Reference signal interference management in heterogeneous network deployments

• US 10,225,057 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Siomina, Iana, Lindbom, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US15/393,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0613 using simultaneous transmission H04B7/0686 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0684 using different training sequences per antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for enabling interference coordination in a communication network. A base station includes a plurality of antenna ports. Each antenna port is configured to transmit a reference signal, and each antenna port is associated with a respective cell. The base station determines a set of cells where transmissions of reference signals is to be performed from a reduced set of the plurality of antenna ports. The base station determines a subset of antenna ports in at least one cell of the determined set of cells to enable interference coordination in the network, and transmits the reference signal from the subset of antenna ports.

Claims

1. A method in a coordinating network node for enabling interference coordination in a communication network, the method comprising:

acquiring information about a set of interfering cells among a plurality of cells in a communication network;

generating assistance data based on the acquired information, wherein the assistance data includes a number of antenna ports to be used for transmissions by a network node in one of the interfering cells; and

transmitting the assistance data to a user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the assistance data is triggered by detecting predetermined interference conditions for the user equipment in the communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinating network node is associated with an interfering macro cell.

4. A network node for enabling interference coordination in a communication network, the network node comprising:

a processor configured to

acquire information about a set of interfering cells among a plurality of cells in a communication network; and

generate assistance data based on the acquired information, wherein the assistance data includes a number of antenna ports to be used for transmissions by a network node in one or more of the interfering cells; and

one or more antennas configured to transmit the assistance data to a user equipment.

5. The network node of claim 4, wherein the transmitting of the assistance data is triggered by detecting predetermined interference conditions for the user equipment in the communication network.

6. The network node of claim 4, wherein the network node is associated with an interfering macro cell.