Differentiated scheduling of Xcast traffic

An access node for a radio access network, the access node comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the access node to perform:
• receiving a plurality of data packets associated with one or more radio bearers for scheduling to a plurality of terminal devices served by the access node;
• determining an over-the-air transmission mode of each radio bearer of the one or more radio bearers;
• and
• in response to determining that the one or more radio bearers comprise one or more first explicit multi-unicast, Xcast, radio bearers using a multicast transmission mode and one or more second radio bearers using a unicast transmission mode, scheduling the one or more radio bearers according to a first scheduling mechanism, wherein the first scheduling mechanism prioritizes the one or more first Xcast radio bearers over the one or more second radio bearers to maximize a system throughput associated with the access node by throttling each of the one or more second radio bearers according to a third throttling rate.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data packets associated with one or more radio bearers for scheduling from an access node to a plurality of terminal devices served by the access node;
• and
• determining an over-the-air transmission mode of each radio bearer of the one or more radio bearers;
• in response to determining that the one or more radio bearers comprise one or more first explicit multi-unicast, Xcast, radio bearers using a multicast transmission mode and one or more second radio bearers using a unicast transmission mode, scheduling the one or more radio bearers according to a first scheduling mechanism, wherein the first scheduling mechanism prioritizes the one or more first Xcast radio bearers over the one or more second radio bearers to maximize a system throughput associated with the access node by performing one of:
• throttling each of the one or more first Xcast radio bearers according to a first throttling rate and each of the one or more second radio bearers according to a second throttling rate larger than the first throttling rate, wherein the first throttling rate is defined separately for each first Xcast radio bearer based on the number of terminal devices served by said first Xcast radio bearer and the first throttling rate and the second throttling rate are defined to depend at least on the amount of congestion in the access node, and
• throttling each of the one or more second radio bearers according to a third throttling rate, wherein the third throttling rate is defined to depend at least on the amount of congestion in the access node.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing, when executed in hardware, at least the following:

• receiving a plurality of data packets associated with one or more radio bearers for scheduling from an access node to a plurality of terminal devices served by the access node;
• and
• determining an over-the-air transmission mode of each radio bearer of the one or more radio bearers;
• in response to determining that the one or more radio bearers comprise one or more first explicit multi-unicast, Xcast, radio bearers using a multicast transmission mode and one or more second radio bearers using a unicast transmission mode, scheduling the one or more radio bearers according to a first scheduling mechanism, wherein the first scheduling mechanism prioritizes the one or more first Xcast radio bearers over the one or more second radio bearers to maximize a system throughput associated with the access node by performing one of:
• throttling each of the one or more first Xcast radio bearers according to a first throttling rate and each of the one or more second radio bearers according to a second throttling rate larger than the first throttling rate, wherein the first throttling rate is defined separately for each first Xcast radio bearer based on the number of terminal devices served by said first Xcast radio bearer, and the first throttling rate and the second throttling rate are defined to depend at least on the amount of congestion in the access node, and
• throttling each of the one or more second radio bearers according to a third throttling rate, wherein the third throttling rate is defined to depend at least on the amount of congestion in the access node.