Patent ID: 8868094
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for improving bandwidth usage in a cellular communication network serving at least one mobile terminal, the network being arranged to use at least a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, the network having a predefined bandwidth range that is usable for communications in either of the first radio access technology and the second radio access technology, the method comprising: determining a count of mobile terminals that are capable of communicating using both the first radio access technology and the second radio access technology and within a cell of the first radio access technology; and assigning segments of the predefined bandwidth range correspondingly to the first radio access technology and to the second radio access technology to improve usage of the predefined bandwidth range in the network based on the count of mobile terminals that are capable of communicating using both the first and second radio access technologies and within the cell of the first radio access technology and a level of traffic carried by the first radio access technology cell, wherein assignment of the segments of the predefined bandwidth range results in an increase in a first aggregate bandwidth amount of the predefined bandwidth range assigned to the first radio access technology or a decrease in the first aggregate bandwidth amount of the predefined bandwidth range assigned to the first radio access technology, and wherein segments of said predefined bandwidth range are assigned dynamically based on the count of mobile terminals that are capable of communicating using both the first and second radio access technologies and within the cell of the first radio access technology and a level of traffic carried by the first radio access technology cell.