# US 2017/0289840 A1 · Determining network congestion based on target user throughput > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0289840 A1 - Document ID: US20170289840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/087,994 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: T-Mobile USA, Inc. - Applicants: T-Mobile U.S.A., Inc. - Inventors: Hui-Hsia Sung; Marie Grace Jacinto; Khrum Kashan Jat; Gary Dousson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170289840A1 ## CPC - H04W 28/0284: {detecting congestion or overload during communication (monitoring arrangements H04L43/00)} - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 24/04: Arrangements for maintaining operational condition - H04W 28/0289: {Congestion control (load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12)} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems and methods for determining network congestion (e.g., reduced or low average user throughput with telecommunications networks, such as LTE networks, are described. The systems and methods described herein facilitate the identification and/or prediction of congestion at cell sites, which may enable telecommunications networks to prevent and/or remedy current or future occurrences of congestion at cell sites within their networks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: at least one hardware computer, wherein the computer is configured to execute software modules, including: a spectrum utilization module that measures a spectrum utilization percentage for physical resource blocks associated with one or more cell sectors of a cell site of a telecommunications network, wherein the cell site is associated with a specific spectrum frequency; a user module that measures a number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site; and a throughput module that determines the one or more cell sectors of the cell site are congested when: the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above a threshold percentage of spectrum utilization that is associated with congestion of the one or more cell sectors of the cell site; and the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above a threshold number of connected users based on the specific spectrum frequency and that is associated with congestion of the one or more cell sectors of the cell site. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an efficiency module that measures a spectral efficiency of the cell site; wherein the throughput module further determines the cell site is congested when the measured spectral efficiency of the cell site is above a threshold efficiency associated with congestion of the cell site. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an action module that performs an action associated with modifying operations of the cell site or the telecommunications network in response to the throughput module determining the cell site is congested. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors of the cell site and the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site indicate that an increase in data transmission via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site will result in a reduced throughput of data via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors of the cell site and the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site indicate that the average user throughput at the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is less than 2 Mbps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold percentage of spectrum utilization is based on a predetermined throughput value to be maintained at the one or more cell sectors of the cell site. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold number of connected users is based on a predetermined throughput value to be maintained at the cell site. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the spectrum frequency of the cell site is normalized to 5 MHz; and wherein the throughput module determines the cell site is congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above 70% spectrum utilization, and when the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site is above 65 total users. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the throughput module determines the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is congested without performing a data transmission via the cell site to directly measure the throughput of the cell site. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: measuring a spectrum utilization percentage for physical resource blocks associated with a cell site of a telecommunications network, measuring a number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site; and determining the cell site is congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the cell site is above a threshold percentage of spectrum utilization that is associated with congestion of the cell site and when the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site is above a threshold number of connected users that is associated with congestion of the cell site. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: measuring a spectral efficiency of the cell site; wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the measured spectral efficiency of the cell site is above a threshold efficiency associated with congestion of the cell site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the cell site is associated with a specific spectrum frequency, and wherein the threshold number of connected users associated with congestion of the cell site is based on the specific spectrum frequency. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: performs an action associated with modifying operations of the cell site or the telecommunications network in response to determining the cell site is congested. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the cell site and the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site indicate that an increase in data transmission via the cell site will result in a reduced throughput of data via the cell site. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the cell site and the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site indicate that the average user throughput at the cell site is less than 2 Mbps. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold percentage of spectrum utilization is based on maintaining a predetermined throughput value at the cell site. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number of connected users is based on maintaining a predetermined average user throughput value at the cell site. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the spectrum frequency of the cell site is normalized to 5 MHz; and wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocks associated with the cell site is above 70% spectrum utilization, and when the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above 65 total users. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose contents, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method, the method comprising: measuring a number of users connected to a long-term evolution (LTE) telecommunications network via a cell site within the LTE network; measuring a spectral efficiency of the cell site; and predicting the cell site will be congested when the number of users connected to the telecommunications LTE network via the cell site is above a threshold number of connected users that is associated with congestion of the cell site, and when the measured spectral efficiency of the cell site indicates an increase in data traffic via the cell site. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the spectrum frequency of the cell site is 5 MHz, and wherein the cell site is predicted to be congested when the number of users connected to the telecommunications LTE network via one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above 65 total users, and when the spectral efficiency of the cell site is above 1.5 bps/Hz.