QoS Provisioning for LTE-WLAN Aggregation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016338073-A1
Application number	US-201615152733-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

LTE-WLAN aggregation (LWA) at the radio access network level promises significant gain in system capacity and user quality of experience (QoE). In order to support QoS over LWA, there is a need to develop mechanisms to ensure that the access category (AC) classification chosen by a wireless device (AP in the case of downlink, and UE in case of uplink) is consistent with the QoS requirements of the EPS bearer/DRB and/or subscriber profile to which the traffic belongs. The cellular LTE network can provision QoS for both downlink and uplink data flows that are transferred using LWA access.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
configuring LTE-WLAN aggregation (LWA) by a base station for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, wherein the UE is connected with both the base station and an LWA-enabled access point (AP); establishing a data radio bearer (DRB) with the UE, wherein the DRB corresponds to an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer associated with a QoS Class Identifier (QCI); determining access category (AC) information based on the QCI; and forwarding a data packet carrying the AC information and a protocol data unit (PDU) to the AP, wherein the PDU is to be transmitted to the UE using an AC value determined based on the AC information.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station and the AP are connected via a virtual local area network (VLAN), and wherein the data packet is an Ethernet frame having a VLAN tag containing the AC information.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the AC information comprises a Priority Code Point (PCP) field contained in the VLAN tag.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDU is encapsulated in a GRE packet, and wherein the AC information comprises a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) field in the GRE packet header.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station appends a special LWA header to the data packet, wherein the special LWA header comprises the AC information.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station determines the AC information by mapping from the QCI and UE subscription information.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station provides AC mapping information to the AP such that the AC information is mapped to the AC value based on the AC mapping information.

8 . A base station, comprising:
an LTE-WLAN aggregation (LWA) configurator that provides LWA configuration for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, wherein the UE is connected with both the base station and an LWA-enabled access point (AP); a radio bearer handler that establishes a data radio bearer (DRB) with the UE, wherein the DRB corresponds to an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer associated with a QoS Class Identifier (QCI); an access category (AC) configurator that determines AC information based on the QCI; and a transmitter that transmits a data packet carrying the AC information and a protocol data unit (PDU) to the AP, wherein the PDU is to be transmitted to the UE using an AC value determined based on the AC information.

9 . The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station and the AP are connected via a virtual local area network (VLAN), and wherein the data packet is an Ethernet frame having a VLAN tag containing the AC information.

10 . The base station of claim 9 , wherein the AC information comprises a Priority Code Point (PCP) field contained in the VLAN tag.

11 . The base station of claim 8 , wherein the PDU is encapsulated in a GRE packet, and wherein the AC information comprises a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) field in the GRE packet header.

12 . The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station appends a special LWA header to the data packet, wherein the special LWA header comprises the AC information.

13 . The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station determines the AC information by mapping from the QCI and UE subscription information.

14 . The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station provides AC mapping information to the AP such that the AC information is mapped to the AC value based on the AC mapping information.

15 . A method comprising:
establishing a connection by an access point (AP) with a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, wherein the UE is connected with both a base station and the AP for LTE-WLAN aggregation (LWA); receiving a data packet from the base station, wherein the data packet comprises a protocol data unit (PDU) and access category (AC) information; mapping the AC information to an AC value based on AC mapping information; and performing a channel contention procedure using the AC value and transmitting the PDU to the UE upon winning the channel contention.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the data packet is an Ethernet frame, and wherein the AC information comprises a Priority Code Point (PCP) field contained in a VLAN tag of the Ethernet frame.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the data packet is a GRE packet, and wherein the AC information comprises a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) field in the GRE packet header.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the AP is provisioned with a set of packet filters and associated rules for mapping the AC information.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the AP applies a default AC value for LTE PDUs.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the data packet contains a special LWA header that carries the AC information.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the AP receives the AC mapping information from the base station.

Assignees

• Mediatek Inc

Inventors

• Nuggehalli Pavan Santhana Krishna
• Chou Chie-Ming
• Hsu Chia-Chun

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/56

  based on priority criteria · CPC title

• H04W74/08 Primary

  Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA (hybrid access H04W74/02) · CPC title

• H04W76/27

  Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states · CPC title

• H04L12/4645

  Details on frame tagging (routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354) · CPC title