Apparatus and method for congestion control in wireless communication networks

A user equipment (UE) for operating in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising:

• physical layer circuitry arranged to
• enter an RRC_CONNECTED state with the wireless communication network;
• receive a suspension notification from the wireless communication network, while the UE is in an RRC_CONNECTED state, that a radio bearer (RB) operating in the wireless communication network has been suspended, wherein the suspension notification is received in a radio resource control (RRC) Suspend Radio Bearer message including a backoff timer to indicate a time duration for which the UE shall wait before requesting resources on the corresponding RB, and wherein a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) discard timer has been modified based on a value of the backoff timer;
• and
• transmit an acknowledgement of the suspension notification.

An evolved NodeB (eNodeB) operating in a network, the eNodeB comprising:

• processing circuitry arranged to determine that usage of a radio bearer (RB) operating in the network should be suspended, based on congestion information related to the RB;
• and
• a transceiver arranged to
• transmit a suspension notification, upon determining that usage of the RB should be suspended, to notify a user equipment (UE) that is in an RRC_CONNECTED state with the eNodeB that the RB will be suspended, wherein the suspension notification is transmitted in a radio resource control (RRC) Suspend Radio Bearer message including a backoff timer to indicate a time duration for which the UE shall wait before requesting resources on the corresponding RB, and wherein a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) discard timer has been modified based on a value of the backoff timer.

A method, performed by a user equipment (UE) for operating in a wireless communicating network, the method comprising:

• entering into an RRC_CONNECTED state with the wireless communicating network;
• receiving a suspension notification from the wireless communicating network, while the UE is in an RRC_CONNECTED state, that a radio bearer (RB) has been suspended from use, wherein the suspension notification is received in a radio resource control (RRC) Suspend Radio Bearer message including a backoff timer to indicate a time duration for which the UE shall wait before requesting resources on the corresponding RB, and wherein a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) discard timer has been modified based on a value of the backoff timer;
• and
• transmitting an acknowledgement of the suspension notification;
• and
• refraining from operating on the RB for at least a time duration specified in the suspension notification.