Abstract:
It is presented methods and apparatuses for uplink resource utilization in a telecommunication system. More particularly, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method performed in a user equipment ( 4 ), said user equipment ( 4 ) having data (D i ) ready to transmit, the data pertaining to a traffic class (i). The method comprises establishing a connection with a radio network node ( 2 ) and receiving threshold parameter sets (Th i ) from the radio network node ( 2 ). Each threshold parameter set (Th i ) comprising at least a minimum size limit (S i ) associated with respective traffic class (i). The threshold parameter sets (Th i ) are used to determine if the amount of data that the user equipment ( 4 ) has ready to transmit is large enough to be transmitted or if it has been waiting long enough to be transmitted. If it is the UE ( 4 ) transmits the data to the radio network node ( 2 ). There are also presented a corresponding method performed in the network node ( 2 ) and a user equipment ( 4 ) and a network node ( 2 ) for performing the methods.

Description:
This application is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/SE2012/051295 filed 23 Nov. 2012 which designated the U.S., the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to reducing network load in a telecommunication system. More particularly, embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods performed in a user equipment and in a network node, respectively, for reducing network load. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure are also directed to a corresponding a user equipment and network node. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In wireless data communication systems there is today an ever growing need for more and more data transmission. Such wireless data communication systems may for example be the Global System for Mobile communication/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution and Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (GSM/EDGE), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access/High-Speed Packet Access (WCDMA/HSPA) and Long-Term Evolution (LTE). This increase in data transmission is mainly due to the growing number of devices that need to be connected to the wireless data communication system in order to function properly, such as smart meters, smart household appliances, and smart phones having applications demanding wireless data connections. The behavior of such data communication is often unpredictable and of a bursty nature leading to the establishment of many connections which then also are released to the wireless data communication system. 
     For a user equipment (UE), such as smart phones or smart meters, the connection establishment can either be network triggered or UE triggered. In case the connection establishment is triggered by the UE, the UE will generally trigger the connection establishment procedure as soon as the UE has data available for transmission. There exist a vast number of examples of the above behavior, such as the periodic synchronization and status updates of social media/instant messaging service applications, the reporting of consumed power from smart power meters to the power company etc. It is among other things this type of behavior that increases the network load and thus there is a need for improving the uplink resource utilization. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the above, an improved way to utilize uplink resources would be advantageous. The inventors of the present invention have realized that when it comes to transmission of data the UE does today not make any considerations in respect of the nature of the data to be transmitted, how delay sensitive the data is or how large amount of data that is to be transmitted. Today the UE as such may periodically establish a connection for transmitting a very small amount of data and then afterwards the network will release the connection, even if the data itself is not delay sensitive and the amount of data is very small for each connection establishment. 
     It is therefore a general object of embodiments of the present disclosure to improve the uplink resource utilization. 
     According to an aspect, a method is provided which is performed in a UE. The UE is capable of transmitting data pertaining to at least a first predefined traffic class. The method comprises receiving at least a first threshold parameter set from the radio network. The first threshold parameter set comprising at least a minimum size limit associated with first predefined traffic class. The method further comprises measuring an amount of data that the UE has ready to transmit, said data pertaining to the first predefined traffic class, comparing the measured amount of data with the minimum size limit associated with the first predefined traffic class, and transmitting said data pertaining to the first predefined traffic class from the UE to the radio network in case the measured amount of data exceeds the received minimum size limit. 
     In various embodiments the data that is ready to be transmitted belongs to different predefined traffic classes. The method further comprises calculating an aggregate amount of data for different predefined traffic classes to a single data amount. 
     In yet other embodiments the first threshold parameter set comprises a maximum time limit associated with the first predefined traffic class, the method further comprising the steps of starting a timer in the UE in case the amount of measured data is less than the minimum size limit and transmitting said data from the user equipment to the radio network in response to that the timer has reached the received maximum time limit. 
     According to another aspect a UE is provided for reducing network load. The UE is capable of transmitting data pertaining to at least a first predefined traffic class. The UE comprises a communication interface arranged for wireless communication; a processor; and a memory storing computer program code which, when run in the processor, causes the UE to receive, via the communication interface, at least a first threshold parameter set from the radio network, the first threshold parameter set comprising at least a minimum size limit associated with the first predefined traffic class, measure an amount of data that the UE has ready to transmit, said data pertaining to the first predefined traffic class, compare the measured amount of data with the minimum size limit associated with the first predefined traffic class, and transmit, via the communication interface, said data pertaining to the first predefined traffic class from the UE to the radio network in case the measured amount of data exceeds the received minimum size limit. 
     In various embodiments the data that is ready to be transmitted belongs to different predefined traffic classes. The UE is further caused to calculate an aggregate amount of data for all different predefined traffic classes. 
     In yet other embodiments the first threshold parameter set comprises a maximum time limit associated with the first predefined traffic class and the UE is further caused to start a timer in the UE in case the measured amount of data is less than the minimum size limit and transmit the data from the UE to the radio network in response to that the timer has reached the received maximum time limit. 
     According to a further aspect a method is provided which is performed in a radio network node for reducing network load. The method comprises transmitting at least a first threshold parameter set to a UE, the first threshold parameter set comprising at least a minimum size limit associated with a first predefined traffic class, and receiving data from the UE in case the amount of data that the UE is ready to transmit exceeds the transmitted minimum size limit. 
     According to a yet another aspect a radio network node is provided for reducing network load, said radio network node comprising a communication interface arranged for wireless communication; a processor; and a memory storing computer program code which, when run in the processor, causes the radio network node to transmit, via the communication interface, at least a first threshold parameter set to a UE, the first threshold parameter set comprising at least a minimum size limit associated with a first predefined traffic class, and receive data from the UE in case the amount of data that the user equipment is ready to transmit exceeds the transmitted minimum size limit. 
     An advantage of embodiments herein is that before a data transmission begins considerations in respect of the nature of the data is made. By making such considerations it is possible to avoid the frequent establishing of connections transmitting very small amounts of data, even if the data itself is not delay sensitive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects, features and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of various embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary environment, in which threshold parameter sets are included in broadcasted information, according to embodiments presented herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary environment, in which threshold parameter sets are included in unicast information, according to embodiments presented herein; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating some modules of an exemplary embodiment of a user equipment; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating some modules of an exemplary embodiment of a radio network node; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a user equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a user equipment according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a network node according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those persons skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary environment of a communication radio network, in which embodiments described herein may be practiced. The exemplary environment comprises a radio network node  2  and different types of UEs  4  connected to the radio network node  2 . The UEs  4  have data that they are ready to transmit. The radio network node  2  is configured to send broadcast information including a threshold parameter set. The threshold parameter set is denoted Th i , where i is an index associated with a traffic class to which the threshold parameter set pertains. Thus, assuming, for example, that the traffic classes have been numbered 1 to n (where n being the total number of traffic classes) i may then simply be a number of the traffic class. Alternatively, the index value i may be just a name or other unique designation associated with the traffic class such as Th gold , which may be associated with a traffic class comprising mobile telephone subscribers having a gold subscription. In  FIGS. 1 and 2  numbers are used to denote different types of traffic classes. Hereinafter, the term “traffic class i” will be used for the sake of simplicity instead for the more correct “index value i associated with a traffic class”. 
     The traffic class i is used to categorize or divide data into different groups our categories. By categorizing data it is possible to treat different categories or traffic classes with different priorities. Thus, the data that the UEs  4  has ready to transmit may be divided into different traffic classes i. The grouping or classifying of data may be done in any predefined way. The different traffic classes may for example be different Quality of Service (QoS) classes. Another alternative is that the data is classified according to different radio priority levels, for example 1 to 4 as indicated by the Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS) Packet Channel Request, see 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) TS 44.060 V.11.2.1, Section 12.14. Yet another example is classes specified by an operator of the network, such as different subscription categories or the like. As is understood there may be many other ways to predefine or group the data that the UEs  4  are ready to transmit. Alternatively, it is however also possible to use only one traffic class i to carry out the present invention. 
     Instead of broadcasting the threshold parameter sets Th i  as above it is also possible to transmit the threshold parameter sets Th i  via unicast transmission or as dedicated signaling to each UE  4 . This might be done for example by using Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration in LTE or configuring the signaling using Over-The-Air programming (OTA). This situation is depicted in  FIG. 2 , which also depicts an exemplary environment, comprising the radio network node  2  and different UEs  4 . In  FIG. 2  the UEs are not seen as one group of connected UEs  4  as in  FIG. 1 , but as different types of UEs, such as a connected refrigerator  4 A, a mobile telephone  4 B and a connected power meter  4 C. There may also be many other types of UEs, the limitation being that it has to be connectable to the network node  2 . 
     In  FIG. 2  the different types of UEs  4  may be provided with different threshold parameter sets Th i   X , where the superscript X denotes the type of UE that is addressed, i.e.  4 A,  4 B or  4 C, in the example depicted in  FIG. 2 . The advantage with this procedure is that each UE  4 A,  4 B or  4 C only needs to be configured with the threshold parameter sets Th i   X  that pertain to the traffic classes i that it may use, but not the traffic classes i that it is not capable of using. Different UEs may also be configured with different threshold parameter sets Th i   X  even for the same class i. This may be very useful if for example the operator of the network node  2  wishes to treat the same type of data from different UEs differently depending on for example subscription levels. 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , UE  4 A will receive threshold parameter sets Th i   A  associated with traffic classes  1  and  2 , UE  4 B will receive threshold parameter sets Th i   B  associated with traffic classes  1 ,  2  and  3  and UE  4 C will receive threshold parameter sets Th i   C  associated with traffic classes  2  and  3 . As will be understood this is just an example of how unicast information may be distributed to the UEs and there are many other ways to this. 
     Naturally it is also possible to use a combination of broadcast and unicast. For example the network node  2  may broadcast a baseline of threshold parameter sets Th i , which then may be overridden by unicast signaling of UE specific parameters Th i   X  to selected devices X. When broadcasted the threshold parameter sets Th i  may be sent in System Information Blocks (SIB), as Multimedia Broadcast/Multimedia Service (MBMS) or as paging. For unicast it may be performed using the Radio Resource Control (RRC) or OTA as mentioned above. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating some modules of an exemplary embodiment of the UE  4 . As mentioned above the UE  4  may be any type of device that is connectable to the network node  2 , such as a smart phone, mobile telephone, a cellular phone etc. The UE  4  may also be a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device such as a smart power meter, a smart household appliance etc. However, it is equally possible that the UE  4  could be a laptop computer, tablet computer or the like. The UE  4  comprises a controller (CTL) which may be a processor  34  that may be constituted by any suitable Central Processing Unit, CPU, microcontroller, Digital Signal Processor, DSP, etc., capable of executing computer program code. The computer program may be stored in a memory (MEM)  36 . The memory  36  can be any combination of a Read And write Memory, RAM, and a Read Only Memory, ROM. The memory  36  may also comprise persistent storage, which, for example, can be any single one or combination of magnetic memory, optical memory, or solid state memory or even remotely mounted memory. The UE  4  further comprises a timer  38  which may be realized in hardware, in software or any combination thereof. Three is also arranged a communication interface (i/f)  32  in the UE  4  for wireless communication with other devices or nodes, such as the radio network node  2 . 
     When the above-mentioned computer program code is run in the processor  34  of the UE  4 , it causes the UE  4  to establish a connection with a radio network node  2 , via the communication interface  32  and receive, via the communication interface  32 , at least a first threshold parameter set Th i  from the radio network node  2 . Each threshold parameter set Th i  comprising at least a minimum size limit S i  associated with respective traffic class i. It should be understood that the UE  4  may receive many different types threshold parameter sets Th i  depending on the type UE  4  and/or the type of subscription the particular UE  4  has and/or any operator specific requirements. 
     The connection establishment is triggered when the UE  4  has data ready to be transmitted. However, before commencing the connection establishment the UE  4  is receiving the above mentioned threshold parameter sets Th i . In exemplary embodiments the UE may be forced to read the network broadcasted or unicasted information such that it receives the thresholds parameter sets. The minimum size limit S i  may for exemplary embodiments correspond to even multiples of a radio block. Using EGPRS as an example the lowest Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), MCS 1  may convey 178 bits in one radio block. Other Radio Access Networks (RAN) may have similar limits. 
     The UE  4  is further caused to measure the amount of data D i  that it has ready to transmit, compare the measured amount of data D i  with the minimum size limit S i  for the traffic class i, and transmit, via the communication interface  32 , said data from the UE  4  to the radio network node  2  in case the measured amount of data D i  exceeds the received minimum size limit S i . One way to measure the amount of data D i  is measure one or more of the data buffers provided for in the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. It should be understood that even if the above example states that the threshold parameter set or sets Th i  are received by the UE  4  from a specific radio network node  2  and the data transmitted from the UE  4  are transmitted to that radio network node  2 , it does not need to be the same network node  2 . If for example the UE  4  is moving it might receive the threshold parameter sets Th i  from one network node and then later on send data to another network node. Thus, in context of this application the receiving from and transmitting to the radio network node should be interpreted broadly and include any node in the radio network, such as Evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in LTE, the Radio Network Controller (RNC) in Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, (UMTS) or the Base Station Controller (BSC) in Global System for Mobile communications, GSM. 
     If the UE  4  has data ready to transmit belonging to different traffic classes i, it may in an exemplary embodiment instead of measuring the amount of data belonging to one traffic class i, calculate an aggregate amount of all or some of the measured data D i ′ for different traffic classes i using the formula: 
     
       
         
           
             
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     J is a subset of two or more of all the predefined traffic classes. Thus, the aggregate amount of measured data D i ′ may be calculated by performing a summation of measured amounts of data pertaining to all or a subset of J of the different predefined traffic classes i. As is understood there may be many different ways to calculate an aggregate amount of measured data D i ′ depending of which subsets J that are used to do the summation. The type of aggregate amount of data to be calculated may be decided by an operator of the telecommunication system. Thus, in context of the present disclosure when describing that the measured amount of data D i  exceeds the received minimum size limit S i  this may also includes that the aggregate amount of measured data D i ′ calculated as described above exceeds the minimum size limit S i . 
     In an another exemplary embodiment the UE  4  is configured to receive, via the communication interface  32 , threshold parameter sets Th i  comprising a maximum time limit T i  associated with predefined traffic class i, start a timer  38  in case the measured amount of data D i  is less than the received minimum size limit S i , and transmit, via the communication interface  32 , said data from the UE  4  to the radio network node  2  in response to that the timer  38  has reached the received maximum time limit T i . 
     As mentioned above the threshold parameter sets Th i  may be broadcasted or unicasted to the UEs  4 , and the UEs  4  are configured to receive the threshold parameter sets Th i  both as broadcast information and as unicast information. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating some modules of an exemplary embodiment of a radio network node  2 . The radio network node  2  may be implemented as eNB or eNodeB in LTE, but may also be implemented in the other radio access technologies such BSC in GSM or RNC in UMTS or in WiMax. The network node  2  comprises a controller (CTL), which may be a processor  44  that may be constituted by any suitable Central Processing Unit, CPU, microcontroller, Digital Signal Processor, DSP, etc., capable of executing computer program code. The computer program may be stored in a memory (MEM)  46 . The memory  46  can be any combination of a Read And write Memory, RAM, and a Read Only Memory, ROM. The memory  46  may also comprise persistent storage, which, for example, can be any single one or combination of magnetic memory, optical memory, or solid state memory or even remotely mounted memory. The network node  2  further comprises a communication interface (i/f)  42  arranged for wireless communication with other devices or nodes, such as the UEs  4 . 
     When the above-mentioned computer program code is run in the processor  44  of the network node  2 , it causes the network node  2  to transmit, via the communication interface  42 , at least one threshold parameter set Th i  to the UEs  4 , the threshold parameter set Th i  comprising at least a minimum size limit S i  associated with a traffic class i and receive data from the UE  4  in case the amount of data D i  that the UE  4  is ready to transmit exceeds the transmitted minimum size limit S i . 
     In an exemplary embodiment the network node  2  may, as mentioned above, be configured to transmit threshold parameter sets Th i  comprising also a maximum time limit T i  associated with respective traffic class i and to receive data from the UE  4  in response to that a timer  38  in the UE  4  has reached the transmitted maximum time limit T i . 
     As also mentioned above the radio network node  2  may in exemplary embodiments be configured to transmit the threshold parameter sets Th i  both as unicast information to dedicated user equipments  4 A,  4 B or  4 C or as broadcast information to all UEs  4 . 
     Turning now to the flow charts in  FIGS. 5 and 6  a method performed by the UE  4  according to exemplary embodiments will be described. The method may start in step  500  by establishing a connection with the radio network node  2 , when the UE  4  has data that is ready to be transmitted. However the UE  4  may already be connected to the radio network and if so the method starts at step  502 . In step  502  the UE  4  is receiving threshold parameter sets Th i  from the radio network node  2 . As mentioned above each threshold parameter set Th i  comprising at least a minimum size limit S i  associated with the predefined traffic class i. In step  506  the UE  4  is measuring the amount of data D i  that the UE  4  has ready to transmit. The measured amount of data may be stored in the memory  36  or in any data buffer of the UE  4 . In step  508  the UE  4  is comparing the measured amount of data D i  with the minimum size limit S i  for the traffic class i that the UE  4  is ready to transmit. The embodiments depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6  have the above described steps in common. 
     If, in the comparing step  508 , the measured amount of data D i  exceeds the received minimum size limit S i , in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the method performed by the UE  4  transmits in step  512  in response thereto the data from the UE  4  to the radio network node  2 . As mentioned above the measured amount of data D i  may also be an aggregate amount of data D i ′. In such a case the UE  4  transmits the aggregate amount of data D i ′ in case it exceeds the received minimum size limit S i . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the UE  4  that performs the method also comprises the timer  38 . Thus, after the comparing step  508 , the UE  4  starts, in step  510 , the timer  38  in case the measured amount of data D i  is less than the minimum size limit S i . Then in step  516  the UE  4  checks if the timer  38  has lapsed. If the timer  38  has lapsed the method continues to step  512  in which the UE  4  transmits the data from the UE  4  to the radio network node  2 , as mentioned above. If the timer  38  has not lapsed the UE  4  continues to check the timer  38  until it lapses, after which the UE  4  commences to step  512 . 
     If however it is determined in step  508  that the measured amount of data D i  exceeds the minimum size limit S i  the UE  4  commences to step  514  and stops the timer  38  if the timer is running and then goes to step  512  as already described above. 
     It should be noted that step  506 , measuring the amount of data that is ready to be transmitted and the comparing step  508  may be performed more or less continuously or with predefined time intervals. 
     For the method depicted in  FIG. 6  it will have the following practical impact on a UE  4  that is ready to transmit data. If the measured amount of data D i  is larger than or equal with the minimum size limit S i , the UE  4  will immediately commence its connection establishment with the network node  2 . If the measured amount of data D i  is smaller than the minimum size limit S i  the UE  4  starts the timer  38  which when it expires triggers the connection establishment. If more data arrives during the running of the timer  38  the measured amount of data D i  is recalculated as the total amount of data and if the recalculated data is larger than or equal with the minimum size limit S i  the UE  4  will stop the timer  38  and commence its connection establishment with the network node  2 . If the recalculated data is smaller than the minimum size limit S i , no further action is taken since the timer  38  is already running. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 7  a method performed by the network node  2  according to an exemplary embodiment for reducing network load will be described. In step  602  the network node  2  transmits threshold parameter sets Th i  to the UE  4 , each threshold parameter set Th i  comprising at least a minimum size limit S i  associated with respective traffic class i. In step  604  the network node  2  receives data from the UE  4  in case the measured amount of data D i  that the UE  4  is ready to transmit exceeds the transmitted minimum size limit S i . In exemplary embodiments transmitting threshold parameter sets may also comprise transmitting a maximum time limit T i  associated with respective traffic class i. As mentioned above the threshold parameter sets Th i  may be transmitted as unicast information to dedicated UEs  4 A,  4 B or  4 C or as broadcast information to all UEs  4 . 
     Thus, different exemplary embodiments have been described in the present disclosure, with which it is possible to reduce the wireless network load system and increase the throughput for traffic classes which are more or less delay tolerant. For MTC devices like e.g. smart power meters and smart household appliances there may be a substantial reduction in network load if the threshold parameter sets are set such that they send their reports, i.e. data that is ready to be transmitted, no more than once an hour or once a day. An advantage for wireless network operators may be the possibility to have specific customized network subscriptions. This may be applicable on smart phones where background applications only are allowed to establish network connections after waiting for some 10ths of a second. This would both improve battery life of the smart phone, since the number of connection establishments would decrease, as well as improve network efficiency, since the total signaling load in the system would decrease). 
     Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. In the pending claims, the term “comprise/comprises” does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly advantageously be combined, and the inclusion of different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.