Methods and apparatus for optimization of femtocell network management

• US 10,136,394 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Choi, Hyung-Nam, Bienas, Maik, Luft, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, William
• Application Number:
  US14/169,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Methods and apparatus that reduce network management overhead required for the operation of wireless femtocells. In one aspect of the invention, a central network entity governs the simultaneous operation of several femtocells by specifying modes of operation, and operational parameters for one or more of the femtocells. In one embodiment, at least one of the specified modes of operation directs a femtocell to operate in a substantially autonomous manner within the network-defined operational parameters. The network-defined constraints are provided to the femtocell for example, responsive to a successful registration attempt.

Claims

1. A method of placing a femtocell of a wireless network into a self-coordinated mode of operation, the method comprising:

signaling a plurality of parameters to the femtocell, wherein each of the plurality of parameters comprises an operating value for the parameter and wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a range of operating values;

wherein the femtocell performs one or more radio operations in the self-coordinated mode of operation using the plurality of parameters and the corresponding operating values without further exchanges with the network;

wherein, the self-coordinated mode of operation for the femtocell enables the femtocell to dynamically alter the one or more radio operations, in response to a change in the wireless network that decreases the quality of service between a UE and the femtocell, constrained at least in part by the range of operating values for the at least one of the parameters without further exchanges with the network;

wherein, when the plurality of parameters comprises a temporal parameter with a maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation, an expiration of the maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation triggers the femtocell to request an update of the temporal parameter from the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters comprise:

one or more allowed portions of the frequency spectrum to be used;

one or more bandwidth sizes within the allowed portions of the frequency spectrum;

the temporal parameter; and

a maximum allowed transmit power for the femtocell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprises a carrier frequency to be used by the femtocell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises an LTE (Long Term Evolution) compliant cellular network, and the femtocell comprises an HeNB (Home NodeB).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of signaling is caused substantially by an EPC (Evolved Packet Core) entity of the LTE-compliant network.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the method is performed based at least in part on determining at least one of:

(i) the presence of potential RF interferers proximate to the femtocell;

or (ii) the existence of overhead or loading conditions within the network.

7. A method of determining a plurality of parameters for a self-coordinated mode of operation for a newly deployed femtocell, the method comprising:

determining a number of active femtocells in a vicinity of the newly deployed femtocell associated with a first wireless network operator;

determining a network load parameter;

determining whether a given frequency spectrum is shared by other wireless network operators;

calculating the plurality of parameters based on the number of active femtocells, the network load parameter, and whether the given frequency spectrum is shared by other wireless network operators;

transmitting the plurality of parameters to the newly deployed femtocell enabling operation for the newly deployed femtocell within a coverage area of the number of active femtocells, wherein each of the plurality of parameters comprises an operating value for the parameter and wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a range of operating values;

wherein the femtocell performs one or more radio operations in the self-coordinated mode of operation using the plurality of parameters and the corresponding operating values without further exchanges with the network;

wherein, the self-coordinated mode of operation for the femtocell enables the femtocell to dynamically alter the one or more radio operations, in response to a change in the wireless network that decreases the quality of service between a UE and the femtocell, constrained at least in part by the range of operating values for the at least one of the parameters without further exchanges with the network;

wherein, when the plurality of parameters comprises a temporal parameter with a maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation, an expiration of the maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation triggers the femtocell to request an update of the temporal parameter from the network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the number of active femtocells is greater than one, and comprises at least one femtocell that is associated with the first wireless network operator, and at least one femtocell that is associated with at least one of the other network operators.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the number of active femtocells comprises evaluating information received from the one or more femtocells relating to received RF signals and wherein determining whether a given frequency spectrum is shared comprises evaluating information received from the one or more femtocells relating to received RF signals.

10. A femtocell comprising:

a processing device in data communication with a memory;

a wireless subsystem;

a network interface subsystem configured to communicate with a central network entity of a wireless network; and

a plurality of executable instructions resident within the memory that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to;

receive a plurality of parameters from the central network entity via the network interface subsystem, wherein each of the plurality of parameters comprises an operating value for the parameter and wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a range of operating values;

autonomously select a frequency part and a size for the operation of the femtocell apparatus based at least in part on the received plurality of parameters;

enable the self-coordinated mode of operation based on the selected frequency part and size for the femtocell apparatus,

wherein the femtocell performs one or more radio operations in a self-coordinated mode of operation using the plurality of parameters and the corresponding operating values without further exchanges with the network;

wherein, the femtocell is configured to dynamically alter the one or more radio operations, in response to a change in the wireless network that decreases the quality of service between a UE and the femtocell, constrained at least in part by the range of operating values for the at least one of the parameters without further exchanges with the network;

wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a temporal parameter with a maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation, wherein upon an expiration of the maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation, the instructions cause the processor to;

request an update of the temporal parameter from the central network entity via the network interface subsystem.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the expiration event is one of a predetermined time and a plurality of events.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of parameters received from the central network entity comprise:

a carrier frequency and a frequency spectrum to be used;

one or more allowed portions of the frequency spectrum;

one or more bandwidth sizes within the frequency spectrum;

the maximum allowed duration of operation; and

a maximum allowed transmit power for the femtocell apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to communicate with a plurality of user equipment (UE), and arbitrate the allocation of resources between the plurality of UE based on at least one criterion.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

scan for a current radio resource utilization, wherein the scan comprises one of (i) all resources available for the apparatus, (ii) resources used by a network operator to which the apparatus is related, (iii) a predetermined frequency spectrum and (iv) a predetermined frequency range based on a time and a predetermined spreading code.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the scan includes identifying cell identifications for each eNodeB of an LTE compliant network within a range of the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the scan includes identifying cell identifications for each Home eNodeB of an LTE compliant network within a range of the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus dynamically alters the one or more radio operations based on the scan.

14. A method of operating a femtocell in a self-coordinated mode, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of parameters from a central network entity of a wireless network, wherein each of the plurality of parameters comprises an operating value for the parameter and wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a range of operating values;

selecting one or more radio resources for femtocell operation based at least in part on the received plurality of parameters and the corresponding operating values; and

responsive to a change in the wireless network that decreases the quality of service between a UE and the femtocell, re-selecting a one or more radio resources for femtocell operation based at least in part on the received plurality of parameters and the corresponding operating values and wherein occurs without further exchanges with the central network entity;

wherein, when the plurality of parameters comprises a temporal parameter with a maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation, an expiration of the maximum allowed duration for the self-coordinated mode of operation triggers the femtocell to request an update of the temporal parameter from the network.