Abstract: A scheduler at a base station may schedule packet data traffic based on a ranking metric that varies directly with the mobile station's scheduling downlink transmission rate and a delay factor indicative of the staleness of the corresponding queued data. The ranking metric may advantageously vary in a direct non-linear fashion with the delay factor to allow for delay sensitive data, such as VoIP data, to be scheduled with increased urgency when quality of service is about to be compromised. The scheduler may attempt to pack a multi-user downlink physical layer packet by selecting a tentative rate and determining if an aggregate amount of data in the packet may be increased by transmitting the packet at a lower rate. If so, additional queued data is added to the packet and the transmission rate for the packet is lowered. Such an approach allows for greater link efficiency to be achieved.

Abstract: Users in a wireless communication system are provisioned into QoS-based classes and rate controlled using a single, per-sector common rate control (CRC) sub-channel. In one or more embodiments, different mobile stations are configured to respond differently to the same CRC commands by provisioning them with different Traffic-to-Pilot Ratio (TPR) tables and/or with different TPR step size adjustment tables. That is, the network can define different classes or groups of mobile stations by sending class or group-specific TPR-related values to the mobile stations belonging to a specific class or group. With this method, the mobile stations in one group can achieve different reverse link data rates, or make more aggressive data rate changes, than those in another group, even though both groups receive the same rate control commands.

Abstract: A base station in a wireless communication network multi-codes a shared packet data channel using a continually changing set of spreading codes, and dynamically updates the transmission frequency of messages identifying the spreading codes to be used for that multi-coding based on tracking the net gain in data throughput for the shared channel that is obtained by transmitting such messages. In a 1xEV-DV network context, for example, a Walsh code in the defined Walsh code space that is not contiguous with the Walsh codes currently allocated to multi-coding the 1xEV-DV Forward Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH) generally remains unavailable for such use until an updated Walsh Mask Broadcast (WMB) message is transmitted to the mobile stations being served on the F-PDCH. The base station thus is configured to determine the frequency at which to send such messages and thereby make the unavailable codes available for multi-coding use.

Abstract: In a mobile communication network, a desired rate needed to maintain a desired quality of service for each service instance is computed and the individual rates for all service instances are summed to get an aggregate rate needed to maintain the desired quality of service for all service instances. A rate determination is made based on the aggregate rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enables a base station to control the reverse link data rates of the mobile stations. Such control may be used to improve reverse link throughput, and such improvements may be balanced against fairness of service interests. Broadly, a radio base station (RBS) makes per-mobile station rate control decisions in each rate control interval based on each mobile station's desired rate and past reverse link throughput. These values may be used to compute a priority value for each mobile station, which values are then used to prioritize the mobile stations in rank order. Rate control decisions are made for the mobile stations in rank order based on their desired rates and remaining reverse link capacity. In one embodiment, the mobile stations provide path loss information to the RBS, and it computes each mobile station's desired rate as the mobile's achievable rate assuming it transmitted at maximum power.

Abstract: Serving sector selection decisions are made by or for a mobile station (MS) operating in a wireless communication network based on predicting forward and/or reverse link data throughputs for one or more non-serving sectors and comparing the expected throughput(s) to expected or actual throughput(s) of the MS's current serving sector. In one embodiment, the MS receives per-sector resource information supporting throughput predictions, and uses that information and its per-sector channel quality measurements to predict expected throughputs for one or more candidate sectors. It generally changes to the sector offering the highest expected data throughput, but the MS can qualify that decision to avoid too-frequent switching. In another embodiment, the MS sends per-sector channel quality information to the network and the network selects the mobile station's sector based on predicted throughputs.

Abstract: A method of determining a target load for a reverse link channel in a CDMA base station, comprises determining a target frame error rate for a base station and computing the target load as a function of the target frame error rate and a measured frame error rate.

Abstract: A radio base station transmits periodic load indications based on the measured reverse link load to a plurality of mobile stations transmitting on a reverse link channel. If the measure reverse link load is within a first predetermined range, the radio base stations transmits a load indication instructing mobile stations transmitting on the reverse link to change their transmission rate probabilistically. If the reverse link load is within second predetermined range outside the first predetermined range, the radio base station transmits a load indication instructing mobile stations transmitting on the reverse link to change their transmission rate deterministically.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rate control adjusts or otherwise requests adjustment of a communication link data rate based on transmit queuing delays. For example, a mobile station may monitor expected transmit queuing delays relative to one or more delay targets or other Quality-of-Service constraints, and request reverse link rate increases or decreases accordingly. Similarly, the mobile station may be configured periodically to request reverse link rate changes based on determining the rate needed to meet targeted queuing delays for one or more service instances being supported by the mobile station in each of a succession of ongoing rate control intervals. Requested rates may be defined data rates or may be virtual rates that can be achieved by using combinations of defined data rates. Queuing-based rate control also can be applied to the base station's forward link, and, more broadly, to essentially any rate controlled communication link.

Abstract: A base station (BS) is configured to support a plurality of mobile stations on the reverse link by selectively designating one or more of them as members in a rate-controlled set. Members follow the common rate control commands broadcast by the BS, while non-members do not. The non-members preferably fall back to a minimum data rate. Set members each provide feedback to the BS indicating whether the member is “mobile-limited” wherein it cannot increase its reverse link data rate even if commanded to do so by the BS, or whether the member is “command-limited” wherein the member could increase its data rate but is not permitted to do so by the BS. The BS dynamically adjusts membership in the set to maintain a balance between having too many mobile-limited or command-limited members, since either condition is inefficient. The BS also may adjust membership by attempting to equalize membership times in the set.

Abstract: A radio base station performs reverse link rate control in a wireless communication network by “stealing” bits on a forward common power control channel. The forward common power control channel is divided into a plurality of frames, with each frame including a plurality of power control groups and each power control group including a plurality of power control slots. The radio base station may dynamically select power control slots depending on user demand to be used for reverse link rate control.

Abstract: A mobile station dynamically adjusts its data transmission rate based on periodic load indications from a base station. The mobile station calculates a load tracking value based on two or more periodic load indications, and then calculates a rate change probability as a function of the load tracking value. The mobile station selectively changes its transmission rate responsive to a current load indication based on the rate change probability.

Abstract: Closed loop and open loop control mechanisms are disclosed for adjusting the power headroom in a mobile station. The closed loop control comprises receiving a load indication from a base station indicative of the reverse link load, and adjusting the power headroom of the mobile station based on the load indication. The open loop control mechanism comprises counting the number of times that the mobile station is power limited, and adjusting the power headroom threshold based on the count.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing common rate control in a CDMA network that equalizes the transmit power of the mobile stations transmitting on the reverse link. Consequently, the transmission rate that is obtained by a given mobile station is dependent on the mobile station's current channel conditions on the reverse link channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to transport TDM voice traffic over an ATM network. A first plurality of TDM voice traffic circuits, such as T1 or E1 circuits, are multiplexed to create a first rt-VBR virtual circuit such that the bandwidth of the first rt-VBR virtual circuit is not limited. A second plurality of TDM voice traffic circuits are multiplexed to create a second rt-VBR virtual circuit such that the bandwidth of the second rt-VBR virtual circuit is not limited. This may be done by AAL2 multiplexing with substantially large SCR, PCR and MBS values. The first and second rt-VBR virtual circuits are combined for transport over a link in the ATM network. An overload and/or admission control process may be performed based on the ATM network link utilization. The TDM voice traffic AAL2 multiplexing uses silence suppression and may or may not use voice compression.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to transport private line traffic over an ATM network. A first plurality of TDM private line traffic links, such as T1 or E1 circuits, are multiplexed to create a first rt-VBR virtual circuit such that the bandwidth of the first rt-VBR virtual circuit is not limited. A second plurality of TDM private line circuits are multiplexed to create a second rt-VBR virtual circuit such that the bandwidth of the second rt-VBR virtual circuit is not limited. This may be done by AAL2 multiplexing with substantially large SCR, PCR and MBS values and the removal of T1 frames that do not contain data (that is, frames that contain only frame delimiters). The first and second rt-VBR virtual circuits are combined for transport over a link in the ATM network. An overload control process may be performed based on the ATM network link utilization.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to remove dataless TDM frames when transporting private line traffic over an ATM network. A number of TDM frames comprising a TDM private line circuit are received, and it is determined if a TDM frame contains data. The determination may be based on, for example, the detection of one or more frame delimiters, such as by comparing information in the TDM frame with a pre-determined frame delimiter pattern. Information from the TDM frame is placed into an ATM cell only when the TDM frame contains data. An indication that a TDM frame has not been placed into an ATM cell is conveyed in the AAL2 headers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for regulating network traffic levels. The present invention utilizes a token distribution method for allocating traffic rates to network traffic sources that allows the message rate and token balance to be expressed as fractional numbers resulting in improved flexibility and smoother performance.

Abstract: A novel system for regulating traffic in a communications network by adaptive rate control is disclosed. In a network system having time sensitive messages that require processing within certain time limits, the load queued at network elements with at least one message processor is dynamically controlled to prevent the message processor from becoming overloaded and thereby causing queued messages from timing out without being processed. A threshold value based on a processing parameter such as when a message times out is compared to an average queuing delay and the controlled load is varied in response thereto. Each message processor determines one or more processing statistics from which a controlled load rate applied to at least one source controller is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing the process of updating a plurality of distributed databases is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, known database management software executed by a general purpose computer connected to each of the plurality of distributed databases is modified to include the ability to limit the number of data updates which may be outstanding to the plurality of distributed databases during any particular period of time. The modified database management software monitors the number of data updates which have been sent to each of the plurality of distributed databases and only sends additional data updates to each of the plurality of distributed databases if the number of outstanding updates is less than a predetermined maximum number of outstanding data updates.