Method and system for flow control between a base station controller and a base transceiver station

• US 20030103460A1
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kongelf, Michael A., Kamath, Sanjay, Woodahl, Leif
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/236.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• 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 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

According to a disclosed embodiment, a flow indication counter is incremented each time a data packet is transmitted from a buffer. When the number of data packets transmitted equals or exceeds a threshold number, a flow indication message comprising the buffer window size is generated and transmitted to the base station controller. Further, flow indication messages can be generated and transmitted every threshold time interval, independently of the number of data packets transmitted to ensure that flow indication messages are sent at least every preset time interval. Moreover, a system for flow control can be constructed comprising a flow indication counter module configured to provide an updated number of data packets transmitted. The system further comprises a window size monitoring module which determines the buffer window size and a message generating module which generates a flow indication message comprising the buffer window size.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

incrementing a flow indication counter indicating an updated number of data packets transmitted from a buffer;

determining a window size of said buffer when said updated number of data packets transmitted from said buffer is equal to or greater than a threshold number;

generating a flow indication message, said flow indication message indicating said window size.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of:

transmitting said flow indication message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said threshold number is fifty.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of:

determining a packet ID of a data packet received by said buffer before said generating step.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said packet ID is a last packet ID.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said flow indication message further comprises said packet ID.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising a step of:

transmitting said flow indication message.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of:

keeping track of an elapsed time since the transmission of a last message;

generating said flow indication message when said elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold time interval.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said threshold time interval is 0.5 seconds.

10. A system comprising:

means for incrementing a flow indication counter indicating an updated number of data packets transmitted from a buffer;

means for determining a window size of said buffer when said updated number of data packets transmitted from said buffer is equal to or greater than a threshold number;

means for generating a flow indication message, said flow indication message comprising said window size.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means for transmitting said flow indication message.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said threshold number is fifty.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means for determining a packet ID of a data packet received by said buffer.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said packet ID is a last packet ID.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said flow indication message further comprises said packet ID.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for transmitting said flow indication message.

17. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means for keeping track of an elapsed time since the transmission of a last message;

means for generating said flow indication message when said elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold time interval.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said threshold time interval is 0.5 seconds.

19. A method comprising steps of:

incrementing a flow indication counter indicating an updated number of data packets transmitted from a buffer;

determining a window size of said buffer when said updated number of data packets transmitted from said buffer is equal to or greater than a threshold number;

determining a packet ID of a data packet received by said buffer;

generating a flow indication message, said flow indication message comprising said window size;

transmitting said flow indication message.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said threshold number is fifty.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said packet ID is a last packet ID.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said flow indication message further comprises said packet ID.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising steps of:

keeping track of an elapsed time since the transmission of a last message;

generating said flow indication message when said elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold time interval.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said threshold time interval is 0.5 seconds.

25. A method comprising steps of:

receiving a plurality of data packets from a base station controller;

placing said plurality of data packets in a buffer;

transmitting a number of said plurality of data packets from said buffer;

determining a window size of said buffer when said number of said plurality of data packets transmitted from said buffer is equal to or greater than a threshold number;

determining a packet ID of one of said plurality of data packets;

generating a flow indication message, said flow indication message comprising said window size and said packet ID;

transmitting said flow indication message to said base station controller.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said threshold number is fifty.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said packet ID is a last packet ID.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising steps of:

keeping track of an elapsed time since the transmission of a last message;

advertising said window size when said elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold time interval.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said threshold time interval is 0.5 seconds.

30. A computer readable medium including a computer program, said computer program comprising:

a first code segment for incrementing a flow indication counter indicating an updated number of data packets transmitted from a buffer;

a second code segment for determining a window size of said buffer when said updated number of data packets transmitted from said buffer is equal to or greater than a threshold number;

a third code segment for generating a flow indication message, said flow indication message comprising said window size.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30 wherein said computer program further comprises:

a fourth code segment for transmitting said flow indication message.

32. The computer readable program of claim 30 wherein said threshold number is fifty.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 30 wherein said computer program further comprises:

a fifth code segment for determining a packet ID of a data packet received by said buffer before said generating step.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein said packet ID is a last packet ID.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein said flow indication message further comprises said packet ID.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 30 wherein said computer program further comprises:

a sixth code segment for keeping track of an elapsed time since the transmission of a last message;

a seventh code segment for generating said flow indication message when said elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold time interval.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36 wherein said threshold time interval is 0.5 seconds.