Dynamic adjustment of uplink coordinated multipoint service
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- determining, by a first base station, a carrier-aggregation status corresponding to a user equipment (UE) that is operating in a coverage area of the base station;
based at least in part on the carrier-aggregation status corresponding to the UE, the first base station selecting an uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode from a plurality of uplink CoMP modes; and
receiving, by the first base station, an uplink communication from the UE according to the selected uplink CoMP mode;
wherein determining the carrier-aggregation status comprises determining whether or not carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, and wherein selecting the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP mode comprises;
if it is determined that carrier aggregation is not applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then disabling uplink CoMP; and
if it is determined that carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then;
(i) determining a total number of carriers that are applicable for carrier aggregation service with the UE, and (ii) using the total number of carriers as a basis for selecting the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP modes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Coordinated multipoint (CoMP) can improve uplink service in cellular networks. However, uplink CoMP can also burden an access network, such as by increasing processing loads at base stations and/or increasing traffic on backhaul links between base stations. Accordingly, exemplary methods and systems help to dynamically select an uplink CoMP mode for a user equipment (UE) based on various factors, such as whether the UE is located at a border cell, whether or not carrier aggregation is being utilized for downlink communications with the UE, and/or whether or not the UE is a heavy data user, among other possible factors.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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determining, by a first base station, a carrier-aggregation status corresponding to a user equipment (UE) that is operating in a coverage area of the base station; based at least in part on the carrier-aggregation status corresponding to the UE, the first base station selecting an uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode from a plurality of uplink CoMP modes; and receiving, by the first base station, an uplink communication from the UE according to the selected uplink CoMP mode; wherein determining the carrier-aggregation status comprises determining whether or not carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, and wherein selecting the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP mode comprises; if it is determined that carrier aggregation is not applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then disabling uplink CoMP; and if it is determined that carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then;
(i) determining a total number of carriers that are applicable for carrier aggregation service with the UE, and (ii) using the total number of carriers as a basis for selecting the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP modes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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determining, by a first base station, a data-usage class that is associated with a user equipment (UE), wherein the data-usage class is one of a plurality of pre-defined data-usage classes comprising at least a first data-usage class that indicates that a corresponding user account has a standard data-usage level and a second data-usage class that indicates that a corresponding user account has a heavy data-usage level; based at least in part on the associated data-usage class, the first base station selecting an uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode from a plurality of uplink CoMP modes; and receiving, by the first base station, an uplink communication from the UE according to the selected uplink CoMP mode. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A network component comprising:
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one or more communication interfaces configured for uplink and downlink communication with a user equipment (UE) that operates in a coverage area of the base station; at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the at least one processor to; (a) determine a carrier-aggregation status corresponding to the UE; (b) based at least in part on the carrier-aggregation status corresponding to the UE, select an uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode from a plurality of uplink CoMP modes; and (c) receive, via at least one of the communication interfaces, an uplink communication from the UE according to the selected uplink CoMP mode wherein determination of the carrier-aggregation status comprises a determination of whether or not carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, and wherein selection of the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP mode comprises; if it is determined that carrier aggregation is not applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then disabling uplink CoMP, and if it is determined that carrier aggregation is applicable for downlink communications with the UE, then;
(i) determining a total number of carriers that are applicable for carrier aggregation service with the UE, and (ii) using the total number of carriers as a basis for selecting the uplink CoMP mode from the plurality of uplink CoMP modes.
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19. A network component comprising:
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one or more communication interfaces configured for uplink and downlink communication with a user equipment (UE) that operates in a coverage area of the base station; at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the at least one processor to; (a) determine a data-usage class that is associated with the UE, wherein the data-usage class is one of a plurality of pre-defined data-usage classes that indicate levels of data usage, wherein the plurality of pre-defined data-usage classes comprises at least a first data-usage class that indicates that a corresponding user account has a standard data-usage level and a second data-usage class that indicates that a corresponding user account has a heavy data-usage level; (b) based at least in part on the associated data-usage class, select an uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode from a plurality of uplink CoMP modes; and (c) receive an uplink communication from the UE according to the selected uplink CoMP mode.
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Specification