Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a light active estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station are disclosed. For example, the method may include transmitting a first data packet from the small cell base station to a network entity, receiving a second data packet from the network entity in response to the transmission, calculating a time delay between the transmitting of the first data packet and the receiving of the second data packet, and determining whether or not a backhaul of the small cell base station is congested based on the calculated time delay. As such, light active estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station may be achieved.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for calibrating a small cell base station for backhaul management. For example, the method may include exchanging backhaul probing messages with a probing server by initiating a plurality of probing packets at the small cell base station, wherein the exchanging is performed over a backhaul after determining that a full queue condition associated with the backhaul is satisfied, computing calibration statistics for the backhaul based on characteristics associated with the backhaul probing messages, and adjusting one or more backhaul parameters of the small cell based on the calibration statistics. As such, calibration of a small cell base station for backhaul management may be achieved.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for off-loading user equipment (UE) from a small cell base station. For example, the method may include identifying a first and a second set of UEs from a plurality of UEs at a small cell base station, prioritizing the first and the second set of UEs, and off-loading one or more UEs from the first or the second set of UEs based at least on the prioritization. As such, off-loading of UEs from a small cell base station may be achieved.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for backhaul management at a small cell base station. For example, the method may include receiving an indication from a radio resource management (RRM) framework of a small cell base station, wherein the indication received from the RRM framework is related to a coverage problem at a user equipment (UE), and wherein the UE is in communication with the small cell, and modifying a backhaul estimation mechanism at the small cell base station for the UE based on the indication received from the RRM framework of the small cell base station. As such, backhaul management at a small cell base station may be achieved.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for passive estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station. For example, the method may include determining, at the small cell base station, whether a time slot utilization of a flow at a user equipment (UE) in communication with the small cell base station is above a first threshold, wherein a plurality of time slots are associated with the flow, determining whether an average throughput of the flow is below a second threshold in response to determining that the time slot utilization is above the first threshold, and identifying that the flow is not satisfied in response to determining that the average throughput of the flow is below the second threshold. As such, passive estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station may be achieved.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents a method and an apparatus for a light active estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station. For example, the method may include transmitting a first data packet from the small cell base station to a network entity, receiving a second data packet from the network entity in response to the transmission, calculating a time delay between the transmitting of the first data packet and the receiving of the second data packet, and determining whether or not a backhaul of the small cell base station is congested based on the calculated time delay. As such, light active estimation mechanism for backhaul management at a small cell base station may be achieved.