User Equipment QoS Control via Authorization Token
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems fail to ensure quality of service (QoS) for user equipment when roaming, as visited networks often provide lower QoS than subscribed to by the home network, leading to unsatisfactory service for users accustomed to higher quality, especially for video services, due to differences in coding/decoding schemes and encoding rates, and lack of consistent signaling links between networks.
Innovation Solution
User equipment is equipped with an authorization token from the home network to compare and request upgrades in quality of service, allowing it to autonomously decide on upgrades based on charging information and pre-configured rules, reducing unnecessary signaling and enabling better QoS control, even in the absence of S9 signaling links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user equipment roams to a visited network, then the user equipment can access different networks for coverage, but the quality of service provided by the visited network is lower than the subscribed quality of service from the home network
Solution Approach 1:
The home network pre-allocates quality of service parameters and generates authorization tokens before the user equipment roams. This preliminary configuration includes setting guaranteed bit rates and service parameters that the visited network should honor, allowing the user equipment to maintain subscribed QoS levels without real-time negotiation
Solution Approach 2:
An authorization token acts as an intermediary carrier between the home network and visited network. The token encapsulates QoS parameters and service entitlements, allowing the visited network to understand and apply the correct QoS rules without requiring direct signaling link communication with the home network
2Reliability
If a signaling link such as S9 is provided between home network and visited network, then quality of service negotiation is possible, but the signaling link is not provided between all networks and validation may fail
Solution Approach 1:
The essential QoS negotiation functionality is extracted from the signaling link dependency. By embedding QoS parameters and authorization tokens in application session signaling messages, the system separates QoS configuration from the optional S9 signaling link, allowing QoS to be maintained even when S9 is not available
Solution Approach 2:
The authorization token mechanism serves multiple functions: it carries QoS parameters, provides service entitlement verification, and enables visited network configuration without requiring S9 signaling. This universal approach works across different network combinations regardless of S9 link availability
3Ease of manufacture
If the visited network applies default quality of service rules, then the visited network can provide service without complex negotiation, but the default quality of service is too low for users accustomed to higher quality from home network
Solution Approach 1:
The home network pre-configures the visited network with appropriate QoS rules by including authorization tokens in application session signaling. This preliminary configuration ensures the visited network has the necessary parameters (such as guaranteed bit rates for video services) before service delivery, avoiding the need to fall back to inadequate default rules
4Reliability
If user equipment autonomously requests quality of service upgrade, then user equipment can maintain entitled quality of service, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The home network performs preliminary QoS configuration and generates authorization tokens before roaming. This upfront configuration reduces the need for subsequent QoS negotiation signaling, as the visited network already has the necessary parameters to provide appropriate service quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements selective upgrade request mechanisms where user equipment compares authorized QoS parameters with actual received service quality. Upgrades are only requested when degradation is detected, avoiding unnecessary signaling when QoS is already adequate, thus balancing reliability with signaling overhead reduction
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically, but not exclusively to a method and apparatus for quality of service control for a user equipment in a communication system comprising a home network with respect to the user equipment and a visited network. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of quality of service control for a user equipment in a communication system comprising a first network and a second network, the first network being a home network with respect to said user equipment and the second network being a visited network with respect to said user equipment, the method comprising: receiving authorisation information at said user equipment from the first network, said authorisation information having data related to an entitlement to quality of service for said user equipment; holding said authorisation information at said user equipment; performing a comparison of said entitlement to quality of service with a quality of service provided by the second network; and in dependence on said comparison, sending a message from said user equipment to the second network requesting an upgrade of quality of service.