Traffic allocation and dynamic load balancing in a multiple carrier cellular wireless communication system
First Claim
1. A wireless communication system that provides wireless service to a mobile unit operating within a service area, the wireless communication system comprising:
- a mobile switching center;
at least one base station controller coupled to the mobile switching center, the at least one base station controller producing a capacity request in response to a request made by the mobile unit;
a first plurality of base stations coupled to the at least one base station controller, the first plurality of base stations operating on a first carrier frequency, at least one candidate base station of the first plurality of base stations receiving the capacity request, determining its net excess capacity based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources, and responding with a net excess capacity response;
a second plurality of base stations coupled to the at least one base station controller, the second plurality of base stations operating on a second carrier frequency, at least one candidate base station of the second plurality of base stations receiving the capacity request, determining its net excess capacity based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources, and responding with a net excess canacity response; and
the at least one base station controller operating to assign the mobile unit to at least one responding candidate base station of the first plurality of base stations or to at least one responding candidate base station of the second plurality of base stations based upon received net excess capacity responses.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communication system provides wireless service to a mobile unit operating within a service area and includes a mobile switching center, at least one base station controller, a first plurality of base stations and a second plurality of base stations. The first plurality of base stations couple to the at least one base station controller and operate on a first carrier frequency. The second plurality of base stations couple to the at least one base station controller and operate on a second carrier frequency. The mobile switching center and the at least one base station controller operate to assign the mobile unit to at least one of the first plurality of base stations or at least one of the second plurality of base stations based upon available base station capacities. The wireless communication system may operate according to a code division multiple access protocol. In determining the capacity of the base stations, candidate base stations are first determined, with such candidate base stations selected based upon an operating location of the mobile unit. The candidate base stations include base stations from both the first plurality of base stations and the second plurality of base stations that could service the mobile unit at its present operating location. Once the candidate base stations are determined, capacity requests are sent to the candidate base stations. The base stations then respond with capacity responses. Based upon capacity responses received, the mobile unit is assigned to at least one of the first plurality of base stations or at least one of the second plurality of base stations. Operation may be undertaken when setting up a call or during the servicing of a call. During servicing of a call, operations commence upon receipt of a pilot signal strength measurement message received from the mobile unit.
253 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A wireless communication system that provides wireless service to a mobile unit operating within a service area, the wireless communication system comprising:
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a mobile switching center; at least one base station controller coupled to the mobile switching center, the at least one base station controller producing a capacity request in response to a request made by the mobile unit; a first plurality of base stations coupled to the at least one base station controller, the first plurality of base stations operating on a first carrier frequency, at least one candidate base station of the first plurality of base stations receiving the capacity request, determining its net excess capacity based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources, and responding with a net excess capacity response; a second plurality of base stations coupled to the at least one base station controller, the second plurality of base stations operating on a second carrier frequency, at least one candidate base station of the second plurality of base stations receiving the capacity request, determining its net excess capacity based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources, and responding with a net excess canacity response; and the at least one base station controller operating to assign the mobile unit to at least one responding candidate base station of the first plurality of base stations or to at least one responding candidate base station of the second plurality of base stations based upon received net excess capacity responses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a wireless communication system including a first plurality of base stations that operate on a first carrier frequency and a second plurality of base stations that operate on a second carrier frequency, the first plurality of base stations and the second plurality of base stations providing overlaying service, a method of operation comprising:
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receiving a request from a mobile unit; determining an operational position of the mobile unit based upon the location of a base station receiving the request; based upon the operational position of the mobile unit, requesting capacity information from candidate base stations of the first plurality of base stations and candidate base stations of the second plurality of base stations; receiving net excess capacity responses from the candidate base stations, each net excess capacity response based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources of a respective candidate base station; selecting at least one servicing base station from the candidate base stations based upon the received net excess capacity responses, the at least one servicing base station corresponding to either the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency; and servicing the mobile unit with the at least one servicing base station on a corresponding carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer readable medium that is readable by at least one component of a wireless communication system that includes a first plurality of base stations that operate on a first carrier frequency and a second plurality of base stations that operate on a second carrier frequency and that supports a mobile unit, the first plurality of base stations and the second plurality of base stations providing overlaying service, the computer readable medium comprising:
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a first set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to receive a request from a mobile unit; a second set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to determine an operational position of the mobile unit based upon the location of a base station receiving the request; a third set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to request capacity information from candidate base stations of the first plurality of base stations and candidate base stations of the second plurality of base stations; a fourth set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to receive net excess capacity responses from the candidate base stations, each net excess capacity response based upon available forward link resources and available reverse link resources for a respective candidate base station; a fifth set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to select at least one servicing base station from the candidate base stations based upon the received net excess capacity responses, the at least one servicing base station corresponding to either the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency; and a sixth set of instructions that, when executed by the wireless communication system, cause the wireless communication system to service the mobile unit with the at least one servicing base station on a corresponding carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification