SENDING DATA RATE INFORMATION TO A WIRELESS ACCESS NETWORK NODE

• US 20170070915A1
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Blankenship, Yufei Wu, Gao, Shiwei, Cai, Zhijun, Song, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 10,231,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0861 between base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

A first wireless access network node sets a data rate for communication of data between a second wireless access network node and a user equipment (UE) that is concurrently connected to the first wireless access network node and the second wireless access network node. The first wireless access network node sends information relating to the data rate to the second wireless access network node for use by the second wireless access network node in controlling data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

setting, by a first wireless access network node, a data rate for communication of data between a second wireless access network node and a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE is concurrently connected to the first wireless access network node and the second wireless access network node; and

sending, by the first wireless access network node, information relating to the data rate to the second wireless access network node for use by the second wireless access network node in controlling data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE, wherein the data rate is derived from an aggregate data rate, wherein a first portion of the aggregate data rate includes the data rate for the communication of data between the second wireless access network node and the UE, and wherein a second, different portion of the aggregate data rate is used to control communication between the first wireless access network node and the UE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information sent to the second wireless access network node includes:

the data rate, and an indication how the data rate is applied.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data rate is an aggregate maximum bit rate for the UE.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first wireless access network node, whether to offload a bundle of dedicated bearers to the second wireless access network node or to handle the bundle of dedicated bearers at the first wireless access network node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the bundle of dedicated bearers includes a bundle of dedicated non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearers, wherein the data rate is allocated to the bundle of non-GBR bearers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

keeping at least one default bearer of the UE at the first wireless access network node.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

carrying a bundle of dedicated bearers of the UE using the second wireless access network node, wherein the data rate is allocated to the bundle of dedicated bearers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second portion of the aggregate date rate is allocated to the at least one default bearer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the bundle of dedicated bearers is a bundle of dedicated non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearers, and the at least one default bearer is at least one default non-GBR bearer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless access network node is associated with a coverage area that is within a coverage area provided by the first wireless access network node.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing the first portion of the aggregate data rate based on one or more criteria selected from among:

an aggregate data rate associated with a packet data network that the UE is connected to;

loading conditions of the a wireless access network node; and

traffic characteristics of data radio bearers served by a wireless access network node.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregate data rate is a total UE-aggregate maximum bit rate (UE-AMBR) for data communication with the UE, and the data rate indicated by the information sent from the first wireless access network node to the second wireless access network node is a first UE-AMBR for controlling wireless data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE, the method further comprising:

deriving, by the first wireless access network node, a second UE-AMBR for controlling wireless data communication between the first wireless access network node and the UE,

wherein the first UE-AMBR and the second UE-AMBR are derived based on splitting the total UE-AMBR.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling, by the first wireless access network node, establishing and removing a connection between the UE and the second wireless access network node.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the data rate accounts for an amount of header of a protocol layer in a protocol stack for communicating the data.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the first wireless access network node, Radio Resource Control (RRC) messaging to the UE, the RRC messaging including an information element containing information relating to a data radio bearer of the second wireless access network node.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the second wireless access network node, Radio Resource Control (RRC) messaging to the UE that includes information relating to a logical channel between the second wireless access network node and the UE.

17. A control node comprising:

a first communication interface to communicate with a first wireless access network node;

a second communication interface to communicate with a second wireless access network node; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine a first aggregate data rate for a user equipment (UE);

determine a second aggregate data rate for the UE, wherein the determining of the first aggregate data rate and the second aggregate data rate is based on an overall aggregate data rate for the UE;

send the first aggregate data rate to the first wireless access network node for controlling data communication between the first wireless access network node and the UE; and

send the second aggregate data rate to the second wireless access network node for controlling data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE.

18. The control node of claim 17, wherein the data communication between the first wireless access network node and the UE comprises a bundle of dedicated non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearers.

19. The control node of claim 18, wherein the data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE comprises a default non-GBR bearer.

20. A first wireless access network node comprising:

a communication interface to communicate with a second wireless access network node, and

at least one processor configured to;

receive, from the second wireless access network node, information relating to a first data rate, the first data rate being set by the second wireless access network node based on splitting an aggregate data rate into;

the first data rate for controlling wireless data communication between the first wireless access network node and a UE, and

a second data rate for controlling wireless data communication between the second wireless access network node and the UE; and

control data communication between the first wireless access network node and a user equipment (UE) using the information relating to the first data rate.