IP Library Granted Patent US 12,096,299
Granted Patent B2
US 12,096,299 · App. 17/489,704 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Communication control device, communication system, computer-readable storage medium and communication control method

Inventor: Jutatsu Sai (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
H04W36/24H04B7/185H04W16/28H04W36/00835H04W36/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,096,299
App. No.
17/489,704
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a communication control apparatus for controlling communication of a flying body for forming a cell by irradiating a beam toward the ground to provide wireless communication service for a user terminal in the cell. The communication control apparatus comprises: a determination unit for determining a user terminal of an offload target to be offloaded and a cell of an offload destination, based on a neighbor cell list of the cell of the flying body, a frequency priority list in which priorities are each associated with each of a plurality of frequencies, a radio resource usage rate of each of the plurality of user terminals that exists in the cell of the flying body, and an MCS of each of the plurality of user terminals; and a control unit for causing the user terminal of the offload target to be handed over to the cell of the offload destination.

Claims (52)

1. A communication control apparatus configured to control communication of a flying body configured to form a cell by irradiating a beam toward the ground to provide wireless communication service for a user terminal in the cell, the communication control apparatus comprising:

an activation unit configured to activate an offload function for causing a user terminal that exists in the cell of the flying body to be handed over to another cell, in response to satisfaction of a predetermined condition;

a determination unit configured to determine a user terminal of an offload target to be offloaded among a plurality of user terminals that exists in the cell of the flying body and a cell of an offload destination, based on a neighbor cell list of the cell of the flying body, a frequency priority list in which priorities are each associated with each of a plurality of frequencies, a radio resource usage rate of each of the plurality of user terminals, and an MCS of each of the plurality of user terminals, when the offload function is being activated; and

a control unit configured to cause the user terminal of the offload target to be handed over to the cell of the offload destination.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine the user terminal of the offload target, based on the radio resource usage rate of each of the plurality of user terminals, and the MCS of each of the plurality of user terminals.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine, as the user terminal of the offload target, a user terminal having the radio resource usage rate higher than a predetermined terminal resource threshold value and the MCS lower than an MCS threshold value, among the plurality of user terminals.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the flying body is configured to form a multi-cell constituted by a plurality of cells by irradiating a plurality of beams toward the ground, and

the communication control apparatus comprises a first threshold value setting unit configured to set the terminal resource threshold value and the MCS threshold value for each of the plurality of cells.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the first threshold value setting unit is configured to set the terminal resource threshold value and the MCS threshold value for each of the plurality of cells, based on situations of ground areas each covered by each of the plurality of cells.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine the cell of the offload destination, based on the neighbor cell list and the frequency priority list.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the activation unit is configured to activate the offload function when a radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body is higher than a predetermined cell resource threshold value.

8. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine the cell of the offload destination, based on the neighbor cell list and the frequency priority list.

9. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the activation unit is configured to activate the offload function when a radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body is higher than a predetermined cell resource threshold value.

10. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine the cell of the offload destination, based on the neighbor cell list and the frequency priority list.

11. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the activation unit is configured to activate the offload function when the radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body is higher than a predetermined cell resource threshold value.

12. The communication control apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the flying body is configured to form a multi-cell constituted by a plurality of cells by irradiating a plurality of beams toward the ground, and

the communication control apparatus comprises a second threshold value setting unit configured to set the cell resource threshold value for each of the plurality of cells.

13. The communication control apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the second threshold value setting unit is configured to set the cell resource threshold value for each of the plurality of cells, based on situations of ground areas each covered by each of the plurality of cells.

14. The communication control apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a history storage unit configured to store a history of a position of the flying body, a date and time, and a radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body, wherein

the activation unit is configured to determine the predetermined condition based on the history and to activate the offload function, in response to satisfaction of the predetermined condition.

15. The communication control apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a history storage unit configured to store a history of a position of the flying body, a date and time, and a radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body, wherein

the activation unit is configured to determine the predetermined condition based on the history and to activate the offload function, in response to satisfaction of the predetermined condition.

16. The communication control apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a history storage unit configured to store a history of a position of the flying body, a date and time, and the radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body, wherein

the activation unit is configured to determine the predetermined condition based on the history and to activate the offload function, in response to satisfaction of the predetermined condition.

17. The communication control apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the flying body is configured to fly a predetermined flying route,

the communication control apparatus comprises a specifying unit configured to specify the position of the flying body and the date and time of the flying route, at which the radio resource usage rate becomes higher than a predetermined threshold value, by using a learning model derived by learning a relationship between the position of the flying body and the date and time and the radio resource usage rate in the cell of the flying body, which are included in the history, and

the activation unit is configured to activate the offload function before the flying body reaches the position specified by the specifying unit at the date and time specified by the specifying unit, when the flying body flies the flying route.

18. A communication system comprising:

the communication control apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

the flying body.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to function as:

a communication control apparatus configured to control communication of a flying body configured to form a cell by irradiating a beam toward the ground to provide wireless communication service for a user terminal in the cell, and comprising:

an activation unit configured to activate an offload function for causing a user terminal that exists in the cell of the flying body to be handed over to another cell in response to satisfaction of a predetermined condition;

a determination unit configured to determine a user terminal of an offload target to be offloaded among a plurality of user terminals that exists in the cell of the flying body and a cell of an offload destination, based on a neighbor cell list of the cell of the flying body, a frequency priority list in which priorities are each associated with each of a plurality of frequencies, a radio resource usage rate of each of the plurality of user terminals, and an MCS of each of the plurality of user terminals, when the offload function is being activated; and

a control unit configured to hand over the user terminal of the offload target to the cell of the offload destination.

20. A communication control method that is executed by a communication control apparatus configured to control communication of a flying body configured to form a cell by irradiating a beam toward the ground to provide wireless communication service for a user terminal in the cell, the communication control method comprising:

activating an offload function for causing a user terminal that exists in the cell of the flying body to be handed over to another cell in response to satisfaction of a predetermined condition;

determining a user terminal of an offload target to be offloaded among a plurality of user terminals that exists in the cell of the flying body and a cell of an offload destination, based on a neighbor cell list of the cell of the flying body, a frequency priority list in which priorities are each associated with each of a plurality of frequencies, a radio resource usage rate of each of the plurality of user terminals, and an MCS of each of the plurality of user terminals; and

handing over the user terminal of the offload target to the cell of the offload destination.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: HAPSMOBILE INC.
To: SOFTBANK CORP.
Reel/Frame 066048/0600 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2021
From: SAI, JUTATSU
To: HAPSMOBILE INC.
Reel/Frame 057647/0700 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-069956 · Apr 1, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020002813 · Jan 27, 2020
Related Publication 20220022119A1 · Jan 20, 2022