Method and apparatus for load sharing transceiver handlers in regional processors of radio communications systems

• US 5,697,054 A
• Filed: 02/06/1997
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Andersson, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/796,900
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 455/9, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/33.4, 455/56.1, 455/54.1, 455/62, 379/59, 379/60
• US Class Current: 455/524
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for significantly more effective use of regional processor devices connected to a central processor (e.g., a node in GSM/CME2O1) in a cellular radio communications system by introducing load sharing between regional processor devices, thereby redressing the problems of too high a regional processor device load and too low a regional processor device load.

Claims

1. In a radio communication base station system among a plurality of base station systems, said base station systems including at least two regional processor devices, each for a number of radio unit connections, at least one regional processor device serving a first plurality of transceivers having high traffic demands and at least another regional processor device serving a second plurality of transceivers having low traffic demands, a method for load sharing between said at least one regional processor device and said at least another regional processor device, comprising the steps of:

reporting from each regional processor device load information for that specific regional processor device and at specific time intervals,

determining, in a load monitor receiving said load information reports from each of said regional processor devices, whether any regional processor device has a high load not less than an upper limit or a low load not greater than a lower limit; and

,

if said at least another regional processor device serving said second plurality of transceivers is determined by said load monitor to have a low load, changing over at least one connection from said one regional processor device serving said first plurality of transceivers to said another regional processor device serving said second plurality of transceivers.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said load information includes average load information, peak load information, or both average load information and peak load information.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein each regional processor device includes a plurality of transceiver units.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said load information includes load information specific to each of said transceiver units.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said change-over step includes:

transferring recent reported measurement data for a transceiver connection from the regional processor device with a high load to the regional processor device with a low load; and

loading of relevant cell data of a transceiver connection to the regional processor device with a low load, to make such a transfer smooth.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said method is carried out in a GSM cellular radio communication switch unit.

7. A radio communication base station system among a plurality of base station systems, said base station systems including regional processor devices, each for a number of radio unit connections, a first plurality of transceivers having high traffic demands and at least one regional processor device serving a second plurality of transceivers having low traffic demands, including means for reporting from each regional processor device load information at specific time intervals,

load monitoring means receiving said load information reporting from each of said regional processor devices for determining whether any regional processor device has a high load not less than an upper limit or a low load not greater than a lower limit;

and

switching means for changing over at least one connection from the regional processor device serving said first plurality of transceivers to a connection from the regional processor device serving said second plurality of transceivers if at least one regional processor device serving said second plurality of transceivers is determined by said load monitor to have a low load.

8. A radio communication base station system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said load information includes average load information, peak load information, or both average load information and peak load information.

9. A radio communication base station system in accordance with claim 7, wherein each regional processor device includes a plurality of transceiver units.

10. A radio communication base station system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said load information includes load information specific to each of said transceiver units.

11. A radio communication base station system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said switching means includes:

means for transferring recent reported measurement data for a transceiver connection from the regional processor device with a high load to the regional processor device with a low load; and

means for loading of relevant cell data of a transceiver connection to the regional processor device with a low load, to make such a transfer smooth.