Congestion control in a wireless communication network

1. A method for congestion control in a wireless communication network comprising an air interface and a transport network interface, the method comprising:

detecting a congestion condition over the air interface;

storing a current bitrate over the transport network interface at which the congestion condition over the air interface was detected as a new reference bitrate;

requesting a reduction of the bitrate over the transport network interface;

requesting a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored new reference bitrate; and

requesting a gradual increase of the bitrate over the transport network interface beyond the stored new reference bitrate.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein after a new detection of a congestion condition over the air interface, a new current granted bitrate over the transport network interface is stored as a new reference bitrate and wherein a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the new stored reference bitrate is requested.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising setting the reference bitrate to a predetermined minimum value when a congestion over the transport network interface is detected.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising temporarily prohibiting requesting a boosting of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored reference bitrate.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requested bitrate reduction, boosting of the bitrate and the gradual bitrate increase are performed in incremental steps at predefined tick times.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the size of the incremental steps when requesting the bitrate reduction is dependent on the degree of severity of the detected air interface congestion condition.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the boosting of the bitrate comprises an exponential increase of the bitrate by a boosting factor and wherein the gradual increase of the bitrate comprises a linear increase of the bitrate over the transport network interface by a predefined factor.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the requested boosting of the bitrate or the gradual increase of the bitrate are performed when a given amount of time has elapsed since the last increase.

9. A base station for communication in a wireless communication network comprising:

a receiver/transmitter combination configured to transmit and receive packet data;

a buffer unit configured to store packet data before transmission;

a measurement unit configured to determine a status of packet data stored in the buffer unit;

a processing unit configured to compare the determined status with a predetermined status value; and

a control unit configured to transmit requests for adjustments of a bitrate over a transport network interface;

wherein the processing unit is configured to store a current bitrate value over a transport network interface as a new reference bitrate value when detecting a congestion condition over an air interface, the processing unit being further configured to instruct the control unit to send control information over the transport network interface indicative of a request for a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored new reference bitrate value.

10. A base station for communication in a wireless communication network comprising:

a receiver/transmitter combination adapted to transmit and receive packet data;

a buffer unit configured to store packet data before transmission;

a measurement unit adapted to determine a status of packet data stored in the buffer unit;

a processing unit configured to compare the determined status with a predetermined status value; and

a control unit adapted configured to transmit requests for adjustments of a bitrate over a transport network interface;

wherein the base station is further configured to store a current granted bitrate value over the transport network interface as a new reference bitrate value when detecting a congestion condition over an air interface and to instruct the control unit to send control information over the transport network interface indicative of a request for a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored new reference bitrate value.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions being executable by computerized device to cause the computerized device perform a method for congestion control in a wireless communication network comprising an air interface and a transport network interface, the method comprising:

detecting a congestion condition over the air interface;

storing a current bitrate over the transport network interface at which the congestion condition over the air interface was detected as a new reference bitrate;

requesting a reduction of the bitrate over the transport network interface;

requesting a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored new reference bitrate; and

requesting a gradual increase of the bitrate over the transport network interface beyond the stored reference bitrate.

12. A processing unit for congestion control in a wireless communication network comprising an air interface and a transport network interface, the unit comprising:

one or more data processors configured to detect a congestion condition over the air interface;

a memory configured to store a bitrate over the transport network interface at which the congestion condition over the air interface was detected as a new reference bitrate;

one or more data processors configured to:

request a reduction of the bitrate over the transport network interface;

request a boost of the bitrate over the transport network interface up to the stored new reference bitrate; and

request a gradual increase of the bitrate over the transport network interface beyond the stored reference bitrate.