Method and apparatus for detecting and managing user plane congestion

An apparatus comprising circuitry, including one or more integrated circuits, configured to:

• receive congestion control information for each of a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories from the network, wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted, wherein the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories includes a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions;
• determine not to attempt to access the network for any of the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category;
• and
• transmit a request for access to the network for at least one of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category.

A method implemented in one or more network nodes of a network, the method comprising:

• transmitting signaling including information for provisioning a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) with a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories, wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted, wherein the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories included a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions;
• transmitting congestion control information for each of the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories to the WTRU;
• receiving, from the WTRU after expiration of the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, traffic from one or more the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category;
• and
• receiving, from the WTRU, traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category.

A network comprising one or more network nodes having circuitry, including one or more integrated circuits, configured to:

• transmit signaling including information for provisioning a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) with a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories, wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted, wherein the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories included a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions;
• transmit congestion control information for each of the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories to the WTRU;
• receive, from the WTRU after expiration of the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, traffic from one or more the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category;
• and
• receive, from the WTRU, traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category.