Exchanging data associated with a communication session within a communications system

• US 9,083,772 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, James M., Santhanam, Arvind V., Barrientos, Alejandro, George, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US13/096,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20120106327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/331, 370/229, 370/236, 370/235, 370/332, 370/395.21, 455/436, 455/437
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

In an embodiment, a communications device exchanges, between first and second access terminals, higher priority data in association with a communication session of a first type and also lower priority data in association with a communication session of a second type. If the communications device determines a transition of the first access terminal to a lower data-rate environment, the communication device reduces a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and an application server for the communication session of the second type. If the communications device determines an upcoming data packet is a low-data packet (e.g., a silence packet), the low-data packet is suppressed. If the communications device determines that the first access terminal has attempted transmission of a set of last or near-last data packets in the sequence, the communications device re-transmits the set of last or near-last data packets without waiting for ACKs.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging data between a first access terminal and a second access terminal in a communications system, comprising:

exchanging, between the first and second access terminals, higher priority data in association with a communication session of a first type and also lower priority data in association with a communication session of a second type, the communication sessions of the first and second types being arbitrated by an application server;

determining a transition of the first access terminal to a lower data-rate environment; and

reducing, responsive to the determination, a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the second type,

wherein the exchanging, the determining and the reducing are each performed by the application server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing reduces the size of the data packets, received from the second access terminal, that are transmitted by the application server to the first access terminal on a downlink.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the transition by the application server is based upon (i) a notification from the first access terminal or a serving network of the first access terminal regarding the first access terminal'"'"'s data-rate environment, (ii) a detection of performance degradation of the application server'"'"'s connection to the first access terminal, and/or (iii) a report of the first access terminal'"'"'s current geographic location and/or serving area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session of the first type corresponds to a streaming or real-time communication session and the communication session of the second type corresponds to a file-transfer session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination is based upon the transition of the first access terminal being to a network of a given type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network of the given type corresponds to a 1x network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network and/or an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rel. 0 Network or Rev. A network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a given size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the first type is not reduced in response to the determination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of the first access terminal completing a handoff from a first communications network with a first radio access technology (RAT) type to a second communications network with a second RAT type, wherein the second communications network is expected to support lower data rates as compared to the first communications network based on their associated RAT types.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of one or more deteriorating conditions on a current serving communications network without the first access terminal undergoing a handoff.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the size-reduced data packets correspond to media packets for the communication session of the second type.

11. An application server configured to exchange data between a first access terminal and a second access terminal in a communications system, comprising:

means for exchanging, between the first and second access terminals, higher priority data in association with a communication session of a first type and also lower priority data in association with a communication session of a second type, the communication sessions of the first and second types being arbitrated by the application server;

means for determining a transition of the first access terminal to a lower data-rate environment; and

means for reducing, responsive to the determination, a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the second type.

12. The application server of claim 11, wherein the means for reducing reduces the size of the data packets, received from the second access terminal, that are transmitted by the application server to the first access terminal on a downlink.

13. The application server of claim 11, wherein the determination of the transition by the application server is based upon (i) a notification from the first access terminal or a serving network of the first access terminal regarding the first access terminal'"'"'s data-rate environment, (ii) a detection of performance degradation of the application server'"'"'s connection to the first access terminal, and/or (iii) a report of the first access terminal'"'"'s current geographic location and/or serving area.

14. The application server of claim 11, wherein the communication session of the first type corresponds to a streaming or real-time communication session and the communication session of the second type corresponds to a file-transfer session.

15. The application server of claim 11, wherein the determination is based upon the transition of the first access terminal being to a network of a given type.

16. The application server of claim 15, wherein the network of the given type corresponds to a 1x network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network and/or an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rel. 0 Network or Rev. A network.

17. The application server of claim 11, wherein a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the first type is not reduced in response to the determination.

18. The application server of claim 11, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of the first access terminal completing a handoff from a first communications network with a first radio access technology (RAT) type to a second communications network with a second RAT type, wherein the second communications network is expected to support lower data rates as compared to the first communications network based on their associated RAT types.

19. The application server of claim 11, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of deteriorating conditions on a current serving communications network without the first access terminal undergoing a handoff.

20. The application server of claim 11, wherein the size-reduced data packets correspond to media packets for the communication session of the second type.

21. An application server configured to exchange data between a first access terminal and a second access terminal in a communications system, comprising:

a processor coupled to memory and configured to;

exchange, between the first and second access terminals, higher priority data in association with a communication session of a first type and also lower priority data in association with a communication session of a second type, the communication sessions of the first and second types being arbitrated by the application server;

determine a transition of the first access terminal to a lower data-rate environment; and

reduce, responsive to the determination, a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the second type.

22. The application server of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to reduce the size of the data packets, received from the second access terminal, that are transmitted by the application server to the first access terminal on a downlink.

23. The application server of claim 21, wherein the determination of the transition by the application server is based upon (i) a notification from the first access terminal or a serving network of the first access terminal regarding the first access terminal'"'"'s data-rate environment, (ii) a detection of performance degradation of the application server'"'"'s connection to the first access terminal, and/or (iii) a report of the first access terminal'"'"'s current geographic location and/or serving area.

24. The application server of claim 21, wherein the communication session of the first type corresponds to a streaming or real-time communication session and the communication session of the second type corresponds to a file-transfer session.

25. The application server of claim 21, wherein the determination is based upon the transition of the first access terminal being to a network of a given type.

26. The application server of claim 25, wherein the network of the given type corresponds to a 1x network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network and/or an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rel. 0 Network or Rev. A network.

27. The application server of claim 21, wherein a given size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the first type is not reduced in response to the determination.

28. The application server of claim 21, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of the first access terminal completing a handoff from a first communications network with a first radio access technology (RAT) type to a second communications network with a second RAT type, wherein the second communications network is expected to support lower data rates as compared to the first communications network based on their associated RAT types.

29. The application server of claim 21, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of deteriorating conditions on a current serving communications network without the first access terminal undergoing a handoff.

30. The application server of claim 21, wherein the size-reduced data packets correspond to media packets for the communication session of the second type.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored therein, which, when executed by an application server configured to exchange data between a first access terminal and a second access terminal in a communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to exchange, between the first and second access terminals, higher priority data in association with a communication session of a first type and also lower priority data in association with a communication session of a second type, the communication sessions of the first and second types being arbitrated by the application server;

program code to determine a transition of the first access terminal to a lower data-rate environment; and

program code to reduce, responsive to the determination, a size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the second type.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the program code to reduce is configured cause the application server to reduce the size of the data packets, received from the second access terminal, that are transmitted by the application server to the first access terminal on a downlink.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the determination of the transition by the application server is based upon (i) a notification from the first access terminal or a serving network of the first access terminal regarding the first access terminal'"'"'s data-rate environment, (ii) a detection of performance degradation of the application server'"'"'s connection to the first access terminal, and/or (iii) a report of the first access terminal'"'"'s current geographic location and/or serving area.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the communication session of the first type corresponds to a streaming or real-time communication session and the communication session of the second type corresponds to a file-transfer session.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the determination is based upon the transition of the first access terminal being to a network of a given type.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the network of the given type corresponds to a 1x network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network and/or an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rel. 0 Network or Rev. A network.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein a given size of data packets exchanged between the first access terminal and the application server for the communication session of the first type is not reduced in response to the determination.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of the first access terminal completing a handoff from a first communications network with a first radio access technology (RAT) type to a second communications network with a second RAT type, wherein the second communications network is expected to support lower data rates as compared to the first communications network based on their associated RAT types.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the determination of the transition of the first access terminal to the lower data-rate environment is based upon detection of deteriorating conditions on a current serving communications network without the first access terminal undergoing a handoff.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the size-reduced data packets correspond to media packets for the communication session of the second type.