METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A BASE STATION OF A WIRELESS CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100137016A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Centre Europe BV (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Centre Europe BV (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Voyer, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method for controlling operation of a first base station of a wireless cellular telecommunication network including plural base stations and a server. The first base station sets transmission power of signals transferred by the first base station at a first transmission power value, detects a predetermined signal transferred by a mobile terminal, and if a predetermined signal is detected: establishes a communication link with the server, obtains from the server information identifying each second base station that manages a cell that is neighbour of the cell managed by the first base station and that is transferring signals at a second transmission power higher than the first transmission power value, establishes a communication link with each second base station, and sets the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station at a second transmission power value higher than the first transmission power.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for controlling operation of a first base station of a wireless cellular telecommunication network including plural base stations and a server, the method executed by the first base station comprising:

setting transmission power of signals transferred by the first base station in a cell managed by the first base station at a first transmission power value;

detecting a predetermined signal transferred by a mobile terminal of the wireless cellular telecommunication network;

and if a predetermined signal transferred by the mobile terminal is detected;

establishing a communication link with the server;

obtaining, from the server, information identifying each second base station that manages a cell that is neighbour of the cell managed by the first base station and that is transferring signals in the cell the second base station manages at a transmission power higher than the first transmission power value;

establishing a communication link with each second base station; and

setting the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station in the cell managed by the first base station at a second transmission power value higher than the first transmission power.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising, when the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station in the cell managed by the first base station is set at the higher transmission power value than the first transmission power:

activating a timer; and

checking if at least another predetermined signal is transferred by the or another mobile terminal of the wireless cellular telecommunication network.

24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

monitoring a number of mobile terminals in communication with at least one remote telecommunication device through the first base station; and

activating the timer if no mobile terminal is in communication with one remote telecommunication device through the first base station.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising deactivating the timer if at least another predetermined signal is transferred by the or another mobile terminal of the wireless cellular telecommunication network or if at least one mobile terminal is in communication with at least one remote telecommunication device through the first base station.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

checking if the timer expires, and if the timer expires;

releasing the communication links with the server and with each second base station; and

setting the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station in the cell managed by the first base station at the first transmission power value.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein the first transmission power value is equal to null value.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the first base station transfers in the cell managed by the first base station a list comprising information identifying each neighbour of the cell managed by the first base station in which the signals are transferred at the higher transmission power.

29. A method according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined signal is transferred periodically.

30. A method according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined signal is representative of an uplink message of the wireless cellular communication system.

31. A method according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined signal is a predetermined signature, that is modulated in a frequency band different than the frequency band used for the transmission of message from the mobile terminal to the base station.

32. A method according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined signal is a predetermined encoded train of energy pulses that are propagated by radio or optical waves.

41. A computer recordable medium including computer executable instructions that can be directly loadable into a programmable device, comprising computer executable instructions implementing the method according to claim 22, when said computer executable instructions are executed on a programmable device.

33. A method for enabling a mobile terminal to be detected by at least one base station of a wireless cellular telecommunication network executing a method by the mobile terminal comprising:

checking if a signal transferred by one base station is detected; and

transferring a predetermined signal if the signal is not detected.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the predetermined signal is transferred periodically.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein the predetermined signal is representative of an uplink message of the wireless cellular communication system.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein the predetermined signal is a predetermined signature, that is modulated in a frequency band different than the frequency band used for the transmission of message from the mobile terminal to the base station.

37. A method according to claim 33, wherein the predetermined signal is a predetermined encoded train of energy pulses that are propagated by radio or optical waves.

38. A method according to claim 33, further comprising:

checking if a signal transferred by one the base station is detected; and

stopping the transfer of the predetermined signal if the signal is detected.

42. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions that can be directly loadable into a programmable device, comprising computer executable instructions for implementing the method according to claim 33, when said computer executable instructions are executed on a programmable device.

39. A device controlling operation of a first base station of a wireless cellular telecommunication network including plural base stations and a server, the device being included in the first base station and comprising;

means for setting the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station in the cell managed by the first base station at a first transmission power value;

means for detecting a predetermined signal transferred by a mobile terminal of the wireless cellular telecommunication network;

means for establishing a communication link with a server;

means for obtaining from the server, information identifying each second base station that manages a cell that is neighbour of the cell managed by the first base station and that is transferring signals in the cell the second base station manages at a transmission power higher than the first transmission power value;

means for establishing a communication link with each second base station; and

means for setting the transmission power of the signals transferred by the first base station in the cell managed by the first base station at a second transmission power value than the first transmission power.

40. A device for enabling a mobile terminal to be detected by at least one base station of a wireless cellular telecommunication network, the device for enabling the mobile terminal to be detected being included in the mobile terminal and comprising:

means for checking if a signal transferred by one base station is detected; and

means for transferring a predetermined signal if the signal is not detected.