WIRELESS NETWORK

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for differentiating backhaul traffic of wireless network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a multi tired wireless network deployment architecture, users may be connected at every tier. When the number of users increases in a higher tier, backhaul capacity for a lower tier decreases. Backhaul network is important part of wireless network as all control and user traffic transits through this network. The performance and reliability of the backhaul network is therefore has a direct impact to the quality of the wireless services as perceived by users. As such, if the backhaul capacity decreases, the users on the lower tier will be suffered from poor downlink bandwidth.

For example, an existing multi tier deployment model in Wi-Fi networks is shown in Figure 1 . The model generally includes a main Access Device (AD) and a series of Hop Access Devices (HADs) connected sequentially. This model enables users (U1 to U6) to receive connectivity via the AD or any number of HADs associated with the AD. As the number of users increases in the higher tier, backhaul capacity for the lower tier decreases. As such, another consequence of higher speed packet data traffic is required to increase wireless link penetration with higher capacity and bandwidth. International publication number WO 200901 4764 A1 discloses a multi-tier backhaul system with traffic differentiation and advanced processing capabilities and method therefor. Accordingly, the multi-tier backhaul system includes compact remote transceivers for providing backhaul or a variety of applications, and connected to a wireless relay module in a point to multipoint fashion. Other tier of the backhaul system consisting of a plurality of wireless relay modules connected to a central wireless hub for providing backhaul capabilities to the relay module and remote units thereto connected. However, this prior art has no mechanism to reserve traffic availability for backhaul, and there is no forward and reverse feedback mechanism in the art.

The present invention aims at introducing a queuing, scheduling and de-multiplexing mechanism coupled with virtual interfaces to provide dedicated and prioritized connectivity to backhaul traffic for multi tired wireless network system.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for differentiating backhaul traffic of wireless network. The present invention aims at introducing a queuing, scheduling and demultiplexing mechanism coupled with virtual interfaces to provide dedicated and prioritized connectivity to backhaul traffic for multi tired wireless network system.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for differentiating and prioritizing backhaul traffic in Access Device (AD), the system includes: a. at least one Ingress Module with a means of connecting to at least one backhaul network for receiving incoming packets; b. at least one Egress Module with a means of connecting to a plurality of clients/users and Hop Access Device (HAD); c. at least one Queuing Module with a means of storing a plurality of sorted packets based on designation address of the clients/users and Hop Access Devices (HADs); wherein the system further characterized in that, the system includes: d. at least one Address Identification Module having a means of differentiating incoming packets based on address; e. at least one Scheduler and De- multiplexor having a means of controlling packets flow and sorting the packets before transferring them to respective virtual interface based on status feedback obtained from the Status Feedback Module; f. at least one Status Feedback Module having a means of determining congestion state of the Egress Module and Queuing Module; and g. at least one Virtual Module having a means if transmitting packets via the Egress Module to their respective clients/users.

Accordingly, the Ingress Module and Egress Module are physical incoming interfaces of the Access Device (AD). Accordingly, the Queuing Module is responsible for hosting differentiated packets based on address.

Accordingly, the Address Identification Module checks all packets of header of incoming packets and differentiates backhaul traffic meant for the Hop Access Device (HAD) from clients/users traffic.

Accordingly, the Scheduler picks up queued packets from head of the queue based on a preconfigured access ratio, which is typically assigned by administrator. The De- multiplexor is responsible for distributing the queued packets collected by the Scheduler to specific Virtual Module.

Accordingly, the Status Feedback Module monitors the availability of physical queue at Egress Module, and load at Queuing Module. Accordingly, the Virtual Module forwards the packets via their Egress Module to the Hop Access Device (HAD) or the clients/users on their respective Access Identifiers. Furthermore, the present invention also provided a method ^' for differentiating and prioritizing backhaul traffic in Access Device (AD), the method includes the steps of: a. Creating Virtual Modules for Hop Access Device (HAD) and Clients/Users by the Access Device (AD) so that clients/Users and Hop Access Device (HAD) can be connected to their respective Virtual Module; b. Configuring the Access Control set for Hop Access Device (HAD) by the Access Device (AD) that will be advertised only to Hop Access Devices (HADs); c. Configuring the Access Control set for Client/User by the Access Device (AD) that will be advertised only to client/user; d. Receiving incoming packets at the Ingress Module of the Access Device (AD); e. Forwarding a plurality of packets to the Address Identification Module by the Access Device (AD) to determine the destination address of the packets; f. Forwarding a plurality of sorted packets based on designation address Queuing Module by the Access Device (AD) to temporarily holds the packets before prioritization; g. Transferring of packets from the Queuing Module to the Virtual Module based on the interface status received from the Status Feedback Module by the Access Device (AD); and h. Forwarding packets from the Virtual Module to the Egress Module by the Access Device (AD) so that they can be transmitted to the clients/users and Hop Access Devices (HADs).

The present invention consists of several novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying description and drawings, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 shows an existing Access Device (AD) architecture;

Figure 2 shows a method for prioritizing backhaul traffic in accordance with the preferred system of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows an overview of a multicast Quality of Transport (QoT) system of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows an effect on a Hop Access Device (HAD) in the system;

Figure 5 shows an effect on users/clients in the system ;

Figure 6 shows an example scenario of the operations of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for differentiating backhaul traffic of wireless network. Hereinafter, this specification will describe the present invention according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it is to be understood that limiting the description to the preferred embodiments of the invention is merely to facilitate discussion of the present invention and it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications and equivalents without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

The present invention aims at introducing a queuing, scheduling and de-multiplexing mechanism coupled with virtual interfaces to provide dedicated and prioritized connectivity to backhaul traffic for multi tired wireless network system. The proposed backhauling mechanism is illustrated in Figure 2. Accordingly, Figure 2 shows a method for prioritizing backhaul traffic. The operations of the flowchart are as follows:

i) In operation, a main Access Device (AD) configures Access Identifiers associated with respective Virtual Module for Hop Access Device (HAD) and Clients/Users who are directly associated to the HAD;

ii) The main Access Device AD is then configures Access Control sets to allow only Hop Access Device (HAD) to connect with its own identifier and Clients/Users to connect to Client Access Identifier;

iii) Incoming packets that arrive at the main Access Device (AD) is Ingress Module are then forwarded to Address Identification Module;

iv) Address Identification Module will then sort the packets based on destination address and places them into their respective queues in the Queuing Module; v) Based on the interface availability input received from the Status Feedback Module, Schedule picks up packets from the Queue and de-multiplexes them to their respective Virtual Modules;

vi) The Virtual Modules are then forward the packets via their Egress Module to the Hop Access Device (HAD) or the Clients/Users on their respective Access Identifiers.

Accordingly, a method for differentiating and prioritizing backhaul traffic in Access Device (AD) includes the steps of:

a. Creating Virtual Modules for Hop Access Device (HAD) and Clients/Users by the Access Device (AD) so that clients/Users and Hop Access Device (HAD) can be connected to their respective Virtual Module;

b. Configuring the Access Control set for Hop Access Device (HAD) by the Access Device (AD) that will be advertised only to Hop Access Devices (HADs); c. Configuring the Access Control set for Client/User by the Access Device (AD) that will be advertised only to client/user;

d. Receiving incoming packets at the Ingress Module of the Access Device (AD) ; e. Forwarding a plurality of packets to the Address Identification Module by the Access Device (AD) to determine the destination address of the packets;

f. Forwarding a plurality of sorted packets based on designation address Queuing Module by the Access Device (AD) to temporarily holds the packets before prioritization;

g. Transferring of packets from the Queuing Module to the Virtual Module based on the interface status received from the Status Feedback Module by the Access Device (AD); and

h. Forwarding packets from the Virtual Module to the Egress Module by the Access Device (AD) so that they can be transmitted to the clients/users and Hop Access Devices (HADs).

It is to be noted that in order to differentiate backhaul traffic in the Access Devices (AD). Modules shown in Figure 3 were employed. The functions of the module are as follows:

Ingress Modules are physical incoming interfaces of Access Devices (AD). Accordingly, packets originating from different sources arrive at the Ingress Modules 1 to n and are forwarded to Address Identification Module.

The Address Identification Module checks all packets header of the incoming packets and differentiates the backhaul traffic meant for the Hop Access Device (HAD) from Clients/Users' traffic. Accordingly, the Address Identification Module does so by checking the Access Devices (AD)'s client/user list. Therefore, any packet that is not meant for the clients/users of the Access Devices (AD) is treated as backhaul packet. The Address Identification Module is then forward the identified packets to their respective queues.

In Queuing Module, this module is responsible for hosting differentiated packets based on the address. Typically one queue holds backhaul traffic and the other holds clients/users' traffic. Queued packets will then be forwarded to Scheduler and de-multiplexor for further process.

Accordingly, the scheduler picks up the queued packets from head of the queue based on a preconfigured access ratio, which is typically assigned by administrator, that is dynamically changes based on the input received from a Status Feedback Module. The de-multiplexor will then distribute the queued packets collected by the Scheduler to specific Virtual Module 1 to n. Thus, these enable the backhaul traffic reaches their specific Virtual Module and the Clients/Users traffic reaches theirs.

In the Status Feedback Module, this module monitors the availability of the physical queue at Egress Module 1 to n, and load at the Queuing Module. If the physical queues are less congested and the clients/users' queue is flooding, the ratio at the Scheduler is adjusted to carry more clients/users' traffic. Nevertheless, if the physical queues are less congested and the Hop Access Device's (HAD) queues are flooding, the ratio at the Scheduler will be adjusted to carry more backhaul traffic. When the physical queues are congested, a default administrator configured ratio will then be employed.

At the Egress Modules 1 to n, the modules are physical outgoing interfaces of Access Devices (AD). Accordingly, packets will be destined to different Hop Access Device's (HADs) and the clients/Users will be forwarded through these Egress Modules. In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, a system for differentiating and prioritizing backhaul traffic in Access Device (AD) includes:

a. at least one Ingress Module with a means of connecting to at least one backhaul network for receiving incoming packets;

b. at least one Egress Module with a means of connecting to a plurality of clients/users and Hop Access Device (HAD);

c. at least one Queuing Module with a means of storing a plurality of sorted packets based on designation address of the clients/users and Hop Access Devices (HADs);

wherein the system further characterized in that, the system includes:

d. at least one Address Identification Module having a means of differentiating incoming packets based on address;

e. at least one Scheduler and De-multiplexor having a means of controlling packets flow and sorting the packets before transferring them to respective virtual interface based on status feedback obtained from the Status Feedback Module;

f. at least one Status Feedback Module having a means of determining congestion state of the Egress Module and Queuing Module; and

g. at least one Virtual Module having a means if transmitting packets via the Egress Module to their respective clients/users.

It will be appreciated that by configuring the Access Devices (AD) with the aforesaid modules as shown in Figure 3, the effect achieved would be observed as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Accordingly, Figure 4 illustrates the effect on the Hop Access Device (HAD) whereas Figure 5 shows the effect on the Clients/Users after configuring the Access Devices (AD) with modules shown in Figure 3. It is to be noted that the effect on the Hop Access Device (HAD) (Figure 4) would result in a virtual dedicated bandwidth to the Hop Access Device (HAD) for backhaul traffic, and the effect on the clients/users (Figure 5) would results in a virtual dedicated bandwidth for the clients/users that would be equally shared amongst the clients/users.

Figure 6 shows a working example and operations of the present invention. Explanations for each phase are as follows:

1 . Multiplexed packets first arrives into the Access Devices (AD);

2. In the Address Identification Module, the module sorts the multiplexed packets and forwards the multiplexed packets to their respective queues;

3. From the Status Feedback Module, the module monitors the physical queues of the Egress Module and the Queuing Module for traffic;

4. Packets are picked up and forwarded based on a preconfigured ration of 3:1 to the Virtual Module by the Scheduler and De-multiplexor;

5. The Status Feedback Module derives new statuses of the queues;

6. Status Feedback Module concludes that one of the queues in the queuing module is still full and the interface is empty, and instructs the Scheduler and De- multiplexor to change the ratio to 0:2;

7. Scheduler and De-multiplexor to change the ratio of 3: 1 to 0 :2 and continues to forward packets to the respective virtual modules. The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms and it is not limited to the sole embodiments described above. However, modification and equivalents of disclosed concepts such as those which readily occur to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims which are appended thereto.