Carrier frequency mode selection based on device mobility
View Patent ↗Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for selecting a carrier frequency mode based on wireless device mobility. In a particular embodiment, a method comprises, in a wireless access node, providing wireless communication access to a plurality of wireless communication devices over a plurality of carrier frequencies. The method further provides determining a mobility level of the plurality of wireless communication devices and selecting one of a first communication mode or a second communication mode for at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on the mobility level, wherein the first communication mode allows full wireless access functionality and the second communication mode allows less than full wireless access functionality. The method further provides exchanging communications on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies using the one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode that is selected.
1. A method of operating a wireless communication system, comprising:
in a wireless access node, providing wireless communication access to a plurality of wireless communication devices over a plurality of carrier frequencies;
determining a mobility level of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
selecting one of a first communication mode or a second communication mode for at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on the mobility level, wherein the second communication mode is selected if the mobility level is above a first threshold and the first communication mode is selected if the mobility level is below a second threshold, and wherein the first communication mode allows full wireless access functionality and the second communication mode allows less than full wireless access functionality;
exchanging communications on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies using the one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode that is selected.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode further comprises:
if the mobility level is between the first threshold and the second threshold, allowing the communication mode of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies to remain the same.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication mode comprises a traffic mode and the second communication mode comprises a hand down mode.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobility level comprises a percentage of the plurality of wireless communication devices having an average velocity above a velocity threshold.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobility level comprises a percentage of the plurality of wireless communication devices having a median velocity above a velocity threshold.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices to one of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on a velocity of the wireless communication device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein assigning a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices is further based on a distance of the wireless communication device from the access node and an expected time that the wireless communication device will stay in the coverage area of the wireless access node.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein assigning the wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices is further based on a communication load on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies.
9. A wireless communication system, comprising:
a wireless access node configured to provide wireless communication access to a plurality of wireless communication devices over a plurality of carrier frequencies;
a communication control system configured to determine a mobility level of the plurality of wireless communication devices and select one of a first communication mode or a second communication mode for at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on the mobility level, wherein the second communication mode is selected if the mobility level is above a first threshold and the first communication mode is selected if the mobility level is below a second threshold, and wherein the first communication mode allows full wireless access functionality and the second communication mode allows less than full wireless access functionality; and
the wireless access node further configured to exchange communications on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies using the one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode that is selected.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the communication control system is configured to select one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode by, if the mobility level is between the first threshold and the second threshold, allowing the communication mode of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies to remain the same.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first communication mode comprises a traffic mode and the second communication mode comprises a hand down mode.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mobility level comprises a percentage of the plurality of wireless communication devices having an average velocity above a velocity threshold.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mobility level comprises a percentage of the plurality of wireless communication devices having a median velocity above a velocity threshold.
14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
the communication control system configured to assign a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices to one of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on a velocity of the wireless communication device.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication control system configured to assign a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices to one of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies further based on a distance of the wireless communication device from the access node and an expected time that the wireless communication device will stay in the coverage area of the wireless access node.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication control system configured to assign a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices to one of the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies further based on a communication load on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies.
17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for operating a communication control system, wherein the instructions, when executed by the communication control system, direct the communication control system to:
determine a mobility level of a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein a wireless access node provides wireless communication access to the plurality of wireless communication devices over a plurality of carrier frequencies;
select one of a first communication mode or a second communication mode for at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies based on the mobility level, wherein the second communication mode is selected if the mobility level is above a first threshold and the first communication mode is selected if the mobility level is below a second threshold, and wherein the first communication mode allows full wireless access functionality and the second communication mode allows less than full wireless access functionality; and
instruct the wireless access node to exchange communications on the at least one of the plurality of carrier frequencies using the one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode that is selected.