Method and controlling network node in a radio access network

摘要

Method and controlling network node (140) for transmitting data to a user equipment (130) over a set of radio links (115, 125), when a radio link (115, 125) is added, or removed. The controlling network node (140) is configured to communicate data to the respective radio network node (110, 120) over a respective backhaul link (118, 128), of which at least one backhaul link (118) is connected over an Internet Protocol, IP, network (150). The method (500) comprises measuring (501) the time delay over the corresponding backhaul link (118, 128) for each radio link (115, 125), determining (502) time difference between them, calculating (503) a buffer time for each radio link (115, 125), and buffering (507) data in a buffer (625) for the calculated period of time before forwarding the data to the radio network node (110, 120), for transmission to the user equipment (130).

主权项

1. A method, in a controlling network node in a radio access network, for transmitting data to a user equipment over a set of radio links when one radio link is added or removed from the set of radio links, wherein each radio link is connected to the user equipment and to a radio network node, wherein the controlling network node is configured to communicate data to radio network nodes over respective backhaul links, of which at least one backhaul link is connected over an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the method comprising:
measuring the time delay over the corresponding backhaul link for each radio link in the set; determining a time difference between the shortest measured time delay and the longest measured time delay; calculating a buffer time for each radio link in the set based on the determined time difference and the measured time delay; buffering data, in a buffer associated with each respective radio link, for the corresponding calculated period of time before forwarding the data to the radio network node for transmission over the radio link to the user equipment; in response to a calculated buffer time exceeding a buffer limitation threshold of a corresponding radio link:
determining a radio link quality of the radio links;detecting a subset of radio links having a time delay difference over the respective backhaul links which is smaller than a buffer limitation threshold of any corresponding radio link while having a radio link quality exceeding a quality threshold level;removing remaining radio links not in the detected subset of radio links from the set of radio links.