Spectrum management for DSS-based networks

1. A method of managing network bandwidth, comprising:

setting a first utilization threshold and a second utilization threshold for an access node, wherein the access node is configured to communicate using a band consisting of a first portion corresponding to communication in a first communication mode and a second communication mode and a second portion corresponding to communication in the first communication mode but not the second communication mode;

monitoring a first utilization parameter for the first portion of the band;

monitoring a second utilization parameter for the second portion of the band;

comparing the first utilization parameter to the first utilization threshold and the second utilization parameter to the second utilization threshold; and

in response to a determination that the first utilization parameter exceeds the first utilization threshold and that the second utilization parameter does not exceed the second utilization threshold, increasing a size of the first portion and decreasing a size of the second portion by an equal amount.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to a determination that the first utilization parameter does not exceed the first utilization threshold and that the second utilization parameter exceeds the second utilization threshold, decreasing the size of the first portion and increasing the size of the second portion.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the band includes at least two blocks each having a size of 5 MHz.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein an initial size of the first portion is at least a first block of the at least two blocks.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein increasing the size of the first portion includes designating a second block of the at least two blocks to the first portion.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first communication mode is one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode or a New Radio (NR) mode, and the second communication mode is the other of the LTE mode or the NR mode.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is a Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) bandwidth, and the second portion is a dedicated bandwidth.

8. A system for managing network bandwidth, comprising:

an access node configured to communicate using a band consisting of a first portion corresponding to a first communication mode and a second communication mode and a second portion corresponding to only the first communication mode; and

at least one electronic processor configured to perform operations including:

setting a utilization threshold for an access node,

monitoring a utilization parameter for the first portion of the band,

comparing the utilization parameter to the utilization threshold, and

based on the comparing, modifying a size of the first portion and a size of the second portion.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the modifying includes switching a part of the band from the second portion to the first portion.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

before the modifying, a size of the band is 100 MHz, the size of the first portion is 20 MHz, and the size of the second portion is 80 MHz, and

after the modifying, the size of the band is 100 MHz, the size of the first portion is greater than 20 MHz, and the size of the second portion is less than 80 MHz.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the band includes at least three blocks each having a predetermined width.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein before the modifying, the first portion includes two or more noncontiguous blocks of the at least three blocks.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the operations of the at least one electronic processor further include:

receiving a join request from a wireless device;

determining a capability of the wireless device; and

in response to a determination that the utilization parameter exceeds the utilization threshold and a determination that the wireless device is capable of communicating in both of the first communication mode and the second communication mode, assigning the wireless device to communicate with the access node using the second portion.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the operations of the at least one electronic processor further include:

setting a usage threshold for the first communication mode;

receiving a join request from a wireless device, wherein the wireless device is capable of communicating in both of the first communication mode and the second communication mode;

determining a historical usage parameter of the wireless device in the first communication mode;

comparing the historical usage parameter to the usage threshold; and

in response to a determination that the historical usage parameter exceeds the usage threshold, assigning the wireless device to communication with the access node using the second portion.

15. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the first communication mode is one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode or a New Radio (NR) mode, and the second communication mode is the other of the LTE mode or the NR mode.

16. A method of managing network bandwidth, comprising:

setting a utilization threshold for an access node, wherein the access node is configured to communicate using a band consisting of a first portion corresponding to communication in a first communication mode and a second communication mode and a second portion corresponding to communication in the first communication mode but not the second communication mode;

monitoring a utilization parameter for the first portion of the band;

receiving a join request from a wireless device, wherein the wireless device is capable of communicating in both of the first communication mode and the second communication mode;

comparing the utilization parameter to the utilization threshold; and

in response to a determination that the utilization parameter exceeds the utilization threshold, assigning the wireless device to communicate using the second portion of the band.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

in response to a determination that the utilization parameter does not exceed the utilization threshold, assigning the wireless device to communicate using the first portion of the band.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the utilization threshold is predetermined by a network operator.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first communication mode is one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode or a New Radio (NR) mode, and the second communication mode is the other of the LTE mode or the NR mode.

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first portion is a Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) bandwidth, and the second portion is a dedicated bandwidth.