Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) quality of service (QoS) supporting asymmetric traffic classes
View Patent ↗A UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) core network supports the negotiation of asymmetric traffic classes with a mobile station (MS) (or user equipment (UE)). A new quality of service (QoS) information element (IE) is defined that allows for the MS to negotiate for asymmetric traffic classes.
1. A method of operating a mobile wireless station, comprising:
attaching the station to a wireless data network;
performing asymmetric traffic class negotiation with the network; and
transmitting to the network a quality of service information element (QoS IE), including:
(a) at least two traffic class fields, wherein one said field is for an uplink and another said field is for a downlink;
(b) at least one quality of service (QoS) class indicator for prioritizing a plurality of acceptable QoS traffic classes; and
(c) at least one of alternate traffic classes and traffic class combinations, wherein said traffic classes are selected from the group consisting of conversational, streaming, interactive, and background traffic classes.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the QoS IE further comprises:
a traffic class indicator indicative of requesting asymmetric traffic classes.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the QoS IE further comprises:
at least two residual bit error rate fields, wherein one error rate field is for the uplink and another error rate field is for the downlink;
at least two service data unit error ratio fields, wherein one data unit error ratio field is for the uplink and another data unit error ratio field is for the downlink; and
at least two transfer delay fields, wherein one transfer delay field is for the uplink and another transfer delay field is for the downlink.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
receiving data in accordance with a first negotiated traffic class; and
transmitting data in accordance with a second negotiated traffic class; wherein said traffic classes are different.
5. A method of operating a packet server of a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:
establishing a communication link to a mobile wireless station; and
transmitting to other the packet server a quality of service information element (QoS IE) including:
(a) at least two traffic class fields, wherein one said field is for an unlink and another said field is for a downlink;
(b) at least one quality of service (QoS) class indicator for prioritizing a plurality of acceptable QoS traffic classes; and
(c) at least one of alternate traffic classes and traffic class combinations, wherein said traffic classes are selected from the group consisting of conversational, streaming, interactive, and background traffic classes.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the QoS IE further comprises;
at least two residual bit error rate fields, wherein one error rate field is for the uplink and another error rate field is for the downlink;
at least two service data unit error ratio fields, wherein one data unit error ratio field is for the uplink and another data unit error ratio field is for the downlink; and
at least two transfer delay fields, wherein one transfer delay field is for the uplink and another transfer delay field is for the downlink.
7. An apparatus for use in a mobile wireless station, comprising:
a means for attaching to a wireless data network; and
a means for
attaching the station to a wireless data network;
performing asymmetric traffic class negotiation with the network; and
transmitting to the network a quality of service information element (QoS IE) including:
(a) at least two traffic class fields, wherein one said field is for an uplink and another said field is for a down link;
(b) at least one quality of service (QoS) class indicator for prioritizing a plurality of acceptable QoS traffic classes; and
(c) at least one of alternate traffic classes and traffic class combinations,
wherein said at least one QoS class indicator is associated with at least one of the uplink or the downlink and said traffic classes are selected from the group consisting of conversational, streaming, interactive, and background traffic classes.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said traffic classes are prioritized in ascending QoS traffic class order.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said traffic classes are prioritized in descending QoS traffic class order.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one QoS class indicator is associated with at least one of the uplink or the downlink.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said traffic classes are prioritized in ascending QoS traffic class order.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said traffic classes are prioritized in descending QoS traffic class order.