Methods for improving on-time throughput in wireless networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016183281-A1
Application number	US-201314127015-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2013
Priority date	Nov 1, 2012
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a multiple Radio Access Technology (multi-RAT) heterogeneous wireless network, a user equipment (UE) is capable of communicating via multiple types technologies, such as both WiFi and Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular. The evolved node B that the UE communicates with may be a small network, encompassing distances of 200 meters or less. A method communicating in such a network may involve using an on-time throughput scheduling algorithm that maximizes the throughput by handing off certain users and prioritizing communications based on specific criteria. These criteria may include prioritizing communications of users closest to a target threshold. The UE may communicate with the network to negotiate which radio access technology is to be used, a range of acceptable data rates.

First claim

1 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . A method for increasing on-time throughput in a wireless network comprising:
obtaining information regarding on-time throughput of the wireless network; finding a subset of users who fail to meet a target on-time data rate; determining which user of the subset of users is closest to the target on-time data rate; and scheduling the user who is closest to the on-time target data rate for further data transmissions.

27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the information regarding throughput comprises instantaneous data rate information for each user in the wireless network.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the information regarding throughput comprises on-time data throughput information for each user.

29 . The method of claim 26 wherein determining which of the subset of users is closest to the on-time target data rate comprises:
determining an amount indicating how short of the target rate each user of the subset is;
determining an instantaneous data rate for each user; and
dividing the amount by the instantaneous data rate for each user to determine which user of the subset of users is closest to the target data rate.

30 . The method of claim 26 wherein the wireless network is a multiple radio access technology heterogeneous network.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the wireless network includes a WiFi network and a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein the LTE network and WiFi is supported on small cells that are part of a larger 3GPP network.

33 . The method of claim 32 wherein the small cell is chosen from a pico network, a femto network, a micro network, and a multi-radio WiFi/LTE small cell network.

34 . The method of claim 30 wherein the method further comprises:
selecting a radio access technology with which the scheduled user is to send and receive its transmissions, wherein the radio access technology is selected from WiFi and LTE.

35 . An evolved Node B (eNB) comprising:
a processor with multiple functions including: a multiple radio access technology scheduler; a multiple radio access technology aggregation function; wherein the multiple radio access technology scheduler is arranged to:
obtain information regarding on-time throughput of the wireless network;
find a subset of users who fail to meet a target on-time data rate;
determine which of the subset of users is closest to the target on-time data rate; and
schedule the user who is closest to meeting the target on-time data rate for transmission.

36 . The evolved node B of claim 35 wherein the information regarding throughput comprises instantaneous data rate information for each user.

37 . The evolved node B of claim 35 wherein the information regarding throughput comprises on-time data throughput information for each user.

38 . The evolved node B of claim 35 wherein determining which of the subset of users is closest to the on-time target data rate comprises:
determining an amount indicating how short of the target on-time data rate each user of the subset is;
determining an instantaneous data rate for each user; and
dividing the amount by the instantaneous data rate for each user to determine which user of the subset of users is closest to the target on-time data rate.

39 . The evolved node B of claim 35 wherein the multiple radio access technology scheduler is further arranged to:
change a user from a first radio access technology to a second radio access technology; and further wherein
the first radio access technology and second radio access technology are chosen from WiFi and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

40 . The evolved node B of claim 35 wherein the multiple radio access technology scheduler is further arranged to:
offload a user to another eNB.

41 . The evolved node B of claim 40 wherein offloading a user to a second eNB comprises:
compiling a list of users being serviced by the first eNB;
determining an amount resources being used by each user being serviced by the eNB;
sorting the resources used to determine a user with the highest amount of resources being used; and
offloading the user with the highest amount of resources being used to the second eNB.

42 . The eNB of claim 35 wherein the eNB is selected from the group comprising: macro eNB, pico eNB, femto eNB, and multi-radio WiFi/LTE small cells.

43 . The eNB of claim 35 further comprising:
a deep packet inspection module, wherein the deep packet inspection module is arranged to drop low-priority packets of a data flow.

44 . A method for offloading users from a first evolved node B (eNB) to a second eNB comprising:
compiling a list of users being serviced by the first eNB; determining an amount resources being used by each user being serviced by the eNB; sorting the resources used to determine a user with the highest amount of resources being used; and offloading the user with the highest amount of resources being used to the second eNB.

45 . The method of claim 44 further comprising:
determining if a goal for number of users achieving a target data rate is being met; and
if the goal is not achieved, offloading the user with the next highest amount of resources being used to the second eNB.

46 . A user equipment (UE) comprising:
an antenna assembly; a transceiver coupled to the antenna assembly arranged to send and receive signals via the antenna assembly; a processor coupled to the transceiver the processor being arranged to:
transmit radio link performance measurement information to an evolved Node B (eNB);
determine a range of acceptable operating on-time throughput data rates;
determine a minimum QoE requirement;
determine an on-time throughput data rate to achieve the minimum QoE requirement; and
transmit the range of acceptable operating on-time throughput data rates, minimum QoE requirement, and the on-time throughput data rate.

47 . The UE of claim 46 wherein the UE is arranged to transmit information both via a long-term evolution (LTE) data connection and via a WiFi data connection.

48 . The UE of claim 47 wherein the processor is further arranged to:
receive an association message receive a radio link assignment message;
change to either the LTE data connection or the WiFi data connection based on the radio link assignment message; and
connect with a specific network entity based on the association message.

49 . The UE of claim 46 wherein the processor is further arranged to:
receive a recommended on-time throughput data rate from a network entity; and
change the range of acceptable operating on-time throughput data rates based on the recommended on-time throughput data rate.

50 . The UE of claim 46 wherein the processor is further arranged to:
determine a current on-time throughput data rate; and
change the range of acceptable operating on-time throughput data rates based on the current on-time throughput data rate.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Yeh Shu-Ping
• Himayat Nageen
• Yazdan Panah Ali
• Talwar Shilpa

Classifications

• H04W72/563

  of the wireless resources · CPC title

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/21

  in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network · CPC title

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W72/54

  based on quality criteria · CPC title