AUTOMATIC BUILDING OF NEIGHBOR LISTS IN MOBILE SYSTEM

• US 20070097938A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: VIKBERG, Jari, NYLANDER, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 : Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 : between access points and access point controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/22 : between access point controllers

Abstract

In a radio access network (24) a femto radio base station (28_f) comprises a resident receiver (54) which acquires system information broadcast in a radio access network (24). At least part of the system information is used for building, at the femto radio base station (28_f), a neighbor data structure (59) comprising information for neighboring cells. The neighbor data structure (59) is then used for building a neighbor list. The neighbor list is subsequently transmitted from the femto radio base station (28_f) to a user equipment unit (30) served by the femto radio base station (28_f). In some example embodiments and modes, the femto radio base station (28_f) reports the neighbor data structure to a network node (26, 100) other than the femto radio base station. The other node (26, 100) uses the neighbor data structure for building the neighbor list at the other node. In some example embodiments and modes, acquisition of the system information comprises scanning a surrounding macro coverage area of the femto radio base station for obtaining cell identity information for detected cells. In other example embodiments and modes, the acquisition of the system information can additionally comprise camping on a macro cell and using/consulting at least one system information block in the camped-on macro cell is consulted/used for obtaining information about at least one neighboring cell.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radio access network comprising:

acquiring, at a femto radio base station and over a radio interface, system information broadcast in a radio access network;

using at least part of the system information for building, at the femto radio base station, a neighbor data structure comprising information for neighboring cells;

using the neighbor data structure for building a neighbor list;

transmitting the neighbor list from the femto radio base station to a user equipment unit served by the femto radio base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the neighbor list from the femto radio base station to the user equipment unit served by the femto radio base station comprises broadcasting the neighbor list to user equipment units served by the femto radio base station which are in idle mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the neighbor list from the femto radio base station to the user equipment unit served by the femto radio base station comprises using a dedicate signaling connection for sending the neighbor list as a monitored set to user equipment units served by the femto radio base station which are in active mode or connected mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the neighbor data structure to a network node other than the femto radio base station and using the neighbor data structure for building a neighbor list at the other node;

transmitting the neighbor list to the femto radio base station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the other node is a radio network controller node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the system information comprises scanning a surrounding macro coverage area of the femto radio base station for obtaining cell identity information for detected cells, and wherein the method further comprises, for each detected cell:

adding the cell identity information to the neighbor data structure;

performing measurement of signal strength for each cell having its cell identity added to the neighbor data structure;

adding a measured value of the signal strength to the neighbor data structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of acquiring the system information comprises further comprises camping on a macro cell, and wherein the method further comprises:

adding cell identity information and a signal strength measurement for the camped-on macro cell to the neighbor data structure;

using at least one system information block in the camped-on macro cell for obtaining information about a neighboring cell;

adding cell identity information and signal strength measurement for the neighboring cell to the neighbor data structure.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising using the neighbor data structure as built by the femto radio base station as the neighbor list.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the neighbor data structure for building the neighbor list comprises at least one of the following:

filtering at least one cell from the neighbor data structure;

replacing at least one cell of the neighbor data structure with a replacement cell; and

adding a new cell to the neighbor data structure.

10. A femto radio base station comprising:

a resident radio receiver arranged for scanning a surrounding macro coverage area of the femto radio base station for obtaining system information comprising cell identity information for detected cells and for performing signal strength measurements;

a neighbor data structure builder arranged for using at least part of the system information for building a neighbor data structure comprising information for neighboring cells, the neighbor data structure builder being arranged to include in the neighbor data structure the cell identity information for detected cells and the signal strength measurement for each cell in the neighbor data structure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resident radio receiver is further arranged for camping on a macro cell and for obtaining:

(1) cell identity and a signal strength measurement for the camped-on macro cell;

(2) system information block in the camped-on macro cell for obtaining information about at least one neighboring cell; and

wherein the neighbor data structure builder is further arranged for using (1) and (2) for building a neighbor data structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a list manager arranged for using the neighbor data structure as built by the neighbor data structure builder of the femto radio base station as the neighbor list for transmission to a user equipment unit served by the femto radio base station.

13. A radio access network comprising:

a femto radio base station comprising;

a resident radio receiver arranged for obtaining system information broadcast in a radio access network;

means for using at least part of the system information for building, at the femto radio base station, a neighbor data structure comprising information for neighboring cells;

a node distinct from the femto radio base station arranged for using the neighbor data structure for building a neighbor list.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the node arranged for using the neighbor data structure for building a neighbor list comprises a radio network controller node.