Apparatus and Method for Scheduling in a Wireless Communication System

Abstract

A method of scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer by a wireless communication unit comprises receiving, by the wireless communication unit, a signalling message comprising at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to. The method further comprises determining, from the at least one scheduling priority parameter, at least one user transmission priority level associated with at least one PDN connection of at least one radio bearer; and scheduling at least one uplink data packet transmission in response to the at least one user transmission priority level.

1 . A method of scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer by a wireless communication unit, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the wireless communication unit, a signalling message comprising at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to;   determining, from the at least one scheduling priority parameter, at least one user transmission priority level associated with at least one PDN connection of at least one radio bearer; and   scheduling at least one uplink data packet transmission based on the at least one user transmission priority level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter comprises at least one of:
 at least one radio bearer priority: 
 at least one uplink rate control weighting parameter; 
 at least one maximum bit rate (MBR); or 
 at least one absolute priority value. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one absolute priority value is assigned to at least one of:
 a PDN connection; or 
 an aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR) value. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one user transmission priority level is based on both the at least one radio bearer priority level and the at least one absolute priority value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 associating at least one uplink rate control weighting parameter with the at least one radio bearer of the wireless communication unit based on at least one AMBR value associated with the at least one PDN connection. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising receiving at least one AMBR value as a first scheduling parameter to the wireless communication unit before receiving at least one further scheduling parameter. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the scheduling priority parameter as part of an establishment of the at least one PDN connection of the wireless communication unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the scheduling priority parameter as part of a radio bearer establishment of the at least one PDN connection of the wireless communication unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one user transmission priority level is associated with a plurality of individual radio bearers corresponding to the at least one PDN connection. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , when applied to a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular communication system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , when applied to a 3GPP Evolved Packet System (EPS) architecture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , when applied to a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) air interface architecture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , when applied to a WiMAX cellular communication system. 
     
     
         14 . A wireless communication unit for scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication unit comprising:
 a receiver for receiving a signalling message comprising at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to;   logic for determining from the at least one scheduling priority parameter at least one user transmission priority level associated with at least one PDN connection of at least one radio bearer; and   scheduler logic for scheduling, by the wireless communication unit, at least one uplink data packet transmission in response to the at least one user transmission priority level.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising program code for scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer in a wireless communication system, the computer program product comprising program code for:
 receiving a signalling message comprising at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to;   determining from the at least one scheduling priority parameter at least one user transmission priority level associated with at least one PDN connection of at least one radio bearer; and   scheduling at least one uplink data packet transmission in response to the at least one user transmission priority level.   
     
     
         16 . A network element arranged to provide information for scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer by a wireless communication unit, the network element comprising:
 logic for deriving at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to; and   a transmitter, operably coupled to the logic for deriving, wherein the transmitter is operable to transmit the scheduling parameter to the wireless communication unit.   
     
     
         17 . The network element of  claim 16  wherein the scheduling priority parameter comprises at least one of:
 at least one radio bearer priority: 
 at least one uplink rate control weighting parameter; 
 at least one maximum bit rate (MBR); or 
 at least one absolute priority value. 
 
     
     
         18 . The network element of  claim 17  wherein the at least one absolute priority value is assigned to at least one of:
 a PDN connection; or 
 an aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR) value. 
 
     
     
         19 . The network element of  claim 17  further comprising:
 logic for deriving a maximum bit rate (MBR) value per radio bearer from an AMBR value that corresponds to a PDN connection that the radio bearer serves. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method for a network element arranged to provide information for scheduling an uplink (UL) data packet on a packet data network (PDN) connection of at least one radio bearer by a wireless communication unit, the method comprising:
 deriving at least one scheduling priority parameter assigned to at least one uplink radio bearer, wherein the at least one scheduling priority parameter is based on at least one characteristic of the PDN connection that the radio bearer belongs to; and   transmitting the scheduling parameter to the wireless communication unit.