Systems and methods for load balancing between frequency bands based on bandwidth capacity
Systems and methods are described for load balancing between frequency bands based on bandwidth capacity. A load for a first frequency band and a load for a second frequency band may be determined, wherein a cell communicates with wireless devices over the first and second frequency bands. The determined loads may be adjusted based on a channel width for each frequency band and a duplexing scheme for each frequency band. And the adjusted loads may be balanced between the first frequency band and the second frequency band by instructing wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.
1. A method for load balancing between frequency bands based on bandwidth capacity in a cell of a cellular network, the cell comprising an access node configured to transmit at first and second frequency bands to a plurality of wireless devices, the method comprising:
determining a load for the first frequency band and a load for the second frequency band, wherein the cell communicates with the plurality of wireless devices over the first and second frequency bands;
adjusting the determined loads for the first frequency band and the second frequency band based on both a channel width for each frequency band and a duplexing scheme for each frequency band, wherein the channel width for the first frequency band is greater than the channel width for the second frequency band, wherein the determined load for the second frequency band is further adjusted based on one of a number of uplink subframes or a number of downlink subframes for a subframe structure used to communicate with the cell over the second frequency band; and
balancing the adjusted loads between the first frequency band and the second frequency band by instructing the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the determined loads is further based on a weight for each frequency band.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the duplexing scheme for the first frequency band comprises a time division duplexing and the duplexing scheme for the second frequency band comprises frequency division duplexing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined load for the first and second frequency bands comprises a percentage utilization of physical resource blocks over each frequency band.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a load for a third frequency band, wherein the cell communicates with the plurality of wireless devices over the third frequency band;
adjusting the determined load for the third frequency band based on a channel width for the third frequency band and a duplexing scheme for the third frequency band; and
balancing the adjusted loads between the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band by instructing the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.
6. A cellular network system for load balancing between frequency bands based on bandwidth capacity, the cellular network system comprising:
a plurality of wireless devices;
a cell comprising an access node configured to transmit at first and second frequency bands to the plurality of wireless devices, the access node comprising a processor configured to:
determine a load the first frequency band and a load for the second frequency band, wherein the cell of the access node communicates with the plurality of wireless devices over the first and second frequency bands;
adjust the determined loads for the first frequency band and the second frequency band based on both a channel width for each frequency band and a duplexing scheme for each frequency band, wherein the channel width for the first frequency band is greater than the channel width for the second frequency band, wherein the determined load for the second frequency band is further adjusted based on one of a number of uplink subframes or a number of downlink subframes for a subframe structure used to communicate with the cell over the second frequency band; and
balance the adjusted loads between the first frequency band and the second frequency band by instructing the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.
7. The cellular network system of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the determined loads is further based on a weight for each frequency band.
8. The cellular network system of claim 6 , wherein the duplexing scheme for the first frequency band comprises a time division duplexing and the duplexing scheme for the second frequency band comprises frequency division duplexing.
9. The cellular network system of claim 6 , wherein the determined load for the first and second frequency bands comprises a percentage utilization of physical resource blocks over each frequency band.
10. The cellular network system of claim 6 , wherein the access node is further configured to:
determine a load for a third frequency band, wherein the cell communicates with the plurality of wireless devices over the third frequency band;
adjust the determined load for the third frequency band based on a channel width for the third frequency band and a duplexing scheme for the third frequency band; and
balance the adjusted loads between the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band by instructing the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.