Self Organizing Network

• US 20090312022A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Socionext Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Viorel, Dorin, Okuda, Masato, Chen, Wei-Peng, Zhu, Chenxi, Huo, Changqin
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/20 for optimising the interference level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A method for implementing a self organizing network includes establishing a connection between a femto base station and a network access device operable to provide the femto base station with Internet access. The method also includes establishing a backhaul connection between the femto base station and a wireless service provider'"'"'s network via the Internet. The method further includes establishing a wireless connection with one or more endpoints via a radio frequency (RF) channel. The method additionally includes transmitting, from the femto base station to the wireless service provider'"'"'s network, neighborhood RF interference information via the backhaul connection. The method also includes receiving RF channel re-provisioning information from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network and re-provisioning the RF channel. The method further includes participating in a hand-off procedure to hand-off the endpoints to the re-provisioned RF channel.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a self organizing network, comprising:

establishing a connection between a femto base station and a network access device operable to provide the femto base station with Internet access;

establishing a backhaul connection between the femto base station and a wireless service provider'"'"'s network via the Internet;

establishing a wireless connection with one or more endpoints via a radio frequency (RF) channel;

transmitting, from the femto base station to the wireless service provider'"'"'s network, neighborhood RF interference information via the backhaul connection;

receiving RF channel re-provisioning information from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network;

re-provisioning the RF channel; and

participating in a hand-off procedure to hand-off the endpoints to the re-provisioned RF channel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

conducting an RF scan to discover neighboring RF transmitting entities; and

generating the neighborhood RF interference information based on the RF scan.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the hand-off procedure comprises receiving hand-off assistance from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining a maintenance flag has been raised indicating maintenance is needed, initiating a maintenance procedure.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a maintenance request raising the maintenance flag, the maintenance request received from a group consisting of the wireless service provider'"'"'s network and

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a self-check procedure.

7. A method for implementing a self organizing network, comprising:

establishing a backhaul connection with a femto base station;

receiving, from the femto base station, neighborhood radio frequency (RF) interference information via the backhaul connection;

creating an RF environment map;

determining whether the femto base station is to re-provision its RF channel; and

upon determining that the femto base station is to re-provision its RF channel;

transmitting information indicative of the re-provisioning to the femto base station; and

participating in a hand-off procedure to hand-off any endpoints currently connected to the femto base station to the re-provisioned femto base station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the backhaul connection is established via a public network.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving, from a macro base station, neighborhood RF interference information via a private network.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a maintenance request to the femto base station requesting the femto base station to perform self maintenance.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the RF environment map comprises a matrix of interference values indicative of an interference experienced by the femto base station from any RF source indicated in the neighborhood RF interference information received from the femto base station.

12. A device for implementing a self organizing network, comprising:

a first interface operable to;

establish a connection between a femto base station and a network access device operable to provide the femto base station with Internet access;

establish a backhaul connection between the femto base station and a wireless service provider'"'"'s network via the Internet;

transmit, from the femto base station to the wireless service provider'"'"'s network, neighborhood RF interference information via the backhaul connection; and

receive RF channel re-provisioning information from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network;

a second interface, coupled to and different than, the first interface, the second interface operable to establish a wireless connection with one or more endpoints via a radio frequency (RF) channel; and

a processor coupled to the first and second interfaces and operable to;

re-provision the RF channel; and

participate in a hand-off procedure to hand-off the endpoints to the re-provisioned RF channel.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second interface is further operable to:

conduct an RF scan to discover neighboring RF transmitting entities; and

generate the neighborhood RF interference information based on the RF scan.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor operable to participate in the hand-off procedure is further operable to receive hand-off assistance from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the first interface is further operable to receive a maintenance request from the wireless service provider'"'"'s network; and

the processor is further operable to initiate a maintenance procedure.

16. A device for implementing a self organizing network, comprising:

an interface operable to;

establish a backhaul connection with a femto base station; and

receive, from the femto base station, neighborhood radio frequency (RF) interference information via the backhaul connection; and

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to;

create an RF environment map; and

determine whether the femto base station is to re-provision its RF channel;

wherein, upon determining that the femto base station is to re-provision its RF channel;

the interface is further operable to transmit information indicative of the re-provisioning to the femto base station; and

the processor is further operable to participate in a hand-off procedure to hand-off any endpoints currently connected to the femto base station to the re-provisioned femto base station.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the backhaul connection is established via a public network.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the interface is further operable to receive, from a macro base station, neighborhood RF interference information via a private network.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the interface is further operable to transmit a maintenance request to the femto base station requesting the femto base station to perform self maintenance.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the RF environment map comprises a matrix of interference values indicative of an interference experienced by the femto base station from any RF source indicated in the neighborhood RF interference information received from the femto base station.