Patent Application
20070041401
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a priority control system and priority control method.
2. Related Background of the Invention
In a mobile communication system, users use their terminals at unfixed places and times for communication and thus communication occurs in a variety of situations around the users. For example, at such events as fireworks displays and soccer matches, or in disasters or the like, there occur connection requests (traffic) several times to several ten times as much as normal. In such cases, in order to avoid a situation (congestion state) in which excess loads are imposed on the communication system to result in failure in providing services, an operator of the mobile communication system places restrictions on the connection requests to mandatorily reduce the number of connection requests and informs the users through switching equipment that the users are requested to call later after a long moment, thereby reducing the loads on the communication system.
There is also a known priority control method of performing priority control as follows: an ID of a communication terminal is preliminarily registered in a database of a communication system, the database is searched upon reception of a call request from the communication terminal, and when the ID of the communication terminal is found in the database, the communication terminal is freed from the origination restrictions within a specific limited priority time slot (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-120136).
However, the congestion control method and priority control method according to the above-described conventional technology had the following problems. Namely, since the priority control method according to the conventional technology mandatorily and uniformly restricts admitted terminals, the users usually again originate (or reattempt) calls at very short time intervals before a connection is made to a network. Therefore, there arise the following problems: multiple reattempts increase the loads on the network and the users increase frustration through repeated reattempts without knowing when a connection is made.
Furthermore, the priority control method according to the conventional technology had the drawback of increase in loads on a server because at every occasion of origination from a terminal, an access was made to the database to check whether the terminal is registered in the database. Since a connection is made without any origination restrictions on each terminal with a priority, it is necessary to preliminarily secure necessary resources for ensuring the connection and this reduces utilization efficiency of the communication system. Furthermore, where the resources were shared with non-priority connections, there was the problem of occurrence of situations in which connection failure occurred even in a priority time slot.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and thereby to provide a priority control system and priority control method capable of reducing loads on a communication system and reducing the number of user's repeated call originations.
In order to achieve the above object, a priority control system according to the present invention is a priority control system for performing priority control upon a connection request of communication from a terminal, which comprises: priority control determining means arranged as follows: when the connection request from the terminal does not contain priority information including a priority control time slot of the terminal, the priority control determining means requests an issue of new priority information; when the connection request from the terminal contains the priority information, the priority control determining means performs a comparison between the priority control time slot in the priority information and a present time; when it is determined by the comparison that the priority time slot includes the present time, the priority control determining means requests priority control; when it is determined by the comparison that the priority time slot does not include the present time, the priority control determining means requests an issue of new priority information; scheduling means for, when the priority control determining means requests the issue of the new priority information, determining a priority control time slot associated with the new priority information of the terminal; priority transmitting means for transmitting to the terminal the new priority information including the priority control time slot determined by the scheduling means; and restriction controlling means for, when the priority control determining means requests the priority control, performing the priority control of the terminal.
In this configuration, a priority control time slot is issued as a priority to encourage a user to make a connection request in the priority control time slot, which can temporally spread connection requests congested in a short period of time. The preferential control is performed only in the specific priority control time slot, which can reduce the loads on the mobile communication system. The user can reduce unnecessary connection requests (reattempts) because the priority control is performed in the specific priority control time slot included in the priority.
In this case, the priority control system is preferably configured as follows: it further comprises priority issue history storing means for storing an issued priority count as a number of priorities issued per unit time slot, and a maximum available count as a number of priorities admissible per unit time slot, and the scheduling means sequentially determines the priority time slot associated with the new priority information in order of receipt of the connection request of the terminal so that the issued priority count does not exceed the maximum available count, with reference to the priority issue history storing means.
In this configuration, the new priority can be sequentially given to the terminal in order of receipt of the connection request from the terminal, without exceeding the maximum available count as the number of priorities admissible per unit time slot.
In this case, the priority control system is preferably configured as follows: the system further comprises traffic estimating means for estimating a connection request amount, and the scheduling means determines the priority control time slot, using the connection request amount calculated by the traffic estimating means.
In this configuration, the priority control time slot can be determined according o the future connection request amount.
In this case, the priority control system is preferably configured as follows: the system further comprises priority control history storing means for storing a record of a priority control count as a number of terminal connections based on the priority control per unit time slot, and the scheduling means refers to the priority control history storing means to compare the issued priority count with the priority control count to determine the maximum available count.
In this configuration, the maximum available count is determined by comparing the issued priority count with the priority control count as the number of terminals connected per unit time slot by the priority control, whereby the priority can be issued according to the actual priority control count.
In this case, preferably, when the connection request from the terminal subjected to the priority control is rejected, the priority transmitting means again transmits to the terminal the priority information contained in the connection request.
In this configuration, the terminal can use the priority right any number of times in the priority control time slot associated with the priority before a connection is made to the communication system, whereby a connection rate is improved in the priority control time slot.
In this case, preferably, the scheduling means gives a specific terminal the priority information including the priority control time slot relatively close to the present time.
In this configuration, each terminal can be given the priority containing the priority control time slot closer to the present time, and each user can be provided with a different waiting time for communication, which can achieve differentiation of communication service.
In this case, preferably, the restriction control means performs the priority control at a restriction rate relatively lower than a restriction rate in the priority control, for a specific terminal.
In this configuration, the priority control at the restriction rate lower than the restriction rate in the normal priority control can be performed for each terminal, and a difference can be made in ease of connection for each user, which can achieve differentiation of communication service.
In this case, the priority control system is preferably configured as follows: it further comprises a priority issuer for preliminarily receiving an issue request of the priority information from the terminal and for issuing a priority including a specific priority control time slot.
In this configuration, the terminal can preliminarily acquire the priority and this improves user's convenience.
In this case, preferably, the terminal comprises: priority transmitting/receiving means for receiving the new priority information from the priority transmitting means and for transmitting the connection request with the new priority information therein.
In this configuration, the priority transmitting/receiving means receives the new priority information from the priority transmitting means, and transmits the connection request with the new priority information therein, and this results in encouraging the user to make the connection request in the specific priority control time slot, which can reduce unnecessary connection requests and which can temporally spread connection requests congested in a short period of time, so as to reduce the loads on the mobile communication system.
Another aspect of the present invention is a priority control method of performing priority control upon a connection request of communication from a terminal, comprising: a priority control determining step arranged as follows: when the connection request from the terminal does not contain priority information including a priority control time slot of the terminal, the priority control determining step is to request an issue of new priority information; when the connection request from the terminal contains the priority information, the priority control determining step is to perform a comparison between the priority control time slot in the priority information and a present time; when it is determined by the comparison that the priority time slot includes the present time, the priority control determining step is to request the priority control; when it is determined by the comparison that the priority time slot does not include the present time, the priority control determining step is to request an issue of new priority information; a scheduling step arranged as follows: when the issue of the new priority information is requested in the priority control determining step, the scheduling step is to determine a priority control time slot associated with the new priority information of the terminal; a priority transmitting step of transmitting to the terminal the new priority information containing the priority control time slot determined in the scheduling step; a restriction control step of performing the priority control of the terminal when the priority control is requested in the priority control determining step; and a priority transmitting/receiving step wherein when the terminal receives the new priority information, the terminal transmits the connection request with the new priority information therein.
Priority control systems according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, a configuration of a priority control system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The priority control server 12 comprises the following functional components: priority issue history storage 18 (priority issue history storing means), priority control determiner 20 (priority control determining means), scheduler 22 (scheduling means), priority transmitter 24 (priority transmitting means), and customer information database 40. Each of the components will be described below in detail.
Referring back to
The scheduler 22 determines a priority control time slot for priority control on the basis of the priority issue request received from the priority control determiner 20 in accordance with a determination rule preliminarily set in the scheduler 22, and issues priority information. More specifically, supposing the priority issue rule is to allocate a priority control time slot of ten minutes to each of ten users, the scheduler 22 refers to a time slot closest to the present time in the priority issue history storage 18 to determine a time slot for which the issued priority count does not reach the maximum available count, as the priority control time slot of the terminal, and notifies the priority transmitter 24 of the priority control time slot determined. Furthermore, the scheduler 22 adds 1 to the issued priority count in the priority issue history. If the issued priority count included in the record closest to the present time has already reached the maximum available count, the scheduler 22 refers to the time slot next closest to the present time. In the example shown in
The priority transmitter 24 transmits the priority control time slot received from the scheduler 22, as priority information to the terminal 16 via the base station 14.
The customer information database 40 stores information about each user of terminal 16. For example, the customer information database 40 stores information of priority control rejection that a certain user (terminal 16) rejects execution of priority control and desires normal restriction control.
The base station 14 comprises the following functional components: restriction control determiner 26 and restriction controller 28 (restriction controlling means). Each of the components will be described below in detail.
When the restriction control determiner 26 receives a connection request from the mobile communication terminal 16, it determines whether restriction control is to be executed. More specifically, the restriction control determiner 26 confirms whether execution of restriction control is set by the priority control server 12, and, when it is not set, the restriction control determiner 26 attempts a connection to the network in the same manner as in the case of the normal processing of connection request. When the restriction control is set, the restriction control determiner 26 sends the connection request to the priority control determiner 20 in the priority control server except that there is the information of priority control rejection in the information stored in the customer information database 40 or in the connection request. When there is the information of priority control rejection, the restriction control determiner 26 requests the restriction controller 28 to perform restriction control based on a normal restriction rate.
The restriction controller 28 controls the connection request of the terminal in accordance with the normal restriction rate or a restriction rate lower than normal in the priority control, based on the request of restriction control from the restriction control determiner 26 or from the priority control determiner 20. For example, where the normal restriction rate is set to admit connection at only 30% of the connection request amount, the restriction controller 28 controls so as to admit connection at 60% of the connection request amount during the priority control.
The terminal 16 comprises priority transmitter/receiver 30 (priority transmitting/receiving means) as a functional component. The priority transmitter/receiver 30 receives and holds the priority information transmitted from the priority transmitter 24 in the priority control server 12 upon a call request. The priority transmitter/receiver 30 transmits to the base station 14 a connection request with the priority held, upon a call request.
The operation of the priority control system 10 will be described below.
The priority control system 10 as described above issues the priority control time slot as a priority in order of connection requests when there occur the connection requests over available resources of the mobile communication system. This encourages users to originate calls (connection requests) in their priority control time slots and can temporally spread connection requests congested in a short period of time and reduce loads on the mobile communication system. The users can reduce unnecessary connection requests (reattempts) used to be made, because of the execution of the priority control in the specific time slots, and this can reduce frustration due to failure in connection.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.
For example, a base station 32 may be provided with the functions of the priority control server 12.
The priority control system 10 of the present invention preferably comprises a traffic estimating section (traffic estimating means).
The traffic estimator 34 estimates occurrence of future traffic, based on event and past traffic occurrence situations to affect occurrence of traffic, such as fireworks displays and soccer matches scheduled in future.
When determining the priority control time slot with reference to the priority issue history storage 18, the scheduler 22 dynamically changes the priority count issued per unit time slot, based on the traffic estimation received from the traffic estimator 34. More specifically, where an increase is estimated in occurrence of traffic, for example, the priority control time slot of ten minutes is allocated to each of five users, instead of the normal allocation of the priority control time slot of ten minutes to each of ten users.
The above function optimizes the number of priorities issued and, for example, enables minimization of a waiting time to the priority control time slot and minimization of blocking probability during the priority control.
The priority control system 10 according to the above embodiment preferably comprises a priority control history storage (priority control history storing means).
The above function optimizes the number of priorities issued and, for example, enables minimization of the waiting time to the priority control time slot and minimization of blocking probability during the priority control.
The priority control system 10 according to the above embodiment preferably comprises a forced disconnecter 44 and the scheduler 22 determines an available time. The scheduler 22 calculates a priority control time slot, determines an available time for a terminal as an object for an issue of the priority, and notifies the priority transmitter 24 of the available time and the priority control time slot as a priority. The available time may be preliminarily determined as three minutes or the like, or may be determined based on a user attribute or the like. The forced disconnecter 44 is arranged as follows: when the available time in the priority has passed for the terminal connected to the communication system by priority control, the forced disconnecter 44 executes a forced disconnection of the terminal.
The above function enables accurate estimation of traffic volume (number of connections×holding time) during the priority control, and enables more adaptive execution of priority control in accordance with subscription plans of respective users. The above function thus optimizes the number of priorities issued and, for example, enables minimization of the waiting time to the priority control time slot and minimization of blocking probability during the priority control.
The terminal in the priority control system 10 according to the present invention preferably comprises a function controller.
The above function can steadily suppress reattempts up to the priority control time slot, as shown in
The priority transmitter 24 in the priority control system 10 according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments is preferably configured as follows: when a connection request is rejected from a terminal subjected to the priority control, the transmitter 24 again transmits to the terminal the priority used on the occasion of reception of the priority control.
The above function permits the terminal to use the priority any number of times in the priority control time slot before a connection is made to the communication system, and this improves the connection rate in the priority control time slot.
The scheduler 22 in the priority control system 10 according to any one of the First to fifth embodiments is preferably configured to perform scheduling taking account of each user attribute. The scheduler 22 issues a priority containing an extra priority control time slot closer to the present time, instead of the priority containing the normal priority control time slot, in accordance with the user attribute such as the subscription plan of communication service of the user. For example, where an ordinary user is provided with a priority associated with a priority control time slot starting from 16:30, which is 30 minutes after 16:00 as the present time, a specific user is provided with a priority starting from 16:10 which is 10 minutes after the present time.
The above function enables more adaptive issue of the priority in accordance with the subscription plan of the user and so on, and enables dynamic provision of service quality for each user.
The restriction controller 28 in the priority control system 10 according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments is preferably configured to perform the restriction control taking account of the user attribute. The restriction controller executes the priority control at a restriction rate lower than the restriction rate in the normal priority control, in accordance with the user attribute such as the subscription plan of communication service of each user. For example, an ordinary user is admitted to make connection at 60% of the connection request amount during the priority control, while a specific user is admitted to make connection at 80% of the connection request amount.
The above function enables more adaptive execution of the priority control in accordance with the subscription plan of the user and enables dynamic provision of service quality for each user.
The priority control system 10 according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments preferably comprises a priority issuer.
The above function enables the issue of the priority right suitable for user's convenience and enhances user's convenience of use of the priority control system.
It is noted that the priority control system of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but can be modified in a variety of ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-238716 | Aug 2005 | JP | national |
