Using DRCLocks for conducting call admission control

• US 9,467,938 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Srinivas, Shilpa Kowdley, Goyal, Anoop K., Khanka, Bhagwan, Tomka, Duane A., Pawar, Hemanth Balaji
• Primary Examiner(s): Phung, Luat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waqas, Saad A
• Application Number:
  US12/432,736
• Time in Patent Office: 2,722 Days
• Field of Search: 370/334
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for using DRCLocks for conducting call admission control. In an embodiment, an access node provides service to a plurality of access terminals on a carrier in a coverage area, where the plurality of access terminals does not include a first access terminal. The access node receives a request for new service on the carrier in the coverage area from the first access terminal over an air interface, and responsively determines whether an aggregate-DRCLock condition is met. If the aggregate-DRCLock condition is met, the access node denies the request for new service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

an access node providing service to a plurality of access terminals on a carrier in a coverage area, wherein the plurality of access terminals does not include a first access terminal;

the access node receiving a request for new service on the carrier in the coverage area from the first access terminal over an air interface;

in response to receiving the request for new service, the access node determining whether an aggregate-DRCLock condition is met; and

if the aggregate-DRCLock condition is met, the access node denying the request for new service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access node comprises an EV-DO access node, wherein the access terminals comprise EV-DO access terminals, and wherein the service comprises EV-DO service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the access node comprises a radio network controller (RNC) and at least one base transceiver station (BTS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service complies with at least one of IS-856, Release 0 and IS-856, Revision A.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coverage area is a cell or a sector.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for new service is a call-origination message or a handoff request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold number of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold percentage of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether an aggregate-DRCLock sub-condition is met for a threshold period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock sub-condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold number of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock sub-condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold percentage of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold period of time ends approximately when the access node receives the request for new service.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold period of time starts approximately when the access node receives the request for new service.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the aggregate-DRCLock condition is not met, granting the request for new service.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if (a) the aggregate-DRCLock condition is not met and (b) at least one additional condition is met, granting the request for new service.

16. The method of claim 1, carried out only if the request for new service is associated with a type of packet-data communication selected from a set of types of packet-data communication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of types of packet-data communication includes at least one of VoIP, PTT, teleconferencing, and streaming media.

18. An access node comprising:

a wireless-communication interface;

a backhaul connection;

a processor; and

data storage comprising instructions executable by the processor for carrying out functions including;

providing service to a plurality of access terminals on a carrier in a coverage area, wherein the plurality of access terminals does not include a first access terminal;

receiving a request for new service on the carrier in the coverage area from the first access terminal over an air interface;

in response to receiving the request for new service, determining whether an aggregate-DRCLock condition is met; and

if the aggregate-DRCLock condition is met, denying the request for new service.

19. The access node of claim 18, wherein the access node comprises an EV-DO access node, wherein the access terminals comprise EV-DO access terminals, wherein the service comprises EV-DO service, and wherein the service complies with at least one of IS-856, Release 0 and IS-856, Revision A.

20. The access node of claim 18, wherein the access node comprises a radio network controller (RNC) and at least one base transceiver station (BTS).

21. The access node of claim 18, wherein the request for new service is a call-origination message or a handoff request.

22. The access node of claim 18, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold number of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

23. The access node of claim 18, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether the access node currently has a DRCLock set for at least a threshold percentage of access terminals in the plurality of access terminals.

24. The access node of claim 18, wherein the aggregate-DRCLock condition is whether an aggregate-DRCLock sub-condition is met for a threshold period of time, and wherein the threshold period of time either starts or ends approximately when the access node receives the request for new service.

25. The access node of claim 18, further comprising:

if (a) the aggregate-DRCLock condition is not met and (b) zero or more additional conditions are met, granting the request for new service.