Patent Document ID: 9301172
Application ID: 13656581
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method performed by at least one processor of a radio network node associated with a cell of interest in a wireless network, the at least one processor operating as a noise and interference predictor, wherein the radio network node comprises a total of M antenna branch(es), M being a positive integer, the method comprising: receiving a scheduled load factor L own (t o ) applicable at time t=t o ; receiving a used load factor L own (t o ) applicable at time the t=t o ; receiving, for each antenna branch m, m=1. .. M, a corresponding total wideband power P RTWP m (t o ) applicable at the time t=t o ; determining, by the at least one processor, a load utilization probability estimate {circumflex over (p)} load (t 1 ) and an other cell interference estimate {circumflex over (P)} other (t 1 ), both applicable at time t=t 1 , based on the scheduled load factor L own (t o ), the used load factor L own (t o ), and the M total wideband power(s) P RTWP m (t o ), wherein t 1 −t o =T>0; for each antenna branch m, determining by the at least one processor a corresponding thermal noise estimate {circumflex over (P)} N m (t 1 ) and a corresponding rise-over-thermal estimate {circumflex over (R)}oT m (t 1 ), both applicable at the time t=t 1 , based on the corresponding total wideband power P RTWP m (t o ), and making, by the at least one processor, a scheduling decision for network traffic based at least in part on at least one of the load utilization probability estimate {circumflex over (p)} load (t 1 ) and the other cell interference estimate {circumflex over (P)} other (t 1 ), the corresponding thermal noise estimate {circumflex over (P)} N m (t 1 ) and the corresponding rise-over-thermal estimate, and wherein L own (t) represents resource grants scheduled for use at time t to one or more cell terminals in the cell of interest, L own (t) represents resource grants used at time t by the same cell terminals, and each P RTWP m (t) represents the total wideband power present at time t at the antenna branch m; wherein {circumflex over (p)} load (t) represents an estimate of the load utilization probability p load (t) which expresses a probability of resources grants for use at time t actually being used at time t; wherein {circumflex over (P)} other (t) represents an estimate of the other cell interference P other (t) which expresses a sum of interferences present in the cell of interest at time t due to wireless activities applicable in one or more cells other than in the cell of interest, wherein each {circumflex over (P)} N m (t) represents an estimate of the corresponding thermal noise {circumflex over (P)} N m (t) which expresses a sum of undesired signals present at time t at the antenna branch m excluding the other cell interference P other (t), and wherein each {circumflex over (R)}oT m (t) represents an estimate of the corresponding rise-over-thermal RoT m (t) present at time t at the antenna branch m, the rise-over-thermal being defined as RoT m ⁡ ( t ) = P RTWP m ⁡ ( t ) P N m ⁡ ( t ) .