Dynamic cell reconfiguring method and cellular network system to which the method is applied

• US 20070142057A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Murakami, Norio, Kembo, Seguel
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/04 Traffic adaptive resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A cell configuration can be easily and dynamically changed with less equipment correspondingly to a communication environment by a dynamic cell reconfiguring method in a cellular network system including an antenna that has a plurality of sector antennas disposed correspondingly to a cell and a plurality of base station equipment disposed at a location distant from the antenna. Based on a predetermined parameter value output from the plurality of the sector antennas, a configuration of the cell is changed by switching connection between the plurality of the base station equipment and the plurality of the sector antennas.

Claims

1. A dynamic cell reconfiguring method in a cellular network system including an antenna that has a plurality of sector antennas disposed correspondingly to a cell and a plurality of base station equipment disposed at a location distant from the antenna,

wherein based on a predetermined parameter value output from the plurality of the sector antennas, a configuration of the cell is changed by switching connection between the plurality of the base station equipment and the plurality of the sector antennas.

2. The dynamic cell reconfiguring method according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined parameter is a quality of service (QoS) value.

3. The dynamic cell reconfiguring method according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna has a plurality of sector antennas, and

wherein when a plurality of sector antennas are connected to a same cell station equipment in common, a plurality of sector antennas have omnidirectional antenna radiation characteristics.

4. A cellular network system including an antenna that has a plurality of sector antennas disposed correspondingly to a cell and a plurality of base station equipment disposed at a location distant from the antenna through a transmission medium, comprising:

a plurality of cell station equipment that has interfaces and amplifiers corresponding to the transmission medium on the antenna side;

a first switch that switches and connects the plurality of the cell station equipment to the plurality of the sector antennas of the antenna; and

a control circuit that controls the first switch by detecting a predetermined parameter in the plurality of the sector antennas of the antenna such that the connection between the plurality of the cell station equipment and the plurality of the sector antennas is reconfigured based on the detected parameter.

5. The cellular network system according to claim 4,

wherein the transmission medium is a plurality of coaxial cables or optical fibers linking the plurality of the base station equipment and the plurality of the cell station equipment,

the cellular network system further comprising:

a second switch that switches and connects the combination of the plurality of the coaxial cables or optical fibers and the plurality of the cell station equipment on the antenna side; and

a third switch that switches and connects the combination of the plurality of the coaxial cables or optical fibers and the plurality of the base station equipment on the base station equipment side, and the sector antennas at the antenna site,

wherein the control circuit further controls the second and third switches based on the detected parameter to reconfigure the combination of the connection between the plurality of the base station equipment and the plurality of the cell station equipment, and the plurality of sector antennas.

6. The cellular network system according to claim 4,

wherein the predetermined parameter is a quality of service (QoS) value.

7. The cellular network system according to claim 5,

wherein the predetermined parameter is a quality of service (QoS) value.

8. The cellular network system of claim 4,

wherein the cell station equipment includes a circuit that adjusts impedance changed depending on which of the plurality of the sector antenna is connected.

9. The cellular network system of claim 5,

wherein the antenna includes a plurality of sector antennas, and

wherein when a plurality of sector antennas are connected to the same cell station equipment in common, a plurality of sector antennas have omnidirectional antenna radiation characteristics.

10. The cellular network system of claim 5,

wherein the antenna includes a plurality of sector antennas, and

wherein when a plurality of sector antennas are connected to the same cell station equipment in common, a plurality of sector antennas have omnidirectional antenna radiation characteristics.