APPARATUS, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Abstract

The present invention relate to traffic control for the communication network using a token bucket. According to the invention, tokens stored in the token bucket and data throughput to/from a data buffer are monitored, and new token rate is determined based on the data throughput during the period that at least one token is stored in the token buffer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for traffic control at transmitting side according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for traffic control at receiving side according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for traffic control according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a state machine managed by the token rate determination unit;

FIG. 6 shows the relation of each state, token rate and data throughput; and

FIG. 7, already described, shows an arrangement for traffic control according to the prior art.

Claims

1. A traffic control apparatus, comprising: data buffer for storing data to/from a network;token rate determination means for determining a toke rate;token generation means for generating tokens in accordance with the token rate;token buffer for storing generated tokens;reading means for reading out predetermined amount of data from the data buffer by consuming a token stored in the token buffer;token buffer monitoring means for monitoring tokens stored in the token buffer; anddata throughput monitoring means for monitoring data throughput to/from the network,wherein the token rate determination means determines a new token rate based on the data throughput during the period that at least one token is stored in the token buffer.

2. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rate determination means updates the token rate to the new token rate after entering a token empty state that no token is stored in the token buffer.

3. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising token adjustment means for appending tokens to the token buffer, wherein the token rate determination means determines a number of tokens to be appended to the token buffer by the token adjustment means, in case the token empty state continues for a first period.

4. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the token rate determination means decreases the token rate, in case the increment of tokens stored in the token buffer continues for a second period.

5. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for gathering congestion information from the network, the congestion information indicating a degree of congestion of the network, wherein the rate determination means uses the congestion information for determining the new token rate.

6. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the congestion information is a number of holding channels indicating a number of mobile terminals sharing the same radio link.

7. The traffic control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the congestion information is a ratio of assigned radio resources to assignable radio resources.

8. A traffic control method, comprising the steps of: generating tokens in accordance with a token rate;storing generated tokens in a token buffer and data to/from a network in a data buffer;monitoring tokens stored in the token buffer and data throughput to/from the network; anddetermining a new token rate based on the data throughput during the period that at least one token is stored in the token buffer.

9. The traffic control method according to claim 8, wherein the token rate is updated to the new token rate after entering a token empty state that no token is stored in the token buffer.

10. The traffic control method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: determining a number of tokens to be appended to the token buffer, in case the token empty state continues for a first period; andappending the determined number of tokens to the token buffer.

11. The traffic control method according to claim 10, wherein the token rate is decreased, in case the increment of tokens stored in the token buffer continues for a second period.

12. The traffic control method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of gathering congestion information from the network, the congestion information indicating a degree of congestion of the network, wherein the congestion information is used for determining the new token rate.

13. The traffic control method according to claim 12, wherein the congestion information is a number of holding channels indicating a number of mobile terminals sharing the same radio link.

14. The traffic control method according to claim 12, wherein the congestion information is a ratio of assigned radio resources to assignable radio resources.

15. A computer program for controlling traffic to/from a network, comprising: program code for generating tokens in accordance with a token rate;program code for storing generated tokens in a token buffer;program code for storing data to/from the network in a data buffer;program code for monitoring tokens stored in the token buffer;program code for monitoring data throughput to/from the network; andprogram code for determining a new token rate based on the data throughput during the period that at least one token is stored in the token buffer.

16. The computer program according to claim 15, wherein the token rate is updated to the new token rate after entering a token empty state that no token is stored in the token buffer.

17. The computer program according to claim 16, further comprising: program code for determining a number of tokens to be appended to the token buffer, in case the token empty state continues for a first period; andprogram code for appending the determined number of tokens to the token buffer.

18. The computer program according to claim 17, wherein the token rate is increased, in case the increment of tokens stored in the token buffer continues for a second period.

19. The computer program according to claim 18, further comprising program code for gathering congestion information from the network, the congestion information indicating a degree of congestion of the network, wherein the congestion information is used for determining the new token rate.

20. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein the congestion information is a number of holding channels indicating a number of mobile terminals sharing the same radio link.

21. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein the congestion information is a ratio of assigned radio resources to assignable radio resources.