Dynamic load balancing

• US 20090323530A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reverb Networks
• Inventors: Cuthill, Rick, Kusyk, Richard Glenn, Trigui, Hafedh
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/08 Load shedding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method, program, system and apparatus perform dynamic load balancing of coverage areas in a wireless communication network. The dynamic load balancing is performed by evaluating cell congestion based on location information of subscribers in the wireless communication network, collecting network parameters related to the wireless communication network and altering network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion. After the network parameter is altered, the coverage areas are narrowed. Improvements in cell congestion and quality of server are then determined based on the narrowing of the coverage areas. Altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target quality of service is achieved.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic load balancing of a plurality of coverage areas in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

evaluating cell congestion based on location information of a plurality of subscribers in a wireless communication network;

collecting a plurality of network parameters related to the wireless communication network;

altering at least one of the plurality of network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion;

narrowing at least one of the plurality of coverage areas based on the altered network parameter; and

determining if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on the altered network parameter,

wherein altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target criteria and a quality of service in the wireless communication network are achieved.

2. The method of dynamic load balancing of claim 1, wherein the network parameters includes operating parameters of the wireless communication network and subscriber parameters.

3. The method of dynamic load balancing of claim 2, wherein the operating parameters of the wireless communication network include network topology parameters.

4. The method of dynamic load balancing of claim 2, wherein the operating parameters of the wireless communication network includes equipment and installation characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is determined based on instantaneous locations of the plurality of subscribers or by a heuristic approach.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area is based on altering a pointing direction of at least one antenna or a transmit power of at least one base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area reduces cell congestion by optimizing the coverage area according to actual subscriber distribution within the wireless communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area minimizes the overlapping of the plurality of coverage areas to reduce a number of subscribers in handover zones.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein narrowing of the at least one coverage area increases the range of the at least one coverage area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on a dropped call percentage and a congestion ratio.

11. A program recorded on a computer-readable storage medium for dynamic load balancing of a plurality of coverage areas in a wireless communication network, the program causing a computer to execute dynamic load balancing steps comprising:

evaluating cell congestion based on location information of a plurality of subscribers in a wireless communication network;

collecting a plurality of network parameters related to the wireless communication network;

altering at least one of the plurality of network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion;

narrowing at least one of the plurality of coverage areas based on the altered network parameter; and

determining if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on the altered network parameter,

wherein altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target criteria and a quality of service in the wireless communication network are achieved.

12. The program of claim 11, wherein the network parameters includes operating parameters of the wireless communication network and subscriber parameters.

13. The program of claim 12, wherein the operating parameters of the wireless communication network include network topology parameters.

14. The program of claim 12, wherein the operating parameters of the wireless communication network includes equipment and installation characteristics.

15. The program of claim 11, wherein the location information is determined based on instantaneous locations of the plurality of subscribers or by heuristic approaches.

16. The program of claim 11, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area is based on altering a pointing direction of at least one antenna or a transmit power of at least one base station.

17. The program of claim 11, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area reduces cell congestion by optimizing the coverage area according to actual subscriber distribution within the wireless communication network.

18. The program of claim 11, wherein the narrowing of the at least one coverage area minimizes the overlapping of the plurality of coverage areas to reduce a number of subscribers in handover zones.

19. The program of claim 11, wherein narrowing of the at least one coverage area increases the range of the at least one coverage area.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein determining if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on a dropped call percentage and a congestion ratio.

21. The system for dynamic load balancing of a plurality of coverage areas in a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

a network management apparatus that monitors and performs management of the wireless communication network;

at least one controller configured to perform data communications with said with network management apparatus;

a least one base station configured to perform data communication with said at least one controller;

at least one antenna array configured to perform data communication with said at least one base station and a plurality of subscribers distributed in a plurality of coverage areas; and

a dynamic load balancing apparatus configured to perform data communication with said network management apparatus and said at least one antenna array, the load balancing apparatus also being configured to;

evaluate cell congestion based on location information of the plurality of subscribers in the wireless communication network;

collect a plurality of network parameters related to the wireless communication network;

alter at least one of the plurality of network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion;

narrow at least one of the plurality of coverage areas based on the altered network parameter; and

determine if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on the altered network parameter,

wherein altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target quality of service in the wireless communication network are achieved.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a location unit configured for gathering location information regarding the plurality of subscribers in the wireless communication network and providing the location information to said dynamic load balancing apparatus

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a network database configured to store the target criteria, network topology and parameters, and network statistics regarding the wireless communication network.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising an extraction module configured to extract network statistics, network topology and parameters, and target performance criteria related to the wireless communication network, said extraction module also being configured to perform data communications with said network management apparatus and said dynamic load balancing apparatus.

25. An apparatus for dynamic load balancing of a plurality of coverage areas in a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

at least one processor; and

a memory, the memory storing a dynamic load balancing program for causing the apparatus to;

evaluate cell congestion based on location information of a plurality of subscribers in a wireless communication network;

collect a plurality of network parameters related to the wireless communication network;

alter at least one of the plurality of network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion;

narrow at least one of the plurality of coverage areas based on the altered network parameter; and

determine if there is an improvement in the cell congestion and quality of service based on the altered network parameter,

wherein altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target criteria and a quality of service in the wireless communication network are achieved.