Methods and apparatus for controlling access link packet flow aggregation and resource allocation in a mobile communications system

29 The method of claim 28, wherein said modifying includes eliminating said information associating the first downstream packet flow to said first downstream packet flow aggregate and generating second packet classification information, said second packet classification information being in addition to first packet classification information, wherein said second packet classification information i) defines said second downstream packet flow aggregate, and ii) includes information associating said first downstream constituent packet flow to said second downstream packet flow aggregate.

A packet flow aggregation method for use in aggregating packet flows between a network node operating as an aggregation peer node and an access node, the access node including a wireless interface for communicating with mobile nodes over wireless communications links, the method comprising:

• operating the access node to assign a plurality of downstream packet flows to a first downstream packet flow aggregate, the downstream packet flows conveying packets from said aggregation peer node to said access node, said first downstream packet flow aggregate including multiple downstream packet flows;
• and
• operating the access node to assign a plurality of upstream packet flows to a first upstream packet flow aggregate, the upstream packet flows conveying packets from said access node to said aggregation peer node, said first upstream packet flow aggregate including multiple upstream packet flows.

A method of controlling access link resource allocation on an access link extending between a wireless access router and a core network node operating as an aggregation node, said access link carrying a plurality of aggregated downstream packet flows and at least one aggregated upstream packet flow, the method comprising:

• operating said access node to control both the assignment of downstream access link resources between said downstream packet flow aggregates and the assignment of upstream access link resources to said at least one aggregated upstream packet flow;
• and
• operating said access node to communicate downstream access link resource allocation information to said aggregation peer node.

An access node used to control aggregation of packet flows over an access link extending between said access node and a peer node, the access node comprising:

• a module for defining a mapping between a first downstream packet flow and a first downstream packet flow aggregate, said first downstream packet flow aggregate being one of a plurality of downstream packet flow aggregates, each of said downstream packet flow aggregates corresponding to at least one downstream packet flow which includes a flow of packets from said peer node to said access node, a plurality of downstream packet flows corresponding to said first downstream packet flow aggregate;
• and
• a module for defining a mapping between a first upstream packet flow and a first upstream packet flow aggregate, said first upstream packet flow including a flow of packets from 11 said access node to said peer node.

A communications method for use in a mobile communications system including an access node coupled to a network node by an access link and to a plurality of wireless communications terminals by wireless communications links, a plurality of downstream packet flow aggregates being used to communicate packets from said network node to said access node, each downstream packet flow aggregate being used to carry a different set of packets, said packet sets being distinguishable from one another based on packet header information, a plurality of upstream packet flow aggregates being used to communicate packets from said network node to said access node, the method comprising:

• operating the access node to control the allocation of downstream access link resources to said downstream aggregate packet flows;
• and
• operating the access node to control the allocation of upstream access link resources to said upstream aggregate packet flows.