Devices and method for guaranteeing quality of service per service data flow through the bearer layer

A method of guaranteeing into a bearer layer, Quality of Service (QoS) requirements negotiated through a signaling layer, the bearer layer being a media transport layer capable of bearing several service data flows, each service data flow including at least one Internet Protocol (IP) flow, the signaling layer being used for signaling how media transported through the bearer layer should be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• a user equipment negotiating with an application function device located in the signaling layer, the QoS requirements that are to be guaranteed for media transport through the bearer layer;
• submitting from the application function device, a session identifier along with a description of media negotiated for a service data flow towards a QoS-control function device in charge of guaranteeing into the bearer layer, the QoS requirements negotiated through the signaling layer;
• requesting installation of QoS-related rules, the QoS-related rules including service data flow filters and lists of events to be notified per service data flow, from the QoS-control function device towards a detection function device for inspecting media transported through the bearer layer;
• installing the QoS-related rules at the detection function device;
• transmitting the media through the detection function device in the bearer layer;
• inspecting IP flows through the media at the detection function device in the bearer layer by using the service data flow filters;
• detecting at the detection function device in the bearer layer, when an event to be notified per service data flow occurs for the inspected IP flows;
• submitting a notification from the detection function device to the QoS-control function device when the event related to a particular service data flow is detected;
• and
• notifying from the QoS-control function device towards the application function device in the signaling layer that the event related to the particular service data flow has been detected.

An application function device for submitting Quality of Service (QoS) requirements negotiated through a signaling layer and to be guaranteed for media transport through a bearer layer, the bearer layer being a media transport layer capable of bearing several service data flows, each service data flow including at least one Internet Protocol (IP) flow, the application function device comprising:

• a negotiation unit that negotiates with a user equipment, the QoS requirements to be guaranteed for media transport through the bearer layer;
• a first output that outputs a session identifier along with a description of media negotiated for a particular service data flow towards a QoS-control function device in charge of guaranteeing into a bearer layer, the QoS requirements negotiated through a signaling layer and interposed between the signaling layer and the bearer layer;
• and
• a first input that receives a notification from the QoS-control function device about a detected event related to the particular service data flow.

A QoS-control function device for guaranteeing into a bearer layer, Quality of Service (QoS) requirements negotiated through a signaling layer, the bearer layer being a media transport layer capable of bearing several service data flows, each service data flow including at least one Internet Protocol (IP) flow, the signaling layer being used for negotiating how media transported through the bearer layer should be treated, the QoS-control function device comprising:

• a first input that receives a session identifier along with a description of media negotiated for a service data flow from an application function device located in the signaling layer;
• a second input that receives a notification from a detection function device when an event related to a particular service data flow is detected;
• a first processor that correlates the description of the negotiated media with service data flows in the bearer layer, and that determines the application function device to be notified about the detected event;
• and
• a first output that notifies the application function device in the signaling layer about the detected event related to the particular service data flow;
• wherein the QoS-control function device is arranged to request installation of QoS-related rules, including service data flow filters and lists of events to be notified per service data flow, towards the detection function device for inspecting media transported through the bearer layer.

A detection function device for inspecting media transported through a bearer layer in order to detect events occurring on a per service data flow basis, the bearer layer being capable of bearing several service data flows, each service data flow including at least one Internet Protocol (IP) flow, the detection function device comprising:

• a first output that transmits the media;
• a storage device that stores Quality of Service (QoS)-related rules when requested by a QoS-control function device in charge of guaranteeing into the bearer layer, QoS requirements negotiated through a signaling layer, the QoS-related rules including service data flow filters and lists of events to be notified per service data flow;
• a filter that inspects IP flows through the media by using the service data flow filters stored for the QoS-related rules;
• an event detector that detects when an event to be notified per service data flow occurs for the inspected IP flows;
• and
• a second output that notifies the QoS-control function device of the detection of an event in the list of events to be notified for a service data flow.