Multiplex communications – Data flow congestion prevention or control – Flow control of data transmission through a network
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-10-30
Chin, Wellington (Department: 2664)
Multiplex communications
Data flow congestion prevention or control
Flow control of data transmission through a network
C370S433000, C370S435000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310859
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a packet communications network for transmitting and receiving packet data, and more particularly to a packet communications network in a mobile communications system.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, service providers of packet communications charge for packet services by measured rates corresponding to packet information amounts rather than by communication time periods corresponding to connection duration.
This is because to achieve the measured rate system, it is enough for each packet switching node of the network only to write, when starting each packet service, a table for determining a route toward a destination in accordance with a packet destination address, and no other processings are required until the next packet with that destination address arrives. Thus, the measured rate system is economically viable for the service providers.
On the other hand, having established a transmission route once at the beginning of a packet communication, its user is not charged unless he or she actually transmits a packet. Thus, the user usually holds the packet line for making intermittent low information rate communications, which provides an advantage of being able to transmit and receive a packet immediately when information takes place, without setting up communications each time for exchanging information.
Holding the packet line, however, occupies a part of the resources of the packet network, such as resources for maintaining transmission quality. The resources in the network occupied for setting up packet lines are not charged.
If the resources in the network is unavailable (this is referred to as “busy”), another user who tries to establish a communication afterward cannot achieve this. To provide the packet communications services simultaneously for a great number of (unspecified) users making use of the resources of a particular section in common, the resources in that section must be prepared for individual users, requiring an enormous amount of resources. This not only imposes heavy economic burden on the carrier, but also involves a waste of the resources during such hours as midnight when they are not used enough.
Furthermore, besides the packet transmission processings described above, the packet communication services in the mobile communications require mobility control because of roaming of users. In other words, handover is required which switches, following the roaming of a mobile station, base stations that communicate with the mobile station. Accordingly, when providing the packet communications services in the mobile communications, it is desirable to earn its cost that rates by amounts of roaming be added to the measured rates. Most users, however, are unacceptable such a rate system that differs from that of the services widely provided in fixed networks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, the packet communications services present a problem of holding free-of-charge circuit conditions at low cost, that is, holding the circuit conditions in which no or little packet exchange is carried out in practice, although communications are being established by packet communications users.
In particular, it is an important problem in the mobile communications to hold the circuits with implementing handover.
In this case, it is also a matter of the present invention of providing economical communications services that can share the resources in the network to as many users as possible with ensuring them to make maximum use of communication rates required for achieving data communications.
To accomplish the foregoing problems, the present invention provides a resource managing method in a packet communications network comprising the steps of: monitoring traffic of a user after establishing a communication; releasing at least part of resources assigned to the user by placing a communication mode of the user into a communication hold mode when a prescribed monitor condition is satisfied; and releasing the communication hold mode and recovering the communication mode when a packet communication is started in the communication hold mode.
The communication hold mode can be a mode that releases transmission path resources and transit node resources in a section of a user connection to allow another user to use the resources in the section.
The prescribed monitor condition for proceeding from the communication mode to the communication hold mode can be that no transmission nor reception of a user takes place during a reference time period.
The step of monitoring can comprise the step of: measuring a time period during which each user suspends packet transmission and reception, and sending the measured time period, and the step of setting the hold mode can comprise the steps of: receiving the measured time period sent; comparing the measured time period with a predetermined reference time period, and notifying that the measured time period exceeds the reference time period; issuing a release command of the resources assigned to the user when notified that the reference time period is exceeded; and releasing the resources assigned to the user in response to the release command issued. The step of releasing the resources can change a state of the resources according to time.
The method can comprise a mode which precedently assigns resources to the user in the hold mode when hanging the state of the resources according to time.
The step of setting the hold mode can further change the reference time period. The change of the reference time period can be carried out by registering and recording a reference time period for each user, and by referring the reference time period stored in the storage means for each user.
The reference time period can be designated by each user, or can be set by measuring for each user a frequency of use of communications, and by computing the reference time period based on the frequency.
Besides, the reference time period can be set in accordance with a working rate obtained by continuous monitoring.
The step of releasing resources may further comprise a release control step of controlling a sequence and timing of a release of the resources secured by each user.
The release control step may control the release based on a predetermined sequence and timing.
A node at an end of a section in the communication hold mode can return a false signal acknowledging a connection in response to a connection acknowledge signal which is sent in the communication hold mode from a side placed in the communication mode.
A node at an end of a section in the communication hold mode can send in the communication hold mode a connection acknowledge signal acknowledging a connection to a side placed in the communication mode. The node at the end can complete the communication when the node at the end cannot acknowledge the connection by sending the connection acknowledge signal.
The step of recovering the communication mode from the communication hold mode can use a procedure of a normal outgoing and incoming call.
The method can store, when making a transition to the hold mode, in the end node of the section in the communication hold mode, a routing table used for the recovering.
The packet communications network can be a mobile network. In this case, a mobile station can carry out its location registration in the communication hold mode as in a normal waiting mode.
The resources in an origination of the roaming can be released by notifying of roaming of a user, by managing information about the user by using information installed in a destination of the roaming, by securing network resources in accordance with the information about the user, and by deleting the information about the user which becomes unnecessary to be managed.
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patent: 8-46643 (
Akiyama Daisuke
Doi Tokuro
Morita Hideo
Nakamura Hiroshi
Saito Yukichi
Brown & Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner LLP
Chin Wellington
NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc.
Pham Brenda
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