LTE DOCSIS Network Integration via Bandwidth Report API

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication systems face inefficiencies and increased latency when integrating wireless and wireline networks, particularly due to separate traffic scheduling algorithms and limited visibility between different network types, leading to suboptimal performance and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

The integration of wireless and wireline networks through techniques such as pipelining request-grant loops, centralized scheduling, and Quality of Service (QoS) matching, enabled by a bandwidth report (BWR) API between LTE and DOCSIS schedulers, which allows for coordinated resource management and reduced latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If separate wireless and wireline networks are used with independent scheduling algorithms, then each network can operate autonomously, but the integration efficiency deteriorates and latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork integration efficiencyVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges wireless LTE and wireline DOCSIS networks into a unified architecture where a single scheduler coordinates resource allocation across both network types. This integration eliminates the inefficiencies of separate scheduling algorithms and reduces latency by enabling coordinated resource management between wireless and wireline portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The scheduler is designed to perform multiple functions by managing both wireless LTE and wireline DOCSIS traffic through a unified interface. This multi-functional approach allows the system to optimize resource allocation across different network types while maintaining autonomous operation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If separate networks with limited visibility are used, then each network maintains operational independence, but resource utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidnetwork architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary scheduler that acts as a mediator between wireless LTE and wireline DOCSIS networks. This intermediary component provides full visibility into both network types while maintaining their operational independence, enabling optimized resource allocation without excessive architectural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If independent scheduling algorithms are used in separate networks, then each network can be managed separately, but overall network performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork management easeVSAvoidnetwork performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the scheduling function into modular components that can independently manage wireless and wireline traffic while contributing to unified optimization. This segmentation maintains ease of operation by allowing separate management of different network portions while achieving improved overall performance through coordinated scheduling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11601323B2Techniques for wireless access and wireline network integration

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

One embodiment is a method and includes receiving at a termination element of a first network a bandwidth report (“BWR”), in which the BWR includes information regarding a data transmission opportunity over a second network for at least one endpoint data; scheduling a first network transmission opportunity for the at least one endpoint data using information derived from the received BWR; and receiving from a first network forwarding device the at least one endpoint data in accordance with the scheduled first network transmission opportunity.