Method and apparatus for dynamically adapting a connection state in a mobile communications system

• US 6,594,238 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindskog, Leif P., Hansson, Ulf A., Bark, Per O. G., Vilander, Harri P., Rimhagen, Thomas, Wallentin, Bo S. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US09/099,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/341-343, 370/322, 370/348, 370/349, 370/468, 370/229-236, 370/465, 370/252-253, 455/452-453
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point

Abstract

In a mobile communications system that provides packet data services, a packet data connection is established between a mobile station and a radio access network. The state of the connection specifies one of plural different types of radio channels bearing the connection over the radio interface. The connection state preferably also may specify other parameters including for example, one of plural different mobility management schemes tailored to the selected channel type or channel bit rate(s). The connection is dynamically adapted to an optimal state based on one or more conditions relating to the connection. For example, one or more traffic parameters are determined for the connection and used to predict a future value of that parameter. Based on the predicted parameter value or values, an optimal connection state is determined and implemented. If the traffic parameter value changes later in the connection, another connection state may be dynamically selected that is better suited in accordance with the newly predicted parameter.

Claims

1. For use in packet data communications, a method comprising:

determining for a packet data communication a packet flow parameter associated with the packet data communication;

predicting a future value of the packet flow parameter associated with the packet data communication using the determined packet flow parameter; and

dynamically selecting one type of a channel from a plurality of different channel types for the packet data communication based on the predicted parameter,

wherein the different types of channels include a dedicated channel carrying packet data associated with one communicating device and a shared channel carrying packet data associated with more than one communicating device.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the packet flow parameter is packet arrival time.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the packet flow parameter is packet density.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the channels are radio channels, and wherein the shared radio channel type may be selected from a temporary dedicated radio channel, a forward access channel, a random access channel, and a paging channel.

5. The method in claim 1 as applied to a mobile communications system, further comprising:

dynamically selecting one of plural mobility management schemes suited to the selected channel type.

6. The method in claim 5, wherein the plural mobility management schemes include a first handover scheme, a second scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on an individual cell basis, and a third scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on a routing area basis, where a routing area includes plural cells.

7. The method in claim 1, where a bit rate is selected based on the predicted parameter.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein the packet flow is used to predict a future amount of data to be transmitted associated with the communication, and wherein one channel type is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a first threshold and another channel type is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the first threshold.

9. The method in claim 8, further comprising:

providing a second threshold less then the first threshold,

wherein the other channel characteristic is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than or equal to the second threshold.

10. The method in claim 8, further comprising:

considering at least one other traffic parameter in addition to the amount of data to be transmitted in selecting the channel characteristic.

11. The method in claim 10, wherein the one other traffic parameter is one of the following:

number of channels of each type currently available, a specified quality of service, a current interference level, and a number of available radio channel resources.

12. The method in claim 10, further comprising:

measuring interference in one or both of uplink and downlink directions.

13. For use in a communications system that provides plural communication services, a method comprising the steps of:

determining for a packet data connection, a packet flow parameter;

predicting a packet flow parameter using the determined packet flow parameter; and

dynamically selecting one connection state from a plurality of connection states for the packet data connection based on the predicted packet flow parameter,

wherein each connection state specifies one of different types of mobile radio services.

14. The method in claim 13, wherein the packet flow parameter is packet arrival time.

15. The method in claim 13, wherein the packet flow parameter is packet density.

16. The method in claim 13, wherein each radio service specifies a type of channel and a mobility management scheme for keeping track of a location of a mobile if station.

17. The method in claim 16, wherein each service also specifies a bit rate.

18. The method in claim 16, wherein the radio services include a dedicated radio service where service is provided exclusively for one mobile station and a shared radio service where service is shared with more than one mobile station.

19. The method in claim 18, wherein the dedicated radio service includes a reserved dedicated radio channel and the shared radio service includes one of:

a temporary dedicated radio channel, a forward access channel, a random access channel, and a paging channel.

20. The method in claim 19, wherein the mobility management scheme includes a first handover scheme, a second scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on an individual cell basis, and a third scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on a routing area basis, where a routing area includes plural cells.

21. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

dynamically selecting another of the connection states for the packet data connection based on a change in the predicted packet parameter during the packet data connection.

22. The method in claim 13, wherein the packet flow parameter is used to predict a future amount of data to be transmitted associated with the connection, and wherein one connection state is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a first threshold and another connection state is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted is less the first threshold.

23. The method in claim 22, further comprising:

providing a second threshold less than the first threshold, wherein the other connection state is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than or equal to the second threshold.

24. The method in claim 22, further comprising:

considering at least one other traffic parameter in addition to the amount of data to be transmitted in selecting the connection state.

25. The method in claim 22, wherein the considered other parameter is one of the following:

number of channels of each type currently available, a specified quality of service, and a current interference level, and a number of available radio channel resources.

26. In a mobile communications system permitting selective communications with mobile stations, a controller comprising:

a connection state selector for establishing a packet data connection with a mobile station at an initial connection state, a connection state specifying one of different radio services, and

a predictor for predicting a time to a next packet arrival over the packet data connection using the packet arrival times of n most recent data packet arrival times over the connection,

wherein the connection state selector is configured to determine a next connection state based on the predicted next data packet arrival time.

27. The controller in claim 26, wherein the connection state selector is configured to determine the next connection state also based on one or more of the following a desired bearer service, a current connection state, current radio interference, and a current packet queue length in a queue associated with the connection.

28. The controller in claim 26, wherein the predictor is a non-linear predictor for predicting packet arrival times of plural packets over the connection.

29. The controller in claim 28, wherein the non-linear predictor is a neural network, the controller further comprising:

a comparator for comparing a current packet arrival time to a corresponding predicted packet arrival time to determine an error, and

an adapter for adapting neural network parameters to reduce the error.

30. The controller in claim 29, wherein the neural network adapter is configured to employ a recursive prediction error algorithm with a forgetting factor.

31. The controller in claim 29, wherein the neural network is configured to receive as inputs elapsed times between packet arriving over the connection.

32. The controller in claim 28, wherein each radio service specifies a type of channel and a mobility management scheme for keeping track of a location of a mobile station.

33. The controller in claim 32, wherein the radio services include a dedicated radio service where service is provided exclusively for one mobile user and a shared radio service where service is shared with more than one mobile user.

34. The controller in claim 33, wherein the shared radio service includes:

a temporary dedicated radio channel, a forward access channel, a random access channel, and a paging channel.

35. The controller in claim 32 wherein the mobility management scheme includes a first handover scheme, a second scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on an individual cell basis, and a third scheme where a mobile station'"'"'s location is monitored on a routing area basis, where a routing area includes plural cells.

36. The controller in claim 28, wherein the connection state selector is configured to select another of connection states for the packet data connection based on a change in the predicted next data packet arrival time during the packet data connection.

37. The controller in claim 26, wherein the packet data parameter is an amount of data to be transmitted associated with the packet data connection used to predict a future amount of data to be transmitted associated with the connection, and wherein one type of channel is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold and another type of channel is selected when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than or equal the threshold.

38. The controller in claim 37, wherein the connection state selector is configured to consider at least one other traffic parameter in addition to an amount of data to be transmitted in selecting the type of channel.

39. The controller in claim 38, wherein the one other parameter is one of the following:

number of channels of each type currently available, a specified quality of service, and a current interference level.

40. The controller in claim 26 as employed in a mobile station.