Method and apparatus for providing congestion control in radio access networks

An apparatus for controlling congestion in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:

• a processor configured for:
• detecting an indication of congestion within a packet received at a controller of the RAN, wherein the packet, when received at the controller of the RAN, includes the indication of congestion, wherein the packet is associated with a quality-of-service class;
• and
• in response to detecting the indication of congestion in the received packet, congestion status information from the controller of the RAN toward a radio access node of the RAN that is adapted for applying congestion control for the quality-of-service class.

A method for controlling congestion in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:

• receiving, at a radio access node of the RAN, a packet associated with a quality-of-service class;
• propagating the packet from the radio access node toward a controller of the RAN via a path comprising a router;
• receiving congestion status signaling indicative of a congestion condition associated with the quality-of-service class, wherein the congestion status signaling is received at the radio access node from the controller, the congestion status signaling being received responsive to detection by the controller of an indication of congestion included within the packet when the packet is received at the controller, the indication of congestion being marked in the packet by the router in response to detecting congestion associated with the quality-of-service class at the router;
• and
• applying congestion control for the quality-of-service class at the radio access node in response to receiving the congestion status signaling indicative of the congestion condition.

An apparatus for controlling congestion in a radio access network (RAN), comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive, at a radio access node of the RAN, a packet associated with a Quality-of-service class;
• propagate the packet from the radio access node toward a controller of the RAN via a path comprising a router;
• receive congestion status signaling indicative of a congestion condition associated with the quality-of-service class, wherein the congestion status signaling is received at the radio access node from the controller, the congestion status signaling being received responsive to detection by the controller of an indication of congestion included within the packet when the packet is received at the controller, the indication of congestion being marked in the packet by the router in response to detecting congestion associated with the quality-of-service class at the router;
• and
• apply congestion control for the quality-of-service class at the radio access node in response to receiving the congestion status signaling indicative of the congestion condition.