Shared offload vectors to control device offloads between wireless carrier frequencies

• US 8,891,486 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Vivanco, Daniel A., Zhou, Yu, Naim, Muhammad Ahsan, Rasool, Shahzada Basharat
• Primary Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US13/604,884
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

In a communication system, a data processing system determines offload vectors for first base station carriers in a first wireless communication network. The offload vectors indicate offload availability per time frame for device offloads from the first base station carriers to second base station carriers in a second wireless communication network. The data processing system determines offload vector similarity among the first base station carriers to group the first base station carriers into a lowest number of carrier groups to maintain the offload vector similarity within the carrier groups above a similarity threshold. The data processing system generates and transfers a data structure that associates the first base station carriers with representative offload vectors for their carrier groups. Wireless communication devices receive and process the data structure to control offloads from the first base station carriers to the second base station carriers.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data processing system to control wireless communication devices, the method comprising:

determining offload vectors for first base station carriers in a first wireless communication network, wherein the offload vectors indicate offload availability per time frame for wireless communication device offloads from the first base station carriers to second base station carriers in a second wireless communication network;

determining offload vector similarity among the first base station carriers to group the first base station carriers into a lowest number of carrier groups to maintain the offload vector similarity within the carrier groups above a similarity threshold;

generating a data structure that associates the first base station carriers with representative offload vectors for their carrier groups; and

transferring the data structure for delivery to the wireless communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication devices use the data structure to offload from one of the first base station carriers to one of the second base station carriers during a non-busy hour for the one of the second base station carriers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication devices use the data structure to inhibit offloading from one of the first base station carriers to one of the second base station carriers during a busy hour for the one of the second base station carriers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the offload vectors each comprise a sequence of bits having bit values indicating the offload availability and having bit locations indicating the time frame.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the offload vectors comprises determining geographic proximities of the first base station carriers to the second base station carriers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the offload vectors comprises comparing busy hours between individual ones of the first base station carriers and geographically proximate ones of the second base station carriers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the offload vector similarity comprises determining the offload vector similarity for a plurality of different numbers of the carrier groups.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the base station carriers comprise different wireless base station and carrier frequency combinations.

9. The method of claim 1 the base station carriers comprise different base station sector and carrier frequency combinations.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second wireless communication network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

11. A communication system to control device offloads comprising:

a data processing system configured to determine offload vectors for first base station carriers in a first wireless communication network, wherein the offload vectors indicate offload availability per time frame for wireless communication device offloads from the first base station carriers to second base station carriers in a second wireless communication network, to determine offload vector similarity among the first base station carriers to group the first base station carriers into a lowest number of carrier groups to maintain the offload vector similarity within the carrier groups above a similarity threshold, to generate and transfer a data structure that associates the first base station carriers with representative offload vectors for their carrier groups; and

a plurality of wireless communication devices that are configured to receive and process the data structure to control the offloads from the first base station carriers to second base station carriers.

12. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the wireless communication devices are configured to use the data structure to offload from one of the first base station carriers to one of the second base station carriers during a non-busy hour for the one of the second base station carriers.

13. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the wireless communication devices are configured to use the data structure to inhibit offloading from one of the first base station carriers to one of the second base station carriers during a busy hour for the one of the second base station carriers.

14. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the offload vectors each comprise a sequence of bits having bit values indicating the offload availability and having bit locations indicating the time frame.

15. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the data processing system is configured to determine geographic proximities of the first base station carriers to the second base station carriers.

16. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the data processing system is configured to compare busy hours between individual ones of the first base station carriers and geographically proximate ones of the second base station carriers.

17. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the data processing system is configured to determine the offload vector similarity for a plurality of different numbers of the carrier groups.

18. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the base station carriers comprise different wireless base station and carrier frequency combinations.

19. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the base station carriers comprise different base station sector and carrier frequency combinations.

20. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the second wireless communication network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.