IP flow-based load balancing over a plurality of wireless network links
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate assigning a flow (e.g., IP flow) to a wireless network link from a bundle that includes a plurality of wireless network links. Assignments can be based upon characteristics associated with the flow and characteristics associated with the links. For example, a service class corresponding to the flow can be evaluated to determine flow related characteristics. Moreover, link related feedback can be analyzed to determine characteristics of the links.
1. A method of operating a mobile wireless communications device, comprising:
evaluating, in said mobile wireless communications device, a service class related to a flow directed to a base station to determine flow characteristics;
analyzing, in said mobile wireless communications device when said mobile wireless communications device is connected via wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis by the mobile wireless communications device, feedback from said wireless links to identify link characteristics, said wireless links being in a bundle of links between the mobile wireless communications device and the base station; and assigning the flow to a selected wireless link in the bundle based upon the flow characteristics and the link characteristics;
assigning an additional flow to the selected wireless link; and
scheduling said flow and said additional flow over said selected wireless link as a function of a link sharing weight corresponding to said flow and an additional link sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow; wherein a larger percentage of the overall bandwidth of said selected wireless link is allotted by said mobile wireless communications device to one of said flow and said additional flow having the larger link sharing weight.
2. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , wherein said flow and said additional flow correspond to different types of data, the sharing weight corresponding to said flow being a function of the type of data included in said flow, the additional sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow being a function of the type of data included in said additional flow.
3. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 2 , wherein said type of data included in said flow is voice data and wherein the type of data included in said additional flow is video data.
4. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , wherein assigning the flow to a selected wireless link from the bundle based upon the flow characteristics includes:
assigning the flow to multiple wireless links at the same time, said multiple wireless links being some of said wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis, said selected wireless link being one of said multiple wireless links.
5. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 4 , wherein packets from said flow are directed to the same destination, packets from said flow traversing said multiple wireless links, at least one of said multiple wireless links providing a redundant path to said destination.
6. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , wherein evaluating a service class related to a flow to determine flow characteristics includes identifying at least one of a minimum bandwidth, a maximum bandwidth, a latency tolerance, a loss tolerance or an availability of compression related to the flow.
7. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring link quality feedback information to determine when the selected wireless link becomes more lossy due to a change in the quality of the selected wireless link; and reassigning the flow to a different wireless link in response to determining that the selected wireless link has become more lossy.
8. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , further comprising:
assessing link related feedback subsequent to assigning the flow to the selected wireless link; and
moving the flow to a second wireless link in said bundle based upon a change identified from link related feedback.
9. The method of operating a mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 , further comprising:
similarly loading wireless links with substantially similar link characteristics.
10. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
means for evaluating a service class related to a flow directed to a base station to determine flow characteristics;
means for analyzing, when said mobile wireless communications device is connected via wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis by the mobile wireless communications device, feedback from said wireless links to identify link characteristics, said wireless links being in a bundle of links between the mobile wireless communications device and the base station; and
means for assigning the flow to a selected wireless link in the bundle based upon the flow characteristics and the link characteristics;
wherein said means for assigning the flow to a selected wireless link is also for assigning an additional flow to the selected wireless link, said mobile wireless communications device further comprising:
means for scheduling said flow and said additional flow over said selected wireless link as a function of a link sharing weight corresponding to said flow and an additional link sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow; wherein a larger percentage of the overall bandwidth of said selected wireless link is allotted by said mobile wireless communications device to one of said flow and said additional flow having the larger link sharing weight.
11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 , wherein said flow and said additional flow correspond to different types of data, the sharing weight corresponding to said flow being a function of the type of data included in said flow, the additional sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow being a function of the type of data included in said additional flow.
12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 , wherein said means for assigning the flow to a selected wireless link from the bundle based upon the flow characteristics is also for assigning the flow to multiple wireless links at the same time, said selected wireless link being one of said multiple wireless links.
13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 , wherein packets from said flow are directed to the same destination, packets from said flow traversing said multiple wireless links, at least one of said multiple wireless links providing a redundant path to said destination.
14. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
a transmitter for transmitting data;
an evaluation module for evaluating a service class related to a flow directed to a base station to determine flow characteristics;
an analyzer module for analyzing, when said mobile wireless communications device is connected via wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis by the mobile wireless communications device, feedback from said wireless links to identify link characteristics, said wireless links being in a bundle of links; and a link assigner module for assigning the flow to a selected wireless link in the bundle based upon the flow characteristics and the link characteristics; wherein said assigner module is also for assigning an additional flow to the selected wireless link; and
wherein said mobile wireless communications device further includes a module for scheduling said flow and said additional flow over said selected wireless link as a function of a link sharing weight corresponding to said flow and an additional link sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow;
wherein a larger percentage of the overall bandwidth of said selected wireless link is allotted by said mobile wireless communications device to one of said flow and said additional flow having the larger link sharing weight.
15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 14 , wherein said flow and said additional flow correspond to different types of data, the sharing weight corresponding to said flow being a function of the type of data included in said flow, the additional sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow being a function of the type of data included in said additional flow.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions, for use in a mobile wireless communications device, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
instructions for causing said mobile wireless communications device to evaluate a service class related to a flow directed to a base station to determine flow characteristics;
instructions for causing said mobile wireless communications device to analyze, when said mobile wireless communications device is connected via wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis by the mobile wireless communications device, feedback from said wireless links to identify link characteristics, said wireless links being in a bundle of links; and instructions for causing said mobile wireless communications device to assign the flow to a selected wireless link in the bundle based upon the flow characteristics and the link characteristics;
instructions for causing said mobile wireless communications device to assign an additional flow to the selected wireless link; and
instructions for causing said mobile wireless communications device to schedule said flow and said additional flow over said selected wireless link as a function of a link sharing weight corresponding to said flow and an additional link sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow; wherein a larger percentage of the overall bandwidth of said selected wireless link is allotted by said mobile wireless communications device to one of said flow and said additional flow having the larger link sharing weight.
17. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
a processor configured to: evaluate a service class related to a flow directed to a base station to determine flow characteristics; analyze, when said mobile wireless communications device is connected via wireless links from the mobile wireless communications device to the base station to which flows can be assigned on an individual per link basis by the mobile wireless communications device, feedback from said wireless links to identify link characteristics, said wireless links being in a bundle of links; and assign the flow to a selected wireless link in the bundle based upon the flow characteristics and the link characteristics; wherein said processor is further configured to:
assign an additional flow to the selected wireless link; and
schedule said flow and said additional flow over said selected wireless link as a function of a link sharing weight corresponding to said flow and an additional link sharing weight corresponding to said additional flow; wherein a larger percentage of the overall bandwidth of said selected wireless link is allotted by said mobile wireless communications device to one of said flow and said additional flow having the larger link sharing weight.
18. The method of claim 4 wherein said assignment of the flow to multiple wireless links is performed as a function of device movement.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mobile wireless communications device is one of a user terminal or user equipment.
20. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 , wherein said mobile wireless communications device is one of a user terminal or user equipment.
21. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 17 , wherein said mobile wireless communications device is one of a user terminal or user equipment.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning is performed as part of a load balancing operation performed by said mobile wireless communications device to balance the load on said wireless links in said bundle.
23. The method of claim 22 ,
monitoring wireless link quality of said selected wireless link to identify a change in link quality; and
reassigning the flow, following assignment of said flow to the selected wireless link, to a different link in said bundle in response to identifying a change in the quality of said selected wireless link.