Cell Site Element Congestion Detection via Jitter Buffer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in efficiently detecting and responding to congestion on backhaul links, leading to suboptimal bandwidth utilization and increased operational costs due to static and unresponsive compression protocols that fail to adequately manage congestion.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a cell site element to detect congestion by measuring receive jitter buffer levels, allowing for the prioritization and selective dropping of subrates from backhaul packets, thereby avoiding the need to drop entire packets and maintaining critical communications during congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If compression techniques are used to save bandwidth, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but the system adds overhead and fails to respond dynamically to congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic congestion response by monitoring jitter buffer levels and adjusting packet transmission in real-time. The system transitions from static compression to adaptive behavior where subrates are selectively dropped based on current congestion conditions, allowing the system to respond dynamically to changing network states while maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes transmission parameters (subrate selection) based on congestion levels. By measuring jitter buffer occupancy and adjusting which subrates are transmitted, the system optimizes bandwidth utilization under varying load conditions without requiring complex overhead mechanisms.
2Productivity
If entire packets are dropped during congestion, then congestion is relieved, but high-priority communications are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments packets into multiple subrates with different priority levels. Instead of treating each packet as an indivisible unit, the system divides transmission into hierarchical subrates where critical communications occupy protected subrates and non-critical data occupies droppable subrates. This segmentation enables selective dropping of lower-priority subrates while preserving high-priority communications during congestion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different subrates are assigned different quality characteristics based on their priority. Critical radio control information and high-priority calls are placed in protected subrates with guaranteed transmission, while non-critical data resides in droppable subrates that can be sacrificed during congestion. This local quality differentiation ensures reliability for essential communications while allowing congestion relief.
3Productivity
If more communication links are implemented to accommodate heavy traffic, then bandwidth capacity is increased, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial action by transmitting only the necessary subrates based on current congestion conditions. Instead of always transmitting all subrates or adding redundant communication links, the system dynamically selects which subrates to transmit, achieving adequate bandwidth capacity through efficient utilization of existing links rather than through over-provisioning.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for communicating data is provided that includes a cell site element associated with a base transceiver station and operable to receive a plurality of packets associated with a communications flow, the packets including a plurality of subrates. The cell site element is further operable to detect a congestion condition via a measurement of a level in a receive jitter buffer. When the congestion condition exists, individual subrates can be dropped from subsequent backhaul packets until congestion subsides. In more particular embodiments, the cell site element can be informed that congestion exists, whereby a congestion level is assigned to a collection of the subrates. In addition, the cell site element prioritizes the subrates and removes individual samples from one or more of the packets; high priority calls and critical radio control information are not affected during the congestion condition.