Fair distribution of radio resources between guaranteed bit rate (GBR) and non-GBR data bearers

1. A method of scheduling user equipments (UEs), the method comprising:

in a cell, determining relative priorities of a plurality of data radio bearers (DRBs), each DRB associated with a respective UE having buffered data;

establishing a limit which divides radio resources that are available for allocation in the cell during a scheduling period into at least a first limited portion of the radio resources and a second remaining portion of the radio resources;

according to the determined relative priorities:

a) allocating up to the first limited portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs that have a guaranteed bit rate (GBR), and thereafter

b) allocating the second remaining portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion;

and transmitting one or more schedules indicating to the respective UEs the radio resources that are allocated in the cell during the scheduling period;

wherein the method is executed across a plurality of carrier aggregated cells each having a respective plurality of DRBs, in which

relative priorities for each respective plurality of DRBs are determined for each of the respective carrier aggregated cells;

a limit is established for radio resources that are available for allocation in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells; and

the radio resources are allocated in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step a), and thereafter in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step b).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the relative priorities for DRBs in different ones of the plurality of cells which are associated with a given carrier-aggregated UE are determined separately for each of the plurality of cells.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in a first one of the cells during the scheduling period to one of the DRBs having a GBR handles less than a total amount of the buffered data for the UE associated with the respective DRB, in which the given UE associated with the respective DRB is configured for carrier aggregation in the scheduling period across at least a second one of the cells; and

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in at least the second one of the cells during the scheduling period to at least one further DRB associated with the given UE are sufficient to meet the GBR for a total amount of the buffered data for the given UE.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR is determined using the GBR; and

the data volume for each of the DRBs not having a GBR is determined using a minimum bit rate associated the respective DRB.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR indicates a total number of bytes, at the GBR of the respective DRB, that may be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period; and

the data volume for each of the DRBs not having a GBR indicates a minimum number of bytes, at the minimum bit rate for the respective DRB, that must be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the relative priorities of the plurality of DRBs are determined in a weighted fashion using at least:

priority of the DRBs as configured by a network control plane;

packet delay requirements;

channel quality; and

buffer occupancy of the respective UE associated with the respective DRB.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second remaining portion of the radio resources are allocated according to the determined relative priorities to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion at step b), regardless of whether said DRBs have a GBR or do not have a GBR.

8. A computing device comprising at least one digital processor and a computer readable memory storing a program of computer executable code which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the computing device to perform actions comprising:

in a cell, determine relative priorities of a plurality of data radio bearers (DRBs), each DRB associated with a respective user equipment (UE) having buffered data;

establish a limit which divides radio resources that are available for allocation in the cell during a scheduling period into at least a first limited portion of the radio resources and a second remaining portion of the radio resources;

according to the determined relative priorities:

a) allocate up to the first limited portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs that have a guaranteed bit rate (GER), and thereafter

b) allocate the second remaining portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion;

and transmit one or more schedules indicating to the respective UEs the radio resources that are allocated in the cell during the scheduling period;

wherein the actions are performed by the computing device across a plurality of carrier aggregated cells each having a respective plurality of DRBs, in which

relative priorities for each respective plurality of DRBs are determined for each of the respective carrier aggregated cells;

a limit is established for radio resources that are available for allocation in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells; and

the radio resources are allocated in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step a), and thereafter in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step b).

9. The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein

the relative priorities for DRBs in different ones of the plurality of cells which are associated with a given carrier-aggregated UE are determined separately for each of the plurality of cells.

10. The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in a first one of the cells during the scheduling period to one of the DRBs having a GBR handles less than a total amount of the buffered data for the LTE associated with the respective DRB, in which the given UE associated with the respective DRB is configured for carrier aggregation in the scheduling period across at least a second one of the cells; and

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in at least the second one of the cells during the scheduling period to at least one further DRB associated with the given UE are sufficient to meet the GBR for a total amount of the buffered data for the given UE.

11. The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR is determined using the GBR; and

the data volume for each of the DRGs not having a GBR is determined using a minimum bit rate associated the respective DRB.

12. The computing device according to claim 11 , wherein

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR indicates a total number of bytes, at the GBR of the respective DRB, that may be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period; and

the data volume for each of the DRBs not having a GBR indicates a minimum number of bytes, at the minimum bit rate for the respective DRB, that must be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period.

13. The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein the relative priorities of the plurality of DRBs are determined in a weighted fashion using at least:

priority of the DRBs as configured by a network control plane;

packet delay requirements;

channel quality; and

buffer occupancy of the respective UE associated with the respective DRB.

14. The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein the second remaining portion of the radio resources are allocated according to the determined relative priorities to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion at step b), regardless of whether said DRBs have a GBR or do not have a GBR.

15. A computer readable memory on which is stored a computer program comprising executable code, the computer program comprising code for:

determining, in a cell, relative priorities of a plurality of data radio bearers (DRBs), each DRB associated with a respective user equipment (UE) having buffered data;

establishing a limit which divides radio resources that are available for allocation in the cell during a scheduling period into at least a first limited portion of the radio resources and a second remaining portion of the radio resources;

according to the determined relative priorities:

a) allocating up to the first limited portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs that have a guaranteed bit rate (GBR), and thereafter

b) allocating the second remaining portion of the radio resources to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion;

and transmitting one or more schedules indicating to the respective UEs the radio resources that are allocated in the cell during the scheduling period;

wherein the computer program is executed across a plurality of carrier aggregated cells each having a respective plurality of DRBs, in which

relative priorities for each respective plurality of DRBs are determined for each of the respective carrier aggregated cells;

a limit is established for radio resources that are available for allocation in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells; and

the radio resources are allocated in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step a), and thereafter in turn in each of the respective carrier aggregated cells according to step b).

16. The computer readable memory according to claim 15 , wherein

the relative priorities for DRBs in different ones of the plurality of cells which are associated with a given carrier-aggregated UE are determined separately for each of the plurality of cells.

17. The computer readable memory according to claim 15 , wherein:

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in a first one of the cells during the scheduling period to one of the DRBs having a GBR handles less than a total amount of the buffered data for the UE associated with the respective DRB, in which the given UE associated with the respective DRB is configured for carrier aggregation in the scheduling period across at least a second one of the cells; and

the radio resources allocated according to step a) in at least the second one of the cells during the scheduling period to at least one further DRB associated with the given UE are sufficient to meet the GBR for a total amount of the buffered data for the given UE.

18. The computer readable memory according to claim 15 , wherein:

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR is determined using the GBR; and

the data volume for each of the DRBs not having a GBR is determined using a minimum bit rate associated the respective DRB.

19. The computer readable memory according to claim 18 , wherein

the data volume for each of the DRBs having a GBR indicates a total number of bytes, at the GBR of the respective DRB, that may be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period; and

the data volume for each of the DRBs not having a GBR indicates a minimum number of bytes, at the minimum bit rate for the respective DRB, that must be scheduled on the respective DRB over the scheduling period.

20. The computer readable memory according to claim 15 , wherein the relative priorities of the plurality of DRBs are determined in a weighted fashion using at least:

priority of the DRBs as configured by a network control plane;

packet delay requirements;

channel quality; and

buffer occupancy of the respective UE associated with the respective DRB.

21. The computer readable memory according to claim 15 , wherein the second remaining portion of the radio resources are allocated according to the determined relative priorities to only the DRBs which have not been fully allocated from the first limited portion at step b), regardless of whether said DRBs have a GBR or do not have a GBR.