Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A system for dynamic coordinated multi-point link maintenance, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the hardware processor for:
detecting, via the hardware processor, a trigger for coordinated multi-point link maintenance;
identifying, via the hardware processor, one or more potential changes to one or more coordinated multi-point links;
estimating, via the hardware processor, a coordinated multi-point link throughput based on the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links;
calculating, via the hardware processor, one or more resource utilization metrics based on the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links; and
determining, via the hardware processor, whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links based on the estimated coordinated multi-point link throughput and the one or more resource utilization metrics.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger for coordinated multi-point link maintenance comprises at least one of:
determining, via the hardware processor, that a current base station load is less than a base station load threshold, or
determining, via the hardware processor, that a current user equipment throughput is less than a user equipment throughput threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identified one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links include at least one of: data bearer merging; packet data rate rescheduling, system memory optimization, or removal or termination of an X2 Link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more calculated resource utilization metrics include at least one of: physical resource usage, system memory usage, or power usage.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein determining whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links comprises:
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the estimated coordinated multi-point link throughput lies within a predetermined throughput range.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein determining whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links comprises:
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the physical resource usage is less than a physical resource usage threshold;
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the system memory usage is less than a system memory usage threshold; and
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the power usage is less than a power usage threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, the memory further storing instructions for:
modifying, via the hardware processor, a coordinated multi-point link set for a user equipment based on the identified one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links, after determining to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links.

8. A method for dynamic coordinated multi-point link maintenance, comprising:
detecting, via a hardware processor, a trigger for coordinated multi-point link maintenance;
identifying, via the hardware processor, one or more potential changes to one or more coordinated multi-point links;
estimating, via the hardware processor, a coordinated multi-point link throughput based on the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links;
calculating, via the hardware processor, one or more resource utilization metrics based on the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links; and
determining, via the hardware processor, whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links based on the estimated coordinated multi-point link throughput and the one or more resource utilization metrics.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the trigger for coordinated multi-point link maintenance comprises at least one of:
determining, via the hardware processor, that a current base station load is less than a base station load threshold, or
determining, via the hardware processor, that a current user equipment throughput is less than a user equipment throughput threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links include at least one of: data bearer merging; packet data rate rescheduling, system memory optimization, or removal or termination of an X2 Link.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more calculated resource utilization metrics include at least one of: physical resource usage, system memory usage, or power usage.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links comprises:
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the estimated coordinated multi-point link throughput lies within a predetermined throughput range.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links comprises:
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the physical resource usage is less than a physical resource usage threshold;
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the system memory usage is less than a system memory usage threshold; and
determining, via the hardware processor, whether the power usage is less than a power usage threshold.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
modifying, via the hardware processor, a coordinated multi-point link set for a user equipment based on the identified one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links, after determining to implement the one or more potential changes to the one or more coordinated multi-point links.

Dated this 25th day of January 2015

Swetha SN
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates generally to improving wireless data rates, and more particularly to methods and systems for dynamic CoMP-link maintenance.