System and method of providing intelligent cell reselection for delay sensitive data applications
View Patent ↗A mobile station for receiving delay-sensitive data from a wireless communications network is provided with a data buffer and cell reselection controller. The data buffer receives data from the network and stores the data for communication to a delay-sensitive data application. The cell reselection controller selectively inhibits cell reselection in order to meet requirements of the delay-sensitive data application. By intelligently controlling cell reselection, delay sensitive data may be received in a more reliable fashion, thereby increasing performance of the data application.
1. A mobile station comprising:
a data buffer configured to store data packets received from a wireless communications network;
a data application in communication with the data buffer, the data application being configured to receive data from the data buffer; and
a cell reselection controller in communication with the data buffer, the cell reselection controller being configured to:
determine if the data application comprises a delay-sensitive data application;
receive a serving cell signal strength of a serving cell of the wireless communications network;
receive a second signal strength of another cell of the wireless communications network;
initiate a cell reselection; and
inhibit the cell reselection, wherein:
the cell reselection controller is configured to initiate the cell reselection if:
the data application does not comprise the delay-sensitive application;
a break in data received for the data application comprises a natural break; and
the second signal strength is sufficient; and
the cell reselection control is configured to inhibit the cell reselection if:
the data application comprises the delay-sensitive application; and
the cell reselection will result in loss of a data packet for the delay-sensitive data application.
2. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to execute an action to inhibit the cell reselection.
3. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the cell reselection controller determines that the cell reselection will result in the loss of the data packet by determining that a break in data received for the data application does not comprise the natural break.
4. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to inhibit the cell reselection based upon a network parameter.
5. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to inhibit the cell reselection based upon a time required by the network to reselect the cell.
6. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to inhibit the cell reselection based on an operational parameter relating to a delay sensitivity of the delay-sensitive data application.
7. The mobile station of claim 6 , wherein the operational parameter comprises a quality of service (QoS) requirement of the data application.
8. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the data application comprises a voice-over-IP (VoIP) application.
9. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the data application comprises a streaming application.
10. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the data application comprises a peer-to-peer application.
11. The mobile station of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communications network comprises a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network.
12. A method, comprising:
receiving data at a mobile station from a serving cell of a wireless communications network, the data relating to a data application associated with the mobile station;
measuring a serving cell signal strength of the serving cell;
measuring a second signal strength of another cell;
comparing the serving cell signal strength to the second signal strength;
determining, at a cell reselection controller, whether cell reselection should be initiated or should be inhibited; and
if the cell reselection controller determines to inhibit the cell reselection, executing an action, wherein the cell reselection controller is configured to:
determine if the data application comprises a delay-sensitive application;
initiate the cell reselection if:
the data application does not comprise the delay-sensitive application;
a break in data received for the data application comprises a natural break; and
the second signal strength is sufficient; and
the cell reselection control is configured to inhibit the cell reselection if:
the data application comprises the delay-sensitive application; and
the cell reselection will result in loss of a data packet for the delay-sensitive data application.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing the data in a data buffer of the mobile station for communication to the data application; and
monitoring a status of the data buffer to determine if the data application comprises the delay-sensitive data application.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the determining whether the cell reselection should be initiated or should be inhibited further comprises determining whether a break in data received by the delay-sensitive data application comprises a natural break.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of determining whether the cell reselection should be initiated or should be inhibited comprises analyzing a network parameter.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the network parameter includes a time required by the network to reselect the cell.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the cell reselection should be initiated or should be inhibited comprises analyzing operational parameters relating to a delay sensitivity of the data application.
18. A telecommunications system, comprising:
a wireless network; and
at least one mobile station in communication with the wireless network, the mobile station comprising:
a data application for receiving data from a serving cell of the wireless network; and
a cell reselection controller in communication with the data application, the cell reselection controller being configured to:
determine if the data application comprises a delay-sensitive data application;
receive a serving cell signal strength of the serving cell;
receive a second signal strength of another cell of the wireless communications network;
initiate a cell reselection; and
inhibit the cell reselection, wherein:
the cell reselection controller is configured to initiate the cell reselection if:
the data application does not comprise the delay-sensitive application;
a break in data received for the data application comprises a natural break; and
the second signal strength is not sufficient; and
the cell reselection control is configured to inhibit the cell reselection if:
the data application comprises the delay-sensitive application; and
the cell reselection will result in loss of a data packet for the delay-sensitive data application.
19. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the mobile station further comprises a data buffer in which data received from the wireless network is stored for communication to the data application.
20. The telecommunications system of claim 19 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to:
monitor a status of the data buffer; and
determine that the data application comprises the delay-sensitive data application based, at least partially, upon the status of the data buffer.
21. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to execute an action to inhibit the cell reselection.
22. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to initiate the cell reselection based upon a determination that the break in the data received for the delay-sensitive data application does not comprise the natural break.
23. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to inhibit the cell reselection based upon a network parameter.
24. The telecommunications system of claim 23 , wherein the network parameter comprises a time required by the wireless network to reselect the cell.
25. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the cell reselection controller is further configured to determine whether the cell reselection should be initiated or should be inhibited based upon an operational parameter relating to a delay sensitivity of the data application.
26. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the data application comprises a voice-over-IP (VoIP) application.
27. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the data application comprises a streaming application.
28. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the data application comprises a peer-to-peer application.
29. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein the wireless network comprises a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network.