# US 9,520,980 B1 · Methods and systems for using air-interface resource information in routing prioritization > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,980 B1 - Document ID: US9520980B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/300,284 - Filed: 2014-06-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-10 - Assignees: Sprint Spectrum L.P. - Applicants: Sprint Spectrum L.P. - Inventors: Suryanarayanan Ramamurthy; Jean-Emile Nguepi; Jatinder Judge; Jasinder Singh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520980B1 ## CPC - H04L 5/0058: {Allocation criteria} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04L 5/0026: {Division using four or more dimensions, e.g. beam steering or quasi-co-location [QCL]} - H04L 5/0032: {Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation} - H04L 5/0064: {Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority} - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a method carried out by a router. The method includes the router receiving a data packet originated by a wireless communication device (WCD) being served by a base station. The method also includes the router determining an air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD. After receiving the data packet, the router determines a routing prioritization for the data packet based at least in part on the determined air-interface resource. The router may then route the data packet in accordance with the determined routing prioritization. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: a router receiving a data packet from a base station, wherein the data packet is originally transmitted by a wireless communication device (WCD) being served by the base station, and wherein the data packet, having been modified by the base station includes an indication of an air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD; the router reading the indication to determine the air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD; after receiving the data packet, the router determining a routing prioritization for the data packet based at least in part on the determined air-interface resource; and the router routing the data packet in accordance with the determined routing prioritization. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the determined air-interface resource is located in a header of the data packet, and wherein determining the air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD comprises reading the indication from the header of the data packet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the header of the data packet comprises a GTP-U extension header. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determined air-interface resource comprises a frequency band. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determined air-interface resource comprises at least one frequency channel on which the base station is serving the WCD. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determined air-interface resource comprises at least one Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) resource block on which the base station is serving the WCD. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining correlation data that correlates each of various frequency bands with respective routing prioritizations, wherein determining the routing prioritization for the data packet comprises determining that the determined air interface resource falls within a given frequency band and determining the routing prioritization based on the correlation data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the routing prioritization for the data packet comprises: requesting a policy charging and rules function (PCRF) to provide, based on the determined air-interface resource, an indication of the routing prioritization; and receiving in response from the PCRF the indication of the routing prioritization. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet further includes a quality of service class indicator (QCI) or differentiated services code point (DSCP), and wherein the router determines the routing prioritization for the data packet based at least in part on the QCI or DSCP. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: a base station serving a wireless communication device (WCD) on a given air-interface resource; while serving the WCD, the base station receiving a data packet from the WCD; after receiving the data packet, the base station modifying the data packet to include an indication of the given air-interface resource; the base station transmitting the modified data packet for receipt by a router; after receiving the modified data packet, the router determining a routing prioritization for the modified data packet based at least in part on the indication of the given air-interface resource; and the router routing the data packet in accordance with the determined routing prioritization. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining a change in the given air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD from a first air-interface resource to a second air-interface resource; and adjusting the routing prioritization for the modified data packet from a first routing prioritization associated with the first air-interface resource to a second routing prioritization associated with the second air-interface resource. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the data packet further includes a quality of service class indicator (QCI) or differentiated services code point (DSCP), and wherein the router determines the routing prioritization for the modified data packet based at least in part on the QCI or DSCP. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the given air-interface resource comprises a frequency band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the given air-interface resource comprises at least one frequency channel on which the base station is serving the WCD. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the data packet to include an indication of the given air-interface resource comprises adding the indication of the given air-interface resource to a header of the data packet. ### Claim 16 A router comprising: a network communication interface configured to receive and transmit data in an access network; a processing unit; non-transitory data storage; and program instructions stored in the non-transitory data storage and executable by the processing unit to carry out functions comprising: receiving, via the network communication interface, a data packet from the access network, wherein the data packet is originally transmitted by a wireless communication device (WCD) being served by the access network, and wherein the data packet, having been modified by the access network, includes an indication of an air-interface resource on which the access network is serving the WCD, reading the indication to determine the air-interface resource on which the access network is serving the WCD, after receiving the data packet, determining a routing prioritization for the data packet based at least in part on the determined air-interface resource, and routing, via the network communication interface, the data packet in accordance with the determined routing prioritization. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The router of claim 16, wherein the data packet further includes a quality of service class indicator (QCI) or differentiated services code point (DSCP), and wherein the router determines the routing prioritization for the modified data packet based at least in part on the QCI or DSCP. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The router of claim 16, wherein the data storage maintains correlation data that correlates each of various frequency bands with respective routing prioritizations, and wherein determining the routing prioritization for the data packet comprises determining that the determined air interface resource falls within a given frequency band and determining the routing prioritization based on the correlation data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The router of claim 16, wherein determining the routing prioritization for the data packet comprises: requesting a policy charging and rules function (PCRF) to provide, based on the determined air-interface resource, an indication of the routing prioritization; and receiving in response from the PCRF the indication of the routing prioritization.