Adjusting small cell transmit power according to load and transmit power of other small cells

• US 10,194,399 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanchang Coolpad Intelligent Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nanchang Coolpad Intelligent Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhu, Yajun
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US15/431,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20170156117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 455522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method for adjusting transmission power of a small cell, a system for adjusting transmission power of a small cell, and a small cell include acquiring transmission power of other small cells when downlink data needs to be transmitted; and adjusting transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to a load state of the small cell and the transmission power of the other small cells.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting transmission power of a small cell, comprising:

based on an instruction for switching from an off state to an on state by the small cell, determining that downlink data needs to be transmitted, wherein the off state comprises one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, wherein;

in the first state, the small cell transmits signals in a long period for a load to discover a community,

in the second state, the small cell transmits no signal and monitors transmission of surrounding loads, and

in the third state, the small cell transmits no signal, monitors no transmission of the surrounding loads, and maintains interaction capability of backhaul signaling;

based on a determination that the downlink data needs to be transmitted, acquiring transmission power of other small cells; and

adjusting transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to a load state of the small cell and the transmission power of the other small cells.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to a power adjusting request in response to receiving the power adjusting request from the other small cells; and

transmitting a power adjusting request to the other small cells for adjusting the transmission power of the other small cells when the other small cells transmit other downlink data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a change of the load state of the small cell in real time; and

adjusting the transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to the change of the load state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the load state comprises service demand of loads, positions of the loads within coverage of the small cell, and the number of the loads.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing the loads of the adjusted transmission power by transmitting system information, RRC signaling, medium access control element signaling, or physical layer signaling; and

informing the other small cells of the adjusted transmission power according to backhaul.

6. A small cell comprising:

a memory storing computer-readable program codes; and

a processor configured to invoke the computer-readable program codes to;

based on a determination that downlink data needs to be transmitted by the small cell, acquire transmission power of other small cells; and

adjust transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to a load state of the small cell and the transmission power of the other small cells, wherein the load state comprises at least one of service demand of loads, positions of the loads within coverage of the small cell, or the number of the loads, and wherein the computer-readable program codes to adjust the transmission power for transmitting the downlink data further comprise computer-readable program codes invoked by the processor to;

when the small cell is in an off state,

based on a determination that a load enters the coverage of the small cell,

increase the transmission power of the other cells, or

switch the small cell to an on state; and

when the small cell is in an on state,

based on a determination that the load is near the center of the coverage of the small cell,

decrease the transmission power of the small cell, and

based on a determination that the number of the loads or the service demand of the loads within the coverage of the small cell decreases,

switch at least one of the small cell or the other cells to an off state.

7. The small cell of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable program codes further comprise computer-readable program codes invoked by the processor to:

adjust the transmission power of the small cell for transmitting the downlink data according to a power adjusting request in response to receiving the power adjusting request from the other small cells; and

transmit a power adjusting request to the other small cells for adjusting the transmission power of the other small cells when the other small cells transmit other downlink data.

8. The small cell of claim 6, wherein the transmission power of the other small cells is acquired using one of a backhaul signaling and an air interface.

9. The small cell of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable program codes further comprise computer-readable program codes invoked by the processor to:

in response to receiving an instruction for switching from an off state to an on state by the small cell, determine that the downlink data needs to be transmitted.

10. The small cell of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable program codes further comprise computer-readable program codes invoked by the processor to:

inform the loads of the adjusted transmission power by transmitting system information, RRC signaling, medium access control element signaling or physical layer signaling; and

inform the other small cells of the adjusted transmission power according to backhaul.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable program codes executable by a small cell to:

in response to receiving an instruction for switching from an off state to an on state by the small cell, determine that downlink data needs to be transmitted, wherein the off state comprises one of a first state, a second state, and a third state, wherein

in the first state, the small cell transmits signals in a long period for a load to discover a community,

in the second state, the small cell transmits no signal and monitors transmission of surrounding loads, and

in the third state, the small cell transmits no signal, monitors no transmission of the surrounding loads, and maintains interaction capability of backhaul signaling;

based on a determination that the downlink data needs to be transmitted by the small cell, acquire transmission power of other small cells; and

adjust transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to a load state of the small cell and the transmission power of the other small cells.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable programs executable by the small cell further comprises computer-readable programs to:

adjust the transmission power of the small cell for transmitting the downlink data according to a power adjusting request in response to receiving the power adjusting request from the other small cells; and

transmit a power adjusting request to the other small cells for adjusting the transmission power of the other small cells when the other small cells transmit other downlink data.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable programs executable by the small cell further comprises computer-readable programs to:

detect a change of the load state of the small cell in real time; and

adjust the transmission power for transmitting the downlink data according to the change of the load state.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the load state comprises at least one of service demand of loads, positions of the loads within coverage of the small cell, or the number of the loads.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable programs executable by the small cell further comprises computer-readable programs to:

inform the loads of the adjusted transmission power by transmitting system information, RRC signaling, medium access control element signaling or physical layer signaling; and

inform the other small cells of the adjusted transmission power according to backhaul.