Patent ID: 6768905
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method for determining loading of a communications system shared by a plurality of user-terminals, the method comprising:monitoring, by a respective terminal, of a control channel including logical messages therein, the monitoring of the messages in the control channel being performed regardless of whether or not the logical messages therein are specifically addressed to that terminal, wherein the logical messages are selected from the group consisting of activity and broadcast messages; and estimating a parameter indicative of system loading based on information in the monitored logical messages, wherein the estimating of the parameter indicative of system loading comprises computing an average over a predefined window, wherein the computing of the average over the predefined window is based on the following equation: SystemLoadingestimate=ACTIVITY&it;â€ƒ&it;messagesACTIVITY&it;â€ƒ&it;messages+BROADCAST&it;â€ƒ&it;messages.