DE102006054454B4 - Method for transmitting heterogeneous data flows between user communication terminals and one or more service-providing communication networks - Google Patents

Abstract

method for transmission heterogeneous data flows in the form of the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) format between user communication terminals, the belong to an aggregation of heterogeneous networks, and one or more various service-providing communication networks through several different wireless transport channels through different Communication systems are deployed, being in transition between the aggregation of the heterogeneous networks and the one side the transport channels contained service integrator ("service integrator") which outwardly determined Communication traffic is processed and provided the various services for the user terminals be and in a transition between the communication networks and the other side of the wireless transport channels one over the wireless transport channels more comprehensive Service providers ("service providers") both for access to the services offering communication networks as well as in the opposite direction for the Forwarding of the communication networks offering services generated, for the aggregation of heterogeneous networks ensures certain data flows, as possible several PDU rivers over the same transport channel executed and the fair sharing of transport channel resources ...

Description

The The invention relates to a method for transmitting heterogeneous data flows in the Form of the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) format between user communication terminals that aggregate belonging to heterogeneous networks, and one or more communication networks offering different services in the way over several different wireless transport channels through different Communication systems are deployed, being in transition between the aggregation of the heterogeneous networks and the one side the transport channels contained service integrator ("service integrator") which outwardly determined Communication traffic is processed and the various services for the User terminals to disposal be put and in a transition between the communication networks and the other side of the wireless transport channels one over the wireless transport channels more comprehensive Service provider ("service provider") for both access to the service providing communication networks as well as in reverse Direction for the forwarding of the communication networks providing the services generated, for the aggregation of heterogeneous networks ensures certain data flows, as possible several PDU rivers over the same transport channel executed and the fair sharing of resources of the transport channel in terms of the QoS requirements of the various PDU flows passed through it multiple scheduler and queue instances are running.

Of the Expression "aggregation heterogeneous networks "points to every system made up of several heterogeneous networks is either core networks or access networks (eg, Ethernet LAN, IEEE 802.11 W-LAN, GSM or UMTS radio access network, ATM core network) whose outward certain traffic through a centralized entity, so designated service integrator, also called "service integrator" can be processed, the with the various communication systems via one or more interfaces connected is.

An "aggregation of heterogeneous networks" can be immobile, that is, fixed, for example, if it is installed in the facilities of a society, or it can be mobile, if, for example, it is mobile. B. inside an aircraft, ship or train is installed. This concept of mobile "aggregation of heterogeneous networks" is referred to as collectively mobile heterogeneous network (CMHN) and is characterized as such DE 102 08 689 C2 known.

Within Each network of aggregation of heterogeneous networks will be different data flows or Protocol Data Unit (PDU) flows and should be over several transport channels, which are provided by different communication systems, be transported to a fixed ground station, which, as a service provider, also called "service provider" called becomes. The service provider entity should for access to public networks, to other service providers (service providers) and others Aggregations of heterogeneous networks provide. Of course, the transfer should in the reverse direction also be made possible if On the part of the service provider PDU flows are generated, which are responsible for the aggregation heterogeneous networks are determined with the remote mobile or immobile entity are connected.

1 shows in block diagram form one DE 102 08 689 C2 and from the article by A. Jahn, S. Waldenmaier: "Communication for Aircraft Passengers" in Funkschau, Issue 14/2003, pages 14-17, essentially known network architecture, with an aggregation AN heterogeneous networks with different communication standards and services from there existing user terminals BE1 to BE6 is connected by means of a service integrator SI transition means via different transport channels TC1, TC2 and TC3 to various terrestrial and public networks of a public network area ÖNB and home network area HNB. The last mentioned networks are in the in 1 Case presented the Internet with the Internet Protocol IP, the public switched telephone network PSTN and a home network HN. The heterogeneous networks include in the illustrated case an IP-LAN, a Bluetooth network BT with access point, a wireless network WLAN with access point and GSM and UMTS with base station BS (Node B). The service integrator SI, which can also be supplied with local content LC, is connected via a first interface IF1 to the aggregation of the heterogeneous networks and via a second interface IF2 to a plurality of terminals T1, T2, T3 for the various transport channels TC1, TC2 and TC3 , On the other side of the transport area TD with the various transport channel routes, gateways GW1 and GW2 are provided, which are connected via an interface IF3 to a service provider SP ("service provider"). This service provider SP is then connected to the various terrestrial and public networks PSTN, IP and HN by means of a second interface IF4.

When data needs to be transmitted from a remote entity to a fixed ground station, a very limited number of communication systems are currently used. For example, in aircraft, one or more ISDN-like channels may be managed to facilitate communication between passengers and the ground. Nevertheless, these ISDN connections, e.g. For example, at Inmarsat GAN (The Inmarsat GAN solution, http://www.satcom-solutions.com/main/productpages/inmarsatgan.asp) with 64 kbps in forward and reverse link, used to board the whole whatever type of application execution is currently taking place on board. As various applications run onboard, and thus different traffic flows with different traffic profiles (duration, peak and average bit rates) and QoS (Quality of Service) requirements are generated accordingly, a device shares the available resources passing through the transport channel between the remote entity and the fixed ground station are deployed between the various applications.

The limited number of communication systems and transport channels that to transfer from Data is managed between the remote entity and the ground, generate along with the non-QoS-taught management of these resources a waste of resources, a reduction in efficiency and too high a cost. If z. B. an ISDN-type satellite radio terminal (eg Inmarsat GAN) is available in an airplane and for one 64 kbit / s connection in the forward and reverse link and if enough voice calls are active at the same time, enough Generate communication traffic to the available satellite radio transport channel Completely replenish, the resources offered are optimally used. In this case could even some new incoming calls will be rejected if at the same time too many calls in terms of available transmission resources between the ground and the plane are active. On the other hand, if only one Voice call or worse still a web browsing session active is, then the resources offered by the ISDN-like transport channel but wasted.

Out in the publication A. Jahn and M. Holzbock: "Evolution of Aeronautical Communications for Personal and Multimedia Services ", IEEE Communications Magazine, July 2003, pages 36-42 is already a method of transmission heterogeneous data flows in the form of the PDU format between user communication terminals, the belong to an aggregation of heterogeneous networks, and one or more various service-providing communication networks through several Various wireless transport channels known by different Communication systems are provided. In one in transition between the aggregation of the heterogeneous networks and the one side the transport channels The service integrator that is included is the outbound communication traffic processes and provides the various services for the user terminals. In a transition between the communication networks and the other side of the wireless transport channels makes an over the wireless transport channels more comprehensive Service provider for both access to the service providing communication networks as well in the opposite direction for the forwarding of the communication networks providing the services generated, for the aggregation of heterogeneous networks certain data flows, where preferably several PDU rivers over the same transport channel executed and the fair sharing of resources of the transport channel in terms of the QoS requirements of the various PDU flows passed through it by several Scheduler and queue instances is executed.

Out DE 602 04 645 T2 For example, in the context of a resource management methodology in heterogeneous quality of service based packet networks, it is known to classify incoming traffic flows using a connection access control component to identify new requests and their characteristics, connectivity control to accept new requests based on needed and available resources, and features of Traffic flow to select an appropriate transport channel based on the QoS requirements and QoS capabilities of the transmission resources and forward the traffic flows over the selected transport channel.

Out US 2002/0003776 A1 For example, it is known to use a scheduling entity in a terrestrial link station that arbitrates between a terrestrial ATM network and a satellite ATM network. You can also use several schedulers in series here.

Out EP 1 280 364 A1 It is known that in a method of allocating resources for a communication link in a communication system, the inputs of a scheduling entity are the various PDU flows classified according to their QoS requirements and the outputs are a multiplexed stream of different PDUs.

Out US 6,353,779 B1 For example, for the management of telecommunications links to the ground on board an aircraft, use of databases containing information for deciding on the acceptance of a connection request is known.

Out US Pat. No. 6,738,363 B1 is the use of Satellite radio transmission channels within a radio communication network known, wherein a plurality of satellite radio systems can be used.

task The present invention is to provide a method with the heterogeneous ones received by the service integrator or service provider PDU rivers litigated and over the different transport channels according to their own traffic profiles and QoS requirements and second, the available Capacity and QoS capabilities the various transport channels (Transmission mode, transmission delay, available Data throughput, etc.) are transmitted. It is intended to provide QoS-taught traffic and resource management be implemented in the service integrator and in the service provider can, which the QoS-taught transmission over various Communication systems of heterogeneous PDU flows with different traffic profiles and You can perform QoS requests between two entities, one of which is fixed is on the ground and has access to the public Gets networks and the other as a remote entity to one Aggregation of heterogeneous networks is connected. This means, that the management to be created on the one hand several communication systems, the several transport channels with different transmission modes, capacities and QoS capabilities and managing multiple heterogeneous PDU flows, and that it is the most cost-effective Use of the communication systems makes to the heterogeneous data flows QoS and to provide resources. The to be created by the invention Management concept should also be without difficulty on the case a distant entity be extended, which communicates with several fixed ground stations.

• a) die eingehenden PDUs in einzelne Verkehrsflüsse klassifiziert werden, indem die verschiedenen auf den PDUs liegenden Protokollestapel analysiert werden, um sie einer schon laufenden Anwendung und daher einem gegebenen Verkehrsprofil und gegebenen QoS-Anforderungen zuzuordnen oder um sowohl neue PDU-Flüsse oder neue Verbindungsaufbauanfragen als auch ihre Merkmale zu erkennen,
• b) im Fall eines neuen eingehenden PDU-Flusses ein Verbindungszugang-Kontroll(CAC)-Algorithmus gestartet wird, der die Akzeptanz des neuen eingehenden PDU-Flusses entsprechend den von allen bereits akzeptierten PDU-Flüssen benötigten Ressourcen, den Merkmalen des neuen eingehenden PDU-Flusses und der über alle Kommunikationssysteme verfügbaren Ressourcen ermittelt,
• c) jeder für eine Übertragung über einen oder mehrere Transportkanäle akzeptierte PDU-Fluss zu der relevanten Kommunikationssystem-Schnittstelle entsprechend der Entscheidung des Verbindungszugang-Kontroll(CAC)-Algorithmus weitergeleitet wird, wobei ein gegebener Transportkanal durch den Verbindungszugang-Kontroll-Algorithmus für die Übertragung der PDU-Flüsse ausgewählt wird, wenn die Übertragungsparameter, die verfügbaren Ressourcen und die QoS-Fähigkeiten über diesen Transportkanal zu den QoS-Anforderungen und zum Verkehrsprofil des PDU-Flusses passen, wobei dann, wenn keiner der Transportkanäle genug Ressourcen zum Übertragen des neuen PDU-Flusses bereitstellt, bei der Verbindungszugang-Kontrolle entschieden wird, mehrere Kommunikationssysteme und mehrere Transportkanäle zu verwenden, um die PDU-Flüsse zu übertragen, und
• d) sowohl die Scheduling-Algorithmen als auch die Warteschlangenvorgehensweisen dynamisch entsprechend dem Bereich der QoS-Anforderungen der ausgeführten PDU-Flüsse gewählt werden.

According to the present invention, which relates to a method of the type mentioned at the outset, this object is achieved in that, as part of a "QoS (Quality of Service) -indicated traffic and resource manager" implemented in the service integrator and in the service provider. entity

• a) the incoming PDUs are classified into individual traffic flows by analyzing the various protocol stacks on the PDUs to associate them with an already running application and therefore a given traffic profile and given QoS requirements, or both new PDU flows or new connection setup requests also to recognize their characteristics
• b) in the case of a new incoming PDU flow, a connection access control (CAC) algorithm is started, which checks the acceptance of the new incoming PDU flow according to the resources required by all already accepted PDU flows, the characteristics of the new incoming PDU flow. Flow and resources available through all communication systems,
• c) each PDU flow accepted for transmission over one or more transport channels is forwarded to the relevant communication system interface according to the decision of the connection access control (CAC) algorithm, a given transport channel being transmitted by the connection access control algorithm for transmission the PDU flows is selected if the transmission parameters, available resources and QoS capabilities over this transport channel match the QoS requirements and the traffic profile of the PDU flow, if none of the transport channels has enough resources to transmit the new PDU Flow, in which connection access control is decided to use multiple communication systems and multiple transport channels to transmit the PDU flows, and
• d) both the scheduling algorithms and the queue policies are dynamically selected according to the range of QoS requirements of the PDU flows being performed.

In Advantageously, each transport channel whose resources divided into several PDU rivers become a scheduling entity assigned. The input variables of the Scheduling entity are the different, classified according to their QoS requirements PDU rivers and the output quantities multiplexed stream of different PDUs, which to a specific Communication interface is sent. This communication interface takes over appropriate the Management of signaling and data formatting for transmission over a Transport channel of the selected Communication system.

The main idea of the present invention is derived from the following problem:
How are heterogeneous data flows, in the form of the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) format, transmission protocols, traffic profiles and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements between a remote, moving or stationary entity and a fixed ground station, the connectivity to the public switched telephone network, assuming that multiple communication systems are available that provide different transport channels with different capacities and QoS capabilities for data transfers between the remote entity and the fixed ground station. This problem arises for example, when constructing a system capable of transmitting a large record (GSM, Bluetooth, IP) generated by users in a commercial aircraft to the ground by means of various satellite radio systems.

Of the The core of the present invention is therefore the description of a A system or a system that is capable of different transport channels, from to everyone available Transport channel supports specific QoS mechanisms, one given transmission capacity, a given PDU loss ratio generated and has a specific financial burden, the transfer of data flows with different traffic profiles and different QoS requirements one or more aggregations of heterogeneous networks optimal manage. This method is called "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager ".

Consequently should according to the present Invention a "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager "im Service Integrator to be present in the remote entity. His task is the capacity and QoS mechanisms offered by the various transport channels be used optimally to multiple flows of data from the remote entity to the to transfer fixed ground station. About that In addition, according to the invention this "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager "too for the Receiving and forwarding of the data flows to be the responsibility of be sent out to the solid ground station and for the several different ones Networks are determined in the remote entity to the service integrator are connected. In the service provider of the fixed ground station should according to the present invention, a "QoS-taught traffic and resource manager" may also be implemented, to perform the same tasks in the opposite direction.

The considered type of PDUs is not defined here; they could be IP datagrams, ATM cells, MPEG TS frames, a mix of them or something otherwise. Each PDU flow is through a defined application has been generated and therefore has a defined traffic profile and defined QoS requirements (maximum transmission delay, maximum PDU loss ratio, etc.). Any PDU type could be assigned a given communication protocol, provided that it is assumed that the system is capable of a large set Support and manage communication protocols.

advantageous applications of the invention exist in particular in satellite radio communications, in aircraft communication to the ground and QoS-taught Data transfer.

advantageous Further developments and refinements of the method according to the present invention Invention are in itself to the claim 1 directly or indirectly referring back dependent claims specified.

The Invention will be explained below in detail with reference to drawings. It demonstrate:

1 in block diagram the overall representation of a known system for the transmission of heterogeneous data flows,

2 in block diagram form a representation of a system for carrying out the method proposed by the invention and the main functional entities of the "QoS" -indicated traffic and resource manager ",

3 in block diagram form a representation of the QoS main functions in the service integrator and service provider of an operating via satellite radio link communication system for aircraft passengers, and

4 also in block diagram form, the functional architecture of a working according to the invention "QoS-taught traffic and resource manager" in the service integrator and service provider for the QoS support and bandwidth management.

First, based on 2 The method proposed by the invention and / or a system for carrying out this method and the main functional entities of the "QoS" -indicated Traffic and Resource Manager "VRM are described by a service integrator SI and a service provider (FIG. "Service Provider") SP heterogeneous PDU flows received from the networks N1, N2, ..., NM aggregation AN heterogeneous networks or from the public telecommunications network PSTN, working with the Internet Protocol IP Internet and the home Internet Network HN are to be processed and transmitted via the various transport channels TC according to firstly their own traffic profiles and QoS requirements and secondly the available capacity and QoS capabilities of the various transport channels TC (transmission mode, transmission delay, available throughput, etc.) the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager" entity VRM on duty integrator SI and implemented in the service provider SP. This manager entity VRM performs QoS-taught transmission over various communication systems KS1, KS2, ..., KSN of the heterogeneous PDU flows with different traffic profiles and QoS requirements between two entities, one of which is fixed on the ground and gives access to the public networks and the other as a remote entity to the aggregation AN is connected by heterogeneous networks. The manager entity VRM manages, on the one hand, several communication systems KS1, KS2,..., KSN, which provide several transport channels TC with different transmission modes, capacities and QoS capabilities, and, on the other hand, several heterogeneous PDU flows. It therefore provides the least expensive use of the communication systems KS1, KS2, ..., KSN to provide QoS and resources to the heterogeneous PDU flows.

The incoming PDUs are classified into individual traffic flows. this will by an incoming traffic classifier ITC running, which is capable of doing the different ones lying on the PDUs Analyze protocol stacks to give them an already running application and therefore a given traffic profile and given QoS requirements or both new PDU flows or new connection setup requests as well as to recognize their characteristics.

going a new PDU flow, a connection access control (CAC; Admission Control) algorithm. He determines the acceptance of the new, incoming PDU flow according to those of all already accepted PDU flows required Resources, the characteristics of the new incoming PDU flow and the over all communication systems KS1, KS2, ..., KSN available resources.

Then everyone is for a transmission over a or more transport channels TC accepted PDU flow to the relevant communication system interface IF2, IF3 according to the decision of the connection access control (CAC) algorithm forwarded. A given transport channel TC is through the connection access controller CAC for the transfer the PDU rivers selected been when the transmission parameters, the available Resources and the QoS capabilities over this Transport channel TC to the QoS requirements and the traffic profile of PDU flow fit. If none of the transport channels TC have enough resources to transmit the new PDU flow could provide the connection access controller CAC even decide to use multiple communication systems KS1, KS2, ..., KSN and several transport channels TC to use the PDU flows transferred to.

preferably several PDU rivers should be over the same transport channel TC are executed. The fair sharing the resources of the transport channel TC with respect to the QoS requirements the various over led him PDU rivers is executed by multiple scheduler and queue instances. A Scheduling entity SC is appropriate assigned to each transport channel TC whose resources are divided into multiple PDU flows become. Both the scheduling algorithms and the queuing procedures be dynamic according to the range of QoS requirements of the exported PDU rivers. The Input variables of the Scheduling entity SC are the various PDU flows classified according to their QoS requirements. The Output variables of Scheduling entity SC is a multiplexed stream of different PDUs that belong to one specific communication interface IF2 is sent. These Interface IF2 takes over the management of signaling and data formatting for transmission over a Transport channel TC of the selected Communication system KS1, KS2, ..., KSN.

The architecture of the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager" VRM includes the inbound traffic classifier ITC, which is responsible for the discovery and forwarding of single PDU flows, the CAC mechanisms, the knowledge of all available communication system resources and features (delay, cost, etc.) and the PDU flows features, and the dynamic generation of scheduling and queuing systems SC for partitioning the resources of a transport channel TC among multiple PDU flows. If several PDU flows with different QoS requirements are to be scheduled over the same transport channel TC, then it is expedient to allocate several schedulers SC in series for optimal QoS-informed transmission. For example, a Deficient Round Robin (DRR) scheduler as described in the article by M. Shreedar, G. Varghese: "Efficient Fair Queuing using Deficit Round Robin", Proceedings of SIGCOMM '95, Cambridge, pages 231-242 is known for non-real-time traffic along with a weighted fair queuing scheduler, such as e.g. From the article by JB Nagle: "On Packet Switches with Infinite Storage", IEEE Transactions to Communications, Vol. Com. 35, No. 4, April 1987, is used for real-time traffic. Additional modern queuing procedures could also be implemented to improve QoS support. Such queuing procedures are described, for example, in the article by JJ. Shim, JY Pyun, SJ. Ko: "A Simple Scheduling Algorithm Supporting Various Traffic in ATM Networks", Proceedings of ITC-CSCC 2000, Vol. 2, Pusan, Korea, July 2000, pages 747-749. Finally, in Advantageously, additional modules such. Overload monitoring modules or traffic design modules can be implemented to improve the fairness, reliability and performance of the system. These modules should be dynamically generated according to the system configuration.

• • Eine oder mehrere entfernte, mobile oder unbewegte Entitäten wünschen mit einer festen Bodenstation zu kommunizieren, um Zugang zum öffentlichen und terrestrischen Netz zu erhalten.
• • Es gibt zwischen den entfernten, mobilen oder unbewegten Entitäten und der festen Bodenstation eine verfügbare Vielzahl und Vielfalt der Kommunikationssysteme und Transportkanäle.
• • Der "QoS-unterrichtete Verkehrs- und Ressourcenmanager" sollte in einer Vorrichtung angeordnet werden, welche die Schnittstelle zwischen den verschiedenen Kommunikationssystemen und Transportkanälen einerseits und der Aggregation heterogener Netzwerke andererseits realisiert, aber auch der Verkehr in umgekehrter Übertragungsrichtung sollte durch ihn verwaltet werden.
• • Der "QoS-unterrichtete Verkehrs- und Ressourcenmanager" sollte einen Eingangsverkehr-Klassifizierer verwalten, der fähig ist, innerhalb des eingehenden PDU-Stroms die Datenströme zu erkennen, die durch jede Anwendung erzeugt werden.
• • Der "QoS-unterrichtete Verkehrs- und Ressourcenmanager" sollte eine Datenbank verwalten, die alle Informationen über die laufend übertragenen Datenflüsse enthält und zwar hinsichtlich: – Verkehrsprofil (maximale Bitrate, durchschnittliche Bitrate, Sitzungsdauer, Burstlänge, Paketlänge, usw.), – QoS-Anforderungen (tolerierbare Verzögerung, Verzögerungsjitter, PDU-Verlustverhältnis, QoS-Klasse, usw.), – Paketformat und Protokoll, und – Quellen- und Zieladressen.
• • Der "QoS-unterrichtete Verkehrs- und Ressourcenmanager" sollte eine Datenbank verwalten, die alle Informationen über die laufend verfügbaren Kommunikationssysteme und Transportkanäle enthält (im Falle eines Flugzeugs z. B. können manche Satellitenfunksysteme z. B. wegen der Position des Flugzeugs nicht verfügbar sein): – Verfügbare Ressourcen (Bandbreite, Bitrate, Anzahl der Kanäle, usw.), – Übertragungsmodus (Paketmodus, Fernmeldeverbindungsmodus, usw.), – Unterstützter QoS-Mechanismus und angebotene Leistungsfähigkeit (bei Paketmodusübertragung kann die QoS-Unterstützung durch QoS-Klassen mit minimaler und maximaler Verzögerung und minimalem und maximalem PDU-Verlustverhältnis ausgeführt werden), – Kosten (Preis, Inrechnungstellung durch Menge von übertragenen Daten, Inrechnungstellung durch Dauer eines gegebenen Dienstes), – Geographischer Ort des festen Bodenkommunikations-Providers.
• • Die Verbindungszugangskontrolle sollte die beiden vorher erwähnten Datenbanken benutzen, um neue, eingehende Anrufe zu akzeptieren oder abzuweisen und um zu entscheiden, über welchen Transportkanal oder welche Transportkanäle die durch diese Anrufe erzeugten Daten übertragen werden sollten,
• • Schließlich sollten Schedulers und Warteschlangen dynamisch implementiert und verwaltet werden, wenn verschiedene PDU-Ströme über den gleichen Transportkanal zwischen dem entfernten Ort und der festen Bodenstation übertragen werden.

The following summarizes the features of the proposed method and system for optimal QoS-aware management of resources needed for data transmission between a remote, mobile or stationary location and a fixed ground station:

• • One or more remote, mobile or immobile entities wish to communicate with a fixed ground station to gain access to the public and terrestrial network.
• There is an available variety and variety of communication systems and transport channels between the remote, mobile or stationary entities and the fixed ground station.
• • The "QoS-informed traffic and resource manager" should be placed in a device that implements the interface between the different communication systems and transport channels on the one hand and the heterogeneous network aggregation on the other hand, but also the traffic in reverse transmission direction should be managed by him.
• The "QoS-taught traffic and resource manager" should manage an inbound traffic classifier capable of recognizing within the incoming PDU stream the data streams generated by each application.
• • The "QoS-informed traffic and resource manager" should maintain a database containing all the information about the data flows currently being transmitted in terms of: - traffic profile (maximum bitrate, average bitrate, session duration, burst length, packet length, etc.), - QoS Requirements (tolerable delay, delay jitter, PDU loss ratio, QoS class, etc.), - packet format and protocol, and - source and destination addresses.
• • The "QoS-informed traffic and resource manager" should manage a database containing all information about the communication systems and transport channels currently available (in the case of an aircraft, for example, some satellite radio systems may not be available due to the position of the aircraft - available resources (bandwidth, bitrate, number of channels, etc.), - transmission mode (packet mode, telecommunications connection mode, etc.), - supported QoS mechanism and offered performance (in packet mode transmission, QoS support may be provided by QoS classes executed with minimum and maximum delay and minimum and maximum PDU loss ratio), - cost (price, billing by amount of transmitted data, billing by duration of a given service), - geographic location of fixed ground communications provider.
• • The connection access control should use the two aforementioned databases to accept or reject new incoming calls, and to decide over which transport channel or channels the data generated by those calls should be transmitted;
• Finally, schedulers and queues should be dynamically implemented and managed as different PDU streams are transmitted over the same transport channel between the remote site and the fixed ground station.

Of the Thought of the "QoS-taught Traffic and resource managers " as part of a project that addresses the issue of the extent to which the use of mobile phones and wireless Internet access while of the flight in a commercial aircraft. The The goal of this project is to specify a target architecture and the feasibility the transmission heterogeneous data flows from an aircraft to the ground and vice versa by means of various Satellite radio links providing various resources and transmission modes (For example, an ISDN-type two-way satellite radio channel with 64 kbit / s in both directions, being a satellite radio channel a bidirectional high-performance packet transmission and a forward link provides high bandwidth for the use of DVB-RCS in common can be used). The use of these satellite radio transport channels should allow users on the plane Make phone calls using their GSM or UMTS devices and to receive IP applications on their computer and receive video-on-demand. Also, the crew of the aircraft should be able to provide navigation and emergency call information to send and receive.

Because of the limited amount of satellite radio resources and the wide range of applications to be carried out over the available satellite radio systems, the "QoS-taught traffic and resource manager" has been developed to maximize these satellite radio resources and satellite radio QoS channels managing the various priority levels, the various QoS requirements and the traffic profile of each PDU flow routed through the satellite radio system.

The The invention therefore represents an essential development of the concept within the so-called "Wireless Cabin" project (See M. Holzbock, Y.F. Hu, A. Jahn, M. Werner: "Evolution of Aeronautic Communications for Personal and Multimedia Services ", IEEE Comm. Special Issue on Composite Re-configurable Wireless Networks: The EU R & D Path Towards 4G) and was fully developed in IST-2001-37466 WirelessCabin, D14, Protocol Analysis and Design Report, Version 1.0, Workpackage: 4500, and IST-2001-37466 WirelessCabin, D14, Confidential Annex to Protocol Analysis and Design Report, Version 1.0, Workpackage: 4500, is described.

in the Frame of the mentioned Project are several satellite radio systems according to their characteristics selected been to different records from the aircraft to the ground and vice versa. This means that every aircraft with several satellite radio terminals with Antennas (one or more for each selected satellite communication system) should be equipped.

• • Low-Earth-Orbit(LEO)-Satellitenfunk-Kommunikationssysteme sind zum Ausführen von Sprachanwendungen vorgeschlagen worden.
• • Geosynchrone Satellitensysteme, die ISDN-artige Kanäle anbieten, sind zum Ausführen von Anwendungen mit konstanten Bitratenanforderungen vorgeschlagen worden.
• • Geosynchrone Satellitensysteme, die eine Paketmodus-Übertragung anbieten, sind zum Ausführen von Nicht-Echtzeit-Verkehr, wie z. B. E-Mail, Web-Browsing, usw., vorgeschlagen worden.
• • Schließlich sollten Satellitenfunksysteme mit hoch asymmetrischen Ressourcen (DVB-RCS/DVB-S-System wie z. B. Astra BBI) Streaming-Daten (Anfrage vom Flugzeug zum Boden und Video-Down-Load vom Boden zum Flugzeug) übertragen.

As part of the "Wireless Cabin" project, the following satellite radio systems have been proposed to transmit the following heterogeneous data streams:

• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite radio communication systems have been proposed for carrying out voice applications.
• • Geosynchronous satellite systems offering ISDN-like channels have been proposed for running applications with constant bit rate requirements.
• Geosynchronous satellite systems that offer packet mode transmission are capable of performing non-real-time traffic, such as voice traffic. E-mail, web browsing, etc. have been proposed.
• • Finally, satellite radio systems with highly asymmetric resources (DVB-RCS / DVB-S system such as Astra BBI) should transmit streaming data (aircraft-to-ground and video-down-load from ground to aircraft).

4 represents only the functional modules that perform QoS support and bandwidth management over a single satellite radio link (assuming that a satellite radio terminal can handle one or more satellite radio links), assuming that this satellite radio link is capable of composing multiple applications with different QoS requirements, ie both real-time and non-real-time applications. In the 4 The architecture proposed is proposed both for implementation in the service integrator and in the service provider.

If Several satellite radio links have been built to different Types of user flows with different QoS requirements, then the sentence should be non-real-time traffic queues (NRTTQ; Non-Real-Time Traffic queues, module 4), non-real-time scheduler or deficient round-robin scheduler (DRRS, Module 5), real-time traffic design module (RTTS, Real-Time Traffic Shaping, Module 6), real-time traffic queues (RTTQ, real-time traffic queues, module 7) and real-time scheduler or Weighted Fair Queuing Scheduler (WFQS, Module 8) duplicated multiple times be a set of modules 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of a satellite radio link should be assigned. The inbound traffic classifier (ITC, Module 1), the CAC module (CAC, module 2), the application database (AD, Module 3), the overload monitoring module (CM, Congestion Monitoring, Module 9) and the bandwidth on demand module (BoD, Bandwidth on Demand, Module 10) remain the same for all satellite radio links while a Transport Area Interface (TDI; Transport Domain Interface, module 11) assigned to each satellite radio terminal is.

The Application database AD stops information about the credentials of incoming PDUs, their traffic characteristics, their QoS requirements as well as the satellite radio connection to where they should be forwarded. It is particularly by the Inbound traffic classifier ITC uses the incoming PDUs classified and forwarded by the CAC module for the QoS and traffic load information.

If only real-time applications over transmit a satellite radio link should the modules in the "QoS instructed traffic and resource manager of the service integrator SI or service provider ("Service provider") SP, which for multiplexing these real-time applications are responsible, just a real-time traffic design module RTTS (Module 6) and Real Time Queue Module RTTQ (Module 7) to which a single real-time scheduler WFQS (module 8) is assigned whose output is to the relevant transport area interface (Module 11) is connected.

If only non-real-time applications via the satellite radio link, only a single non-real-time scheduler (module 5) associated with non-real-time queues (module 4) should be implemented. In this case, the output of the DRR scheduler DRRS (module 5) is directly connected to the transport area interface TDI (module 11).

As explained above could be several Modules of the same type (eg multiple real-time schedulers) in conjunction be implemented with multiple satellite radio links simultaneously. To make a distinction between these modules, the possibly could be duplicated each of these is a unique and unique "scheduling / forwarding" module identifier assigned. This identifier clearly determines such Module. About that In addition, each satellite radio terminal should have SAT and each satellite radio connection or each session unique and unique identifier or satellite radio terminal (Satellite Terminal) identification sign and satellite communication identifier be assigned.

As previously stated, some modules of the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager "each Times dynamically generated when a new satellite terminal SAT with the Service integrator SI or service provider ("Service Provider") SP via the transport area interface TDI is connected (module 11) every time a new satellite radio connection available is (common scheduling / forwarding module and also maybe modules 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) and also sometimes when new applications are over one already existing satellite radio connection are executed must (possibly Modules 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8). As a result of their dynamic management can these modules are not and should not be implemented in hardware therefore be software instances.

In addition are the input packet classifier ITC (module 1), the CAC module (module 2), the application database AD (Module 3), the bandwidth-on-demand (Bandwidth on demand) module BoD (module 10) and the overload monitoring module CM (module 9) for all satellite radio terminals and satellite radio links in common and should be when the service integrator SI and the service provider SP are turned on are. These modules are shown as software sub-instances.

If then a satellite radio terminal Sat on and connected to the "QoS-taught Traffic and resource manager of the service integrator SI or service provider SP is connected, becomes a transport area interface TDI (module 11) generated. The goal of this module (software sub-instance) is in, for a standard interface to all other modules of the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Managers "for Controlling and forwarding the data to the satellite terminal SAT worry that probably uses proprietary interfaces. The transport area interface TDI should implement some media-transfer functionality. A satellite radio terminal SAT is assigned to a TDI module (module 11).

• • Wenn das Satellitenfunk-Endgerät den Transport einer gegebenen Anzahl von Anwendungen mit gut definierten Verkehrsparametern und QoS-Anforderungen ermöglicht, dann implementiert der allgemeine "Scheduling/Weiterleitungs"-Modul keinerlei Untermodule: Durch Anwendungen erzeugte PDUs werden direkt vom Eingangsverkehrklassifizierer-Modul (Modul 1) zu den Transportbereichschnittstellen (Modul 11) weitergeleitet. Die Fälle 1 und 5 in 3 stellen dies dar.
• • Wenn das Satellitenfunk-Endgerät eine Satellitenfunkverbindung triggert, die nur zum Ausführen von Echtzeit-Anwendungen (ISDN-artige Verbindung mit Verzögerungsgarantie) benutzt wird, dann sollte der allgemeine "Scheduling/Weiterleitungs"-Modul Software- Unterinstanzen erzeugen, welche die Module 6, 7 und 8 darstellen. In diesem Fall werden durch die Echtzeit-Anwendungen erzeugte PDUs durch den Eingangsverkehrklassifizierer-Modul ITC (Modul 1) zum Verkehrsgestaltungsmodul RTTS (Modul 6) weitergeleitet, dann zu den Echtzeit-Warteschlangen (Modul 7) und dann sollten sie durch den Weighted-Fair-Queuing-Scheduler WFQS (Modul 8) geplant und zur Transportbereich-Schnittstelle (Modul 11) weitergeleitet werden. Der Fall 2 in 3 stellt dies dar.
• • Wenn das Satellitenfunk-Endgerät eine Satellitenfunkverbindung triggert, die nur zum Ausführen von Nicht-Echtzeit-Anwendungen benutzt wird (Best effort Packet Switched session; Paketvermittlungssitzung mit Bestleistung), dann sollte der allgemeine "Scheduling/Weiterleitungs"-Modul Software-Unterinstanzen erzeugen, welche die Module 4 und 5 darstellen (bzw. Nicht-Echtzeit-Warteschlangeneinreihung und -Scheduling). Der Fall 4 in 3 stellt dies dar.
• • Wenn das Satellitenfunk-Endgerät eine Satellitenfunkverbindung aufbaut, welche den Transport verschiedener Anwendungen mit einem großen Bereich von QoS-Anforderungen und Verkehrsparametern ermöglicht (Fall 3 in 3), dann sollte der allgemeine "Scheduling/Weiterleitungs"-Modul Software-Unterinstanzen erzeugen, welche die Module 4, 5, 6, 7 und 8 darstellen.

If a satellite radio connection is established by means of a defined satellite radio terminal, then a general "scheduling / forwarding" software sub-instance is created thereafter. There may be several cases that are shared based on 4 and the system and reference signs 1 and 2 ajar 3 be explained:

• If the satellite radio terminal allows the transport of a given number of applications with well-defined traffic parameters and QoS requirements, then the general "scheduling / forwarding" module will not implement any sub-modules: Application-generated PDUs will be sent directly from the incoming traffic classifier module (module 1) ) to the transport area interfaces (module 11). Cases 1 and 5 in 3 represent this.
• If the satellite radio terminal triggers a satellite radio link used only to perform real-time applications (ISDN-like connection with delay guarantee), then the general "scheduling / forwarding" module should generate software sub-instances comprising the modules 6, 7 and 8 represent. In this case, PDUs generated by the real-time applications are forwarded by the ingress classifier module ITC (module 1) to the traffic design module RTTS (module 6), then to the real-time queues (module 7) and then they should be weighted fair. Queuing scheduler WFQS (module 8) planned and forwarded to the transport area interface (module 11). The case 2 in 3 represents this.
• If the satellite radio terminal is triggering a satellite radio connection used only to perform non-real-time applications (best effort packet switched session with best performance) then the general "scheduling / forwarding" module should generate software sub-instances, which represent modules 4 and 5 (or non-real-time queuing and scheduling). The case 4 in 3 represents this.
• • If the satellite radio terminal has a satellite radio communication, which enables the transport of various applications with a wide range of QoS requirements and traffic parameters (case 3 in 3 ), then the general "scheduling / forwarding" module should generate software sub-instances representing modules 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Of course it comes the dynamic generation of modules not only in these individual cases. If For example, an ISDN-type telecommunications-switched satellite radio link has been built to run only real-time applications, and off for any reason (Absence of transport resources) the CAC module decides over This satellite radio connection to a non-real-time application transfer, then have to the modules for the scheduling of non-real-time applications (Modules 4 and 5) in addition to the modules already being used for real-time scheduling were (modules 6, 7 and 8). About that In addition, every time a new real-time application or application should a non-real-time application with new QoS requirements over a satellite radio connection is planned, a new queue instance be generated with a defined queue approach.

AD

Application database

AT

aggregation heterogeneous networks

BE1-BE6

User terminals

BoD

Bandwidth-on-demand module (Bandwidth on Demand)

BS

base station (Node B) for GSM and UMTS

BT

Bluetooth network

CAC

Connection admission control

CM

Overload monitoring module (Congestion monitoring)

DRRS

Deficient round robin scheduler

GW 1, GW2

gateways

HN

Home network

HNB

Home network area

IF1-IF4

interfaces

IP

Internet with Internet Protocol IP

IP LAN

IP LAN network

ITC

Input traffic classifier

KS1, KS2, ..., KSN

communications systems

LC

local content

N1, N2, ..., NM

heterogeneous nets

NRTTQ

Non-real-time traffic queues Non-Real-Time Traffic Queues

ÖNB

public network area

PSTN

Public telecommunications network

RTTQ

Real-time traffic queues (Real-Time Traffic Queues)

RTTS

Real-time traffic shaping module (Real-Time Traffic Shaping)

SAT

Satellite radio terminal

SC

Scheduling entity

SI

services integrator ( "Service integrator")

SP

service provider ( "Service Provider")

T1, T2, T3

terminals

TC

transport channel

TC1, TC2, TC3

transport channels

TD

transport sector

TDI

Transport sector interface (Transport do-main interface)

VRM

QoS-informed Traffic and Resource Manager

WFQS

Weighted Fair Queuing scheduler

WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS

W-LAN network

Claims (14)

A method for transmitting heterogeneous data flows in the form of the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) format between user communication terminals that belong to a heterogeneous network aggregation and one or more different communication networks offering different services over a plurality of different wireless transport channels through different Communication systems are provided, in which in a transition between the aggregation of the heterogeneous networks and the one side of the transport channels contained services integrator ("service integrator") the outwardly determined communication traffic is processed and the various services are provided for the user terminals and in a transition between the fixed communication networks and the other side of the wireless transport channels, a service provider spanning the wireless transport channels for both access to the communications offering services tion networks as well as in the reverse direction for the forwarding of generated in the service-providing communication networks, intended for the aggregation of heterogeneous networks data flows, where possible multiple PDU flows are performed on the same transport channel and wherein the fair sharing of the resources of the transport channel with respect QoS requirements of the various PDU flows passing through it are executed by a plurality of scheduler and queue entities, characterized in that in a service integrator (SI) and in the service provider (SP) implemented "QoS (Quality of Service) -indicated traffic and Resource Manager (VRM) entity (a) the incoming PDUs are classified into individual traffic flows by analyzing the various protocol stacks residing on the PDUs to associate them with an already running application and therefore a given traffic profile and given QoS requirements to detect both new PDU flows or new connection setup requests as well as their features, b) in the case of a new incoming PDU flow, a Connection Access Control (CAC) algorithm is started which checks the acceptance of the new incoming PDU flow according to the all the resources that are already accepted, the characteristics of the new one incoming PDU flow and the resources available through all communication systems (KS1, KS2, ..., KSN), c) each for a transmission over one or more transport channels (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) is forwarded to the relevant communication system interface (IF2, IF3) according to the decision of the connection access control (CAC) algorithm, a given transport channel being transmitted by the connection access control algorithm the PDU flows are selected if the transmission parameters, the available resources and the QoS capabilities over this transport channel match the QoS requirements and traffic profile of the PDU flow, if none of the transport channels (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) provides enough resources to transmit the new PDU flow, in which connection access control is decided to use multiple communication systems (KS1, KS2, ..., KSN) and multiple transport channels to transmit the PDU flows, and d ) both the scheduling algorithms and the queue policies are executed dynamically according to the range of QoS requirements n PDU rivers are selected. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that each transport channel (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) whose resources divided into several PDU rivers become a scheduling entity (SC) is assigned. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that the input of the scheduling entity (SC) the classified according to their QoS requirements PDU rivers and the output variables Multiplexed power of different PDUs are that to a specific communication interface (IF2, IF3) is sent. Method according to claim 3, characterized that this communication interface (IF2, IF3) the administration signaling and data formatting for transmission over a transport channel (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) of the selected one Communication system (KS1, KS2, ..., KSN) takes over. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that when scheduling multiple PDU flows with different QoS requirements over the same Transport channel (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) several schedulers in series for optimal QoS-taught transmission be assigned. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that that suitable scheduler, z. For example, a deficient round robin (DRR) scheduler (DRRS) for a non-real-time traffic along with a Weighted Fair Queuing Scheduler (WFQS) for Real-time traffic, to be used. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that that additional, modern queuing procedures are implemented to the QoS support to improve. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager "(VRM) manages an inbound traffic classifier (ITC) that is capable of detect the data streams within the incoming PDU flow, which are generated by each application. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the "QoS-taught Traffic and Resource Manager "(VRM) a database (AD) manages all the information about the continuously transmitted data flows contains regarding: • Traffic profile (maximum bit rate, average bit rate, session duration, burst length, packet length, etc.); • QoS requirements (tolerable delay, delay jitter, PDU loss ratio, QoS class, etc.); • Package format and protocol; and • Sources- and destination addresses. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the "QoS-informed traffic and resource manager" (VRM) manages a database (AD) containing all information about the currently available communication systems (KS1, KS2, ..., KSN) and transport channels (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3), namely: • Available resources (bandwidth, bitrate, number of channels, etc.); • transmission mode (packet mode, communication mode, etc.); Supported QoS mechanism and offered performance (in packet mode transmission, QoS support can be performed by QoS classes with minimum and maximum delay and minimum and maximum PDU loss ratio); • costs (price, billing by amount of transferred data, billing by duration of a given service); and • geographic location of the fixed ground communications provider. Method according to claims 9 and 10, characterized that the connection access control (ITC) the two aforementioned databases (DA) used to accept or reject new, incoming calls and to decide over which Transport channel or which transport channels (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3) the data generated by these calls should be transmitted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the aggregation of heterogeneous networks (AN) one the transport a variety of people serving transport, z. B. airliner, Railway or ship, is assigned and that for transmission the heterogeneous data flows from the means of transport to the service providing communication networks (ÖNB, HNB) Radio transport channels (TC; TC1, TC2, TC3), in particular satellite radio transport channels, under provision different resources and transmission modes It is the use of these radio transport channels to the users in the Transportation allows Make phone calls using their GSM or UMTS devices and to receive IP applications on their computer and receive video-on-demand, and also the crew is capable To send and receive navigation and emergency call information. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that that when using satellite radio transport channels in the frame the radio transport channels several satellite radio systems are selected according to their characteristics, to different records from the means of transport to the service providing communication networks (ÖNB, HNB) and vice versa, which means that each means of transport with several satellite radio terminals (TC; T1, T2, T3) is equipped with antennas, and that the following Satellite radio systems are proposed to be the following heterogeneous streams transferred to: • Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Radio Communication Systems to run of speech applications; • geosynchronous Satellite systems offering ISDN-like channels for performing Applications with constant bit rate requirements; • geosynchronous Satellite systems that use a packet mode transmission offer to run from non-real-time traffic, such as E-mail, web browsing, etc .; and • finally satellite radio systems with highly asymmetric resources (DVB-RCS / DVB-S system such. B. Astra BBI) for transmission of streaming data (request from the transport to the services offering Communication networks and video-down load from the services offering Communication networks to the means of transport). Use of the method according to one of claims 1 to 13 in the communication of passengers and crew of a passenger transport vehicle, such as As airliner, ship or railroad, with a public Network area.