WO2007028719A1

WO2007028719A1 - Method for controlling a packet data transmission

Info

Publication number: WO2007028719A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/065615
Authority: WO
Inventors: Beate Gartner; Thomas Ulrich; Burghard Unteregger
Original assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2005-09-08
Filing date: 2006-08-24
Publication date: 2007-03-15
Also published as: CN101300792A; EP1927219A1; DE102005042787A1; RU2008113384A; RU2384002C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a packet data transmission between a transmitter and a receiver in a mobile radio communication network. According to the invention, the transmission of a data packet is carried out in a controlled manner in accordance with an assigned quality of service value. A synchronised time value is assigned in the fixed network to a data packet that is to be transmitted. The transmission of the data packet is also controlled in accordance with the assigned time value.

Description

description

Method for controlling a packet data transmission

The invention relates to a method for controlling a packet data transmission between a transmitter and a receiver of a radio communication network according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

In the case of a packet data transmission in a radio communication system, a static assumption is made for each data packet to be transmitted with regard to the delay time, which is required for the transmission of the data packet between a transmitter and a receiver. Based on this assumption, the transmission of the data packet in the radio communication network is controlled.

This assumption also takes into account service quality values which are designated as "Quality of Service" and which can be assigned to the respective data packets. For example, data packets for a service having a high quality of service value are transmitted with increased priority within the network.

Thus, in general, higher quality of service values are assigned for critical data transmissions, including, for example, video data transmission or voice data transmission.

Accordingly, lower quality service values are assigned for non-critical data transfers, which include, for example, a file download or a transmission of text files.

The static assumption regarding the tolerable delay time is determined by system planners rather "conservatively", ie sufficient transmission time reserves are maintained.

This applies in particular to a radio communication system which has network nodes designated as "Gateway Mobile Switching Center, GMSC" or as a gateway GPRS support node, GGSN "via which the data packets are transmitted.

The maximum delay times, also referred to as "latencies," become particularly in the case of a transmission over shared resources, e.g. via so-called "shared channels" takes place - on the part of a so-called "scheduler" considered.

The "scheduler" is used as a control device for the packet data transfer and is arranged on the network side.

Due to the conservative definition of the latencies, a transmission time which is actually available is additionally reduced due to the reserve time to be maintained, so that the time available for controlling the packet data transmission is likewise limited.

As a result of the restriction, a low-efficiency packet data transmission takes place, in particular if the radio communication network is used up, since packet data may be transmitted unnecessarily early.

The transmission of the packet data via an air interface takes place at current transmission conditions of the air interface, a waiting with the transmission to a time at which favorable transmission conditions prevail is not possible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to specify a method with which a more consistent quality enables more efficient packet data transmission. This object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous developments are specified in the subclaims.

In the method according to the invention, each data packet is additionally assigned a time value in addition to a service quality value. The transmission of the data packet then takes place as a function of the assigned quality of service value and as a function of the assigned time value.

Advantageously, a data packet sent by a mobile is assigned the time value when it enters the radio communication network, for example when the transmitted data packet is received by a first network-based base station or NodeB.

Alternatively, the assignment can also be made by a network node designated as "Gateway Mobile Switching Center, GMSC" or as Gateway GPRS Support Node, GGSN ".

The time value is advantageously a defined timestamp of a system clock or a defined payment amount of a system payer, whereby the system clock or the system payer is designed synchronized network-wide for all elements required for the control.

Based on the synchronized time values, it is possible to determine a really required transmission time or delay time for the transmission of a data packet within the radio communication network with high accuracy. A latency remaining for the scheduler for control can thus be maximized.

The inventive method also makes it possible to delay data packet transmissions. For example, if in a radio transmission between the mobile radio communication terminal on the one hand and the radio communication network other- On the other hand, bad radio transmission conditions should exist.

This ensures that data packets of a subscriber can also be "retained" or delayed, if a transmission situation on the part of the air interface would be poor and still sufficient time would be available to be able to comply with the predetermined quality of service value of the data packet. This ensures that, even in the case of poorer radio transmission connections, packet data only has to be transmitted if this is absolutely necessary with regard to the "Quality of Service" value.

The transmission of the packet data or data packets is thus no longer controlled by hypothetically determined delay times, but based on actual delay times within the radio communication network.

By means of the method according to the invention, it is possible to achieve improved connections with regard to the transmission quality.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to operate an increased number of connections within the radio communications network, and the network data throughput is increased.

In an advantageous development, it is provided to store the measured real delay signs on the part of the network. On the one hand, this makes statistical evaluation possible and, on the other hand, the determination of the delay times can be shortened if necessary.

The statistical evaluation enables a network operator to fine tune within a radio communication network, to identify defective components and to determine transmission bottlenecks designated as bottlenecks. In the present invention, the base station or NodeB determines the assigned time value of a data packet before transmission to a mobile terminal by comparison with an internal time value of the base station.

From the comparison, the really required transmission time or delay time within the radio communication network is determined. In addition to the also assigned "Quality of Service" value, the transmission of the data packet from the base station to the mobile terminal is then carried out in a controlled manner.

The transmission time TGES is calculated as follows:

TGES = TQOS - ((TIN - TAR) TREST;

TGES = TQOS - (TVS TNS I

with: TQOS as the target time specified by the "Quality of Service" value,

TIN as the entry time of the data packet into the communication network,

TAR as the time of arrival of the data packet at the scheduler, TREST as the estimated remaining runtime of the data packet in the network, TVS as the runtime of the data block up to the scheduler, and TNS as the runtime of the data block after the scheduler.

The invention will be explained with reference to a drawing below. Showing:

1 shows the inventive method for a transmission of packet data between a mobile terminal on the one hand and a landline connection on the other hand, and

2 shows the inventive method for a transmission of packet data between a mobile first terminal on the one hand and a mobile second terminal on the other hand.

1 shows the method according to the invention for a transmission of packet data between a mobile terminal TN1 on the one hand and a landline connection FN1 on the other hand.

In a section shown by way of example, a mobile radio network has a first base station NodeB1, a second base station NodeB2, a first network node NK1 and a second network node NK2.

In this case, the first network node NK1 is configured either as a so-called "Serving GPRS Support Node, SGSN" or as a "Radio Network Controller, RNC" or as a so-called "Mobility Anchor", for example for a mobile anchor function.

The second network node NK2 is designed as a so-called "Gateway GPRS Support Node, GGSN" or generally as "GPRS Support Node, GSN +". The second network node NK2 represents a transition of a GPRS communication network into a so-called "Public Data Network" or "Packet Data Network".

Relevant nodes or components of the illustrated mobile radio network are combined by a synchronization ring SR designated as "Synch Ring", by means of which the nodes or components are synchronized in time.

The first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1 and the second network node NK2 are connected via a so-called "Control Connection "connected by means of which the synchronization takes place.

In addition, the first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1, the second network node NK2 and further components "public data network" are connected to one another via a so-called "user plane connection", with the aid of which both transmitted data packets and associated time values are transmitted ,

Data packets sent by a mobile subscriber TNl reach the first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1 and the second network node NK2 to a fixed network connection FN1. The same applies correspondingly vice versa for data packets that are sent from the landline FNl.

The second network node NK2 assigns a time value to a data packet sent from the fixed network connection FN1 - "time stamping" - and transmits the data packet together with the time value to the first base station NodeB1. The assignment takes place taking into account the temporal synchronization or a predetermined system time of the synchronization ring SR designated as "Synch Ring".

The first base station NodeBl compares the time value of the data packet with a system time specified by the synchronization ring. On the basis of the comparison, it is then possible to determine the time which still remains for a scheduler for data packet transmission as a function of a required quality of service value. This is shown in FIG. 1 under the name "Calculation of remaining time for scheduler". 2 shows the method according to the invention for a transmission of packet data between a mobile first terminal TN1 on the one hand and a mobile second terminal TN2 on the other hand.

With reference to FIG. 1, a mobile radio network has a first base station NodeB1, a second base station NodeB2, a first network node NK1 and a second network node NK2 in a detail shown by way of example.

Relevant nodes or components of the illustrated mobile radio network are combined by a so-called synchronization ring SR, with the help of which the nodes or components are synchronized in time. The synchronization takes place, for example, using a predetermined system time.

The first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1, the second network node NK2 and the second base station NodeB2 are interconnected via a so-called "control connection", with the aid of which the synchronization takes place.

In addition, the first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1, the second network node NK2 and the second base station NodeB2 are interconnected via a so-called "user plane connection", with the aid of which both data pacts and associated time values can be transmitted. Data packets or packet data sent by a mobile subscriber TN1 reach the second base station NodeB2 and from this the second mobile subscriber TN2 via the first base station NodeB1, the first network node NK1, possibly with participation of the second network node NK2. The same applies correspondingly in reverse for data packets that are sent from the second subscriber TN2 to the first subscriber TN1.

On the part of the first base station NodeBl, a time value is assigned to a data packet sent by the first subscriber TN1 - "time stamping" - and the data packet together with the time value is transmitted to the second base station NodeB2. The assignment takes place taking into account the temporal synchronization or the predetermined system time of the synchronization ring SR designated as "Synch Ring".

The second base station NodeB2 compares the time value of the data packet with the system time specified by the synchronization ring. On the basis of the comparison, it is then possible to determine the time which still remains for a scheduler for data packet transmission as a function of a required quality of service value. This is shown in FIG. 2 under the name "Calculation of remaining time for scheduler" at the second base station NodeB2.

The same applies in the reverse direction for a data packet sent by the second subscriber TN2 to the first subscriber TN1. Then the time value is assigned by the second base station NodeB2 - "Timestamping / SynchRing", while the time determination for the scheduler is carried out by the first base station NodeBl - "Calculation of remaining time for scheduler".

Claims

claims

1. A method for controlling a packet data transmission between a transmitter and a receiver of a radio communication network,

in which a transmission of a data packet is carried out in a controlled manner as a function of an associated service quality value, characterized in that a synchronized time value is assigned to a transmitted data packet on the fixed network side, and

- the control of data packet transmission in additional

Depending on the assigned time value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that as a transmitter and as a receiver in each case a radio communication onsendgerat is used.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that as the transmitter and as a receiver in each case an access point of the

Radio communication network is used.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that a base station is used as the access point.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that as a synchronized time value, a time stamp or a Zahlerstand is used.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized

- That the network side a delay time is determined, which is required for a transmission of a first data packet between transmitter and receiver, - that the required delay time is compared with the time value of the first data packet, and

- That the comparison determines an order that the transmission of the first data packet in relation to the transmission of other data packets is used.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized

- that a delay time is determined on the network side, which is required for a transmission of a first data packet between transmitter and receiver,

- that the required delay time with a by the

Quality of service value is compared maximum predetermined delay time,

- That the comparison determines a latency that can be used to delay data packet transmission over an air interface.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the data packet transmission is delayed within the waiting time until the presence of advantageous transmission conditions on the air interface.