Method and system for selectively releasing network resources
First Claim
1. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs), wherein each WCD has a plurality of assigned air interface traffic channels on which the WCD communicates with the RAN, wherein each air interface traffic channel defines a channel signal quality, wherein the signal quality is an Ec/Io value, and wherein each air interface traffic channel consumes network resources, a method of selectively releasing network resources, the method comprising:
- for each WCD, determining at least a delta between (i) the signal quality of one of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels and (ii) aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels;
selecting one or more of the WCDs based on the determined deltas of the WCDs;
for each selected WCD, selecting at least one, but less than all, of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels to release; and
for each selected WCD, releasing each selected air interface traffic channel, thereby making network resources associated with the released air interface traffic channel available for other use.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for selectively releasing air interface traffic channels in a wireless coverage area, based on a delta between the signal quality of a traffic channel assigned to a wireless communication device and the aggregate signal quality of all the traffic channels assigned to the wireless communication device.
66 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs), wherein each WCD has a plurality of assigned air interface traffic channels on which the WCD communicates with the RAN, wherein each air interface traffic channel defines a channel signal quality, wherein the signal quality is an Ec/Io value, and wherein each air interface traffic channel consumes network resources, a method of selectively releasing network resources, the method comprising:
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for each WCD, determining at least a delta between (i) the signal quality of one of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels and (ii) aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels; selecting one or more of the WCDs based on the determined deltas of the WCDs; for each selected WCD, selecting at least one, but less than all, of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels to release; and for each selected WCD, releasing each selected air interface traffic channel, thereby making network resources associated with the released air interface traffic channel available for other use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs), wherein each WCD has a plurality of assigned air interface traffic channels on which the WCD communicates with the RAN, wherein each air interface traffic channel defines a channel signal quality, wherein the signal quality is an Ec/Io value, and wherein each air interface traffic channel consumes network resources, a network entity capable of selectively releasing network resources, the network entity comprising:
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a network interface for providing connectivity with the radio access network; a processor; data storage; and program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to carry out functions including; (i) for each WCD, determining at least a delta between (i) the signal quality of one of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels and (ii) aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels; (ii) selecting one or more of the WCDs based on the determined deltas of the WCDs; (iii) for each selected WCD, selecting at least one, but less than all, of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels to release; and (iv) for each selected WCD, releasing each selected air interface traffic channel, thereby making network resources associated with the released air interface traffic channel available for other use.
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11. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs), wherein each WCD has a plurality of assigned air interface traffic channels on which the WCD communicates with the RAN, wherein each air interface traffic channel defines a channel signal quality, and wherein each air interface traffic channel consumes network resources, a method of selectively releasing network resources, the method comprising:
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for each WCD, determining a delta between (i) the signal quality of each of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels and (ii) aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels; selecting one or more of the WCDs based on the determined deltas of the WCDs; for each selected WCD, selecting at least one, but less than all, of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels to release, wherein the selected air interface channels of the WCD have a greater determined delta than the determined delta of each of the air interface traffic channels for the same WCD that are not selected; and for each selected WCD, releasing each selected air interface traffic channel, thereby making network resources associated with the released air interface traffic channel available for other use.
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12. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs), wherein each WCD has a plurality of assigned air interface traffic channels on which the WCD communicates with the RAN, wherein each air interface traffic channel defines a channel signal quality, and wherein each air interface traffic channel consumes network resources, a method of selectively releasing network resources, the method comprising:
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calculating an aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels as a logarithmic sum of the signal qualities of each of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels; for each WCD, determining at least a delta between (i) the signal quality of one of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels and (ii) the aggregate signal quality of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels; selecting one or more of the WCDs based on the determined deltas of the WCDs; for each selected WCD, selecting at least one, but less than all, of the WCD'"'"'s assigned air interface traffic channels to release; and for each selected WCD, releasing each selected air interface traffic channel, thereby making network resources associated with the released air interface traffic channel available for other use.
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Specification