Method and system for quality of service management in a multi-standard mesh of networks

• US 8,665,735 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Behzad, Arya, Buer, Mark, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, MacInnis, Alexander G., Quigley, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Suk Jin
• Application Number:
  US11/971,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for quality of service management in a multi-standard mesh of networks are provided. In a wireless mobile communication device (WMCD) enabled to communicate utilizing a variety of communication networks, QoS information, such as latency, available bandwidth, and/or throughput, communicated to the WMCD may enable the coordination of data transfers to and/or from the WMCD. In this regard, the WMCD and each of the networks may comprise a QoS management entity. A QoS management entity may be enabled to poll other QoS management entities to discover QoS information. Similarly, a QoS management entity may be enabled to receive QoS information broadcast by other QoS management entities. A QoS management entity may enable selecting a network and/or communication protocol for the transmission and/or reception of data based on exchanged QoS information.

Claims

1. A method for providing network communication, the method comprising:

in a first wireless mobile communication device (WMCD) comprising a first Quality of Service (QoS) management entity that manages QoS for a plurality of wireless protocols handled by said WMCD;

determining, based on QoS information communicated between said first QoS management entity and a second QoS management entity residing in a second WMCD, whether said second WMCD has available resources for communicating data over a higher-power dissipating connection, said QoS information being communicated via a dedicated wireless QoS channel, wherein the dedicated wireless QoS channel is one of a plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels and each of the plurality of wireless protocols corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels; and

communicating, based on said determining, said data from said first WMCD to said second WMCD via a lower-power dissipating wireless connection to enable said second WMCD to subsequently transmit said communicated data via said higher-power dissipating connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said QoS information from said second QoS management entity residing in said second WMCD.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second QoS management entity communicates said QoS information to said first QoS management entity only when a network in which said second QoS management entity resides meets minimum QoS requirements.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said QoS information communicated between said first and second QoS management entities includes QoS information for a network in which said second QoS management entity resides and for down-stream networks, wherein said down-stream networks are along a route from said second WMCD to a source or destination of said data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity polling one or more other QoS management entities.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity requesting said QoS information from said second QoS management entity.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising negotiating with said second QoS management entity to coordinate said communicating of said data.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said minimum QoS requirements comprise one or more of:

power dissipation requirements and monetary cost requirements.

25. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating test traffic and tracking said test traffic as said test traffic traverses a network in which said first QoS management entity resides.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for providing network communication, the at least one code section being executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:

in a first wireless mobile communication device (WMCD) comprising a first Quality of Service (QoS) management entity that manages QoS for a plurality of wireless protocols handled by said WMCD;

determining, based on QoS information communicated between said first QoS management entity and a second QoS management entity residing in a second WMCD, whether said second WMCD has available resources for communicating data over a higher-power dissipating connection, a portion of said QoS information being communicated upon a change in said available resources via a dedicated wireless QoS channel, wherein the dedicated wireless QoS channel is one of a plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels and each of the plurality of wireless protocols corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels; and

communicating, based on said determining, said data from said first WMCD to said second WMCD via a lower-power dissipating wireless connection to enable said second WMCD to subsequently transmit said communicated data via said higher-power dissipating connection.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for receiving said QoS information from said second QoS management entity residing in said second WMCD.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said second QoS management entity communicates said QoS information to said first QoS management entity only when a network in which said second QoS management entity resides meets minimum QoS requirements.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, said QoS information communicated between said first and second QoS management entities includes QoS information for a network in which said second QoS management entity resides and for down-stream networks, wherein said down-stream networks are along a route from said second WMCD to a source or destination of said data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity polling one or more other QoS management entities.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity requesting said QoS information from said second QoS management entity.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for negotiating with said second QoS management entity to coordinate said communicating of said data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said minimum QoS requirements comprise one or more of:

power dissipation requirements and monetary cost requirements.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for generating test traffic and tracking said test traffic as said test traffic traverses a network in which said first QoS management entity resides.

17. A system for providing network communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a first wireless mobile communication device (WMCD), said one or more circuits comprising a first Quality of Service (QoS) management entity that is operable to manage QoS for a plurality of wireless protocols handled by said WMCD, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to;

determine, based on QoS information communicated between said first QoS management entity and a second QoS management entity residing in a second WMCD, whether said second WMCD has available resources for communicating data over a higher-power dissipating connection, said QoS information being communicated via a dedicated wireless QoS channel wherein the dedicated wireless QoS channel is one of a plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels and each of the plurality of wireless protocols corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels; and

communicating, based on said determining, said data from said first WMCD to said second WMCD via a lower-power dissipating wireless connection to enable said second WMCD to subsequently transmit said communicated data via said higher-power dissipating connection.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive said QoS information from said second QoS management entity residing in said second WMCD.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said second QoS management entity communicates said QoS information to said first QoS management entity only when a network in which said second QoS management entity resides meets minimum QoS requirements.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said QoS information communicated between said first and second QoS management entities includes QoS information for a network in which said second QoS management entity resides and for down-stream networks, wherein said down-stream networks are along a route from said second WMCD to a source or destination of said data.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity polling one or more other QoS management entities.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said QoS information is communicated as a result of said first QoS management entity requesting said QoS information from at least one of said one or more other said second QoS management entity.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to negotiate with said second QoS management entity to coordinate said communicating of said data.

24. The system according to claim 19, wherein said minimum QoS requirements comprise one or more of:

power dissipation requirements and monetary cost requirements.

27. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate test traffic and track said test traffic as said test traffic traverses a network in which said first QoS management entity resides.

28. A method for providing network communication, the method comprising:

in a first wireless mobile communication device (WMCD) comprising a first Quality of Service (QoS) management entity that manages QoS for a plurality of wireless protocols handled by said WMCD;

determining, based on QoS information communicated between said first QoS management entity and a second QoS management entity residing in a second WMCD, whether said second WMCD has available resources for communicating data over a lower-power dissipating connection, a portion of said QoS information being communicated upon a change in said available resources, via a dedicated wireless QoS channel, wherein the dedicated wireless QoS channel is one of a plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels and each of the plurality of wireless protocols corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of dedicated wireless QoS channels; and

communicating, based on said determining, said data from said first WMCD to said second WMCD via a higher-power dissipating wireless connection to enable said second WMCD to subsequently transmit said communicated data via said lower-power dissipating connection.