Dynamic resource allocation by base station providing both broadcast and unicast services
A base station ( 10 ) dynamically allocates users among broadcast carriers and dynamically allocates carrier resources between broadcast and unicast service, based on the number of users actually receiving broadcast service on a carrier. The base station ( 10 ) periodically measures ( 204 ) the number of broadcast-only users registered to a carrier. As the number of such users decreases, the remaining idle broadcast-only are transferred ( 212 ) to other carriers transmitting the same broadcast content, and carrier resources are reallocated ( 208 ) to unicast service. When the carrier is moderately loaded, it may accept broadcast users transferred from other, lightly-loaded carriers, which are attempting to shed users to reallocate resources to unicast service. As the carrier becomes more heavily loaded, it will refuse ( 216 ) to accept transferred broadcast users. When the carrier's load reaches an upper threshold, the base station ( 10 ) allocates ( 220 ) resources of a new carrier to broadcast service, and moves users to the new carrier.
1. A method of dynamic resource allocation by a base station operative in a wireless communication network providing both unicast and broadcast services, comprising:
allocating resources of a first wireless carrier to broadcast first content;
monitoring a number of users accessing the broadcast on the first carrier; and
if the number of users falls below a first predetermined threshold and a second carrier is broadcasting the first content,
transferring the users to the second carrier broadcasting the first content, and
reallocating the broadcast resources of the first carrier to unicast services.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
if the number of users is above the first threshold and below a second predetermined threshold higher than the first threshold, moving at least some users from the first carrier to the second carrier broadcasting the first content.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the users moved to the second carrier are idle mode broadcast users, which have not been allocated physical layer resources for unicast services.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second carrier is transmitted by a same base station as the first carrier.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the second carrier is transmitted by a different base station than the first carrier, and wherein moving at least some users from the first carrier to the second carrier broadcasting the first content comprises initiating a handover procedure to move the users to the second carrier.
6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
if the number of users is above a third predetermined threshold higher than the second threshold, refusing to accept users onto the first carrier transferred from other carriers broadcasting the first content.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
if the number of users is above a fourth predetermined threshold higher than the third threshold, allocating resources of a third carrier to broadcast the first content.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising moving users from the first carrier to the third carrier until the number of users on the first carrier falls below the third threshold.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
assessing unicast carrier usage; and
reducing transmit power from a broadcast transmit power level, in response to the unicast carrier usage.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the number of users accessing the broadcast on the first carrier comprises iteratively monitoring the number of users at configurable time intervals and comparing the number of users to one or more predetermined thresholds at each iteration.
11. A base station operative in a wireless communication network providing both unicast and broadcast services, comprising:
a wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a plurality of User Equipments;
memory operative to store one or more predetermined threshold values and a configurable time duration; and
a controller operatively connected to the transceiver and the memory and operative to allocate resources of a first wireless carrier to broadcast a first content;
monitor, at each iteration of the configurable time duration, a number of users accessing the broadcast on the first carrier; and
if the number of users falls below a first predetermined threshold and there is a second carrier broadcasting the first content,
transfer the users to the second carrier broadcasting the first content, and reallocate the broadcast resources of the first carrier to unicast services.
12. The base station of claim 11 wherein the controller is further operative to:
if the number of users is above the first threshold and below a second predetermined threshold higher than the first threshold, move at least some users from the first carrier to the second carrier broadcasting the first content.
13. The base station of claim 12 wherein the users moved to the second carrier are idle mode broadcast users, which have not been allocated physical layer resources for unicast service.
14. The base station of claim 12 wherein the second carrier is transmitted by a same base station as the first carrier.
15. The base station of claim 12 wherein the second carrier is transmitted by a different base station than the first carrier, and wherein the controller is operative to move at least some users from the first carrier to the second carrier broadcasting the first content by initiating a handover procedure to move the users to the second carrier.
16. The base station of claim 12 wherein the controller is further operative to:
if the number of users is above a third predetermined threshold higher than the second threshold, refuse to accept users onto the first carrier transferred from other carriers broadcasting the first content.
17. The base station of claim 16 wherein the controller is further operative to:
if the number of users is above a fourth predetermined threshold higher than the third threshold, allocate resources of a third carrier to broadcast the first content.
18. The base station of claim 17 wherein the controller is further operative to move users from the first carrier to the third carrier until the number of users on the first carrier falls below the third threshold.
19. The base station of claim 11 wherein the controller is further operative to:
assess unicast carrier usage; and
control the transceiver to reduce transmit power from a broadcast transmit power level, in response to the unicast carrier usage.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instruction operative to cause a controller in a base station, operative in a wireless communication network providing both unicast and broadcast services, to dynamically allocate resources by:
allocating resources of a first wireless carrier to broadcast first content;
monitoring the number of users accessing the broadcast on the first carrier; and
if the number of users falls below a first predetermined threshold, reallocating broadcast resources of the first carrier to unicast services;
if the number of users is above the first threshold and below a second predetermined threshold higher than the first threshold, moving at least some users from the first carrier to a second carrier broadcasting the first content;
if the number of users is above a third predetermined threshold higher than the second threshold, refusing to accept users onto the first carrier, transferred from other carriers broadcasting the first content; and
if the number of users is above a fourth predetermined threshold higher than the third threshold, allocating resources of a third carrier to broadcast the first content.