Patent ID: 7978674
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of base stations radiating to define a plurality of coverage areas for mobile stations, wherein during setup of a call for a mobile station in a given coverage area of a given base station, the system selects a type of resource-allocation from a plurality of types of resource-allocation and, for the call, the system then allocates base station resources of the given coverage area in accordance with the selected type of resource-allocation, a method of selecting the type of resource-allocation, the method comprising the following functions carried out by at least one network component that includes a processor, data storage, and a network connection mechanism: determining a first distance between the mobile station and the given base station; dynamically establishing a distance threshold based on distance between the given base station and one or more adjacent base stations serving one or more adjacent coverage areas; making a determination of whether the first distance exceeds the dynamically established distance threshold; if the determination is that the first distance exceeds the dynamically established distance threshold, then selecting the type of resource-allocation based on resource-availability in the one or more adjacent coverage areas; and if the determination is that the first distance does not exceed the dynamically established distance threshold, then selecting the type of resource-allocation without considering resource-availability in the one or more adjacent coverage areas, the method further comprising determining the resource-availability in the one or more adjacent coverage areas, wherein determining the resource-availability in the one or more adjacent coverage areas comprises determining an extent of base station power availability in the one or more adjacent coverage areas, and wherein selecting the type of resource-allocation based on the determined resource-availability comprises (i) if the determined extent is less than a resource threshold, then selecting a first radio configuration to use for the call in the given coverage area, and (ii) if the determined extent is not less than the resource threshold, then selecting a second radio configuration to use for the call in the given coverage area, wherein use of the first radio configuration consumes less base station power than use of the second radio configuration.