Patent ID: 8780715

Claim:
A method for a wireless network including a base station to manage mobile data channel peak loading, the method comprising: during a period of active data transfer between the wireless network and a first user device, performing short-term period metering of data transmission on at least one of an uplink and a downlink between the base station and the first user device, the short-term period metering comprising: setting a timer that resides in the wireless network for a metering period associated with the first user device, the metering period being shorter than the period of active data transfer; setting a data counter that resides in the wireless network for the first user device; and in response to the data counter indicating an amount of data transfer during the metering period is greater than a throughput threshold, scheduling data for transmission to or from the first user device during a remainder portion of the metering period with a reduced priority for the remainder portion of the metering period.