Wireless Bearer Management via QoS Parameter Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 3GPP LTE communication systems, user equipment (UE) is limited to a maximum of eight bearers, leading to bearer request rejections and inefficient Quality of Service (QoS) management, particularly in public safety communications with diverse service data flow priorities and Quality of Service Class Identifiers (QCIs).
Innovation Solution
A method and network element that modify Quality of Service (QoS) parameters of existing bearers to create a modified bearer for new service data flows (SDFs) when the UE has reached its bearer limit, allowing more SDFs to be mapped to available bearers and optimizing QoS allocation by adjusting QoS parameters when data flows are terminated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the UE is limited to a maximum of eight bearers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity of bearer establishment is degraded when the bearer limit is reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service data flows with the same QCI into a single bearer by modifying the bearer's QoS parameters to accommodate multiple flows. This combining approach allows the system to serve more SDFs without exceeding the eight-bearer limit, thereby improving productivity while maintaining device complexity constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the QoS parameters of existing bearers to create modified bearers that can accommodate new service data flows. By adjusting parameters such as QCI and ARP, the system can reconfigure existing bearers to serve additional flows, effectively increasing the bearer establishment rate without adding more bearers.
2Reliability
If default bearers are set up for each APN, then the reliability of service delivery is improved, but the quantity of available bearers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple service data flows from different APNs into existing bearers where possible, rather than creating separate default bearers for each APN. This merging strategy maintains reliable service delivery by ensuring each SDF has an appropriate bearer while preserving more bearers for non-default flows.
3Adaptability or versatility
If SDFs with the same QCI but different ARP are mapped to different bearers, then the adaptability of QoS management is improved, but the quantity of available bearers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different SDFs within the same bearer to have different ARP values while sharing the same QCI. This enables fine-grained QoS management where each SDF receives appropriate treatment based on its specific requirements, while still consolidating them into fewer bearers to preserve bearer availability.
4Reliability
If a new bearer must be established before tearing down an existing bearer in GBR bearer adjustments, then the reliability of service continuity is improved, but the productivity of bearer management is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a new bearer before tearing down the existing bearer in GBR bearer adjustments. This ensures service continuity by maintaining the old bearer until the new one is fully operational, while the system efficiently manages this sequence to minimize overall bearer management time and impact on productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and network element are provided that manage bearers in a wireless communication system. The method and network element receives a bearer request associated with a user equipment (UE) and a service data flow (SDF). In response to determining that a value of a first quality of service parameter associated with the SDF is the same as a value of the corresponding first quality of service parameter of a bearer currently allocated to the UE, and that a value of the second quality of service parameter associated with the SDF is different than a value of the corresponding second quality of service parameter of the bearer currently allocated to the UE, the method and network element modifies the value of the second quality of service parameter of the bearer currently allocated to the UE to produce a modified bearer and maps the SDF to the modified bearer.