Hierarchical traffic differentiation to handle congestion and/or manage user quality of experience

• US 9,807,644 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2013
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ma, Liangping, Kaur, Samian, Karampatsis, Dimitrios, Rapaport, Avi, Sternberg, Gregory, Reznik, Yuriy, Zeira, Ariela, Liu, Weimin, Soni, Naresh
• Primary Examiner(s): KAMARA, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US14/376,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,718 Days
• Field of Search: 370229, 370230, 370233, 370235-236, 370310, 370336, 370328- 32, 709223-225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0263 involving mapping traffic to individual bearers or channels, e.g. traffic flow template [TFT]
• 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 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems for performing hierarchical traffic differentiation and/or employing hierarchical traffic differentiation are provided. These methods, apparatuses and systems may be implemented to, for example, handle congestion and/or to manage user quality of experience (QoE). Performing the hierarchical traffic differentiation may include differentiating or otherwise classifying (collectively “differentiating”) traffic mapped to, or within, a bearer formed in accordance with a QoS class into multiple traffic sub-classes. Employing the hierarchical traffic differentiation may include scheduling and/or policing (e.g., filtering) the differentiated traffic for transmission based on a prioritization of, and/or policy for managing, the multiple traffic sub-classes.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a base station, the method comprising:

receiving a user plane packet via a single tunnel established between the base station and a core network entity for a single packet data network connection, wherein the user plane packet comprises a header encapsulating a network layer packet associated to one particular traffic sub-class of various differentiated traffic sub-classes mapped to the tunnel, and wherein the user plane packet is extracted from a transport level packet having a header including an indication of a transport level quality of service (QoS) classification;

obtaining, from the header of the user plane packet, an indicator indicative of a particular policy of a plurality of policies for handling the various differentiated traffic sub-classes mapped to the tunnel; and

applying the particular policy on the received user plane packet.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of policies from any of a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) and an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is included in the header of the user plane packet responsive to user plane congestion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of policies comprise one or more QoS enforcement policies.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more QoS enforcement policies specify various traffic shaping rules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the particular policy on the received user plane packet comprises any of:

(i) delaying scheduling of the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(ii) dropping any of the user plane packet and the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(iii) scheduling the network layer packet ahead of other traffic associated with another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is not subordinate to the other traffic sub-class;

(iv) performing queue management to de-queue traffic associated with the particular traffic sub-class other than the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(v) performing queue management to en-queue the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is not subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(vi) performing queue management to de-queue traffic associated with another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the other traffic sub-class is subordinate to the particular traffic sub-class; and

(vii) performing queue management to en-queue the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the particular policy on the received user plane packet comprises:

applying the particular policy responsive to user plane congestion.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting user plane congestion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the particular policy comprises:

applying the particular policy responsive to the user plane congestion.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of user plane congestion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying the particular policy on the received user plane packet comprises:

applying the particular policy responsive to the indication of the user plane congestion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication of the user plane congestion being is received by the base station via a wireless medium.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the network layer packet is part of network layer traffic from a single application, and wherein the network layer traffic is differentiated into the particular traffic sub-class and another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the network layer traffic comprises first and second flows, wherein the first flow is differentiated into the particular traffic sub-class, and wherein the second flow is differentiated into the other traffic sub-class.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies for handling various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies is received in connection with establishment of the single packet data network connection.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies is received after establishment of the single packet data network connection.

18. A base station comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a user plane packet via a single tunnel established between the base station and a core network entity for a single packet data network connection, wherein the user plane packet comprises a header encapsulating a network layer packet associated to one particular traffic sub-class of various differentiated traffic sub-classes mapped to the tunnel, and wherein the user plane packet is extracted from a transport level packet having a header including an indication of a transport level quality of service (QoS) classification;

obtain, from the header of the user plane packet, an indicator indicative of a particular policy of a plurality of policies for handling the various differentiated traffic sub-classes mapped to the tunnel; and

apply the particular policy on the received user plane packet.

19. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive the plurality of policies from any of a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) and an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF).

20. The base station of claim 18, wherein the indicator is included in the header of the user plane packet responsive to user plane congestion.

21. The base station of claim 18, wherein the plurality of policies comprise one or more QoS enforcement policies.

22. The base station of claim 21, wherein the one or more QoS enforcement policies specify various traffic shaping rules.

23. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor being configured to apply the particular policy on the received user plane packet comprises any of:

(i) the processor being configured to delay scheduling of the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(ii) the processor being configured to drop any of the user plane packet and the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(iii) the processor being configured to schedule the network layer packet ahead of other traffic associated with another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is not subordinate to the other traffic sub-class;

(iv) the processor being configured to perform queue management to de-queue traffic associated with the particular traffic sub-class other than the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(v) the processor being configured to perform queue management to en-queue the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is not subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes;

(vi) the processor being configured to perform queue management to de-queue traffic associated with another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the other traffic sub-class is subordinate to the particular traffic sub-class; and

(vii) the processor being configured to perform queue management to en-queue the network layer packet on condition that the indicator is indicative of the particular policy that specifies the particular traffic sub-class is subordinate to another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

24. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to apply the particular policy responsive to user plane congestion.

25. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to detect user plane congestion.

26. The base station of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to apply the particular policy responsive to the user plane congestion.

27. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication of user plane congestion.

28. The base station of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured to apply the particular policy responsive to the indication of user plane congestion.

29. The base station of claim 27, wherein the indication of the user plane congestion being is received by the base station via a wireless medium.

30. The base station of claims 18, wherein the network layer packet is part of network layer traffic from a single application, and wherein the network layer traffic is differentiated into the particular traffic sub-class and another of the various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

31. The base station of claim 30, wherein the network layer traffic comprises first and second flows, wherein the first flow is differentiated into the particular traffic sub-class, and wherein the second flow is differentiated into the other traffic sub-class.

32. The base station of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies for handling various differentiated traffic sub-classes.

33. The base station of claim 32, wherein the information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies is received in connection with establishment of the single packet data network connection.

34. The base station of claim 32, wherein the information for configuring the base station with the plurality of policies is received after establishment of the single packet data network connection.