Method and apparatus for remote buffer status maintenance
A method and system for supporting operation of a scheduler by providing indications of communication device transmit buffer status is provided. The indication of buffer status can be generated by a third-party device which is external to both the communication device and the scheduler. In some embodiments matched local and remote models of the buffer are maintained at the communication device and third-party device (or scheduler), respectively. The communication device monitors locally for drift of the model from the actual buffer status. When a level of mismatch in the model is detected, both the local and remote models are updated to mitigate the mismatch.
1. A method for facilitating communication, comprising:
generating, by a third party device, an indication of transmit buffer status of a transmitting communication device, the third party device being external to both the transmitting communication device and a scheduler; and
transmitting, by the third party device, the indication of transmit buffer status to a the scheduler,
wherein the indication of transmit buffer status indicates a current buffer status of the transmitting communication device,
and wherein generating the indication of transmit buffer status comprises:
maintaining, at the transmitting communication device, a local model of a transmit buffer of the transmitting communication device, the local model providing a first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status;
monitoring, by a supervisory function operating on the transmitting communication device, a difference between the first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status and a measurement of status of the transmit buffer; and
when the difference meets a predetermined threshold criterion, updating the local model to mitigate the difference; and triggering an update of a remote model of the transmit buffer of the transmitting communication device, the remote model maintained by the third party device and matched to the local model, the remote model providing the indication of transmit buffer status.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the indication of transmit buffer status further comprises:
performing, by the third party device, deep packet inspection on data packets transmitted from or transmitted to the transmitting communication device, the data packets intercepted by the third party device, and adjusting the local model and the remote model based on said deep packet inspection.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local model and the remote model of the transmit buffer each incorporate a first sub-model indicative of data received by the transmit buffer and a second sub-model indicative of data transmitted from the transmit buffer.
4. A method for facilitating communication, comprising:
generating, by a third party device, an indication of transmit buffer status of a transmitting communication device, the third party device being external to both the transmitting communication device and a scheduler; and
transmitting, by the third party device, the indication of transmit buffer status to a the scheduler,
wherein the indication of transmit buffer status indicates a current buffer status of the transmitting communication device,
and wherein generating the indication of transmit buffer status comprises:
maintaining a remote model of a transmit buffer, of the transmitting communication device, at the third party device, the remote model providing the indication of transmit buffer status, wherein maintaining the remote model comprises:
matching the remote model to a local model of the transmit buffer, the local model being maintained at the transmitting communication device and providing a first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status;
receiving an indication, from a supervisory function operating on the transmitting communication device, that a difference between the first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status and a measurement of status of the transmit buffer meets a predetermined threshold criterion; and
upon receiving said indication, updating the remote model to mitigate the difference.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the indication of transmit buffer status further comprises performing deep packet inspection on data packets transmitted from or transmitted to the transmitting communication device, the data packets intercepted by the third party device, and adjusting the indication of transmit buffer status based on said deep packet inspection.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the indication of transmit buffer status comprises a prediction of the transmit buffer status at a future time.
7. An apparatus for facilitating communication, the apparatus comprising:
a buffer status generator configured to generate an indication of transmit buffer status of a transmitting communication device, the apparatus being external to both the transmitting communication device and a scheduler; and
an interface configured to transmit the indication of transmit buffer status to the scheduler, wherein the indication of transmit buffer status indicates a current buffer status of the transmitting communication device, wherein the buffer status generator is further configured to:
maintain a remote model of a transmit buffer, of the transmitting communication device, at the apparatus, the remote model providing the indication of transmit buffer status, wherein maintaining the remote model comprises:
matching the remote model to a local model of the transmit buffer, the local model being maintained at the transmitting communication device and providing a first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status;
receiving an indication, from a supervisory function operating on the transmitting communication device, that a difference between the first copy of the indication of transmit buffer status and a measurement of status of the transmit buffer meets a predetermined threshold criterion; and
upon receiving said indication, updating the remote model to mitigate the difference.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the buffer status generator is further configured to:
intercept data packets transmitted from or transmitted to the transmitting communication device;
perform deep packet inspection on the data packets; and
adjust the local model and the remote model based on said deep packet inspection.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the local model and the remote model of the transmit buffer each incorporates a first sub-model indicative of data received by the transmit buffer and a second sub-model indicative of data transmitted from the transmit buffer.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the buffer status generator is further configured to:
intercept data packets transmitted from or transmitted to the transmitting communication device;
perform deep packet inspection on the data packets; and
adjust the indication of transmit buffer status based on said deep packet inspection.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the buffer status generator is further configured to provide the indication of transmit buffer status as a prediction of the transmit buffer status at a future time.