Telecommunication networks

• US 9,055,507 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Chami, Youssef, Fox, David Andrew, Allen, Steve, Cheng, Matthew, Gallego-Lopez, Marina
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, JUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/807,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 370/203, 370204-215, 370229-240, 370310-337, 370338-350, 370351-394, 370/395.1, 370/395.3, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370431-457, 370458-463, 370464-497, 370498-529
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/304 Route determination for signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile telecommunications network includes a core and a radio access network having a wireless device for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network, wherein the radio access network includes a controller operable to control the use of network resources by the mobile terminals. The controller may include an application programming interface (API) which provides a consistent interface to a multiplicity of applications hosted on the controller. The controller may be provided at an access node site and/or a gateway site.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

a core; and

a radio access network having a wireless device for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the mobile telecommunications network, wherein the radio access network includes a controller that is separate from the mobile terminals and operable to control use of network resources by said mobile terminals, wherein the controller includes an application programming interface (API), wherein the API provides a consistent interface to a multiplicity of applications hosted on an application layer of the controller, and wherein the API is operable by the controller to negotiate with each application specific resource and performance requirements based on application characteristics to optimize application delivery to users, wherein the controller controls allocation of network functions and the network resources in response to at least one network event in the radio access network.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the API is operable to provide the application characteristics to the controller.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the API is operable by the controller to provide link quality information to the applications hosted.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the API is operable by the controller to perform at least one of:

allow, disallow or adapt applications hosted on the controller.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is provided at at least one access node site or at at least one gateway site.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the controller is operable to select intelligently the site at which functions are performed.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein the controller intelligently selects the site at which the functions are performed in dependence upon at least one of:

a mobility of the mobile terminals or a service type provided by the functions.

8. The network of claim 5, wherein the controller is operable to control the at least one of:

reception or transmission of the content at each of said sites.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein the controller is operable to further control the caching of the content.

10. The network of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the allocation of functions at the sites in response to a cell handover or reselection in the radio access network.

11. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is provided at at least one access node site and at at least one gateway site.

12. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to intelligently select functions to provide to the mobile terminals.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein the controller intelligently selects the functions in dependence upon at least one of:

resource requirements of the functions or subscription information relating to the mobile terminals.

14. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to intelligently select hosted applications to provide the applications to the mobile terminals.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein the controller intelligently selects the hosted applications in dependence upon at least one of:

a popularity of the applications or a geographical region of the mobile terminals.

16. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the bandwidth provided in dependence upon at least one of the following:

a particular application hosted by the controller;

a user of the application;

a terminal capability;

access technology used;

or

an available resource.

17. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one network event includes a cell handover or reselection, and wherein the controller controls the allocation of the network functions and the network resources in response to the cell handover or reselection in the radio access network.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for a mobile telecommunications network, the software comprising:

executable code for a wireless device of a radio access network that provides wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the mobile telecommunications network; and

executable code for a controller of the radio access network, wherein the controller is separate from the mobile terminals and controls use of network resources by the mobile terminals, wherein the controller includes an application programming interface (API), wherein the API provides a consistent interface to a multiplicity of applications hosted on the controller, and wherein the API is operable by the controller to negotiate with each application specific resource and performance requirements based on application characteristics to optimize application delivery to users, wherein the controller controls allocation of network functions and the network resources in response to at least one network event in the radio access network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the API is operable to perform at least one of the following:

provide the application characteristics to the controller;

provide link quality information to the applications hosted;

allow applications hosted on the controller;

disallow the applications hosted on the controller;

or

adapt the applications hosted on the controller.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the executable code for the controller further includes executable code that performs at least one of the following:

intelligently selects functions to provide to the mobile terminals;

intelligently selects a site at which functions are performed;

intelligently selects hosted applications to provide the applications to the mobile terminals;

controls reception of content at the site;

controls transmission of content at the site;

controls the caching of content;

or

controls allocation of functions at the site in response to a handover process or a reselection process.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20,

wherein the controller intelligently selects the functions in dependence upon at least one of:

resource requirements of the functions or subscription information relating to the mobile terminals,

wherein the controller intelligently selects the site at which the functions are performed in dependence upon at least one of;

a mobility of the mobile terminals or a service type provided by the functions, and

wherein the controller intelligently selects the hosted applications in dependence upon at least one of;

a popularity of the applications or a geographical region of the mobile terminals.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the executable code for the controller further includes executable code that adjusts bandwidth provided in dependence upon at least one of the following:

a particular application hosted by the controller;

a user of the application;

a terminal capability;

access technology used;

or

an available resource.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one network event includes a cell handover or reselection, and wherein the controller controls the allocation of the network functions and the network resources in response to the cell handover or reselection in the radio access network.