# US 2018/0324784 A1 · Flexible load distribution and management in an mme pool

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- Number: US 2018/0324784 A1
- Document ID: US20180324784A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/968,440
- Filed: 2018-05-01
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-02
- Assignees: Affirmed Networks, Inc.
- Applicants: Affirmed Networks, Inc.
- Inventors: Haibo QIAN; Fred RINK; Bret BIEGHLER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324784A1

## CPC

- H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties
- H04W 28/088: among core entities
- H04W 36/22: for handling the traffic
- H04W 72/52: based on load
- H04W 28/0215: {based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices (services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51)}
- H04W 28/0236: {radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay}
- 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 are disclosed for a method of assigning resources to eNodeBs in a mobility management entity (MME) pool, including determining a first relative capacity for a first eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the first eNodeB and a first MME and the location of the first eNodeB. A second relative capacity may be determined for a second eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the second eNodeB and the first MME and the location of the second eNodeB. The first and second relative capacities may be indicative of relative capacity values greater than zero. The relative capacities may be provided to the first and second eNodeBs, and a portion of traffic sent from the first and second eNodeBs to the first MME may be based on the first and second relative capacities, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of assigning resources to eNodeBs in a mobility management entity (MME) pool, comprising:
determining a first relative capacity for a first eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the first eNodeB and a first MME and the location of the first eNodeB, wherein the first relative capacity is associated with a first relative capacity value being greater than zero;
determining a second relative capacity for a second eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the second eNodeB and the first MME and the location of the second eNodeB, wherein the second relative capacity is associated with a second relative capacity value being greater than zero;
providing the first relative capacity to the first eNodeB in a first configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the first MME is based on the first relative capacity; and
providing the second relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a second configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the first MME is based on the second relative capacity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first relative capacity value is different from the second relative capacity value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising offloading the second eNodeB from the first MME at a first time, wherein the offloading comprises:
providing a third relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein the portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the first MME is reduced to zero based on the third relative capacity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein at the first time, the portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the first MME is greater than zero.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a third relative capacity for the first eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the first eNodeB and a second MME in a pool with the first MME and the location of the first eNodeB, wherein the third relative capacity is associated with a third relative capacity value being greater than zero; and
providing the third relative capacity to the first eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the second MME is based on the third relative capacity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein:
the portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the first MME is sent at the first relative capacity value based on both the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity; and
the portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the second MME is sent at the second relative capacity value based on both the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
determining a fourth relative capacity for the second eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the second eNodeB and the second MME and the location of the second eNodeB, wherein the fourth relative capacity is associated with a fourth relative capacity value being greater than zero; and
providing the fourth relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a fourth configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the second MME is based on the fourth relative capacity.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of:
the third relative capacity value is different from the fourth relative capacity value;
the first relative capacity value is different from the third relative capacity value; and
the second relative capacity value is different from the fourth relative capacity value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the second relative capacity to a third eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein:
a portion of traffic sent from the third eNodeB to the first MME is based on the second relative capacity; and
the third eNodeB being located less than a threshold distance from the second eNodeB.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity and the providing of the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity are performed by the first MME.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, by the first MME, a portion of traffic from the first eNodeB based on the first relative capacity; and
receiving, by the first MME, a portion of traffic from the second eNodeB based on the second relative capacity.

### Claim 12

A system for assigning resources to eNodeBs in a mobility management entity (MME) pool, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a first relative capacity for a first eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the first eNodeB and a first MME and the location of the first eNodeB, wherein the first relative capacity is associated with a first relative capacity value being greater than zero;
determine a second relative capacity for a second eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the second eNodeB and the first MME and the location of the second eNodeB, wherein the second relative capacity is associated with a second relative capacity value being greater than zero;
provide the first relative capacity to the first eNodeB in a first configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the first MME is based on the first relative capacity; and
provide the second relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a second configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the first MME is based on the second relative capacity.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the first relative capacity value is different from the second relative capacity value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is further caused to offload the second eNodeB from the first MME at a first time, wherein the offloading further causes the processor to provide a third relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein the portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the first MME is reduced to zero based on the third relative capacity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is further caused to:
determine a third relative capacity for the first eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the first eNodeB and a second MME in a pool with the first MME and the location of the first eNodeB, wherein the third relative capacity is associated with a third relative capacity value being greater than zero; and
provide the third relative capacity to the first eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the second MME is based on the third relative capacity.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the processor is further caused to:
determine a fourth relative capacity for the second eNodeB based on at least one of latency between the second eNodeB and the second MME and the location of the second eNodeB, wherein the fourth relative capacity is associated with a fourth relative capacity value being greater than zero; and
provide the fourth relative capacity to the second eNodeB in a fourth configuration update request, wherein a portion of traffic sent from the second eNodeB to the second MME is based on the fourth relative capacity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein:
the portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the first MME is sent at the first relative capacity value based on both the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity; and
the portion of traffic sent from the first eNodeB to the second MME is sent at the second relative capacity value based on both the first relative capacity and the second relative capacity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of:
the third relative capacity value is different from the fourth relative capacity value;
the first relative capacity value is different from the third relative capacity value; and
the second relative capacity value is different from the fourth relative capacity value.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is further caused to provide the second relative capacity to a third eNodeB in a third configuration update request, wherein:
a portion of traffic sent from the third eNodeB to the first MME is based on the second relative capacity; and
the third eNodeB being located less than a threshold distance from the second eNodeB.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is part of the first MME, wherein the first MME is further configured to:
receive a portion of traffic from the first eNodeB based on the first relative capacity; and
receive a portion of traffic from the second eNodeB based on the second relative capacity.