Managing a wireless device connection in a multioperator communication system

• US 8,995,278 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Vivanco, Daniel, Sitaram, Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Saumit
• Application Number:
  US13/797,164
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/232, 370/235, 370/237, 370/238, 370/252, 370/331, 370/332, 455/411, 455/432.1, 455/452.1
• US Class Current: 370/237
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters

Abstract

In operation, a plurality of data packets is received from a wireless device in communication with a first network, the data packets comprising an indication of first network congestion. The plurality of data packets are examined to determine an application requirement and a data rate of an application running on the wireless device. When a number of indications of first network congestion in relation to the data rate meets a congestion criteria, which can be based on the application requirement, a handover is performed to hand over the wireless device to a second network.

Claims

1. A method of managing a wireless device connection, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of marked data packets from an access node to a wireless device in communication with a first network;

receiving a plurality of feedback data packets from the wireless device at the access node, wherein each of the plurality of feedback data packets are associated with at least one of the plurality of marked data packets and at least one of the plurality of feedback data packets comprise an indication of first network congestion;

inspecting the plurality of feedback data packets received at the access node for first network condition information associated with the wireless device to determine that the first network meets a first congestion criteria, wherein the first congestion criteria is based on the first network condition information associated with the wireless device and a number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion;

determining a usage fee of the wireless device associated with the first network condition information and a data rate of the first network condition information;

detecting a second network that meets a second congestion criteria; and

performing a handover of the wireless device to the second network when the number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion meets the first congestion criteria and the usage fee meets a fee criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inspecting the plurality of feedback data packets is performed at an inspection node in communication with the first access node and in communication with the first network and the second network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of first network congestion comprises explicit network congestion (ECN) information of the first network received at the second network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the handover of the wireless device to the second network when the number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion meets the first congestion criteria and the second network meets the second congestion criteria,

wherein the first congestion criteria is based on a data rate of the first network condition information associated with the wireless device and the second congestion criteria is based on an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device.

5. A method of managing a wireless device connection, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of marked data packets to a wireless device in communication with a first network;

receiving a plurality of feedback data packets from the wireless device at an inspection node, wherein each of the plurality of feedback data packets are associated with at least one of the plurality of marked data packets and at least one of the plurality of feedback data packets comprises an indication of first network congestion;

inspecting the plurality of feedback data packets to determine an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device and a data rate of the application;

determining a usage fee associated with the application running on the wireless device and the data rate of the application;

detecting a second network that meets a channel utilization criteria; and

performing a handover of the wireless device to the second network when a number of the feedback data packets meets a congestion criteria, the usage fee meets a fee criteria, wherein the congestion criteria is based on the data rate of the application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inspection node in communication with the first network and the second network.

7. A system for managing a wireless device connection, comprising:

a processing node configured to transmit a plurality of marked data packets from an access node to a wireless device in communication with a first network;

receive a plurality of feedback data packets from the wireless device at the access node, wherein each of the plurality of feedback data packets are associated with at least one of the plurality of marked data packets and at least one of the plurality of feedback data packets comprise an indication of first network congestion;

inspect each of the plurality of feedback data packets received at the access node for first network condition information associated with the wireless device to determine that the first network meets a first congestion criteria, wherein the first congestion criteria is based on the first network condition information associated with the wireless device and a number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion;

determine a usage fee of the wireless device based on the first network condition information associated with the wireless device and a data rate of the first network condition information;

detect a second network that meets a second congestion criteria; and

initiate performance of a handover of the wireless device to the second network when the number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion meets the first congestion criteria and the usage fee meets a fee criteria.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the indication of first network congestion comprises explicit network congestion (ECN) information of the first network received at the second network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing node is further configured to:

initiate performance of the handover of the wireless device to the second network when the number of feedback data packets indicating first network congestion meets the first congestion criteria and the second network meets the second congestion criteria,

wherein the first congestion criteria is based on a data rate of the first network condition information associated with the wireless device and the second congestion criteria is based on an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing node is further configured to:

determine that the second network meets a channel utilization criteria; and

initiate performance of a handover of the wireless device to the second network when the number of feedback data packets meets the first congestion criteria, the usage fee meets the fee criteria, and the channel utilization of the second network meets the utilization criteria.