HIERARCHICAL CELL DEPLOYMENT

• US 20080219216A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Taaghol, Pouya, Venkatachalam, Muthaiah
• Granted Patent: US 8,355,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data

Abstract

A hierarchical cell structure that may be applicable to any wireless communications network utilizing cells. One or more characteristics associated with a mobile device configured to communicate with the base stations via a wireless communications protocol are determined while the mobile device is communicating with a base station. The one or more characteristics are utilized to determine a subsequent base station to be the target of a handoff procedure.

Claims

1. A method, in a communications network having multiple cells with corresponding base stations, comprising:

determining one or more characteristics associated with a mobile device configured to communicate with the base stations via a wireless communications protocol while the mobile device is communicating with a first base station, wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics is communicated to the first base station via a field of a packet conforming to the wireless communications protocol; and

utilizing the one or more characteristics to determine a second base station to be the target of a handoff procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular-enabled communications device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a laptop computer system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a WiMAX compliant protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a TDMA protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a CDMA protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple cells with corresponding base stations comprise at least a macrocell having a corresponding base station, wherein one or more microcells with respective base stations exist within the macrocell.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the coverage area and/or the data rate provided by the macrocell base station is different than the coverage area and/or the data rate of the microcell base stations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein one or more picocells with respective base stations exist within the microcell.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the coverage area and/or the data rate provided by the microcell base station is different than the coverage area and/or the data rate of the picocell base stations.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of:

a handoff frequency, a travel speed, a direction of travel, a bandwidth usage, a current cell type.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second base station is selected from a cell type based on the one or more characteristics.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the cell type is communicated between the second base station and the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the cell type is communicated as a 4-bit value within a WiMAX compliant message.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the WiMAX compliant message comprises a MOB_NBR_ADV message.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the WiMAX compliant message comprises a DL_MAP message.

17. A network comprising:

a plurality of base stations to provide wireless communications within cells, the cells configured in a hierarchical architecture;

at least one mobile wireless device to communicate with one or more of the base stations via a wireless communications protocol;

the plurality of base stations and/or the mobile wireless device to determine one or more characteristics associated with the mobile wireless device while the mobile wireless device is communicating with a first base station in the plurality of base stations and to utilize the one or more characteristics to determine a second base station from the plurality of base stations to be the target of a handoff procedure such that after the handoff the mobile wireless device communicates with the second base station.

18. The network of claim 17 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a WiMAX compliant protocol.

19. The network of claim 17 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a TDMA protocol.

20. The network of claim 17 wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a CDMA protocol.

21. The network of claim 17 wherein the plurality of base stations provide multiple cells corresponding to the base stations that comprise at least a macrocell having a corresponding base station, wherein each macro cell includes one or more microcells with respective base stations.

22. The network of claim 21 wherein the coverage area and/or the data rate provided by the macrocell base station is different than the coverage area and/or the data rate of the microcell base stations.

23. The network of claim 21, wherein one or more picocells with respective base stations exist within the microcell.

24. The network of claim 23 wherein the coverage area and/or the data rate provided by the microcell base station is different than the coverage area and/or the data rate of the picocell base stations.

25. The network of claim 17 wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of:

a handoff frequency, a travel speed, a direction of travel, a bandwidth usage, a current cell type.

26. The network of claim 17 wherein the second base station is selected from a cell type based on the one or more characteristics.

27. The network of claim 26 wherein the cell type is communicated between the second base station and the mobile device.

28. The network of claim 27 wherein the cell type is communicated as a 4-bit value within a WiMAX compliant message.

29. The network of claim 28 wherein the WiMAX compliant message comprises a MOB_NBR_ADV message.

30. The network of claim 28 wherein the WiMAX compliant message comprises a DL_MAP message.