QoS for latency-sensitive network-traffic flows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11044194-B2
Application number	US-201916408675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2019
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A telecommunication system can include routing devices, a Quality of Service (QoS) controller, a policy-management device, and a flow-management device. The QoS controller or flow-management device can receive a request from a terminal to create a specialized flow (SF), e.g., for a non-audio, non-video media type. If the request is associated with an authorized user, a setup message can be sent comprising a QoS indicator. The system can create the SF permitting data exchange between the terminal and a routing device. The SF can have QoS characteristics associated with the QoS indicator. In some examples, the terminal can receive network-address information, determine an associated network resource, and send a flow-request message indicating a non-audio, non-video media type. The terminal can then exchange data on the network port with a peer network terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a control device configured to perform first operations, wherein:
the first operations comprise:
receiving, from a first network terminal, a first request to create a first specialized flow, the first request identifying a first communication channel;
making a first determination that the first request indicates a first predetermined media type, wherein:
the first predetermined media type is not an audio media type; and
the first predetermined media type is not a video media type;

making a second determination that the first request is associated with a first authorized user;
sending, in response to the first determination and to the second determination, a first setup message, wherein:
the first setup message requests establishment of the first specialized flow; and
the first setup message comprises a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator; and

sending, to the first network terminal, a first completion message indicating establishment of the first specialized flow; and

the first operations further comprise:
receiving, from a second network terminal, a second request to create a second specialized flow, the second request identifying a second communication channel;
making a third determination that the second request indicates a second predetermined media type, wherein:
the second predetermined media type is not an audio media type; and

the second predetermined media type is not a video media type;
making a fourth determination that the second request is associated with a second authorized user;
sending, in response to the third determination and to the fourth determination, a second setup message, wherein:
the second setup message requests establishment of the second specialized flow; and
the second setup message comprises a second QoS indicator; and

sending, to the second network terminal, a second completion message indicating establishment of the second specialized flow.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises at least one of a Session Management Function (SMF) or a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF).

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more routing devices, wherein the one or more routing devices are configured to convey traffic between the first specialized flow and the second specialized flow.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the one or more routing devices comprise a first routing device and a second, different routing device;
the first routing device is configured to:
receive a first packet from the first network terminal;
determine a second packet based at least in part on the first packet, the second packet comprising a differentiated-services indicator associated with the first QoS characteristics; and
send the second packet to the second routing device; and

the second routing device is configured to:
receive the second packet;
determine a third packet based at least in part on the second packet; and
send the third packet to the second network terminal.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the control device is a control device of an application network; and
the system further comprises a policy-management device configured to perform second operations comprising:
creating the first specialized flow having first QoS characteristics in response to the first setup message, wherein:
the first specialized flow permits exchange of first data between the first network terminal and at least one of the one or more routing devices; and
the first QoS characteristics are associated with the first QoS indicator; and

creating the second specialized flow having second QoS characteristics in response to the second setup message, wherein:
the second specialized flow permits exchange of second data between the second network terminal and at least one of the one or more routing devices; and
the second QoS characteristics are associated with the second QoS indicator.

6. The system according to claim 5 , further comprising a QoS controller, wherein:
the second operations comprise:
creating the first specialized flow at least partly by sending a first configuration message to the QoS controller; and
creating the second specialized flow at least partly by sending a second configuration message to the QoS controller; and

the QoS controller is configured to perform third operations comprising:
in response to the first configuration message, directing at least one of the one or more routing devices to reserve network resources for the first specialized flow based on the first QoS characteristics;
receiving the second configuration message; and
in response to the second configuration message, directing at least one of the one or more routing devices to reserve network resources for the second specialized flow based on the second QoS characteristics.

7. A method comprising, by a network control device:
receiving, via a communications interface from a first network terminal, a first request to create a first specialized flow in a Third-Generation Partnership Project Fifth-Generation New Radio (NR) access network, wherein the first request indicates a user and identifies a channel and a first media type, and the first specialized flow is not associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS);
determining that the user is authorized to create the first specialized flow;
in response, sending, via the communications interface, a first setup message requesting creation of the first specialized flow, the first setup message comprising a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator associated with the first request;
receiving, from the communications interface from a second network terminal, a second request to create a second specialized flow in an NR access network, wherein:
the second request identifies the channel;
the second request indicates a second user;
the second request indicates a second media type; and
the second media type is different from the first media type;

determining that the second user is authorized to create the second specialized flow; and
in response, sending, via the communications interface, a second setup message requesting creation of the second specialized flow, the second setup message comprising a second QoS indicator associated with the second media type.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:
the first request is a creation request for a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session; and
the first setup message requests creation of the first specialized flow as the default QoS flow in the PDU session.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, by the network control device:
determining that the first specialized flow has been terminated; and
in response, terminating the second specialized flow.

10. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, by the network control device:
in response to the first request, establishing a first session associated with the first specialized flow;
after sending the first setup message, receiving a first termination request; and
in response to the first termination request:
terminating the first session; and
sending, via the communications interface, a first teardown message requesting removal of the first specialized flow.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:
the method further comprises, by the network control device:
determining a packet filter based at least in part on the first media type; and
determining the first setup message comprising the packet filter,
wherein the packet filter is associated with the first specialized flow.

1

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Gapin Andrew
• Bongaarts Paul
• Castle Grant Morgan
• Deshpande Mallika
• Krishnan Kirti
• Joul Christopher H

Classifications

• H04L45/121

  by minimising delays · CPC title

• H04L67/141

  Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) · CPC title

• H04L45/302 Primary

  Route determination based on requested QoS · CPC title