Load Balancer Adjusting Handover Offsets for Wireless Congestion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless enterprise networks, the limited resource capacity of base stations (BS/APs) leads to congestion, resulting in service denial to UEs when the resource usage threshold is breached, especially when a large number of UEs attempt to connect, causing some to fail in receiving service due to insufficient resources such as Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs), CPU bandwidth, and memory.
Innovation Solution
A load balancer (LBr) communicates with BS/APs to measure and report load conditions, configuring handover offsets based on congestion levels, triggering handovers when the offset is met, and optimizing UE measurements and reporting to efficiently distribute load across neighboring cells, thereby preventing resource breaches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UEs connect to the BS/AP with the best radio conditions (closest cell), then connection quality is improved, but resource capacity is breached causing service denial
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the cell selection parameter by introducing an offset value to the RSRP measurement. Instead of selecting the cell with the absolute best signal, the UE calculates an adjusted RSRP by adding the offset to the measured value. This parameter change allows UEs to be redirected from congested cells to neighboring cells while still maintaining reliable connections, thus preserving service availability without sacrificing connection quality.
2Reliability
If BS/AP resources are reserved for continuous traffic devices, then service reliability is improved, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation through the load balancer that continuously monitors resource usage thresholds and adjusts handover offsets in real-time. Instead of static resource reservation, the system dynamically adapts the offset values based on current network conditions, allowing resources to be reserved for continuous traffic devices when needed while releasing them for other uses when the demand decreases, thus maintaining service continuity while improving overall resource utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The load balancer employs a feedback mechanism by monitoring resource usage at BS/APs and adjusting handover offsets accordingly. When resources are approaching their threshold, the load balancer increases offsets to redirect UEs away, and when resources are underutilized, it decreases offsets to allow UEs to reconnect. This closed-loop feedback system ensures continuous service for critical devices while optimizing resource utilization across the network.
3Productivity
If handover offsets are configured to balance load, then resource capacity is preserved, but handover complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a load balancer as an intermediary component that centralizes the complexity of handover offset configuration. Instead of each BS/AP independently managing complex offset adjustments, the load balancer acts as a mediator that receives resource status information from BS/APs, calculates appropriate offset values, and distributes them to the relevant cells. This intermediary approach preserves resource capacity through effective load balancing while reducing the operational complexity at individual network elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for enhancing load balancing within wireless networks and, in particular, within wireless networks operating within Enterprise Networks is disclosed. The method and apparatus efficiently balance the load that is shouldered by each BS/AP within the wireless network. This is particularly advantageous within wireless networks operating within an Enterprise Network. Improved BS/AP deployments in Enterprise Networks that maintain high system throughput in the EN while optimizing the performance of UEs (with regard to battery utilization and service) are disclosed. Improved EN deployments for UE mobility that reduces measurement scans required of and performed by the UEs are disclosed.