Gateway Packet Classification for Wireless Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network congestion in urban areas leads to reduced effective bitrates for end users due to resource sharing among a high number of active users, resulting in poor application performance and TCP timeouts, especially during busy hours.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a gateway apparatus in the LTE network that processes network traffic based on congestion information and classification policies, allowing for throttling or dropping of packets to manage congestion without relying heavily on the Policy and Charging Function (PCRF), thereby reducing signaling load and improving end-user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If radio resources are shared among all users in a cell, then the network can support a high number of simultaneous users, but the effective bitrate per user drops inversely proportional with the number of active users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating different network traffic packets differently based on their classification. High-priority packets receive preferential treatment (lower drop probability) while low-priority packets are more aggressively dropped during congestion. This creates localized quality differentiation within the traffic flow, allowing critical applications to maintain acceptable bitrates even when the overall cell is congested with many users.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway apparatus dynamically changes the packet processing parameters based on congestion level and packet classification. The drop probability parameter is adjusted per-packet based on its classification and the current congestion state of the cell. This parameter change mechanism allows the system to adapt the effective bitrate allocation dynamically, preserving service quality for priority traffic while managing overall congestion.
2Reliability
If the gateway apparatus processes all packets individually based on classification and congestion information, then end user congestion is mitigated, but the signaling load and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-classifying packets into different priority categories before congestion management decisions are made. The gateway apparatus determines packet classification in advance using predefined rules and congestion information, so that when congestion occurs, the system can quickly apply appropriate processing without complex real-time analysis. This preliminary classification reduces the complexity of real-time decision-making during congestion events.
3Reliability
If high-priority network traffic is throttled less during congestion, then critical applications maintain performance, but low-priority traffic experiences increased throttling and potential starvation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing differentiated quality of service for different packet classifications. High-priority packets (such as those for voice or critical data applications) receive local quality protection with lower drop probabilities, while low-priority packets (such as bulk data transfers) experience higher drop probabilities. This localized quality differentiation ensures that critical applications maintain acceptable performance even when overall network capacity is constrained.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, gateway apparatus, computer program, and computer program product for mitigating end user congestion in a wireless network is provided. The gateway apparatus is in a core network and receives from a radio access network (RAN) a message comprising cell congestion information indicating that a cell of the RAN is in a congested state. The gateway apparatus receives via a packet data network (PDN) a downlink (DL) network packet addressed to a wireless communication device, WCD, attached to the core network via said cell of the RAN. In response to receiving the DL network packet, the gateway apparatus determines a classification of the DL network packet. After determining the classification of the DL network packet, the gateway apparatus processes the DL network packet in accordance with the cell congestion information and the determined classification of the DL network packet.