Dynamic Load Balancing In An Extended Self Optimizing Network

1 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network, the method comprising:

monitoring user flows in a wireless network; and

if the user flows exceed a predetermined threshold, modifying the user flows.

2 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying the user flows comprises offloading traffic of the users with the highest user flows.

3 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying the user flows comprises throttling traffic of the heaviest users.

4 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold is determined at least in part upon network congestion.

5 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the network congestion is on the user plane.

6 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the network congestion is on the control plane.

7 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the user flows include virus-laden data.

8 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the user flows include virus-generated traffic.

9 . A method for monitoring network traffic in a wireless network in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the user flows include denial of service (DoS) attacks.

10 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network, the method comprising:

determining operating conditions in the wireless network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of sites;

dynamically adjusting network policies of the wireless network based upon the operating conditions; and

offloading select users from a first site that is overloaded to a second site.

11 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the first site is an LTE RAN.

12 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions comprise a detailed network load.

13 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions comprise user equipment capabilities.

14 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions comprise a user application.

15 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions comprise RF conditions.

16 . A method of performing dynamic load balancing in a wireless network in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions comprise bandwidth requirements.

17 . A method for optimizing network resources in a communication system that includes high capacity cells and low capacity cells, the method comprising:

determining the mobility of a first user;

determining the mobility of a second user;

comparing the first mobility to the second mobility;

if the second mobility is lower than the first mobility, offloading the traffic for the second user from the high capacity cell to the low capacity cell.

18 . A method for optimizing network resources in a communication system in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the high capacity cell comprises a macrocell.

19 . A method for optimizing network resources in a communication system in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the low capacity cell is a femtocell.

20 . A method for optimizing network resources in a communication system in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the low capacity cell is a picocell.