Capacity allocation in communications

• US 9,473,975 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Suonvieri, Jukka Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US14/008,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20140086049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate

Abstract

A capacity allocation method comprises receiving (303), in a network apparatus (101), a capacity request message regarding a user terminal (102). In response to receiving the capacity request message, the apparatus (101) checks (303) one or more service parameters related to the user terminal (102). If the checking (303) reveals that enhanced network service activation criteria are fulfilled, the service parameters are used to define (303), by using a suitable network algorithm, a temporarily enhanced network service for the user terminal (102) such that the temporarily enhanced network service exceeds the service level originally agreed for the user terminal (102).

Claims

1. A method of capacity allocation in a communications system comprising a network apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in the network apparatus, a capacity request message regarding a user terminal; and

checking, in the network apparatus, in response to receiving the capacity request message, one or more service parameters related to the user terminal,

wherein if the checking reveals that enhanced network service activation criteria are fulfilled, said one or more service parameters are used to define, by using a suitable network algorithm, a temporarily enhanced network service for the user terminal,

wherein the temporarily enhanced network service exceeds a service level originally agreed for the user terminal;

monitoring automatically the one or more service parameters related to the user terminal; and

determining whether to deactivate the temporarily enhanced network service based on the one or more service parameters.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the service parameters to be checked include one or more of the parameters selected from a location, time, user terminal identification, available data speed, available data amount, lowered cost indicator, network element identification, enhanced network services being offered, charged account identification, virtual SIM identification, and campaign identification.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the suitable network algorithm is a capacity algorithm comprising at least one of an admission control algorithm, a packet scheduler algorithm, a home location register algorithm, a messages waiting element algorithm, a handover control algorithm, a load control algorithm, a medium access control algorithm, an enhanced node B application control algorithm, a radio link control algorithm, a radio resource control algorithm, and a transport resource manager algorithm.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the checking of the service parameters is carried out in response to a call setup event and/or a call maintenance event related to the user terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the one or more service parameters occurs during a call.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

informing the user terminal of the deactivation in order for the user terminal to start using the service level originally agreed to instead of the temporarily enhanced network service.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily providing, for the user terminal, a data speed that exceeds a predefined maximum data speed agreed for the user terminal if predetermined activation criteria is fulfilled.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enhanced temporary network service includes at least one of a new temporary quality of service, a new temporary maximum data speed, and other enhanced temporary network service for the user terminal.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

automatically activating monitoring of the service parameters used by a group of user terminals, wherein if the monitoring reveals a network overload, the method comprises deactivating the temporary enhanced network service for the user terminal and using the service level originally agreed to instead of the temporarily enhanced network service.

10. An apparatus for communications comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer program code;

at least one processor;

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a capacity request message regarding a user terminal;

check one or more service parameters related to the user terminal, in response to receiving the capacity request message,

wherein if the checking reveals that enhanced network service activation criteria are fulfilled, the apparatus is configured to use said one or more service parameters to define, by using a suitable network algorithm, a temporarily enhanced network service for the user terminal,

wherein the temporarily enhanced network service exceeds a service level originally agreed for the user terminal;

monitor automatically the one or more service parameters related to the user terminal; and

determine whether to deactivate the temporarily enhanced network service based on the one or more service parameters.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the service parameters to be checked include one or more of the parameters selected from a location, time, user terminal identification, available data speed, available data amount, lowered cost indicator, network element identification, enhanced network services being offered, charged account identification, virtual SIM identification, and campaign identification.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the suitable network algorithm is a capacity algorithm comprising an admission control algorithm, a packet scheduler algorithm, a home location register algorithm, a messages waiting element algorithm, a handover control algorithm, a load control algorithm, a medium access control algorithm, an enhanced node B application control algorithm, a radio link control algorithm, a radio resource control algorithm, and/or a transport resource manager algorithm.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

transmit to the user terminal, a capacity response message informing the user terminal on the enhanced network service that the user terminal is able to start to use in communications in the network.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the checking of the one or more service parameters is carried out in response to a call setup event and/or a call maintenance event related to the user terminal.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

wherein the monitoring of the one or more service parameters occurs during a call.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

inform the user terminal of the deactivation in order for the user terminal to start to use the service level originally agreed to instead of the temporarily enhanced network service.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

temporarily provide, for the user terminal, a data speed that exceeds a predefined maximum data speed agreed for the user terminal if predetermined activation criteria is fulfilled.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the defined temporarily enhanced network service includes at least one of a new temporary quality of service, a new temporary maximum data speed, and other enhanced temporary network service for the user terminal.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

store a temporary parameter in a database.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

automatically activate monitoring of the one or more service parameters used by a group of user terminals.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

deactivate the enhanced service for the user terminal if the monitoring reveals a network overload; and

use the service levels originally agreed to instead of the temporarily enhanced network service.

22. A user equipment for communications, wherein the user equipment is configured to in response to a call setup event or call maintenance event in the user equipment,

transmit a capacity request message to a network apparatus;

receive a capacity response message from the network apparatus;

wherein if the capacity response message includes information on a temporarily enhanced network service defined for the user equipment by using a suitable network algorithm, the user equipment is configured to utilize the temporarily enhanced network service during a call,

wherein the temporarily enhanced network service exceeds a service level originally agreed for the user terminal,

wherein the one or more service parameters related to the user terminal are automatically monitored by the network apparatus; and

receive a message informing the user terminal to deactivate the temporarily enhanced network service, when the network apparatus has determined that the deactivation is needed based on the one or more service parameters.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying a program of instructions executable by a processor to perform actions directed toward:

receiving, in a network apparatus, a capacity request message regarding a user terminal;

checking, in the network apparatus, one or more service parameters related to the user terminal, in response to receiving the capacity request message,

wherein if the checking reveals that enhanced network service activation criteria are fulfilled, said one or more service parameters are used to define, by using a suitable network algorithm, a temporarily enhanced network service for the user terminal,

wherein the temporarily enhanced network service exceeds a service level originally agreed for the user terminal; and

monitoring automatically the one or more service parameters related to the user terminal; and

determining whether to deactivate the temporarily enhanced network service based on the one or more service parameters.