Method and apparatus for applying different priorities to packets

A base station in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:

• a transceiver;
• and
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
• receive, via the transceiver, packets including priority information for a single user equipment (UE) from a packet data network gateway (P-GW) with public land mobile network (PLMN) information associated with an entity that assigned the priority information, the packets for the single UE being mapped to a same quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI),
• identify whether to use the priority information for identifying a priority of the packets, based on the PLMN information and whether a type of a bearer for the packets is a non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearer,
• identify a priority of the packets mapped to the same QCI based on the priority information in case that a configuration for the priority information is enabled in the base station and in case that a radio access network (RAN) congestion situation occurs, and
• schedule the packets mapped to the same QCI differently based on the identified priority of the packets,
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing a packet inspection based on at least one of an internet protocol (IP) address or a type of a higher layer protocol in case that the RAN congestion situation does not occur, and
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing the packet inspection based on a deep packet inspection in case that the RAN congestion situation occurs.

A method by a packet data network gateway (P-GW) in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

• receiving information on an operator's policy;
• receiving packets for a single user equipment (UE), the packets for the single UE being mapped to a same quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI);
• inspecting information included in the packets;
• marking the packets with priority information based on the inspected information and the information on the operator's policy;
• and
• transmitting the packets marked with the priority information to a base station,
• wherein the priority information is transmitted with public land mobile network (PLMN) information associated with an entity that assigned the priority information,
• wherein whether to use the priority information is identified for identifying a priority of the packets, based on the PLMN information and whether a type of a bearer for the packets is a non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearer,
• wherein the packets having the same QCI are scheduled differently based on the priority information in case that a configuration for the priority information is enabled in the base station and in case that a radio access network (RAN) congestion situation occurs,
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing a packet inspection based on at least one of an internet protocol (IP) address or a type of a higher layer protocol in case that the RAN congestion situation does not occur, and
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing the packet inspection based on a deep packet inspection in case that the RAN congestion situation occurs.

A packet data network gateway (P-GW) in a wireless communication network, the P-GW comprising:

• a transceiver;
• and
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
• receive, via the transceiver, information on an operator's policy,
• receive, via the transceiver, packets for a single user equipment (UE), the packets for the single UE being mapped to a same quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI),
• inspect information included in the packets,
• mark the packets with priority information based on the inspected information and the information on the operator's policy, and
• transmit, via the transceiver, the packets marked with the priority information to a base station,
• wherein the priority information is transmitted with public land mobile network (PLMN) information associated with an entity that assigned the priority information,
• wherein whether to use the priority information is identified for identifying a priority of the packets, based on the PLMN information and whether a type of a bearer for the packets is a non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) bearer,
• wherein the packets having the same QCI are scheduled differently based on the priority information in case that a configuration for the priority information is enabled in the base station and in case that a radio access network (RAN) congestion situation occurs,
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing a packet inspection based on at least one of an internet protocol (IP) address or a type of a higher layer protocol in case that the RAN congestion situation does not occur, and
• wherein the priority information is determined by performing the packet inspection based on a deep packet inspection in case that the RAN congestion situation occurs.