U.S. patent application number 14/264539 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-21 for providing a deny response that specifies a delay time.
This patent application is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Ke-Chi Jang, Lori Sinclair.
Application Number | 20140233505 14/264539 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43586844 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140233505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jang; Ke-Chi ; et
al. |
August 21, 2014 |
Providing a Deny Response that Specifies a Delay Time
Abstract
A system receives, from a mobile station, a connection request
that specifies a particular application type. In response to
determining that the connection request is to be denied, the system
sends a response denying the connection request to the mobile
station, where the response includes a delay time that is
applicable to the particular application type but not to another
application type, and where the delay time indicates an amount of
delay that the mobile station is to wait before resending another
connection request.
Inventors: |
Jang; Ke-Chi; (Plano,
TX) ; Sinclair; Lori; (Allen, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Apple Inc.
Cupertino
CA
|
Family ID: |
43586844 |
Appl. No.: |
14/264539 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13381557 |
Dec 29, 2011 |
8750213 |
|
|
PCT/US2010/045338 |
Aug 12, 2010 |
|
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14264539 |
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61233205 |
Aug 12, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 12/00502 20190101;
H04W 12/08 20130101; H04W 76/18 20180201; H04L 65/80 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/329 |
International
Class: |
H04W 76/02 20060101
H04W076/02 |
Claims
1.-20. (canceled)
21. A mobile station comprising: an interface to perform wireless
communications with an access network; and at least one processor
configured to: send a first connection request that specifies a
first type of packet communication; receive a response indicating
that the first connection request has been denied, wherein the
response contains a delay time applicable to the first type of
packet communication but not to another type of packet
communication; send a second connection request that specifies a
second type of packet communication, wherein sending the second
connection request is not dependent on the delay time in the
response.
22. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the at least one
processor is further configured to: wait the delay time before
sending another connection request for the first type of packet
communication.
23. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the first connection
request has a field settable to one of plural different values to
specify a corresponding one of plural different types of packet
communication.
24. The mobile station of claim 23, wherein the plural types of
packet communication include a type of delay-sensitive packet
communication and a type of non-delay sensitive packet
communication.
25. The mobile station of claim 23, wherein plural types of packet
communication include types of packet communication selected from
among: voice communications, an emergency communication, web
browsing communications, electronic gaming communications,
streaming communications, and an electronic mail communication.
26. The mobile station of claim 23, wherein the plural types of
packet communication include communications according to different
priorities.
27. The mobile station of claim 23, wherein the plural types of
packet communications include communications according to different
qualities of service.
28. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing
programming instructions executable by at least one processor of a
mobile station to: send a first connection request that specifies a
first type of packet communication; receive a response indicating
that the first connection request has been denied, wherein the
response contains a delay time applicable to the first type of
packet communication but not to another type of packet
communication; and send a second connection request that specifies
a second type of packet communication, wherein sending the second
connection request is not dependent on the delay time in the
response.
29. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 28,
wherein the programming instructions are further executable by at
least one processor of the mobile station to: wait the delay time
before sending another connection request for the first type of
packet communication.
30. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 28,
wherein the first connection request has a field settable to one of
plural different values to specify a corresponding one of plural
different types of packet communication.
31. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 30,
wherein the plural types of packet communication include a type of
delay-sensitive packet communication and a type of non-delay
sensitive packet communication.
32. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 30,
wherein plural types of packet communication include types of
packet communication selected from among: voice communications, an
emergency communication, web browsing communications, electronic
gaming communications, streaming communications, and an electronic
mail communication.
33. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 30,
wherein the plural types of packet communication include
communications according to different priorities.
34. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 30,
wherein the plural types of packet communications include
communications according to different qualities of service.
35. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing
programming instructions executable by at least one processor of a
network node to: receive, from a mobile station, a first connection
request that specifies a first type of packet communication;
determine whether or not to deny the first connection request based
on the first type of packet communication specified by the first
connection request; send, in response to determining that the first
connection request is to be denied, a response to the mobile
station indicating that the first connection request has been
denied, wherein the response contains a delay time applicable to
the first type of packet communication but not to another type of
packet communication; and receive, from the mobile station, a
second connection request that specifies a second type of packet
communication, wherein sending the second connection request is not
dependent on the delay time in the response.
36. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 35,
wherein the delay time indicates an amount of delay that the mobile
station is to wait before resending another connection request for
the first particular type of application.
37. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 35,
wherein the first connection request has a field settable to one of
plural different values to specify a corresponding one of plural
different types of packet communication.
38. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 37,
wherein the plural types of packet communication include a type of
delay-sensitive packet communication and a type of non-delay
sensitive packet communication.
39. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 35,
wherein the network node is part of an Evolved Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access (EUTRA) network.
40. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 35,
wherein the network node is part of a third generation mobile
telecommunications network.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Various wireless access technologies have been proposed or
implemented to enable mobile stations to perform communications
with other mobile stations or with wired terminals coupled to wired
networks. Examples of wireless access technologies include GSM
(Global System for Mobile communications) and UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System) technologies, defined by the
Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP); and CDMA 2000 (Code
Division Multiple Access 2000) technologies, defined by 3GPP2. CDMA
2000 defines one type of packet-switched wireless access network,
referred to as the HRPD (High Rate Packet Data) wireless access
network.
[0002] Another more recent standard that provides packet-switched
wireless access networks is the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard
from 3GPP, which seeks to enhance the UMTS technology. The LTE
standard is also referred to as the EUTRA (Evolved Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access) standard. The EUTRA technology is
considered to be fourth generation (4G) technology, to which
wireless network operators are migrating to provide enhanced
services. Another alternative 4G wireless technology is WiMAX
(Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), as defined by
IEEE 802.16.
SUMMARY
[0003] In general, according to some embodiments, a system
receives, from a mobile station, a connection request that
specifies a particular application type. In response to determining
that the connection request is to be denied, the system sends a
response denying the connection request to the mobile station,
where the response includes a delay time that is applicable to the
particular application type but not to another application type,
and where the delay time indicates an amount of delay that the
mobile station is to wait before resending another connection
request.
[0004] Other or alternative features will become apparent from the
following description, from the drawings, and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Some embodiments are described with respect to the following
figures:
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an example arrangement of a mobile
telecommunications network incorporating some embodiments;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a message flow diagram of a process performed
according to some embodiments; and
[0008] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless station according to
some examples.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Packet-switched communications are provided by various
different types of mobile telecommunications wireless networks,
such as third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) mobile
telecommunications wireless networks. One type of 4G wireless
network is the Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network, as
defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The LTE
standard is also referred to as the EUTRA (Evolved Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access) standard. Another alternative 4G wireless
technology is WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access), as defined by IEEE 802.16).
[0010] An example of a 3G wireless network is a High Rate Packet
Data (HRPD) wireless network, as defined by the CDMA (Code Division
Multiple Access) 2000 standards, as established by 3GPP2. Another
example of a 3G wireless network is based on Universal Mobile
Telecommunication System (UMTS) standards, as defined by 3GPP. Yet
another example of a 3G wireless network is based on EDGE (Enhanced
Data Rates for GSM Evolution) technologies, as defined by 3GPP.
[0011] In further examples, other standards also provide for
packet-switched communications (also referred to interchangeably as
"packet communications").
[0012] A mobile station within a wireless network can engage in
various different types of packet communications. Generally, packet
communications can be of various different application types, where
an "application type" refers generally to a type of communication
or a type of traffic exchanged between the mobile station and
another endpoint. As examples, different application types (for
packet communications over a wireless network) can include a
delay-sensitive type or a non-delay sensitive type. Communications
according to the delay-sensitive type are relatively sensitive to
delay in communication of packets. Examples of communications that
are of the delay-sensitive type include voice communications (e.g.,
voice-over-Internet Protocol or VoIP communications), streaming
communications (such as streaming of video and/or audio data), or
electronic gaming communications (e.g., video games played over the
web). Further examples of communications that are of the
delay-sensitive type are emergency communications (e.g., E911
calls). Examples of communications that are of the non-delay
sensitive type include web browsing communications, electronic mail
communications, and so forth.
[0013] Different application types can be treated by the wireless
network with different priorities. For example, VoIP communications
or E911 communications are generally given higher priority than web
browsing or e-mail communications. If the wireless network is
relatively heavily loaded, the network may deny connection requests
(from mobile stations) for certain, lower priority application
types. Typically, the network does not control how frequently a
mobile station is allowed to re-send a connection request (for a
particular application type) after the network has denied a prior
connection request (for the particular application type).
Conventionally, if a connection request (for the particular
application type) is denied, the mobile station can immediately or
quickly send another connection request (for the particular
application type).
[0014] In a wireless network with a large number of mobile stations
each engaged in communications of multiple application types, a
large volume of resending of connection requests after connection
request denials can result in increased traffic over wireless
channels, which can reduce the effective capacity of the wireless
channels. The volume of connection requests can be multiplied by
the fact that a mobile station, after repeated denials of
connection requests, can continue to repeat submissions of further
connection requests that are also denied. Not only does the
increased volume of connection requests result in excessive loading
of wireless channels, they also lead to excessive loading of the
processing resources of network nodes that have to process
connection requests that are repeatedly sent by mobile stations
even though prior connection requests have been denied. In
addition, repeated connection requests that are rejected could
interfere with the efficient operation of the mobile station (e.g.
slow the processor, drain the battery).
[0015] In accordance with some embodiments, a wireless network is
able to specify a defined time delay (referred to as a "backoff
delay") in a response to a connection request that denies the
connection request from a mobile station. The backoff delay is
applicable to the particular application type that is specified by
the denied connection request. However, the backoff delay is not
applicable to connection requests for other application types. For
example, if a mobile station sends a first connection request that
specifies a first application type, and this first connection
request is denied, the mobile station will use the backoff delay
specified in the response denying the first connection request to
wait the backoff delay before sending another connection request
for the first application type. However, the mobile station is free
to send connection requests for other application types even though
a backoff delay has been specified for the first application type.
Thus, even though a backoff delay is specified for a lower priority
application type, the mobile station can continue to send
connection requests for higher priority application types. In this
way, the sending of connection requests for certain application
types can be reduced to reduce loading on the wireless link as well
as to reduce loading on the processing resources of network
nodes.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an example arrangement that includes a
mobile telecommunications network 100 that has a base station 102
in wireless communication with a mobile station 108. Although just
one base station 102 is depicted in FIG. 1, note that there are
typically multiple base stations in a mobile telecommunications
network. Also, there are typical multiple mobile stations in
communication with each base station.
[0017] In some implementations, the base station 102 can be an
EUTRA base station (referred to as enhanced node B or eNode B) if
EUTRA technology is used. In other implementations, if other
wireless technologies (e.g., HRPD, UMTS, EDGE, etc.) are employed,
then other types of base stations are employed. A base station can
perform one or more of the following tasks: radio resource
management, mobility management for managing mobility of mobile
stations, routing of traffic, and so forth. Generally, the term
"base station" can refer to a cellular network base station or
access point used in any type of wireless network, or any type of
wireless transmitter/receiver to communicate with mobile stations.
The term "base station" can also encompass an associated
controller, such as a base station controller or a radio network
controller. It is contemplated that the term "base station" also
refers to a femto base station or access point, a micro base
station or access point, or a pica base station or access point. A
"mobile station" can refer to a telephone handset, a portable
computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or an embedded device
such as a health monitor, attack alarm, and so forth.
[0018] The base station 102 is in turn connected to a core network
node 104. With the EUTRA technology, the core network node 104 can
be a serving gateway that is used for routing bearer data packets.
The core network node 104 can in turn be connected to a packet
gateway 106 that provides connectivity between the core network
node 104 and a packet data network 110 (e.g., the Internet, a
network that provides various services, etc.).
[0019] If the HRPD technology is used, then the functionalities of
the core network node 104 and packet gateway 106 can be combined
into a packet data serving node (PDSN). With other technologies,
other combinations of network nodes can be used.
[0020] Reference to the EUTRA, HRPD, or other standards in this
application is intended to refer to current standards, as well as
standards that evolve over time. It is expected that future
standards that evolve from current standards may be referred to by
different names. Thus, reference to a particular standard in this
present application is intended to cover such subsequently evolved
standards as well, whether or not the same names are used. In
addition to the wireless protocols noted above, techniques or
mechanisms according to some implementations are applicable to
systems employing other types of wireless protocols.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the process according to some
embodiments. The mobile station sends (at 202) a connection request
for application type 1 to an access network (AN). The term "access
network" is intended to refer to equipment in the wireless network
that allows the mobile station to perform wireless communications.
Such equipment can include the base station or some other node in
the network.
[0022] The connection request includes a field that is sellable to
different values for specifying corresponding application types.
Thus, the field of the connection request set to a first value
indicates a first application type, the field set to a second value
indicates a second application type, and so forth. As noted above,
application types can be in general categories such as
"delay-sensitive type" and "non-delay-sensitive type."
Alternatively, the application types can be more specific, such as
"VoIP type," "E911 type," "streaming type," "e-gaming type," "web
browsing type," "e-mail type," etc. In other implementations, the
application type information can be in the form of priority
information or quality-of-service (QoS) information. The priority
or QoS information specifies a particular priority or QoS to be
provided to the requested communication, which the access network
can use to determine or indicate the application type.
[0023] In response to the connection request, the access network
determines (at 204) whether the connection request for application
type 1 should be denied. If so, a deny response is sent (at 206) to
the mobile station, with the deny response containing a delay time
(backoff delay) that specifies an amount of delay that the mobile
station is to wait before resending another connection request for
application type 1. In some examples, the access network can
specify different backoff delays for different application types. A
first application type is associated with a first backoff delay, a
second application type is associated with a second, different
backoff delay, and so forth. Generally, higher priority application
types are associated with lower backoff delays than lower priority
application types. The access network can store a data structure
(e.g., a table or other data structure) that maps application types
to corresponding backoff delays.
[0024] If the connection request for application type 1 is
determined (at 204) to not be denied, then an accept response is
sent (at 208) from the access network to the mobile station to
grant the connection request and to allow the mobile station to
perform communications for application type 1.
[0025] At the mobile station, if a deny response to the connection
request for application type 1 is received, then the mobile station
waits (at 210) the delay time specified in the deny response before
sending another connection request for application type 1. The
waiting at the mobile station can be accomplished by starting a
timer in response to receiving a deny response with a backoff
delay, where the timer expires after the backoff delay has
transpired. Expiration of the tinier allows the mobile station to
send another connection request for application type 1.
[0026] Note that the mobile station allows (at 212) connection
requests for other application types to be sent without delay (in
other words, the delay time specified in the deny response for the
connection request of application type 1 does not affect the timing
of the sending of connection requests for other application
types).
[0027] Using techniques according to some implementations, access
channel loading and congestion can be reduced, and access channel
capacity can potentially be increased.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless station 300, which
can either be a mobile station (e.g., mobile station 108 in FIG. 1)
or a base station (e.g., 102 in FIG. 1). The wireless station 300
includes a processor (or multiple processors) 302, which is (are)
connected to storage media 304. Machine readable instructions 306
are executable on the processor(s) 302 to perform respective tasks
associated with the wireless station 300, such as tasks depicted in
FIG. 2. The wireless station 300 also includes an interface 308 for
communicating over a wireless link, such as a radio frequency (RF)
link.
[0029] The machine-readable instructions 306 are loaded for
execution on the processor(s) 302. A processor can include a
microprocessor, microcontroller, processor module or subsystem,
programmable integrated circuit, programmable gate array, or
another control or computing device.
[0030] Data and instructions are stored in respective storage
devices, which are implemented as one or more computer-readable or
machine-readable storage media. The storage media include different
forms of memory including semiconductor memory devices such as
dynamic or static random access memories (DRAMs or SRAMs), erasable
and programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable
and programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs) and flash memories;
magnetic disks such as fixed, floppy and removable disks; other
magnetic media including tape; optical media such as compact disks
(CDs) or digital video disks (DVDs); or other types of storage
devices. Note that the instructions discussed above can be provided
on one computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, or
alternatively, can be provided on multiple computer-readable or
machine-readable storage media distributed in a large system having
possibly plural nodes. Such computer-readable or machine-readable
storage medium or media is (are) considered to be part of an
article (or article of manufacture). An article or article of
manufacture can refer to any manufactured single component or
multiple components.
[0031] In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth
to provide an understanding of the subject disclosed herein.
However, implementations may be practiced without some or all of
these details. Other implementations may include modifications and
variations from the details discussed above. It is intended that
the appended claims cover such modifications and variations.
* * * * *