DYNAMIC TOPOLOGICAL ADAPTATION

• US 20100085884A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hemaraj, Yashwanth, Butala, Amit Pramod, Srinivasan, Murari
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/08 Load shedding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for reconfiguration of a communication environment based on loading requirements. Network operations are monitored and analyzed to determine loading balance across the network or a portion thereof. Where warranted, the network is reconfigured to balance the load across multiple network entities. For example, in a cellular-type of network, traffic loads and throughput requirements are analyzed for the access points and their user equipment. Where loading imbalances occur, the cell coverage areas of one or more access points can be reconfigured to alleviate bottlenecks or improve balancing.

Claims

1. A method of load adjustment in a communications network comprising a plurality of access points, and further comprising a plurality of wireless terminals, wherein a wireless terminal communicates with the network by way of an assigned access point, the method comprising:

monitoring access point loading for a plurality of access points;

evaluating access point loading across multiple access points to determine whether a loading imbalance exists in the network; and

changing a coverage area of an access point to mitigate a determined loading imbalance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising handing off a wireless terminal from a first access point to a second access point as a result of the change in coverage area of either or both of the first and second access point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the handoff is forced or the handoff occurs automatically as a result of the change in coverage area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area and increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted before changing the coverage area in response to a determined loading imbalance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted comprises comparing a loading of an access point to a threshold loading level for that access point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted comprises comparing a loading of an access point to a loading of another access point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises at least one of:

adjusting a beam pattern of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area; and

adjusting a beam pattern of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting a beam pattern comprises steering the beam to arrive at a desired beam pattern.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of monitoring and evaluating are performed continuously, at a scheduled time, periodically or on an event-driven basis.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of determining, evaluating and changing are performed iteratively.

15. The control node of claim 12, wherein said control module is configured to change the coverage of one or more access points by signaling a first access point to increase the coverage area of first access point or signaling a second access point to decrease the coverage area of the second access point, the second access point being located adjacent said first access point.

16. The control node of claim 12, wherein said control module is configured to change the coverage of one or more access points by signaling a first access point to increase the coverage area of first access point and signaling a second access point to decrease the coverage area of the second access point, the second access point being located adjacent said first access point.

17. The control node of claim 12, further comprising a handoff module configured to hand off a wireless terminal from a first access point to a second access point as a result of a change in coverage area of either or both of the first or second access point.

18. The control node of claim 12, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area, or increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

19. The control node of claim 12, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area, and increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

20. The control node of claim 12, wherein the evaluation module is configured to evaluate loading to determine whether a change in coverage area is warranted before changing the coverage area in response to a determined loading imbalance.

21. The control node of claim 12, wherein determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted comprises comparing a loading of an access point to a threshold loading level for that access point.

22. The control node of claim 12, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises:

adjusting a beam pattern of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area;

adjusting a beam pattern of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

23. The control node of claim 12, wherein adjusting a beam pattern comprises steering the beam to arrive at a desired beam pattern.

24. The control node of claim 12, wherein the steps of determining, evaluating and changing are performed continuously, at a scheduled time, periodically or on an event-driven basis.

25. The control node of claim 12, wherein determining, evaluating and changing are performed iteratively.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted comprises comparing a loading of an access point to a loading of another access point.

14. A control node for use in a communications network, the comprising:

a detection module configured to determine access point loading information; and

an evaluation module configured to evaluate access point loading across multiple access points to determine whether a loading imbalance exists in the network

a control module configured to control access point coverage areas and further configured to change the coverage area of an access point in response to changes in access point loads.

26. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed cause a control node to perform a method of load adjustment in a communications network comprising a plurality of access points, and further comprising a plurality of wireless terminals, wherein a wireless terminal communicates with the network by way of an assigned access point, the executable instructions comprising instructions to cause the control node to perform the steps of:

monitoring access point loading for a plurality of access points;

evaluating access point loading across multiple access points to determine whether a loading imbalance exists in the network; and

changing a coverage area of an access point to mitigate a determined loading imbalance.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to cause control node to handoff a wireless terminal from a first access point to a second access point as a result of a change in coverage area of either or both of the first and second access point.

28. A computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the handoff is forced or the handoff occurs automatically as a result of the change in coverage area.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises decreasing a first coverage area of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area and increasing a second coverage area of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to cause control node to determine whether a change in coverage area is warranted before changing the coverage area in response to a determined loading imbalance.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein determining whether a change in coverage area is warranted comprises comparing a loading of an access point to a threshold loading level for that access point.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein changing the coverage of an access point comprises:

adjusting a beam pattern of a first access point so as to at least partially exclude the wireless terminal from the first coverage area;

adjusting a beam pattern of a second access point so as to at least partially include the wireless terminal in the second coverage area.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein adjusting a beam pattern comprises steering the beam to arrive at a desired beam pattern.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the monitoring and evaluating are performed continuously, at a scheduled time, periodically or on an event-driven basis.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein determining, evaluating and changing are performed iteratively.