Patent ID: 8761011

Claim:
A method for operating a radio base station (Node-B) in a wireless network, comprising: receiving Medium Access Control-d Protocol Data Units (MAC-d PDUs) from a radio network controller (RNC) for a flow between the RNC and a UE; determining whether a congestion condition exists for the flow; and sending a congestion message to the RNC when it is determined that the congestion condition exists for the flow, wherein the flow comprises a flow of the MAC-d PDUs formed from RLC PDUs exchanged between the RNC and the UE, and wherein the congestion condition exists: when it is determined that one or more MAC-d PDUs of the flow from the RNC have been dropped based on an examination of the received MAC-d PDUs; or when it is determined there the MAC-d PDUs of the flow from the RNC have accumulated in the Node-B by a predetermined threshold amount or greater; or both.