INTERFERENCE MANAGEMENT UTILIZING POWER CONTROL

• US 20090082026A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Peter J., Nanda, Sanjiv, Yavuz, Mehmet
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/248 where transmission power control commands are generated based on a path parameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of fractional reuse and other techniques. In some aspects fractional reuse may relate to HARQ interlaces, portions of a timeslot, frequency spectrum, and spreading codes. Interference may be managed through the use of a transmit power profile and/or an attenuation profile. Interference also may be managed through the use of power management-related techniques.

Claims

1. A method of power control, comprising:

determining a transmit power parameter for an access terminal associated with a first access point to mitigate interference caused by the access terminal at a second access point; and

sending the transmit power parameter to the access terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving signals to estimate the interference caused by the access terminal at the second access point, wherein the transmit power parameter is determined based on the interference estimate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit power parameter comprises maximum transmit power.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving signals indicative of the interference caused by the access terminal at the second access point, wherein the maximum transmit power is determined based on the received signals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the signals are received by monitoring a downlink, the method further comprising determining, based on the received signals, a received signal strength associated with signals transmitted by the second access point and/or whether the second access point transmitted a load indication.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the signals are received from the access terminal or at least one other access terminal associated with the first access point, the method further comprising determining, based on the received signals, a received signal strength associated with signals transmitted by the second access point and/or whether the second access point transmitted a load indication.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the signals are received via a backhaul from a network node or the second access point; and

the signals are indicative of interference at the second access point.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising increasing a rise-over-thermal threshold, wherein the maximum transmit power is reduced as a result of the increase in the rise-over-thermal threshold.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising allowing a rise-over-thermal threshold to increase without restriction.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising limiting an increase in transmit power for the access terminal caused by the increase in the rise-over-thermal threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit power indication comprises a maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving downlink signal-to-noise ratio information, wherein the maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio is determined as a function of the downlink signal to noise ratio information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit power parameter is determined by the first access point.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit power parameter is determined by a network node.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access point is restricted to not provide, for at least one node, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

16. An apparatus for power control, comprising:

an interference controller configured to determine a transmit power parameter for an access terminal associated with a first access point to mitigate interference caused by the access terminal at a second access point; and

a communication controller configured to send the transmit power parameter to the access terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the communication controller is further configured to receive signals to estimate the interference caused by the access terminal at the second access point, wherein the transmit power parameter is determined based on the interference estimate.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transmit power parameter comprises maximum transmit power.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the interference controller is further configured to increase a rise-over-thermal threshold, wherein the maximum transmit power is reduced as a result of the increase in the rise-over-thermal threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the interference controller is further configured to allow a rise-over-thermal threshold to increase without restriction.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transmit power indication comprises a maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the communication controller is further configured to receive downlink signal-to-noise ratio information; and

the maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio is determined as a function of the downlink signal to noise ratio information.

23. An apparatus for power control, comprising:

means for determining a transmit power parameter for an access terminal associated with a first access point to mitigate interference caused by the access terminal at a second access point; and

means for sending the transmit power parameter to the access terminal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the means for sending is configured to receive signals to estimate the interference caused by the access terminal at the second access point; and

wherein the transmit power parameter is determined based on the interference estimate.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the transmit power parameter comprises maximum transmit power.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for determining is configured to increase a rise-over-thermal threshold, wherein the maximum transmit power is reduced as a result of the increase in the rise-over-thermal threshold.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for determining is configured to allow a rise-over-thermal threshold to increase without restriction.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the transmit power indication comprises a maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein:

the means for sending is configured to receive downlink signal-to-noise ratio information; and

the maximum traffic-power-to-pilot-power ratio is determined as a function of the downlink signal to noise ratio information.

30. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to;

determine a transmit power parameter for an access terminal associated with a first access point to mitigate interference caused by the access terminal at a second access point; and

send the transmit power parameter to the access terminal.

31. The computer-program product of claim 30, further comprising codes for causing the computer to receive signals to estimate the interference caused by the access terminal at the second access point, wherein the transmit power parameter is determined based on the interference estimate.

32. A method of power control, comprising:

determining whether received signal strength associated with signals from at least one access terminal has changed; and

controlling, based on the determination, an attenuation factor for an access point to mitigate uplink interference.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the attenuation factor comprises a noise figure or receive attenuation.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the determination comprises determining that the received signal strength is greater than or equal to a threshold; and

the controlling comprises increasing the attenuation factor.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one access terminal is not associated with the access point.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one access terminal is associated with the access point.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the access point performs the determination.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein a network node performs the determination.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the access point is restricted to not provide, for at least one node, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

40. An apparatus for power control, comprising:

a transceiver configured to determine whether received signal strength associated with signals from at least one access terminal has changed; and

an interference controller configured to control, based on the determination, an attenuation factor for an access point to mitigate uplink interference.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the attenuation factor comprises a noise figure or receive attenuation.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one access terminal is not associated with the access point.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one access terminal is associated with the access point.

44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the access point performs the determination.

45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein a network node performs the determination.

46. An apparatus for power control, comprising:

means for determining whether received signal strength associated with signals from at least one access terminal has changed; and

means for controlling, based on the determination, an attenuation factor for an access point to mitigate uplink interference.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the attenuation factor comprises a noise figure or receive attenuation.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the at least one access terminal is not associated with the access point.

49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the at least one access terminal is associated with the access point.

50. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the access point performs the determination.

51. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein a network node performs the determination.

52. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to;

determine whether received signal strength associated with signals from at least one access terminal has changed; and

control, based on the determination, an attenuation factor for an access point to mitigate uplink interference.

53. The computer-program product of claim 52, wherein the attenuation factor comprises a noise figure or receive attenuation.