Abstract: A technique for cable interface-based load balancing between first and second cells is described. Each cell comprises cable and air interfaces defining a parameter set comprising load statuses of the cable and air interfaces. A method aspect being performed in a control entity comprises the steps of determining, in the first cell, the parameter set of the first cell, obtaining the parameter set of the second cell, determining whether the load statues of the cable and air interfaces of the first cell are low, whether the air interface load status of the second cell is low, and whether the cable interface load status of the second cell is high, and reconfiguring, if a result of the determination is affirmative, at least one air interface configuration parameter of the first cell so as to off-load at least a part of mobile-originated traffic from the second cell to the first cell.

Abstract: A method for use in a Transport Network, TN, in a Radio Access Network, RAN, in an HSPA enabled cellular system. The method includes inspecting and/or queuing data frames which are sent over at least part of the TN between a Radio Network Controller, RNC, and a NodeB in the cellular system, and using the inspected and queued data frames to identify flows in at least part of the TN and to detect congestion in at least part of the TN. The method further comprises taking a congestion control action using identified flows and/or detected congestion in at least part of the TN.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for enabling optimisation of the utilisation of the throughput capacity of a first and a second interface of an eNB, where the first and the second interface alternate in having the lowest throughput capacity, and thereby take turns in limiting the combined data throughput over the two interfaces. In the method, data is received over the first interface and then cached in one of the higher layers of the Internet Protocol stack. The output from the cache of data to be sent over the second interface is controlled, based on the available throughput capacity of the second interface. Thereby, the alternating limiting effect of the interfaces is levelled out.

Abstract: Techniques for processing downlink data transmitted in a mobile communication system between a control node of a radio access network and a mobile terminal are disclosed. A method of processing downlink data transmitted in the mobile communication system between the control node and the mobile terminal includes determining, in a radio access node of the radio access network, at least one Radio Link Control (RLC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) from a plurality of RLC PDUs transmitted by the control node. The determined at least one RLC PDU contains a payload. The method further includes creating, in the radio access node, at least one replacement RLC PDU to be further used instead of the determined at least one RLC PDU. The at least one replacement RLC PDU contains a payload which size is smaller than the size of the payload of the determined at least one RLC PDU.

Abstract: A method of handling a data packet stream at different communication protocol layer levels of a communication protocol layer stack of an UMTS communication device is provided. The method comprises: Receiving a data packet stream at the communication device; Determining whether, in case of a loss of a data packet of the data packet stream, it is possible to retransmit the lost data packet to the communication device; and immediately transmitting data packets of the data packet stream succeeding the lost data packet from a MAC protocol layer level to a RLC protocol layer level if it is determined that the lost data packet cannot be retransmitted to the communication device, and otherwise storing data packets of the data packet stream succeeding the lost data packet for a third period of time at the MAC protocol layer level, which third period of time is longer than the second time period.

Abstract: A technique for controlling bandwidth usage of an application using a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) on a Transport network (TN). An example method comprises obtaining statistical data indicative of data frames lost on the RAB. Moreover, a first momentary congestion bitrate is calculated from a number of data packets actually lost on the TN based on the received statistical data and a second momentary congestion bitrate is calculated from a number of data packets actually dropped due to a drop policy applied to the application. Accordingly, a bitrate to be applied to the application by the drop policy is calculated based on the first and second momentary congestion bitrates. Finally, the drop policy is updated based on the bitrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a technique of transporting data packets over a telecommunications transport network and discloses methods and apparatuses for transporting data packets over a telecommunications transport network. The data packets are carried by a plurality of bearers and a drop precedence class is assigned to each data packet, for each of the bearers. An example method includes determining and tagging a sequence number to each data packet to which a drop precedence class has been assigned, where the sequence number is determined based on the amount of the sent data packets of the same drop precedence class and the amount of the sent data packets of all lower drop precedence classes. The method further includes forwarding each tagged data packet for transmission through the network, and checking the sequence number of each received data packet, to determine whether there has been any packet loss.

Abstract: A method of preparing data packets for transport over a telecommunications transport network is disclosed. The data packets relate to different ones of a plurality of services. The method includes inspecting each of the data packets to identify the service to which the data packet relates. The identified service of the packet is mapped to a Quality of Service (QoS) type. A bandwidth profiling scheme is applied to the data packets, the profiling scheme identifying and marking each data packet according to whether or not the data packet conforms with a predetermined committed information rate for the QoS type. The marked data packets are forwarded for transport through the transport network. Related devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a multi flow HSDPA system comprising a RNC (402) and a plurality of NodeB's (404, 406), the present disclosure includes (re-) use of original active queue management, AQM, based congestion control, ABCC for a primary link (421). For every detected congestion, an end-user IP packet is destroyed. ABCC is not used for the secondary link (422), which means that application level TCP will not be informed about congestion on the secondary link (422). The radio link control, RLC, protocol data units, PDU, (432) are distributed among links based on the congestion status of the links. If secondary link (422) is congested then more packets will be transmitted on the primary link (421). This makes it possible to use TCP compatible congestion control for multi flow HSDPA, without the drawback that would result from TCP reacting unnecessarily on flow bitrate decrease.

Abstract: A multi-mode congestion control is employed in a transport network interconnecting a radio access node and a control node of a communication network. The transport network employs a window-based state providing a window-based congestion control mode for a data flow. This mode involves notifying an application level transport protocol implemented in a sending source of the communication network of any detected congestion event. If a congestion event in the transport network is detected a switch to a rate-based state is performed. The rate-based state provides a rate-based congestion control mode involving transmitting a rate-reducing message from the radio access node to the control node to trigger a reduction in the bitrate of the data flow in response to the detected congestion event.

Abstract: A method for congestion control in a transport network of a radio access network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by the control node, a first uplink flow through a first communication link in the transport network from a first radio access node and receiving, by the control node, a second uplink flow through a second communication link in the transport network from a second radio access node. If congestion is detected in the transport network for either uplink flow, the control node selectively triggers either Active Queue Management (AQM)-based congestion control at the control node, or local congestion control at the for the uplink flow. Triggering is carried out such that AQM-based congestion control is carried out for only one of the first uplink flow or the second uplink flow if congestion is detected for both the first uplink flow and the second uplink flow.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention advantageously provides far greater granularity in adjusting the maximum (schedulable) uplink bit rates of users than is directly available from a defined grant table that is used for making scheduled uplink grants to those users. As a non-limiting example, the EUL scheduler in a NodeB in a WCDMA network calculates the “effective” bit rate desired for one or more users over a given time interval, and determines the pattern of scheduling grants to make from the grant table over that interval, to produce the desired effective bit rate(s). This capability enables the EUL scheduler to make relatively fine fractional adjustments to the aggregate uplink data rate for a plurality of users, thus allowing much more precise reductions in the aggregate uplink data rate of those users. The EUL scheduler makes these more precise adjustments, for example, in response to indications of congestion on the backhaul connection between the NodeB and its supporting RNC.

Abstract: A technique for operating an RNC of a communication network during a soft handover process of a mobile terminal between a first BS and at least one second BS that are connected to the RNC is provided. A method implementation of the technique comprises receiving, at a MAC protocol layer of the RNC, a first data frame stream from the first BS via a first data path and a second data frame stream from the second BS via a second data path. A relative delay between the data frames of the first and the second data frame stream regarding their arrival at the RNC is determined. At then the MAC protocol layer, data frames of the first and the second data frame stream are then merged into a third data frame stream which is transmitted to a protocol layer above the MAC protocol layer.

Abstract: A technique for routing one or more service tunnels in a telecommunications backhaul network (110) is provided. The telecommunications backhaul network has a first routing path (132) and a second routing path (134). As to a method aspect of the technique, data of the one or more service tunnels is transmitted on the first routing path (132). A reduction in transmission capacity is detected on the first routing path (134) by means of a first routing path condition. The first routing path condition indicates a state of the first routing path (132). A second routing path condition is determined indicating a state of the second routing path (134) in response to the detected reduction in transmission capacity on the first routing path (132). It is decided upon rerouting one or more of the service tunnels from the first routing path (132) to the second routing path (132) based on both the first routing path condition and the second routing path condition.

Abstract: A method for traffic control in a cellular telephony system (100), each cell comprising at least one node, an RBS (130), for the control of traffic to and from users (150) in the cell. The traffic to each UE (150) can comprise at least one flow, and the method is intended for control of the flows in the traffic to UEs (150) in the system (100), and comprises one control function for each controlled flow to each of said UEs (150). Said control function comprises a congestion avoidance function (240, 440) which detects the presence or absence of congestion in a flow to an UE (150), and which, upon congestion or low utilization of the network reduces the bit rate to the UE (150) in a non-linear fashion, and which, in the absence of congestion, linearly increases the bit rate of the traffic to the UE (150).

Abstract: A technique for operating an RNC of a communication network during a soft handover process of a mobile terminal between a first BS and at least one second BS that are connected to the RNC is provided. A method implementation of the technique comprises receiving, at a MAC protocol layer of the RNC, a first data frame stream from the first BS via a first data path and a second data frame stream from the second BS via a second data path. A relative delay between the data frames of the first and the second data frame stream regarding their arrival at the RNC is determined. The relative delay takes into account different systematic propagation durations from the first BS and the second BS to the RNC. At then the MAC protocol layer, data frames of the first and the second data frame stream are then merged into a third data frame stream which is transmitted to a protocol layer above the MAC protocol layer. The merging of the data frames is carried out in dependence on the relative delay.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packet scheduling over a communication link in a communication network. A data packet scheduler accords scheduling weights to at least two sets of data packets to be transmitted, and the sending of the sets of data packets is scheduled in accordance with the scheduling weights. When it is determined that a change in available bandwidth over the communication link has occurred, the scheduler dynamically adjusts the scheduling weight for each set of data packets on the basis of the available bandwidth. This ensures more efficient resource sharing control and resource guarantees when the available bandwidth changes.

Abstract: A method is provided for transporting data packets over a telecommunications transport network. The data packets are carried by a plurality of bearers, and are sent over the transport network from a serving node. Information is received relating to a current capacity of the transport network. A current maximum total information rate for the serving node is dynamically adjusted based on information relating to a current capacity of the transport network. A current maximum information rate for each of the bearers is determined based on the current maximum total information rate. Bandwidth profiling is applied to the data packets of each of the bearers, independently of the other bearers, to identify the data packets of each of the bearers that are conformant with the determined current maximum information rate for the bearer. The data packets are forwarded for transport through the transport network.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node for controlling sending rates in a communications network, and a related network node. The method controls the sending rate by dropping received data packets if the transport network experiences congestion. If the transport network experiences congestion the received data packets are dropped based on a packet drop precedence value comprised in a radio access network or IP header.

Abstract: A method is provided of transporting data packets over a telecommunications transport network. The data packets are carried by a plurality of bearers, the bearers each carrying data packets that relate to different ones of a plurality of services. In the method, for each bearer independently of the other bearers, bandwidth profiling is applied to the data packets of the bearer to identify and mark the data packets of each of the bearers that are conformant with a determined maximum information rate for the bearer. The data packets are forwarded for transport through the transport network. If there is insufficient bandwidth available in the transport network to transport all data packets, data packets not identified by the profiling as being conformant are discarded, so as not to be transported through the transport network.