Title of Invention

METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN AN INTEGRATED 3G-WLAN MOBILE WIRELESS MULTIMEDIA NETWORK

Abstract The present invention relates to methods and system for efficient resource allocation in wireless local area network (WLAN) and an integrated 3G-WLAN wireless network. The system consists of a two hop wireless network where some WLAN mobile devices communicate with WLAN access point over the air-interface and the WLAN AP in turn communicates with the 3G base station over the air-interface. The system embodies various adaptive scheduling methods that are executed at the access points of WLAN and 3G networks. Some of these methods control the polling sequence for different multimedia flows at the access point of a wireless local area network. Some of these methods also control the manner in which time slots are allocated to multimedia flows in a 3G network. Some of these flows are for mobile devices connected to 3G network while some other flows are aggregate flows for devices connected to a mobile wireless local area network. These satisfy QoS requirements of diverse type of applications, provide different fairness criterion to allocate time to different mobile devices in 3G-WLAN network and allow a network operator to offer different types of service level agreements.
Full Text In an integrated 3G-WLAN network, two wireless hops may be involved for some mobile stations (i.e. WLAN-MS nodes) while there is only one wireless hop in a pure 3G network. One needs to have a queuing and associated scheduling system for integrated 3G-WLAN network that can provide efficient utilization of resources for application flows, mobile users as well as for network operators. There is also need to have efficient scheduling methods for integrated 3G-WLAN network to provide desired performance guarantees to different application flows with different fairness objectives.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of this invention is to invent methods and system for resource allocation in an integrated 3G-WLAN mobile wireless multimedia network.
It is another object of the invention to invent adaptive scheduling methods for WLAN in PCF mode for resource allocation.
It is another object of the invention to invent adaptive scheduling methods for efficient resource allocation in an integrated 3G-WLAN 2-hop wireless networks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We first propose new adaptive scheduling methods for WLAN in PCF mode. These methods are to be used to provide performance guarantees to forward as well as reverse link flows in a WLAN network. These also allow a WLAN network operator to specify different types of fairness objectives and associated service level agreements for mobile users.
In the PCF mode, the WLAN-AP needs to decide the order in which to poll the mobile nodes (WLAN-MS). Once the AP has decided which node to poll at a given time, it sends polling message to that node in the forward direction. It can also send data for that node along with this polling message in the forward direction. It again needs to decide how much data to send for that node. If the

mobile station (WLAN-MS) successfully receives this packet, it sends an ACK to the WLAN-AP. This mobile node can also send data along with this ACK to the WLAN-AP. As there could be delay, rate and delay jitter sensitive data in forward as well reverse directions, the order in which nodes are polled (and amount of data to be transmitted is determined), plays crucial role in QoS management of diverse types of applications in a WLAN network.
Accordingly, the present invention comprises an adaptive scheduling method for efficient resource allocation in WLAN in PCF mode comprising the steps of:
(a) deciding the order in which to poll the mobile node;
(b) deciding which node to poll at the given time;
(c) sending the polling message and data to the node in the forward direction; and
(d) sending an acknowledgement and data to the WLAN-AP by the mobile station on successful receipt of the packet.
Accordingly, the present invention further comprises a system for adaptive scheduling for efficient resource allocation in WLAN in PCF mode comprising four schedulers using the scheduling methods as described herein where, the first level of scheduler selecting a flow to serve, the second level of scheduler selecting a flow to serve for a WLAN MS if selected flow is the aggregate flow corresponding to a WLAN AP, and after 3G BS station serves packets for that flow, these being queued at the WLAN AP, the third scheduler working in parallel at the WLAN AP and selecting a flow to serve among flows that have packets queued up at the WLAN AP or WLAN MS, and the fourth scheduler running at the 3G BS and carrying out QoS scheduling for reverse link flows in the 3G network (including the ones from 3G MS and WLAN AP).
The other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description as follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1: Shows a schematic diagram of a 3G-like network;
Figure 2: Shows a schematic diagram of a WLAN network;
Figure 3: Shows a schematic diagram of a heterogeneous 3G-WLAN network;
Figure 4: shows the coexistence of PCF and DCF mode in a WLAN;
Figure 5: shows an example of various messages exchanged between the AP and MS in the PCF mode;
Figure 6: shows IEEE 802.11 frame format with details of frame control field;
Figure 7: shows the schematic representation of these flows and respective buffers;
Figure 8: shows the schematic representation of different types of flows and corresponding queues.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details

are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.
Methods and System for Efficient Resource Allocation for WLAN
We propose a queuing management system and associated scheduling methods for efficient allocation of resources over the WLAN air interface to satisfy the QoS requirements of heterogeneous applications. These also allow network operator to offer different types of fairness criteria and service level agreements to WLAN users for the forward and reverse link flows in the PCF mode of a WLAN network.
Some applications have QoS requirements for flows in only one direction while some other application may have QoS requirements for flows in both the forward as well as reverse directions. For example multimedia conferencing flows requires that the delay, rate and delay jitter requirements be satisfied for both forward and reverse link video and audio flows. Multimedia streaming applications would usually send data in one direction only (such as using RTP packets) but will have some control packets in the reverse direction (such as RTCP control packets).
Flows are separated into forward link flows from the AP to MS and reverse link flows from MS to AP. The flows consist of MAC layer packets. Each MS could have multiple flows with different traffic requirements in both directions. For each

The 3G-BS estimates reverse link queue depths at the 3G-MS and WLAN-AP and uses this to compute buffer length related compensation term described earlier. Next, it computes QoS compensation metrics (Computation III) for reverse link flows as follows:
QoS_MRi[t]~norm_reqrate_facR, *MF,[t]xBF,[t]*rl_thres_comp[l,t\\/k,/ = 1,2. 3G-BS monitors the reverse link packets to compute normalized require rate compensation for these flows. A RL flow with the maximum value of the above metric is served at the 3G BS. If the selected flow belongs to a WLAN AP, a reverse link sub-flow is selected corresponding to a WLAN MS, by selecting a packet which is closest to its deadline. In a different method, a sub-flow maximum value of normalized reverse link buffer is selected. If packets get queued at the WLAN AP, they are served by the WLAN scheduler, which we proposed in the previous sections for forward as well as reverse link flows. Real-time packets are served in the PCF mode using that scheduler. Best effort packets are served using the DCF mode and duration of the DCF mode is kept small in our system to support multimedia applications in the 3G-WLAN network. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above. It should also be noted that the host for storing the applications include but not limited to a computer, mobile communication device, mobile base station, or a multi function device.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.





WE CLAIM
1) An adaptive scheduling method for efficient resource allocation in WLAN in
PCF mode comprising the steps of:
(a) deciding the order in which to poll the mobile node;
(b) deciding which node to poll at the given time;
(c) sending the polling message and data to the node in the forward direction; and
(d) sending an acknowledgement and data to the WLAN-AP by the mobile station on successful receipt of the packet.

2) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said method involves WLAN-AP communicating with the 3G-BTS and two wireless hops.
3) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said method of scheduling involves efficient resource allocation over the WLAN air interface to satisfy the QoS requirements of heterogeneous applications wherein to allow network operator to offer different types of fairness criteria and service level agreements to WLAN users for the forward and reverse link flows in the PCF mode of a WLAN network and wherein to compensate applications having QoS requirements specified by some of the parameters such as delay bound, delay jitter, average delay, throughput, and packet loss for flows in both the forward as well as reverse directions, flows are separated into forward link flows from the AP to MS and reverse link flows from MS to AP ; the flows consist of MAC layer packets; each MS has multiple flows with different traffic requirements in both directions; for each forward link flow to an MS, the AP maintains a queue of MAC layer packets and for each reverse link flow an MS maintains a queue of MAC layer packets; the scheduler is located at the WLAN access point but does scheduling for forward as well as reverse link flows; packets corresponding to forward as well as reverse link flows at the WLAN-AP are monitored and their rate and delay violation statistics are calculated and to compensate flows that are not getting their required QoS guarantees the QoS compensation metric Mk[Tn]for each flow k at each timetn is

Documents:

1079-che-2003-abstract.pdf

1079-che-2003-claims filed.pdf

1079-che-2003-claims granted.pdf

1079-che-2003-correspondnece-others.pdf

1079-che-2003-correspondnece-po.pdf

1079-che-2003-description(complete) filed.pdf

1079-che-2003-description(complete) granted.pdf

1079-che-2003-drawings.pdf

1079-che-2003-form 1.pdf

1079-che-2003-form 19.pdf

1079-che-2003-form 26.pdf


Patent Number 201044
Indian Patent Application Number 1079/CHE/2003
PG Journal Number 08/2007
Publication Date 23-Feb-2007
Grant Date 26-Jun-2006
Date of Filing 31-Dec-2003
Name of Patentee M/S. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
Applicant Address J.P TECHNO PARK, 3/1, MILLERS ROAD, BANGALORE 560 052, KARNATAKA, INDIA.
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 TANEJA DR. MUKESH J.P TECHNO PARK, 3/1, MILLERS ROAD, BANGALORE 560 052, KARNATAKA, INDIA.
PCT International Classification Number G05F12/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA