Method and system for RAN-aware multi-access edge computing traffic control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11166191-B2
Application number	US-202016858001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 26, 2018
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which a traffic control service is provided. The traffic control service may include using user plane congestion information pertaining to a radio access network and a multi-access edge computing system to manage congestion or anticipated congestion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a network device, radio access network user plane congestion information (RUCI) and multi-access edge computing user plane congestion information (MUCI); and
determining, by the network device, whether at least one of congestion or an anticipated congestion is present in at least one of a radio access network to which the RUCI pertains or a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system to which the MUCI pertains, wherein the radio access network is a multi-radio access technology (RAT) network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the network device based on at least one of the RUCI or the MUCI, that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present; and
selecting, by the network device, a traffic control action in response to determining that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
invoking, by the network device, the traffic control action to be carried out by at least one of a first network device of the radio access network, a second network device of the MEC system, or an end device in communication with the MEC system.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the invoking comprises:
transmitting, by the network device, to the at least one of the first network device, the second network device, or the end device, a message that indicates to perform the traffic control action.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the end device, the traffic control action indicates to the end device to disconnect from the first network device via which a current communication session with the MEC system is supported, and search and select a third network device via which to communicate with the MEC system.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the end device, the traffic control action indicates to the end device to switch from a first (RAT) of the first network device via which a current communication session with the MEC system is supported, and use a second RAT that is different from the first RAT.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the second network device, the traffic control action indicates to the second network device to reduce a transmission rate of a current communication session between the end device and the second network device.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the first network device, the traffic control action indicates to reduce a bitrate of a current communication session with the MEC system.

9. A network device comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive, via a communication interface, radio access network user plane congestion information (RUCI) and multi-access edge computing user plane congestion information (MUCI); and
determine whether at least one of congestion or an anticipated congestion is present in at least one of a radio access network to which the RUCI pertains or a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system to which the MUCI pertains, wherein the radio access network is a multi-radio access technology (RAT) network.

10. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine, based on at least one of the RUCI or the MUCI, that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present; and
select a traffic control action in response to the determination that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present.

11. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
invoke the traffic control action to be carried out by at least one of a first network device of the radio access network, a second network device of the MEC system, or an end device in communication with the MEC system.

12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein, when invoking, the processor is further configured to:
transmit, via the communication interface, to the at least one of the first network device, the second network device, or the end device, a message that indicates to perform the traffic control action.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the end device, the traffic control action indicates to the end device to disconnect from the first network device via which a current communication session with the MEC system is supported, and search and select a third network device via which to communicate with the MEC system.

14. The network device of claim 12 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the end device, the traffic control action indicates to the end device to switch from a first (RAT) of the first network device via which a current communication session with the MEC system is supported, and use a second (RAT), wherein the first RAT is different from the second RAT.

15. The network device of claim 12 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the second network device, the traffic control action indicates to the second network device to reduce a transmission rate of a current communication session between the end device and the second network device.

16. The network device of claim 12 , wherein when the message is transmitted to the first network device, the traffic control action indicates to reduce a bitrate of a current communication session with the MEC system.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a device, which when executed cause the device to:
receive radio access network user plane congestion information (RUCI) or multi-access edge computing user plane congestion information (MUCI); and
determine whether at least one of congestion or an anticipated congestion is present in at least one of a radio access network to which the RUCI pertains or a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system to which the MUCI pertains, wherein the radio access network is a multi-radio access technology (RAT) network.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, which when executed cause the device to:
determine, based on at least one of the RUCI or the MUCI, that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present; and
select a traffic control action in response to the determination that the at least one of the congestion or the anticipated congestion is present.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, which when executed cause the device to:
invoke the traffic control action to be carried out by at least one of a first network device of the radio access network, a second network device of the MEC system, or an end device in communication with the MEC system.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to invoke further comprise instructions to:
transmit to the at least one of the first network device, the second network device, or the end device, a message that indicates to perform the traffic control action.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Mukherjee Amitav
• Weisbrod Fred
• Chang Patricia R

Classifications

• H04W28/084

  among network function virtualisation [NFV] entities; among edge computing entities, e.g. multi-access edge computing · CPC title

• H04W28/0289 Primary

  Congestion control (load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12) · CPC title

• H04W8/04

  Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server] · CPC title

• H04W28/086

  among access entities · CPC title

• H04L47/11

  Identifying congestion · CPC title