Patent ID: 8605586
Filing Date: 2013-12-10
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of balancing traffic load in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: calculating, using a processor operatively associated with a first base station, a load metric for each of a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users, in operation, are in communication with the first base station using an overloaded carrier associated with the first base station, and wherein the calculated load metric for each of the plurality of users is representative of a combination of a plurality of metric factors related at least to an associated communication link; determining, using the processor, a transfer-deserving user from the plurality of users, the transfer-deserving user being associated with a highest value of an associated calculated load metric; transferring, using the processor, the associated communication link of the transfer-deserving user from the overloaded carrier to a target carrier, wherein the target carrier is associated with either the first base station or a second base station; and if a traffic load of the overloaded carrier is less than a first threshold value and greater than a second threshold value, generally equalizing a combined traffic load of a plurality of carriers associated with the first base station such that an individual traffic load of each of the plurality of the carriers is essentially equalized to a value less than the second threshold value, wherein the plurality of carriers includes the overloaded carrier.