Reliable femtocell system for wireless communication networks
First Claim
1. A reliability functionality comprising:
- a control entity that receives status information and in response outputs a Femto Base Station Reliability Compromising Event Compensation Message (FBSRCECM).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Femto Base Station (FBS) includes a communication functionality and a reliability functionality. A control entity within the reliability functionality detects an FBS reliability compromising event (for example, an unscheduled loss of external power to the FBS). As a result of detecting the FBS reliability compromising event, the control entity sends a message (an “FBS Reliability Compromising Event Compensation Message” or “FBSRCECM”) to the communication functionality. The FBSRCECM initiates an action that compensates for the FBS reliability compromising event. In many examples, the action is the initiating of a handover from the FBS to another base station. The reliability functionality typically includes a rechargeable battery that powers the FBS for a time until the handover is completed gracefully. By performing a graceful handover, cellular network reliability is improved as compared to situations in which a conventional FBS simply stops working and connections handled by the conventional FBS are broken.
47 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A reliability functionality comprising:
a control entity that receives status information and in response outputs a Femto Base Station Reliability Compromising Event Compensation Message (FBSRCECM). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A battery-backed up Femto Base Station (FBS) comprising:
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external power terminals; a rechargeable battery; and a communication functionality including an air-interface and a backhaul modem, wherein the communication functionality transmits a message out of the FBS in response to a power disconnect event, wherein the power disconnect event is an event in which energy is no longer being received onto the FBS via the external power terminals. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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(a) detecting a femto base station reliability compromising event in a Femto Base Station (FBS); and (b) in response to said detecting sending a message to a mobile station served by the FBS, wherein the message is taken from the group consisting of;
a handover command, and a command to enter an idle mode, and wherein (a) and (b) are performed by the FBS. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A Femto Base Station (FBS) comprising:
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a communication functionality including an air-interface and a backhaul modem, wherein the FBS communicates in accordance with a IEEE 802.16 communication protocol; and a control entity that causes the communication functionality to send a message in response to an FBS reliability compromising event, wherein the FBS reliability compromising event is taken from the group consisting of;
a disconnection of external power supplied to the FBS, a low battery charge condition, a disconnection of a backhaul network connection to the FBS, an occurrence of congestion in a backhaul network connection to the FBS, an occurrence of congestion in an air-interface connection to the FBS, a receipt onto the FBS of a message to reconfigure the FBS from a backhaul controller, and a receipt onto the FBS of a message to shut down the FBS from a backhaul controller, and wherein the message sent from the communication functionality is taken from the group consisting of;
a handover command, a command to enter a low duty mode, and a handover request. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A Femto Base Station (FBS) comprising:
a communication functionality including an air-interface processor, a network processor and a backhaul modem, wherein the communication functionality transmits a message out of the FBS in response to receiving a Femto Base Station Reliability Compromising Event Compensation Message (FBSRCECM) from another portion of the FBS. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
Specification