Bandwidth allocation based on dormancy transitions

• US 8,270,411 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Leung, Anthony Kit-yui, Bhan, Ashish, Singh, Jasinder Pal, Shah, Maulik K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shivers, Ashley
• Application Number:
  US12/635,892
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/395.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods that allocate bandwidth to a mobile device based on the quantity of dormancy transitions performed by the mobile device. In a particular embodiment, an access node exchanges communications with a mobile device over a wireless link during an initial period of time. A control system determines the quantity of dormancy transitions by the mobile device during the initial period of time. After the initial period of time, the control system receives an access request from the mobile device to access the wireless link. The control system determines a bandwidth allocation on the wireless link for the mobile device based on the quantity of transitions that occurred during the initial period of time. The access node can then exchange data communications with the mobile device over the wireless link based on the bandwidth allocation.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

exchanging communications with a mobile device over a wireless link during an initial period of time;

determining a quantity of transitions by the mobile device from a dormant state during the initial period of time;

assigning a grade of service factor to the mobile device based on the quantity of transitions that occurred during the initial period of time;

receiving an access request from the mobile device to access the wireless link after the initial period of time;

determining a bandwidth allocation on the wireless link for the mobile device based on the grade of service factor;

exchanging data communications with the mobile device over the wireless link based on the bandwidth allocation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transitions by the mobile device from a dormant state comprise transitions from the dormant state to an active state.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications with the mobile device over the wireless link during the initial period of time comprise a plurality of previous access requests from the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the quantity of transitions by the mobile device from the dormant state during the initial period of time comprises the quantity of access requests received during the initial period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the bandwidth allocation is further based on a proportional fairness scheduling algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing the quantity of transitions to a plurality of transition thresholds, wherein each transition threshold has an associated grade of service factor, and

if the quantity of transitions satisfies at least one transition threshold of the plurality of transition thresholds, selecting the grade of service factor that coincides with the transition threshold of the at least one transition thresholds that has the highest value.

7. A communication system comprising:

an access node configured to exchange communications with a mobile device over a wireless link during an initial period of time;

a bandwidth control system configured to determine a quantity of transitions by the mobile device from a dormant state during the initial period of time, assign a grade of service factor to the mobile device based on the quantity of transitions that occurred during the initial period of time, receive an access request from the mobile device to access the wireless link after the initial period of time, and determine a bandwidth allocation on the wireless link for the mobile device based on the grade of service factor; and

the access node further configured to exchange data communications with the mobile device over the wireless link based on the bandwidth allocation.

8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the transitions by the mobile device from a dormant state comprise transitions from the dormant state to an active state.

9. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the communications with the mobile device over the wireless link during the initial period of time comprise a plurality of previous access requests from the mobile device.

10. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the quantity of transitions by the mobile device from the dormant state during the initial period of time comprise the quantity of access requests received during the initial period of time.

11. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the bandwidth control system is further configured to determine the bandwidth allocation based on a proportional fairness scheduling algorithm.

12. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the bandwidth control system is further configured to compare the quantity of transitions to a plurality of transition thresholds, wherein each transition threshold has an associated grade of service factor, and, if the quantity of transitions satisfies at least one transition threshold of the plurality of transition thresholds, selecting the grade of service factor that coincides with the transition threshold of the at least one transition thresholds that has the highest value.

13. A method of operating a bandwidth control system comprising:

determining a quantity of transitions by a mobile device from a dormant state during an initial period of time, during which the mobile device exchanges communications with a wireless access node over a wireless link;

assigning a grade of service factor to the mobile device based on the quantity of transitions that occurred during the initial period of time;

receiving an access request from the mobile device to access the wireless link after the initial period of time;

determining a bandwidth allocation on the wireless link for the mobile device based on the grade of service factor; and

transferring an instruction indicating the bandwidth allocation, after which the mobile device exchanges communications with the wireless access node over the wireless link based on the bandwidth allocation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the transitions by the mobile device from a dormant state comprises transitions from the dormant state to an active state.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the communications exchanged by the mobile device with the wireless access node comprise a plurality of previous access requests from the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the quantity of transitions by the mobile device from the dormant state during the initial period of time comprise the quantity of access requests received during the initial period of time.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein determining the bandwidth allocation further based on a proportional fairness scheduling algorithm.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

comparing the quantity of transitions to a plurality of transition thresholds, wherein each transition threshold has an associated grade of service factor, and

if the quantity of transitions satisfies at least one transition threshold of the plurality of transition thresholds, selecting the grade of service factor that coincides with the transition threshold of the at least one transition thresholds that has the highest value.