Adaptive quality of service policy for dynamic networks

• US 8,867,390 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Liren, Steenstra, Jack, Taylor, Kirk S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH NGOC M
• Application Number:
  US13/460,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20120213114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/232, 370/235, 370/241, 370/252
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0017 where the mode-switching is based on Quality of Service requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0098 Unequal error protection

Abstract

A close-loop quality of service system is provided that collects real-time network performance indicators at the physical, data link and network layers. Using those indicators, the system dynamically controls the network traffic in order to achieve improved performance according to the priority and policy defined by a data user or system/network administrator. Several features of this quality of service system includes (1) dynamic maximum bandwidth reallocation, (2) dynamic maximum packet sizing, (3) adaptive policing, and/or (4) real-time link status feedbacks to make more efficient use of available bandwidth and adjust to transmission requirements.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive bandwidth reallocation for quality of service policy of a dynamic communication link comprising:

receiving digital information from one or more sources;

organizing the digital information into packets, each packet associated with one of a plurality of service classes;

dynamically adjusting a quality of service policy to control network traffic when network performance indicators change; and

transmitting the packets according to a predefined quality of service policy;

wherein the dynamically adjusting the quality of service policy comprises reallocating maximum bandwidth per service class to improve overall quality of service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring jitter characteristics of the dynamic communication link.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a delivery priority level associated with each packet is determined by the timing requirements of the digital information contained in the packet.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically adjusting a maximum packet size for the packets to maintain a maximum packet transmission time across the dynamic communication link approximately constant; and

rearranging the order of packets to give time-sensitive packets greater priority if jitter is present.

5. An apparatus for adaptively reallocating bandwidth for quality of service policy of a dynamic communication link comprising:

means for receiving digital information from one or more sources;

means for organizing the digital information into packets, each packet associated with one of a plurality of service classes;

means for dynamically adjusting a quality of service policy to control network traffic when network performance indicators; and

means for transmitting the packets according to a predefined quality of service policy;

wherein the means for dynamically adjusting the quality of service policy comprises means for reallocating maximum bandwidth per service class to improve overall quality of service.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

means for monitoring jitter characteristics of the dynamic communication link.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a delivery priority level associated with each packet is determined by the timing requirements of the digital information contained in the packet.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

means for dynamically adjusting a maximum packet size for the packets to maintain a maximum packet transmission time across the dynamic communication link approximately constant; and

means for rearranging the order of packets to give time-sensitive packets greater priority if jitter is present.

9. An apparatus for adaptively reallocating bandwidth for quality of service policy of a dynamic communication link comprising:

a receiver configured to receive digital information from one or more sources;

a processor configured to;

organize the digital information into packets, each packet associated with one of a plurality of service classes; and

dynamically adjust a quality of service policy to control network traffic when network performance indicators change; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the packets according to a predefined quality of service policy;

wherein dynamically adjusting the quality of service policy comprises reallocating maximum bandwidth per service class to improve overall quality of service.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to monitor jitter characteristics of the dynamic communication link.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a delivery priority level associated with each packet is determined by the timing requirements of the digital information contained in the packet.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to:

dynamically adjust a maximum packet size for the packets to maintain a maximum packet transmission time across the dynamic communication link approximately constant; and

rearrange the order of packets to give time-sensitive packets greater priority if jitter is present.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored thereon, the set of instructions being executable by one or more processors and the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for organizing digital information received from a plurality of sources into packets, each packet associated with one of a plurality of service classes;

instructions for dynamically adjusting a quality of service policy to control network traffic when network performance indicators change; and

instructions for providing the packets for transmission according to a predefined quality of service policy;

wherein instructions for dynamically adjusting the quality of service policy comprise instructions for reallocating maximum bandwidth per service class to improve overall quality of service.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

instructions for monitoring jitter characteristics of the dynamic communication link.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein a delivery priority level associated with each packet is determined based on the timing requirements of the digital information contained in the packet.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

instructions for dynamically adjusting a maximum packet size for the packets to maintain a maximum packet transmission time across the dynamic communication link approximately constant; and

instructions for rearranging the order of packets to give time-sensitive packets greater priority if jitter is present.