Mobile Communication System Flow Priority Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing mobile communication systems face challenges in implementing effective priority control for U-Plane signals on the radio access network side, particularly in managing congestion and ensuring Quality of Service (QoS) for various data types like streaming, text, images, and videos, where the current QCI-based priority control is insufficient.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a mobile communication system that includes a mobility management node, a gateway device, and a radio base station, where the mobility management node notifies the radio base station with identification information, bearer priority, and flow priority for data flows, enabling the establishment of S1 bearers and data radio bearers that allow for advanced priority control through the use of Flow Priority Indicators (FPIs) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If QCI-based priority control is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the priority control is not elaborate enough to handle congestion for different data types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the priority control mechanism by introducing Flow Priority Indicators (FPIs) that operate alongside QCI. Each data flow can be assigned a specific FPI value (1-7) that provides fine-grained priority control within the broader QCI framework, allowing elaborate priority management without completely redesigning the system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds another dimension to priority control by introducing FPI as a supplementary parameter to QCI. This creates a two-dimensional priority control space where QCI provides coarse-grained service class differentiation and FPI provides fine-grained flow-level priority within each service class, enabling elaborate control without excessive complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If FPI-based elaborate priority control is implemented, then the priority control becomes more detailed, but the signaling implementation becomes unclear and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing signaling framework universal by extending it to carry both QCI and FPI information. The E-RAB Setup Request message, already used for bearer establishment, is enhanced to include FPI parameters, allowing the same signaling path to serve multiple functions (bearer setup plus priority indication) without creating separate complex signaling procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by indicating FPI information during the initial bearer setup phase (E-RAB Setup Request). This allows the radio base station to pre-configure priority handling for all data flows on a bearer before congestion occurs, simplifying real-time congestion management without requiring complex dynamic signaling during data transmission
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple S1 bearers are established for different FPIs, then the priority control is more elaborate, but the number of bearers increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data flows with different FPI values onto a single S1 bearer. The radio base station maintains a mapping between FPI values and data radio bearers, allowing it to differentiate and prioritize traffic flows without creating separate S1 bearers for each FPI level, thus reducing the number of bearers needed while maintaining elaborate priority control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the data radio bearer as an intermediary layer between the single S1 bearer and multiple data flows with different FPIs. This intermediary allows the radio base station to perform priority-based scheduling and congestion management at the radio interface without requiring multiple S1 bearers, simplifying the core network while enabling detailed flow-level control
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to perform a priority control that is more elaborate than that is performed by using a QCI. In a mobile communication system according to the present invention, a mobility management node MME notifies a radio base station eNB, in an “Initial Context Setup procedure” or an “E-RAB Setup Procedure”, following pieces of information in an associated form: an “E-RAB ID” of an E-RAB to be established between a gateway device S-GW and a mobile station UE; one QCI that is assigned to the E-RAB; and one FPI that is assigned to data flow transmitted on the E-RAB. A radio base station eNB establishes, in response to the notification, one S1 bearer corresponding to the E-RAB between the gateway device S-GW and the radio base station and one DRB corresponding to the E-RAB between the mobile station UE and the radio base station.