cell sites. The network backhaul delay element is configured to adjust and shape the relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed.

Claims

1. A distributed network backhaul delay system, comprising:

a plurality of cellular base transceiver stations; and

a plurality of network backhaul delay elements, each of the plurality of network backhaul delay elements being located at a central office, wherein each of the plurality of network backhaul delay elements is associated with a different one of the plurality of cellular base transceiver stations, wherein each network backhaul delay element is configured to adjust and shape relative network delays to minimize network delays between cell sites to enable soft handoff to be performed, said each network backhaul delay element shaping the delays such that the largest delays correspond to the most interior areas of cellular coverage of the cell sites.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each network backhaul delay element is configured to calculate delay information associated with network delays between cell sites.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each network backhaul delay element is associated with a pseudowire controller, wherein each pseudowire controller is configured to perform pseudowire conversions, and wherein each pseudowire controller is configured to modify a pseudowire jitter buffer size to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each network backhaul delay element further comprises a pseudowire controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said each network backhaul delay element shapes the delays to provide a minimum relative delay between said plurality of cellular base transceiver stations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each cellular base transceiver station is associated with a pseudowire controller, wherein the pseudowire controller is configured to perform pseudowire conversions, and wherein the pseudowire controller is configured to modify a pseudowire jitter buffer size to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network management device configured to manage the network delays.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the network management device is further configured to adjust and shape the network delays to minimize overall and differential network delays between cell sites.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the network management device is further configured to use the delay information to monitor and measure changes in network topology resulting from network reconfigurations.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the network management device is further configured to use the delay information to compensate for the network delays.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each network backhaul delay element is further configured to modify packet sizes of packets communicated within the network to alter the network delays between the cell sites.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein substantially all packets in a data stream are delayed by a predetermined duration.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the network delays are shaped such that the largest delays correspond to the most interior areas of cellular coverage.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the network comprises wireless mesh backhaul links.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pseudowire box to substantially match a mean delay corresponding to delays of first and second hop cell sites.