IP Library Granted Patent US 8,538,435
Granted Patent B2
US 8,538,435 · App. 12/713,055 · Granted Sep 17, 2013

Systems and methods for autonomously determining network capacity and load balancing amongst multiple network cells

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,538,435
App. No.
12/713,055
Granted
Sep 17, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A networked computing system including multiple network base stations, user equipment, a network resource controller (NRC), and a data communications network facilitating communications amongst all devices of the networked computing system. The NRC determines a current radio channel available capacity based on a user load associated with regional user equipment, and then forecasts a maximum radio channel capacity based on the current radio channel available capacity. The NRC may be a network base station and it may determine a number of additional user equipment it can support as a component of the forecast maximum radio channel capacity. The NRC/base station may be further configured to determine a handover threshold utilizing the forecast maximum radio channel capacity, and when the NRC base station's number of users exceeds the handover threshold, one or more user equipment may be handed over to a second network base station with better service capacity.

Claims (34)

1. A networked computing system for determining the radio channel capacities of regional network base stations to affect service handovers, comprising:

a plurality of network base stations;

a plurality of user equipment;

at least one network resource controller; and

a data communications network facilitating data communications amongst the plurality of network base stations, the plurality of user equipment, and the at least one network resource controller,

wherein the network resource controller is configured to:

determine a current radio channel available capacity based on a user load associated with regional user equipment;

forecast maximum radio channel capacity based on the current radio channel available capacity; and

determine a number of additional user equipment a network base station can support based on the forecasted maximum radio channel capacity,

wherein the user load associated with the regional user equipment is related to network resource consumption habits of an average network user that a network base station services; wherein the network resource controller is further configured to determine a handover threshold utilizing the forecast maximum radio channel capacity; and wherein when a first network base station's number of users exceeds the handover threshold, at least one user equipment that the first network base station services, is handed over to a second network base station with better service capacity.

2. The networked computing system of claim 1 , wherein the forecast maximum radio channel capacity is related to a predicted number of network users that a network base station will provide service to.

3. The networked computing system of claim 1 , wherein the network resource controller is further configured to:

utilize the forecast maximum radio channel capacity to determine if a network base station is to increase or decrease a radio operating level to add or drop service to at least one user equipment, whereby a cell coverage area of the network base station is increased or decreased according to the radio operating level.

4. The network computer system of claim 1 , wherein the network resource controller is further configured to:

calculate a user capacity of the base station based on the current radio channel capacity and an average user throughput, the user capacity being a number of users the base station is predicted as being able to service.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for affecting a service handover, which when executed, performs a method comprising:

determining a current radio channel capacity of a base station based on a user load associated with user equipment;

calculating a user capacity of the base station based on the current radio channel capacity and an average user throughput, the user capacity being a number of users the base station is predicted as being able to service; and

forecasting a remaining user capacity based on the calculated user capacity, the remaining user capacity being a number of additional users the base station is predicted as being able to service; wherein the average user throughput is calculated by dividing an aggregate channel throughput of the base station by a number of active users joined to the base station; and wherein the remaining user capacity is determined by subtracting a product of a number of active users joined to the base station and the average user throughput from the user capacity.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the user load associated with the user equipment is related to network resource consumption habits of an average user serviced by the base station.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining a handover threshold utilizing the forecasted remaining user capacity.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein when the base station's number of users exceeds the handover threshold, at least one user equipment served by the base station is handed over to an adjacent base station.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

utilizing the forecasted remaining user capacity to determine if the base station is to increase or decrease its radio coverage area in order to add or drop service to at least one user equipment.

10. A computer-implemented method for affecting service handovers, the method comprising:

determining a current radio channel capacity of a base station based on a user load associated with user equipment;

calculating a user capacity of the base station based on the current radio channel capacity and an average user throughput, the user capacity being a number of users the base station is predicted as being able to service; and

forecasting a remaining user capacity based on the calculated user capacity, the remaining user capacity being a number of additional users the base station is predicted as being able to service; wherein the average user throughput is calculated by dividing an aggregate channel throughput of the base station by a number of active users joined to the base station, and wherein the remaining user capacity is determined by subtracting a product of a number of active users joined to the base station and the average user throughput from the user capacity.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the remaining user capacity is determined by subtracting a product of a number of active users joined to the base station and the average user throughput from the user capacity.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the user load associated with the regional user equipment is related to network resource consumption habits of an average network user that the network base station services.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining a handover threshold utilizing the forecasted remaining user capacity.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein when the base station's number of users exceeds the handover threshold, at least one user equipment joined to the base station is handed over to an adjacent base station by adjusting a radio coverage area of the base station, or a radio coverage area of the adjacent base station, or both.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2020
From: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
To: VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051588/0840 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: EDEN ROCK COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; NOKIA NETWORKS US SON, LLC
To: NOKIA NETWORKS US SON, LLC
Reel/Frame 037856/0904 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: NOKIA NETWORKS US SON LLC
To: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
Reel/Frame 037856/0920 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2010
From: IMMENDORF, CHAZ; HARRANG, JEFFREY
To: EDEN ROCK COMMUNICATIONS
Reel/Frame 024039/0934 →