Method and apparatus for prioritizing packets for use in managing packets in radio access networks

A method for managing packets within a radio access network (RAN), comprising:

• receiving, at a wireless access node, a packet intended for transmission via an air interface of the wireless access node;
• determining a packet priority associated with the packet, wherein the packet priority associated with the packet is based on at least one characteristic associated with the packet, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the packet comprises information at or above the network layer;
• and
• managing transmission of the packet via the air interface of the wireless access node based on the packet priority of the packet and a condition of a cell site associated with the wireless access node.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for managing packets within a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising:

• receiving, at a wireless access node, a packet intended for transmission via an air interface of the wireless access node;
• determining a packet priority associated with the packet, wherein the packet priority associated with the packet is based on at least one characteristic associated with the packet, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the packet comprises information at or above the network layer;
• and
• managing transmission of the packet via the air interface of the wireless access node based on the packet priority of the packet and a condition of a cell site associated with the wireless access node.

An apparatus for managing packets within a radio access network (RAN), comprising:

• a processor configured for:
• receiving a packet at a router of the RAN;
• examining the packet at the router for determining the contents of the packet;
• determining, at the router, at least one characteristic associated with the packet using the contents of the packet, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the packet comprises information at or above the network layer;
• and
• assigning, at the router, a packet priority to the packet based on the at least one characteristic associated with the packet;
• and
• signaling the packet and the packet priority assigned to the packet toward a wireless access node of the RAN for use by the wireless access node in managing transmission of the packet via an air interface of the wireless access node.