Congestion-aware traffic management using historical load data and real-time cell mapping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12452181-B2
Application number	US-202217982699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2022
Priority date	Nov 8, 2022
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system obtains information from a network element of a communication network that includes cells each associated with user equipment devices (UEs); the information includes mapping data for each of the cells and the UEs associated with the respective cells, and the network element is in communication with the processing system via the communication network. The method also includes generating a historical record of cell load data representing content distributed to the cells from the processing system; determining that a cell is congested, based on the historical record; and performing a congestion shaping (CS) procedure for each of the UEs associated with the congested cell. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, information from a network element of a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of cells each associated with one or more user equipment devices (UEs), the information comprising mapping data for each of the plurality of cells respectively and the UEs associated therewith, wherein the network element is in communication with the processing system via the communication network;
generating, by the processing system, a historical record of cell load data, wherein the cell load data represents traffic in the plurality of cells, the traffic including content distributed to the plurality of cells from the processing system;
determining, by the processing system, that a cell of the plurality of cells is congested, based on the historical record;
identifying, by the processing system, the one or more UEs associated with a congested cell, based on the information;
selecting, by the processing system, a shaping level from a plurality of shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs, wherein each UE of the one or more UEs is assigned to one of the plurality of shaping level tiers; and
performing, by the processing system for each of the one or more UEs associated with the congested cell, a congestion shaping (CS) procedure, the CS procedure including the shaping level selected for the UE of the one or more UEs for adjusting content flow associated with that UE.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaping level selected from the plurality of the shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs is based on a type of traffic consumed by each UE in the congested cell.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting, by the processing system, the CS procedure based on additional information provided by the network element in real time or near-real time subsequent to initiation of the performing.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discontinuing, by the processing system, the CS procedure in accordance with a determination, based on the historical record, that the cell is no longer congested.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determination is based on a time of day.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discontinuing, by the processing system, the CS procedure in accordance with a determination, based on the mapping data, that the UE for which the procedure is performed is no longer associated with the congested cell.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell is determined to be congested at a time of day when the historical record indicates that a congestion criterion is met.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the congestion criterion comprises a cell load threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaping level selected from the plurality of the shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs associated with the congested cell respectively is based at least in part on a subscriber plan associated with that UE, and wherein each shaping level of the plurality of the shaping level tiers corresponds to a different throughput rate of content flow.

10. A device comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining information from a network element of a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of cells each associated with one or more user equipment devices (UEs), the information comprising mapping data for each of the plurality of cells respectively and the UEs associated therewith, wherein the network element is in communication with the processing system via the communication network;
generating a historical record of cell load data, wherein the cell load data represents traffic in the plurality of cells, the traffic including content distributed to the plurality of cells from the processing system;
determining that a cell of the plurality of cells is congested, based on the historical record;
obtaining, by the processing system, for each UE of the one or more UEs, a shaping level from a plurality of shaping level tiers, wherein each UE of the one or more UEs is assigned to one of the plurality of shaping level tiers; and
performing, for a UE of the one or more of the UEs associated with the congested cell, a congestion shaping (CS) procedure associated with the shaping level obtained for the UE.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the CS procedure includes a shaping level for a content flow associated with the UE, the CS procedure including the shaping level selected for the UE of the one or more UEs for adjusting content flow associated with that UE.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the shaping level selected from the plurality of shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs is based on a type of traffic consumed by each UE in the congested cell.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise discontinuing the CS procedure in accordance with a determination, based on the historical record, that the cell is no longer congested.

14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the cell is determined to be congested at a time of day when the historical record indicates that a congestion criterion is met.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining information from a network element of a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of cells each associated with one or more user equipment devices (UEs), the information comprising mapping data for each of the plurality of cells respectively and the UEs associated therewith, wherein the network element is in communication with the processing system via the communication network;
generating a historical record of cell load data, wherein the cell load data represents traffic in the plurality of cells, the traffic including content distributed from the processing system;
determining that a cell of the plurality of cells is congested, based on the historical record;
selecting a shaping level from a plurality of shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs; and
performing, for a UE of the one or more of the UEs associated with the congested cell, a congestion shaping (CS) procedure associated with the shaping level selected for the UE.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the content comprises video content.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the CS procedure includes a shaping level for a video content flow associated with the UE.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the shaping level selected from the plurality of shaping level tiers for each UE of the one or more UEs is based on a type of traffic consumed by each UE in the congested cell, wherein each UE of the one or more UEs is assigned to one of the plurality of shaping level tiers.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the cell is determined to be congested at a time of day when the historical record indicates that a congestion criterion is met.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise discontinuing the CS procedure i

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Halepovic Emir
• Gopalakrishnan Vijay

Classifications

• H04W28/0273 Primary

  adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] (wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00) · CPC title

• H04W28/0289

  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

• H04L47/22 Primary

  Traffic shaping · CPC title