System and method for dynamically adjusting in-band carriers

1. A method of managing network resources, comprising:

setting a first trigger criteria for an access node, wherein the access node is configured to communicate over a wideband including a first bandwidth portion and is configured to communicate in both of a first communication mode and a second communication mode;

scheduling communications in the first communication mode over the first bandwidth portion;

monitoring a usage parameter in at least one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode; and

in response to a first determination that the usage parameter corresponds to the first trigger criteria for at least a first predetermined amount of time:

identifying a second bandwidth portion within the wideband, and

scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over the first bandwidth portion and the second bandwidth portion.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first number of devices connected to the access node using the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a second number of devices connected to the access node using the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first resource utilization in the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a second resource utilization in the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a number of devices connected to the access node using a predetermined sub-mode of the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a resource utilization in the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operation of identifying includes:

identifying a plurality of bandwidth portion candidates within the wideband which meet a capability criteria, and

selecting, as the second bandwidth portion, the bandwidth portion candidate from among the plurality of bandwidth portion candidates that is closest in frequency to the first bandwidth portion.

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

setting a second trigger criteria for the access node; and

after the first determination and in response to a second determination that the usage parameter corresponds to the second trigger criteria for at least a second predetermined amount of time, scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over one of the first bandwidth portion or the second bandwidth portion.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first number of devices connected to the access node using the first communication mode is less than a first threshold and that a second number of devices connected to the access node using the second communication mode is more than a second threshold.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first resource utilization in the first communication mode is less than a first threshold and that a second resource utilization in the second communication mode is greater than a second threshold.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second trigger criteria comprises a condition that a number of devices connected to the access node using a predetermined sub-mode of the first communication mode is less than a first threshold and that a resource utilization in the second communication mode is more than a second threshold.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the operation of scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over one of the first bandwidth portion or the second bandwidth portion includes:

comparing an identifier index corresponding to the first bandwidth portion with an identifier index corresponding to the second bandwidth portion,

selecting the bandwidth portion having the higher identifier index from among the first bandwidth portion and the second bandwidth portion, and

scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over the selected bandwidth portion.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first bandwidth portion is a narrowband.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first communication mode is an Internet-of-Things (IoT) communication mode.

13. A system for managing network resources, comprising:

an access node configured to communicate over a wideband including a first bandwidth portion and configured to communicate in both of a first communication mode and a second communication mode, the access node including at least one electronic processor configured to perform operations including:

setting a first trigger criteria for the access node;

scheduling communications in the first communication mode over the first bandwidth portion;

monitoring a usage parameter in at least one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode; and

in response to a first determination that the usage parameter corresponds to the first trigger criteria for at least a first predetermined amount of time:

identifying a second bandwidth portion within the wideband, and

scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over the first bandwidth portion and the second bandwidth portion.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first number of devices connected to the access node using the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a second number of devices connected to the access node using the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a first resource utilization in the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a second resource utilization in the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first trigger criteria comprises a condition that a number of devices connected to the access node using a predetermined sub-mode of the first communication mode is greater than a first threshold and that a resource utilization in the second communication mode is less than a second threshold.

17. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

setting a second trigger criteria for the access node; and

after the first determination and in response to a second determination that the usage parameter corresponds to the second trigger criteria for at least a second predetermined amount of time, scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over one of the first bandwidth portion or the second bandwidth portion.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the second trigger criteria comprises a condition that the first trigger criteria is no longer satisfied.

19. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

setting a second trigger criteria for the access node; and

after the first determination and in response to a second determination that the usage parameter corresponds to the second trigger criteria for at least a second predetermined amount of time:

identifying a third bandwidth portion within the wideband, and

scheduling communications corresponding to the first communication mode over the first bandwidth portion, the second bandwidth portion, and the third bandwidth portion.

20. The system according to claim 13 , wherein a duration of the first predetermined amount of time is defined by an operator of the access node.