Methods and apparatus for network load balancing optimization

A server comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive current load data for a plurality of cells of a wireless communication network;
• and
• a processor operably connected to the network interface, the processor configured to:
• select, from the plurality of cells, a target cell (s), wherein a value of the current load data for the target cell exceeds a first predefined threshold;
• select, from a neighbor cell list corresponding to the target cell, a set of neighboring cells for the target cell, wherein the selected set of neighboring cells (S) is a subset of the neighbor cell list;
• calculate, a value of at least one utilization parameter for the target cell for a new load through the target cell, wherein the value of the at least one utilization parameter for the target cell comprises a plurality of values of a physical resource block (PRB) usage of the target cell and the selected set of neighboring cells;
• determine, a cell individual offset (CIO) value and an electrical tilt (E-tilt) value for the target cell based on the value of the at least one utilization parameter for the target cell, wherein to determine the CIO value and the E-tilt value, the processor is further configured to:
• determine information about PRB usage for a union of S and s;
• and
• determine whether the information about the PRB usage indicates a potentially curable imbalance in a distribution of network load across the cells of S and s;
• and
• configure one or more physical layer parameters of the target cell based on the determined CIO and E-tilt values for the target cell.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor of a server, causes the server to:

• receive, via a network interface of the server, current load data for a plurality of cells of a wireless communication network;
• select, from the plurality of cells, a target cell (s), wherein a value of the current load data for the target cell exceeds a first predefined threshold;
• select, from a neighbor cell list corresponding to the target cell, a set of neighboring cells for the target cell, wherein the selected set of neighboring cells (S) is a subset of the neighbor cell list;
• calculate, a value of at least one utilization parameter for the target cell for a new load through the target cell, wherein the value of the at least one utilization parameter for the target cell comprises a plurality of values of a physical resource block (PRB) usage of the target cell and the selected set of neighboring cells;
• determine, a cell individual offset (CIO) value and an electrical tilt (E-tilt) value for the target cell based on the value of the at least one utilization parameter for the target cell, wherein the program code for determining the CIO value and the E-tilt value comprises program code, which, when executed by the processor, cause the server to:
• determine information about PRB usage for a union of S and s;
• and
• determine whether the information about the PRB usage indicates a potentially curable imbalance in a distribution of network load across the cells of S and s;
• and
• configure one or more physical layer parameters of the target cell based on the determined CIO and E-tilt values for the target cell.