Management Of Preemptable Communications Resources

• US 20090247205A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, DeWayne Allan, Daly, Brian Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

In a communications spectrum shared by public safety users and commercial users, in the event of an emergency condition, commercial users are preempted and corresponding resources are reallocated to authorized public safety users. When the emergency condition subsides, the reallocated resources are again made available for commercial use. In an example configuration, resources and associated attributes including preemptability status are maintained in a Base Station Controller (BSC), Radio Network Controller (RNC), and/or Radio Resource Control (RRC) of a communications network.

Claims

1. A method for managing preemptable resources, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a request for a communications resource;

analyzing a database of communications resources, wherein the database comprises an indication of preemptability status for each communications resource therein; and

allocating a preemptable communications resource from the database of resources in accordance with the act of analyzing.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the request for a communications resource comprises at least one of:

a request to initiate a call session;

a request to initiate a data session;

a request for non-preemptability status of a resource;

a request to change preemptability status of a resource;

or

a request for additional bandwidth.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a commercial user;

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a public safety user;

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to commercial users are preemptable; and

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to public safety users are not preemptable.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising updating a preemptability status of an allocated communications resource.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising maintaining the database in at least one of a base station controller of a communications network, a radio network controller of a communications network, or a radio resource control of a communications network.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preemptable communications resource is allocated in response to an occurrence of an event, the method further comprising:

updating the database to indicate that the allocated resource is not preemptable during the event; and

updating the database to indicate that the allocated resource is preemptable when the event subsides.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of the allocated communications resource to at least one of a mobile switching center of a communications network or a packet data service support node of a communications network.

8. A system for managing preemptable resources, the method comprising:

an input\output portion configured to;

receive an indication of a request for a communications resource; and

provide an indication of an allocation of a preemptable communications resource;

a memory portion comprising a database of communications resources; and

a processing portion configured to;

analyze the database of communications resources, wherein the database comprises an indication of preemptability status for each communications resource therein; and

allocate a preemptable communications resource from the database of resources in accordance with the act of analyzing.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the request for a communications resource comprises at least one of:

a request to initiate a call session;

a request to initiate a data session;

a request for non-preemptability status of a resource;

a request to change preemptability status of a resource;

or

a request for additional bandwidth.

10. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a commercial user;

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a public safety user;

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to commercial users are preemptable; and

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to public safety users are not preemptable.

11. The system in accordance with claim 8, the processing portion further configured to update a preemptability status of an allocated communications resource.

12. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the database is maintained in at least one of a base station controller of a communications network, a radio network controller of a communications network, or a radio resource control of a communications network.

13. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the preemptable communications resource is allocated in response to an occurrence of an event, the processing portion further configured to:

update the database to indicate that the allocated resource is not preemptable during the event; and

update the database to indicate that the allocated resource is preemptable when the event subsides.

14. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the input/output portion provides the indication of an allocation of a preemptable communications resource to at least one of a mobile switching center of a communications network or a packet data service support node of a communications network.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a processor to perform the steps of:

receiving an indication of a request for a communications resource;

analyzing a database of communications resources, wherein the database comprises an indication of preemptability status for each communications resource therein; and

allocating a preemptable communications resource from the database of resources in accordance with the act of analyzing.

16. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 15, wherein the request for a communications resource comprises at least one of:

a request to initiate a call session;

a request to initiate a data session;

a request for non-preemptability status of a resource;

a request to change preemptability status of a resource;

or

a request for additional bandwidth.

17. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a commercial user;

the database comprises an indication that at least one communications resource is assigned to a public safety user;

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to commercial users are preemptable; and

the database comprises an indication that resources assigned to public safety users are not preemptable.

18. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further for causing the processor to update a preemptability status of an allocated communications resource.

19. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 15, wherein the preemptable communications resource is allocated in response to an occurrence of an event, the computer-executable instructions further for causing the processor to:

update the database to indicate that the allocated resource is not preemptable during the event; and

update the database to indicate that the allocated resource is preemptable when the event subsides.

20. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 15, the computer-executable instructions for causing the processor to provide an indication of the allocated communications resource to at least one of a mobile switching center of a communications network or a packet data service support node of a communications network.