Intra-QCI QoS Scheduling for Differentiated Flow Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LTE networks treat all traffic within a single Quality of Service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) equally, failing to provide differentiated QoS treatment for various applications, leading to suboptimal performance for real-time and non-real-time applications sharing the same bearer.
Innovation Solution
Intra-QCI QoS-aware scheduling allows eNBs and UEs to classify data into multiple flows with specific QoS parameters, prioritizing packets based on their importance, enabling better treatment for higher priority flows without affecting other QCIs or UEs, by using RRC messages to activate, update, and deactivate this scheduling mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all traffic within a single QCI is treated equally, then device complexity and scheduling simplicity are maintained, but QoS performance for different applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic within a single QCI into multiple priority levels (e.g., high priority and low priority flows). The eNB classifies uplink packets into different priority queues and schedules them separately, allowing differentiated QoS treatment for different applications while maintaining the same QCI. This segmentation enables improved QoS performance without requiring multiple QCIs, resolving the contradiction between QoS performance and scheduling complexity.
2Reliability
If differentiated QoS treatment is provided for various applications within the same QCI, then QoS performance improves, but scheduling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different priority levels to different traffic flows within the same QCI based on their specific requirements. The eNB implements priority-based scheduling at the packet level, where high priority packets (e.g., real-time traffic) are scheduled before low priority packets (e.g., background traffic). This localized differentiation improves QoS performance for critical applications while maintaining simple overall scheduling structure.
3Productivity
If priority-based scheduling is implemented within a QCI, then real-time application performance improves, but resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic priority-based scheduling where the eNB continuously monitors traffic conditions and adjusts packet prioritization in real-time. The scheduling mechanism dynamically selects packets from different priority queues based on current buffer status, QoS requirements, and resource availability. This dynamic approach improves real-time application performance by ensuring timely transmission of critical packets while adapting to changing network conditions, without requiring static complex resource allocation schemes.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to support intra-quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) QoS-aware scheduling are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) may be configured to communicatively couple to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (eNB). The eNB may schedule packets within a QCI according to information provided to the eNB by the UE. Packets in a QCI may be classified into one or more flows using the information. The flows may be prioritized based on which are most important to the UE. The UE may provide QoS parameters for each flow. The eNB may be schedule the packets based on which flow each packet is in and the QoS parameters for that flow. The associated QoS parameters may be prioritized, and more important QoS parameters may be met to the detriment of less important QoS parameters.