Systems and methods for resource booking for admission control and scheduling

1. A method for performing admission control in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a request for an entity or service for admission to the communications network;

calculating resources, wherein the step of calculating resources include:

estimating a first future resource use for current entities and services in the communications network; and

estimating a second future resource use for the entity or service received in the request;

determining admission to the communications network of the received request based at least in part on the step of calculating resources; and

using a partitionable booking window, if admission is allowed for the received request, for booking the first and second future resource uses based at least in part on the step of calculating resources.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

scheduling the first and second future resources into a plurality of transition time interval slots in the partitionable booking window.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

prioritizing overflow list entries; and

using the overflow list entries to fill an unfilled transition time interval.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

booking the first future resource which is associated with a guaranteed bit rate bearer into a repetitive pattern at fixed intervals in the booking window.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the guaranteed bit rate bearer is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

booking the first future resource which is associated with a non-guaranteed bit rate bearer such that the booking fills out transmission time slots.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the non-guaranteed bit rate bearer is associated with a web browsing service.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication node is an eNodeB.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

performing admission control by the eNodeB for requests from at least one user equipment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication node is a gateway.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

performing admission control by the gateway for requests from at least one eNodeB.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting bit rates for a service by distributing a desired resource use amount over time.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

implementing packet discards when booked resources are fully utilized when excess traffic arrives.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

allocating a minimum bit rate to the non-guaranteed bit rate bearer.

15. A communications node for performing admission control in a communications network, the communications node comprising:

a communications interface configured to receive a request for an entity or service for admission to the communications network;

a processor configured to operate an admission control function and a scheduler; and

wherein the admission control function is configured to calculate resources, estimate a first future resource use for current entities and services in the communications network, estimate a second future resource use for the entity or service received in the request, determine admission to the communications network of the received request based at least in part on the results of calculating resources, and configured to use a partitionable booking window, if admission is allowed for the received request, for booking the first and second future resource uses based at least in part on the results of calculating resources.

16. The communications node of claim 15 , further comprising:

the scheduler configured to schedule the first and second future resources into a plurality of transition time interval slots in the partitionable booking window.

17. The communications node of claim 16 , further comprising:

the admission control function configured to prioritize overflow list entries and use the overflow list entries to fill an unfilled transition time interval.

18. The communications node of claim 15 , further comprising:

the admission control function configured to book the first future resource which is associated with a guaranteed bit rate bearer into a repetitive pattern at fixed intervals in the booking window.

19. The communications node of claim 18 , wherein the guaranteed bit rate bearer is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.

20. The communications node of claim 15 , further comprising:

the admission control function being configured to book the first future resource which is associated with a non-guaranteed bit rate bearer such that the booking fills out transmission time slots.

21. The communications node of claim 20 , wherein the non-guaranteed bit rate bearer is associated with a web browsing service.

22. The communications node of claim 15 , wherein the communication node is an eNodeB.

23. The communications node of claim 22 , further comprising:

the eNodeB configured to perform admission control for requests from at least one user equipment.

24. The communications node of claim 15 , wherein the communication node is a gateway.

25. The communications node of claim 24 , wherein admission control is performed by the gateway for requests from at least one eNodeB.

26. The communications node of claim 15 , wherein bit rates for a service are limited by distributing a desired resource use amount over time.

27. The communications node of claim 15 , wherein packet discards are implemented when booked resources are fully utilized when excess traffic arrives.

28. The communications node of claim 20 , wherein a minimum bit rate is allocated to the non-guaranteed bit rate bearer.