Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., an LTE system).
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UEs), mobile devices or stations (STAs). A base station may communicate with the communication devices on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
As cellular networks have become more congested, operators are beginning to look at ways to meet the ever-growing user demands. One approach to meet such demand may include acquiring additional resources (e.g., installing additional base stations and/or deploying more frequency spectrums). However, such an approach can have considerable lead-time delays as well as costs in both capital expenditure and operating expenses. Moreover, with the end-users constantly moving in-and-out of the network, the network resources may be unevenly utilized amongst the plurality of mobile devices. For example, one set of frequency bands in a frequency spectrum may be overloaded, while another set may serve a considerably smaller number of users. Thus, a system for improved traffic management is desired.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds