Method, apparatus, and system for accessing to a mobile communication network

• US 10,021,633 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhuang, Hongcheng, Zhang, Jietao, Luo, Zezhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/069,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/08 Load balancing or load distribution transferring a connection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/165 for reducing network power consumption H04W36/18 - H04W36/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A method for accessing to a mobile communication network, comprising: acquiring a session matching level for each cell, which is calculated based on a session type of a session initiated by a user terminal as needed, a session data rate available to the user terminal of each cell and load balance parameters of each cell; accessing to a cell selected according to the session matching level for each cell. Further, it also provides another method for accessing to a mobile communication network, and corresponding user terminal, network-side device and communication system.

Claims

1. A method for accessing to a mobile communication network, the method comprising:

acquiring, by a user terminal, a session matching level for each of a plurality of cells that are calculated based on a session type of a session initiated by the user terminal as needed, a session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and load balance parameters of each cell; and

accessing, by the user terminal, a cell selected according to the session matching level for each cell, and

wherein acquiring the session matching level for each of the plurality of cells comprises;

acquiring the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell, wherein the load balance parameters comprise a switching factor and a frequency migration factor;

deriving a Radio Access Technology (RAT) session support level of the session type in each cell according to the session type; and

calculating the session matching level for each cell according to the RAT session support level for each cell, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, the switching factor, and the frequency migration factors in each cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell comprises calculating the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell according to a Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio of the path from the user terminal to each of a plurality of base stations and a minimum resource unit allocated to the session by each cell.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring the session matching level for each cell comprises receiving the session matching level transmitted by each cell, and wherein the session matching level for each cell is calculated based on the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein accessing the cell selected according to the session matching level for each cell comprises:

selecting the cell with a highest session matching level to access; and

selecting to access the cell with a lightest load among the cells.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein after selecting the cell with the highest session matching level to access, the method further comprises selecting the cell with a next highest session matching level to access if the access is failed, and wherein the cell with the next highest session matching level refers to the cell next to the cell with the highest session matching level when the cells are arranged in a descending order according to the session matching level.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein accessing the cell selected according to the session matching level for each cell comprises:

selecting the cell with a highest session matching level to access; and

randomly selecting to access any one of the cells with the highest session matching level when there is more than one cell with the highest session matching level.

7. A method for accessing to a mobile communication network, the method comprising:

acquiring, by a network-side device, a session type of a session initiated by a user terminal, a session data rate available to the user terminal in a serving cell, and a plurality of load balance parameters of the serving cell;

calculating, by the network-side device, a session matching level for the serving cell according to the acquired session types, the session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell, and the load balance parameters of the serving cell,

wherein calculating the session matching level for each cell comprises;

acquiring the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as need, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell, wherein the load balance parameters include a switching factor and a frequency migration factor;

deriving a Radio Access Technology (RAT) session support level of the session type in each cell according to the session type; and

calculating the session matching level for each cell, according to the RAT session support level for each cell, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, the switching factor and the frequency migration factors in each cell, and

wherein the method further comprises either;

transmitting the session matching level to the user terminal so that the user terminal accesses to a selected cell among a plurality of cells, wherein the selected cell is selected according to the received session matching level for each cell;

or

acquiring session matching levels transmitted by other cells, selecting, according to the session matching levels for the serving cell and other cells, the selected cell for the user terminal, and notifying the user terminal of the selected cell for the user terminal to access.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein acquiring the session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell comprises calculating the session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell according to a Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio of the path from the user terminal to a base station of the serving cell and a minimum resource unit allocated to the session by the serving cell.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the load balance parameters include a frequency migration factor and a switching factor, and wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting the frequency migration factor based on a spectrum resource available in the serving cell; and

adjusting the switching factor based on a number of switching times of a session in the serving cell, and

wherein calculating the session matching level for the serving cell based on the acquired session type, the session data rate available to the user terminal, and the load balance parameters comprises calculating the session matching level for the serving cell according to the acquired session type, session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell, and adjusted frequency migration factor and/or adjusted switching factor of the serving cell.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein adjusting the frequency migration factor based on the spectrum resource available in the serving cell comprises:

increasing the frequency migration factor according to a predetermined strategy when the spectrum resource available in the serving cell exceeds a preset first available spectrum resource threshold value; and

decreasing the frequency migration factor according to the predetermined strategy when the spectrum resource available in the serving cell is less than a preset second available spectrum resource threshold value, and

wherein the first available spectrum resource threshold value is larger than the second available spectrum resource threshold value.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

acquiring load information of the serving cell and adjacent cells; and

calculating the spectrum resource available in the serving cell and the adjacent cells based on the load information of the serving cell and the adjacent cells.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising acquiring from an Operation Administration and Maintenance (OAM) module the first available spectrum resource threshold value, the second available spectrum resource threshold value, the first session switching time threshold value, and the second session switching time threshold value of the serving cell.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

acquiring load information of the serving cell and adjacent cells; and

setting the first available spectrum resource threshold value, the second available spectrum resource threshold value, the first session switching time threshold value, and the second session switching time threshold value of the serving cell according to the load information of the serving cell and adjacent cells.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein adjusting the switching factor based on the number of switching times of the session in the serving cell comprises:

decreasing the switching factor according to a predetermined strategy when the number of switching times of the session in the serving cell exceeds a preset first session switching time threshold value; and

increasing the switching factor according to the predetermined strategy, when the number of switching times of the session in the serving cell is smaller than a preset second session switching time threshold value, and

wherein the first session switching times threshold value is larger than the second session switching times threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein when the terminal selects the serving cell to access, the method further comprises:

acquiring an unused spectrum resource of adjacent cells when there is no spectrum resource available in the serving cell; and

providing the unused spectrum resource to the session when the acquired unused spectrum resource of adjacent cells satisfies preset requirements for the session.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

acquiring a used spectrum resource in adjacent cells when there is no spectrum resource available in adjacent cells; and

providing the unused spectrum resource to the session when the acquired used spectrum resource satisfies the predetermined strategy.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising updating a value of a switching counter after the user terminal accesses to the serving cell, wherein the switching counter is configured to count the number of switching times in the serving cell in order to adjust the load balance parameters.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

acquiring a used spectrum resource in adjacent cells when the spectrum resource available in adjacent cells does not satisfy the preset requirements of the session; and

providing the unused spectrum resource to the session when the acquired used spectrum resource satisfies the predetermined strategy.

19. A user terminal, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the instructions cause the processor to be configured to;

acquire a session matching level for each of a plurality of cells that are calculated according to a session type of the session initiated by a user terminal as needed, a session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and load balance parameters of each cell; and

select a cell to access according to the session matching level for each cell that is acquired by the processor,

wherein the instructions cause the processor to be configured to acquire the session matching level for each cell comprises the instructions causing the processor to be configured to;

acquire the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell, wherein the load balance parameters include a switching factor and a frequency migration factor;

derive a Radio Access Technology (RAT) session support level of the session type in each cell according to the session type; and

calculate the session matching level for each cell, according to the RAT session support level for each cell, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, the switching factor and the frequency migration factors in each cell.

20. The user terminal according to claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to receive the session matching level transmitted by each cell that is calculated according to the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed in each cell, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell.

21. The user terminal according to claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to select the cell with a highest session matching level to access, and wherein when there is more than one cell with the highest session matching level, the cell with a lightest load among the cells is selected to access.

22. The user terminal according to claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to select a cell with a next highest session matching level to access if the access is failed, and wherein the cell with the next highest session matching level refers to the cell next to the cell with the highest session matching level when the cells are arranged in a descending order according to the session matching level.

23. The user terminal according to claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

acquire the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell; and

calculate the session matching level for each cell according to the session type, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell and the load balance parameters of each cell.

24. The user terminal according to claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to select the cell with a highest session matching level to access, and wherein when there is more than one cell with the highest session matching level, any one of the cells with the highest session matching level is selected randomly to access.

25. A network-side device, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the instructions cause the processor to be configured to;

acquire a session type of a session initiated by a user terminal as needed, a session data rate available to the user terminal in a serving cell, and load balance parameters of the serving cell; and

calculate a session matching level for the serving cell according to the acquired session type, the session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell, and the load balance parameters of the serving cell,

wherein the instructions cause the processor to be configured to calculate the session matching level for each cell comprises the instructions causing the processor to be configured to;

acquire the session type of the session initiated by the user terminal as needed, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, and the load balance parameters of each cell, wherein the load balance parameters include a switching factor and a frequency migration factor;

derive a Radio Access Technology (RAT) session support level of the session type in each cell according to the session type; and

calculate the session matching level for each cell, according to the RAT session support level for each cell, the session data rate available to the user terminal in each cell, the switching factor and the frequency migration factors in each cell, and

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to either;

transmit the session matching level to the user terminal so that the user terminal accesses to a cell selected according to the received session matching level for each cell;

or

acquire the session matching levels transmitted by other cells, select a cell for the user terminal based on the session matching levels for the serving cell and other cells, and notify the user terminal of the selected cell for the user terminal to access.

26. The network-side device according to claim 25, wherein the load balance parameters include a frequency migration factor and a switching factor, and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

adjust the frequency migration factor based on a spectrum resource available in the serving cell;

adjust the switching factor based on switching times of a session in the serving cell;

acquire the frequency migration factor and/or the switching factor, and

calculate the session matching level for the serving cell according to the acquired session types, the session data rate available to the user terminal in the serving cell, and the adjusted frequency migration factor and/or adjusted switching factor.

27. The network-side device according to claim 26, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

increase the frequency migration factor according to predetermined strategy when the spectrum resource available in the serving cell exceeds a preset first available spectrum resource threshold value; and

decrease the frequency migration factor according to the predetermined strategy when the spectrum resource available in the serving cell is less than a preset second available spectrum resource threshold value, and

wherein the first available spectrum resource threshold value is larger than the second available spectrum resource threshold value.

28. The network-side device according to claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

acquire load information of the serving cell and a plurality of adjacent cells; and

calculate the spectrum resource available in the serving cell and the adjacent cells based on the load information of the serving cell and the adjacent cells.

29. The network-side device according to claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to acquire from an Operation Administration and Maintenance (OAM) node the first available spectrum resource threshold value, the second available spectrum resource threshold value, the first session switching time threshold value, and the second session switching time threshold value of the serving cell.

30. The network-side device according to claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

acquire load information of the serving cell and a plurality of adjacent cells; and

set the first available spectrum resource threshold value, the second available spectrum resource threshold value, the first session switching time threshold value, and the second session switching time threshold value according to the load information of the serving cell and the adjacent cells.

31. The network-side device according to claim 26, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

decrease the switching factor according to the predetermined strategy when the number of switching times of the session in the serving cell exceeds a preset first session switching time threshold value; and

increase the switching factor according to the predetermined strategy when the number of the switching times of the session in the serving cell is smaller than a preset second session switching time threshold value, and

wherein the first session switching time threshold value is larger than the second session switching time threshold value.

32. The network-side device according to claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

select the serving cell to access at the user terminal when there is a spectrum resource available in the serving cell and acquire the unused spectrum resource in a plurality of adjacent cells of the serving cell when there is no spectrum resource available in the serving cell; and

provide the unused spectrum resource to the session when the acquired unused spectrum resource in the adjacent cells satisfies a predetermined strategy of the session.

33. The network-side device according to claim 32, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to acquire the used spectrum resource of the adjacent cells of the serving cell when there is no unused spectrum resource available in the adjacent cells or the spectrum resource available in the adjacent cells does not satisfy the requirements of the session, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide the used spectrum resource to the session when the acquired used spectrum resource satisfies the predetermined strategy.