Dynamically adjusting extent of MU-MIMO service based on buffer occupancy
AssigneeSprint Spectrum L.P.
InventorSreekar Marupaduga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for controlling application of MU-MIMO service by a base station are provided. The disclosure provides for determining a base station's buffer occupancy and then, based on the determined buffer occupancy, setting a maximum limit on a quantity of UEs that the base station will concurrently provide with MU-MIMO service. For instance, a system could determine that the base station's buffer occupancy is at least predefined threshold high and, based at least on that determination, could increase the maximum limit. Or, the system could determine that the base station's buffer occupancy is at least predefined threshold low and, based at least on that determination, could decrease the maximum limit.
Claims17
A method for controlling application of Multi-User Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) service by a base station, the method comprising:
- determining a buffer occupancy of the base station;
- based at least on the determined buffer occupancy, setting a maximum limit on a quantity of user equipment devices (UEs) that the base station will concurrently provide with MU-MIMO service, wherein the maximum limit is initially set to a default value, and wherein setting the maximum limit comprises adjusting the maximum limit from the default value to another value;
- and
- controlling the application of MU-MIMO service in accordance with the set maximum limit.
A base station comprising:
- a wireless communication interface through which the base station is configured to engage in air-interface communications;
- and
- a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform operations that control application of MU-MIMO service by the base station, the operations comprising:
- determining a buffer occupancy of the base station,
- based at least on the determined buffer occupancy, setting a maximum limit on a quantity of UEs that the base station will concurrently provide with MU-MIMO service, wherein the maximum limit is initially set to a default value, and wherein setting the maximum limit comprises adjusting the maximum limit from the default value to another value, and
- controlling the application of MU-MIMO service in accordance with the set maximum limit.
A computing system comprising:
- a processing unit;
- non-transitory data storage;
- and
- program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processing unit to carry out operations that control application of MU-MIMO service by a base station, the operations including:
- determining a buffer occupancy of the base station;
- based at least on the determined buffer occupancy, setting a maximum limit on a quantity of UEs that the base station will concurrently provide with MU-MIMO service, wherein the maximum limit is initially set to a default value, and wherein setting the maximum limit comprises adjusting the maximum limit from the default value to another value;
- and
- controlling the application of MU-MIMO service in accordance with the set maximum limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.