Methods, systems, and computer readable media for selecting wireless channel bandwidth based on data-usage tendency of user equipment

• US 9,544,902 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Narendran, Rajveen, Marupaduga, Sreekar, Kullman, Nicholas D. C., Wurtenberger, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mastrodonato, Margaret G
• Application Number:
  US13/855,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies

Abstract

Systems, computer-readable media, and methods for selecting channel bandwidths to a user equipment (UE) device for carrying out a communication session. Selection of the channel bandwidth can be based on a data-usage tendency of the UE device. The data-usage tendency can indicate a data-usage rate of the UE device or a set of user equipment devices similar to the UE device. The channel bandwidth can comprise a plurality of subcarriers. Two or more of the subcarriers can be adjacent to one another or be separated by one or more subcarriers of a channel bandwidth assigned or assignable to another UE device for another communication session. A processor that selects the channel bandwidth can further base its selection on a service plan associated with the UE device and load conditions of frequency bands of a radio access network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a radio access network (RAN) controller programmed to assign radio frequency band resources of a radio access node to wireless user equipment (UE) devices, a request to use the RAN to carry out a wireless communication session between a first wireless UE device and at least one other device, wherein the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node include multiple radio frequency bands, and wherein each radio frequency band of the multiple radio frequency bands includes multiple channels with different bandwidths;

identifying, by the RAN controller after receiving the request to use the RAN to carry out the wireless communication session between the first wireless UE device and at least one other device but prior to the RAN controller assigning a selected bandwidth of a wireless channel of a selected radio frequency band to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the first wireless UE device is a same type of wireless UE device as a plurality of wireless UE devices;

determining, by the RAN controller, an average data-usage tendency at a per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices identified as being the same type of wireless UE device as the first wireless UE device;

selecting, by the RAN controller in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, both the selected radio frequency band from among the multiple radio frequency bands of the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node, and the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel within the selected radio frequency band, for assigning to the first wireless UE device; and

assigning, by the RAN controller to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel of the selected radio frequency band.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless UE device comprises a mobile telephone, a tablet device, or an air-card.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the bandwidth of the wireless channel, in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, comprises selecting the bandwidth of the wireless channel from a first band class while the first wireless UE device is using a wireless channel of a second band class different than the first band class.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the bandwidth of the wireless channel, in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, comprises selecting a first bandwidth of the wireless channel from among two or more bandwidths of the wireless channel of a band class while the UE device is using a second wireless channel of the two or more bandwidths of the wireless channel of the band class.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining the average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices comprises determining whether the wireless communication session is a voice communication session, a data communication session, or a simultaneous voice and data communication session.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of UE devices is based on data-usage tendencies previously determined for the plurality of UE devices which does not include the first wireless UE device.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of UE devices is based on data-usage tendencies previously determined for the plurality of UE devices which includes the first wireless UE device.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the bandwidth of the wireless channel is further based on a load-condition of the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel and a load-condition of one or more other bandwidths of the wireless channel assignable to the first wireless UE device.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the radio frequency band and the bandwidth of the wireless channel, in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, includes determining that at least one wider channel bandwidth selectable for the first wireless UE device is operating with a load condition exceeding a first threshold load condition, and

wherein the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel is not as wide as the at least one wider channel bandwidth and is operating with a load condition that does not exceed a second threshold load condition.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the radio frequency band and the bandwidth of the wireless channel is further based on a service plan associated with the first wireless UE device, and

wherein the service plan associated with the first wireless UE device is one of a plurality of service plans associated with the RAN.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, using the RAN controller, resources blocks forming the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices includes determining an average data-usage rate of the first wireless UE device.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining the average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices includes determining a data usage rating selected from a plurality of data usage ratings, and

wherein the determined usage rating is selected from among the group comprising a high data usage rating, a medium data usage rating, a low data usage rating, and a very low data usage rating.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the RAN controller from the first wireless UE device, data that indicates a data-usage tendency of the first wireless UE device,

wherein the RAN controller determines the data-usage tendency of the first wireless UE device from the received data that indicates the data-usage tendency of the first wireless UE device.

15. A radio access network (RAN) control system for assigning radio frequency band resources of a radio access node to wireless user equipment (UE) devices, wherein the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node include multiple radio frequency bands, and wherein each radio frequency band of the multiple radio frequency bands includes multiple channels with different bandwidths, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable data storage device; and

a processor configured to receive a request to use the RAN to carry out a communication session between a first wireless UE device and at least one other device, and configured to execute computer-readable program instructions stored at the computer-readable data storage device,

wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise;

(i) program instructions executable to identify, after receiving the request to use the RAN to carry out the wireless communication session between the first wireless UE device and at least one other device but prior to the processor assigning a selected bandwidth of a wireless channel of a selected radio frequency band to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the first wireless UE device is a same type of wireless UE device as a plurality of wireless UE devices,

(ii) program instructions executable to determine an average data-usage tendency at a per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices identified as being the same type of wireless UE device as the first wireless UE device,

(iii) program instructions executable to select, in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, both the selected radio frequency band from among the multiple radio frequency bands of the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node, and the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel within the selected radio frequency band, for assigning to the first wireless UE device, and

(iv) program instructions executable to assign, to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel of the selected radio frequency band.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication device configured to receive the request to use the RAN and to provide the processor with the received request to use the RAN.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions executable to cause the communication device to transmit, for reception by the first wireless UE device, a notification indicating the selected radio frequency band and the bandwidth of the wireless channel assigned to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication device is configured to communicate with user equipment (UE) devices using one or more bandwidths of a wireless channel within two or more band classes.

19. The system of claim 15,

wherein the computer-readable data storage device comprises data representing the selected radio frequency band and the bandwidth of the wireless channel, and data representing the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, and

wherein the data representing the selected radio frequency band and the bandwidth of the wireless channel is associated with the data representing the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage device comprising program instructions executable by a processor of a radio access network (RAN) controller that assigns radio frequency band resources of a radio access node to wireless user equipment (UE) devices, wherein execution of the program instructions cause performance of the following operations:

receiving, by the processor, a request to use the RAN to carry out a wireless communication session between a first wireless UE device and at least one other device, wherein the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node include multiple radio frequency bands, and wherein each radio frequency band of the multiple radio frequency bands includes multiple channels with different bandwidths;

identifying, by the processor after receiving the request to use the RAN to carry out the wireless communication session between the first wireless UE device and at least one other device but prior to the processor assigning a selected bandwidth of a wireless channel of a selected radio frequency band to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the first wireless UE device is a same type of wireless UE device as a plurality of wireless UE devices;

determining, by the processor, an average data-usage tendency at a per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices identified as being the same type of wireless UE device as the first wireless UE device;

selecting, by the processor, in response to receiving the request to use the RAN and based on the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, both the selected radio frequency band from among the multiple radio frequency bands of the radio frequency band resources of the radio access node, and the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel within the selected radio frequency band, for assigning to the first wireless UE device; and

assigning, by the processor, to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session, the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel of the selected radio frequency band.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage device of claim 20,

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable data storage device comprises data representing the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel and data representing the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices, and

wherein the operations further comprise referring to the data representing the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel and the data representing the determined average data-usage tendency at the per wireless UE device level of the plurality of wireless UE devices to select the bandwidth of the wireless channel.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable data storage device of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise causing a communication device to transmit, for reception by the first wireless UE device, a notification indicating the selected bandwidth of the wireless channel assigned to the first wireless UE device for carrying out the communication session.