Method and a system for scheduling the downlink in long term evolution (LTE) networks based on quality of service (QoS)

• US 9,565,697 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonica SA
• Original Assignee: Telefonica SA
• Inventors: Ameigeiras Gutierrez, Pablo, Navarro Ortiz, Jorge, Lopez Soler, Juan Manuel, Garcia Perez, Raquel, Perez Tarrero, Quiliano, Lorca Hernando, Javier
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREWS, HOYET H
• Application Number:
  US14/381,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20150131545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS

Abstract

The method includes: performing a packet scheduling for a plurality of user terminals (UEs) based on information regarding QoS classes, the information regarding QoS classes is included in QoS class identifiers received from an Evolved Packet Core providing communication services to the user terminals. The method further includes receiving channel quality indicators from the plurality of user terminals and performing the scheduling also on the basis of the received channel quality indicators. The system of the invention is arranged to implement the method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling downlink in a radio access network based on a Quality of Service (QoS), the method comprising:

performing a packet scheduling for a plurality of user equipments (UEs) based on information regarding QoS classes, the information regarding the QoS classes being included in QoS class identifiers received from an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) providing communication services to the UEs, wherein the QoS class identifiers comprise at least two of a resource type, including Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) and Non-GBR bearer, a priority, a Packet Delay Budget, and a Packet Error Loss Rate, and wherein the packet scheduling maximizes a number of the UEs fulfilling QoS parameters in the radio access network, by performing steps comprising;

defining a quality performance indicator Q_i and a target quality TQ_{QCI_m} for each of the QoS classes, the quality performance indicator Q_i including the information regarding the QoS classes with a packet delay for delay-dependent services or data rate for elastic services, and the target quality TQ_{QCI_m} including the information regarding the QoS classes with a Packet Delay Budget for the delay-dependent services or a minimum data rate for the elastic services;

defining a metric Q_{QCI_m} that depends on a type of services that are carried including delay-dependent or best-effort services for each one of the QoS classes measuring if performance of the number of UEs fulfills a quality performance target of the UEs;

including a factor in a priority of a UE mapped onto a QoS class supporting a delay-dependent traffic, the factor comprising

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving channel quality indicators from the plurality of user terminals and performing the packet scheduling also based on the received channel quality indicators.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the packet scheduling assuring that a delay upper bound stated by the Packet Delay Budget is not exceeded for any of the UEs.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to not being able to assure that the delay upper bound is not exceeded for any of the UEs, performing a prioritization between the packets, regarding the packet scheduling, based on the QoS class identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the packet scheduling by following scheduling strategies comprising:

a) a scheduling rule for GBR bearers;

b) a scheduling rule for non-GBR bearers supporting a delay-dependent traffic; and

c) a scheduling rule for other non-GBR bearers supporting an elastic traffic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rule for GBR bearers of the steps a) and b) guarantees the GBR bearers a Packet Delay Budget.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rule for other non-GBR bearers of the step c) guarantees that the non-GBR bearers are provided with a minimum data rate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising combining the scheduling strategies for the GBR and the non-GBR bearers using a relative priority of the QoS class identifiers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the combination of the scheduling strategies is based on a priority parameter of the standardized QoS class identifiers characteristics of each of the QoS class identifiers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising guaranteeing a minimum quality target of a higher priority of the QoS class identifiers.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising defining a quality performance indicator Q_i for each of the bearers, and a target quality TQ_{QCI_m} for establishing a minimum quality level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a factor F_m is defined for modifying the bearers priorities according to the target quality metrics.

13. A system for scheduling downlink in a radio access networks based on Quality of Service (QoS), the system comprising:

a plurality of user equipments (UEs);

a packet scheduler configured to perform a packet scheduling for the plurality of UEs based on information regarding QoS classes; and

an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) architecture configured to provide communication services to the UEs, and configured to send QoS class identifiers, including the information regarding QoS classes, to the packet scheduler,

wherein in the system the packet scheduler is configured to use the received QoS class identifiers, the QoS class identifiers comprising at least two of a resource type, including Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) and Non-GBR bearer, a priority, a Packet Delay Budget, and a Packet Error Loss Rate, and is configured to maximize a number of the UEs fulfilling QoS parameters in the radio access network, by;

defining a quality performance indicator Q_i and a target quality TQ_{QCI_m} for each of the QoS classes, the quality performance indicator Q_i including the information regarding the QoS classes with a packet delay for delay-dependent services or data rate for elastic services and the target quality TQ_{QCI_m} including the information regarding the QoS classes with a Packet Delay Budget for the delay-dependent services or a minimum data rate for the elastic services;

defining a metric Q_{QCI_m} that depends on a type of services that are carried including delay-dependent or best-effort services for each one of the QoS classes measuring if performance of the number of UEs fulfills a quality performance target of the UEs;

including a factor in a priority of a UE mapped onto a QoS class supporting a delay-dependent traffic, the factor comprising

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the packet scheduler is a delay-dependent scheduler for the GBR and for the non-GBR supporting the delay-dependent traffic.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the packet scheduler is a Proportional Fair scheduler for the non-GBR supporting the elastic traffic.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the packet scheduler is located at the eNodeB.