Methods of power overload control in communcation systems

• US 20080096576A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Charriere, Patrick, Mueckenheim, Jens, Brueck, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level

Abstract

Methods of providing power overload control in a communication system having a least one base station serving one or more users of at least one cell are described which may avoid an overload condition in the system. In one aspect, a target signal-to-interference ratio (SIR_target) may be controlled for inner loop power control implemented by the base station, so as to maintain the loading of the communication system below an overload condition. In another aspect, a target block error rate (BLER_target) may be controlled for outer loop power control implemented by the base station, so as to maintain the loading of communication system below an overload condition.

Claims

1. A method of performing power overload control in a communication system, comprising:

estimating a loading of one or more users of a given cell in the system;

dividing the estimated load into one or more load areas, each load area associated with a given target block error rate (BLER_target);

providing an adjustment to BLER_target based on a given evaluated load area to control transmit power of users in the cell so as to prevent a power overload condition in the system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing includes dividing the estimated load into a first load area with an associated first BLER_target value and a second load area with an associated second BLER_target value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the first load area represents an area of relatively high loading and the second load area represents an area of relatively low loading, and

the first BLER_target value is greater than the second BLER_target value.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein

the first load area represents an area of relatively low loading and the second load area represents an area of relatively high loading, and

the first BLER_target value is less than the second BLER_target value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing includes providing an adjusted BLER_target based on the given evaluated load area to outer loop power control implemented by a base station serving users of the at least one cell, the outer loop power control controlling quality of a link between the base station and cell so as to avoid a power overload condition.

6. A method of providing power overload control in a communication system having a least one base station serving one or more users of at least one cell, comprising controlling a target block error rate (BLER_target) for outer loop power control implemented by the base station so as to maintain the loading of the communication system below an overload condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling further includes adjusting BLER_target based on estimated loading of the cell so as to control power at which users transmit information to the base station.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said controlling is implemented at the base station in addition to existing call admission control and congestion control functionalities to prevent the communication system from reaching an overload condition.