Methods, network assistance node, wireless device, network node and opposite node, for handling data communication between the wireless device and the opposite node

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11758573-B2
Application number	US-201716758690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	Oct 24, 2017
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A network assistance node ( 300 ), a wireless device ( 302 ), a network node ( 304 ), an opposite node ( 306 ) and methods therein, for handling communication of data between the wireless device and the opposite node over a radio bearer in a cell. When detecting ( 3:2 ) that a potential data class is requested which tolerates a certain delay for delivering the data, the network assistance node obtains ( 3:5 ) from the network node availability of a potential data bearer dedicated for the potential data class, which availability is dependent on whether a cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition. The network assistance node then reports ( 3.6 ) availability of the potential data class to the wireless device and the opposite node, indicating that the potential data bearer is available for data of the potential data class.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a network assisting node for handling communication of data between a wireless device and an opposite node, the method comprising:
detecting that a data class is requested for at least some of the data, the data class indicating that a certain delay for delivering the data can be tolerated;
after detecting that the data class is requested, the network assisting node requesting, from a radio access network (RAN) node in wireless communication with the wireless device, Dedicated Radio Bearer availability information indicating whether or not a Dedicated Radio Bearer (DRB) dedicated for data of the data class is available to be used for wireless communications between the wireless device and RAN node;
receiving, from the RAN node, a response to the request for the Dedicated Radio Bearer availability information, wherein the response to the request for the Dedicated Radio Bearer availability information comprises the requested DRB availability information indicating whether or not the DRB dedicated for the data of the data class is available to be used for wireless communications between the wireless device and the RAN node, which availability is dependent on whether at least one cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition;
and reporting the availability of the DRB to at least one of the wireless device or the opposite node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received DRB availability information comprises a DRB indicator indicating a current availability and/or a predicted availability of the DRB.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data class indicator comprises at least one of: an identifier of the data class, an indication that the DRB is available, an estimated current bitrate, and a predicted forthcoming bitrate for data of the data class.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises receiving a request for the data class from the wireless device, and the reporting comprises sending a data class indicator to at least one of the wireless device and the opposite node in response to the received request.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cost related parameter includes any of: a channel quality indicator (CQI) reported by the wireless device, a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measured by the wireless device or by the network node, a currently used modulation and coding scheme (MCS), the number of active users in the cell, the number of active users in a neighbouring cell, mobility behaviour of the wireless device or available bandwidth or bitrate at the wireless device's current location.

6. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by processing circuitry of a network assisting node, causes the network assisting node to perform the method of claim 1 .

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a user terminal, and the method comprises reporting the availability of the DRB to the opposite node.

8. A network assisting node arranged to handle communication of data between a wireless device and an opposite node, wherein the network assisting node comprises processing circuitry configured to cause the network assisting node to:
detect that a data class is requested for at least some of the data, the data class indicating that a certain delay for delivering the data can be tolerated;
after detecting that the data class is requested, request, from a radio access network (RAN) node in wireless communication with the wireless device, Dedicated Radio Bearer availability information indicating whether or not a Dedicated Radio Bearer (DRB) dedicated for data of the data class is available to be used for wireless communications between the wireless device and RAN node;
receive, from the RAN node, a response to the request, wherein the response comprises the requested DRB availability information indicating whether or not the DRB dedicated for the data of the data class is available to be used for wireless communications between the wireless device and the RAN node, which availability is dependent on whether at least one cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition; and
report the availability of the DRB to at least one of the wireless device or the opposite node.

9. The network assisting node of claim 8 , wherein the received DRB availability information comprises a DRB indicator indicating a current availability and/or a predicted availability of the DRB.

10. The network assisting node of claim 8 , wherein the network assisting node is configured to receive a request for data class from the wireless device, and to report the availability of the data class by sending a data class indicator to at least one of the wireless device and the opposite node in response to the received request.

11. The network assisting node of claim 10 , wherein the data class indicator comprises at least one of: an identifier of the data class, an indication that the DRB is available, an estimated current bitrate, and a predicted forthcoming bitrate for data of the data class.

12. The network assisting node of claim 8 , wherein the at least one cost related parameter includes any of: a channel quality indicator CQI reported by the wireless device, a received signal strength indicator RSSI measured by the wireless device or by the network node, a currently used modulation and coding scheme MCS, the number of active users in the cell, the number of active users in a neighboring cell, mobility behavior of the wireless device, and available bandwidth or bitrate at the wireless device's current location.

13. A method performed by a wireless device for handling communication of data with an opposite node via a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, the method comprising:
establishing a wireless connection with the RAN node;
sending, via the RAN node, to a network assisting node a request for Dedicated Radio Bearer (DRB) availability information indicating whether or not a Dedicated Radio Bearer (DRB) dedicated for a requested data class is available to be used by the wireless device to wirelessly transmit data of the data class to the RAN node;
and receiving from the network assisting node a response message responsive to the request for the DRB availability information, the response message comprising the requested DRB availability information indicating whether or not the DRB dedicated for the requested data class is available to be used by the wireless device to transmit data of the data class to the RAN node, wherein
whether or not the DRB is available to be used by the wireless device is dependent on whether at least one cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
classifying the data based on the received availability;
and sending the data in packets comprising a class indication indicating that the respective packets contain data of the data class.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wireless device is a user terminal, and the user terminal forwards the DRB availability information to the opposite node.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by processing circuitry of a wireless device, causes the network assisting node to perform the method of claim 13 .

17. A wireless device arranged to handle

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Zee Oscar
• Eriksson Ann-Christine
• Ihlar Marcus

Classifications

• H04W28/24 Primary

  Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service] · CPC title

• H04W72/542 Primary

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/54

  based on quality criteria · CPC title

• H04W72/51

  based on terminal or device properties · CPC title

• H04W72/541

  using the level of interference · CPC title