Method and System for Dynamic Adjustment of Power and Frequencies in a Femtocell Network

• US 20100246482A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Kent, Mark, Chen, Xuemin, Diab, Wael William, Erceg, Vinko, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Hou, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for dynamic adjustment of power, antenna direction and frequencies in a femtocell network are provided. In this regard, a communication system may comprise a plurality of femtocells, one or more base stations, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of the plurality of femtocells. One or more parameters may be communicated from one of the plurality of femtocells and/or one or more base stations to the femtocell management entity. The femtocell management entity may be enabled to utilize the one or more parameters to determine configuration information for one of the plurality of femtocells and/or for one or more remaining ones of the plurality of femtocells. One of the plurality of femtocells may be enabled to receive the determined configuration information from the femtocell management entity. One of the plurality of femtocells may be configured utilizing the received determined configuration information.

Claims

1. A method for network management, the method comprising:

in a communication system comprising a plurality of femtocells, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of said plurality of femtocells;

communicating one or more parameters from one of said plurality of femtocells to said femtocell management entity, wherein said femtocell management entity utilizes said one or more parameters to determine configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells, and/or for one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells;

receiving from said femtocell management entity by said one of said plurality of femtocells, said determined configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells; and

configuring said one of said plurality of femtocells utilizing said received determined configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said femtocell management entity communicates said determined configuration information for said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells to corresponding ones of said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating one or more updated parameters from said one of said plurality of femtocells to said femtocell management entity, wherein said femtocell management entity utilizes said one or more updated parameters to determine new configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells, and/or for one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising receiving from said femtocell management entity by said one of said plurality of femtocells, said determined new configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said femtocell management entity communicates said determined new configuration information for said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells to corresponding ones of said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more parameters comprises one or more of:

signal to noise ratio (SNR), signal to interference noise ratio (SINR), carrier to noise ratio (CNR), carrier to interference noise ratio (CINR), receive signal strength indication (RSSI), potential interference, power levels, and/or directionality of antennas of said plurality of femtocells.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determined configuration information comprises one or more of:

power levels, frequencies of operation, and/or directionality of antennas of each of said plurality of femtocells.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a registry for said femtocell management entity is updated based on said communicated one or more parameters.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said registry comprises one or more of:

global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates, an identification number and/or a list of said one or more parameters for each of said plurality of femtocells within said communication network.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating said one or more parameters via a wireless connection.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises one or more base stations.

11. The method according to claim 11, wherein said wireless connection handles signals comprising IS-95, CDMA, GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, OFDM, TD-SCDMA and/or HSDPA signals.

13. A system for network management, the system comprising:

one or more processors for use in one of a plurality of femtocells, wherein said plurality of femtocells is in a communication system comprising a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of said plurality of femtocells, wherein;

said one or more processors in said one of said plurality of femtocells is operable to communicate one or more parameters to said femtocell management entity, wherein said femtocell management entity utilizes said one or more parameters to determine configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells, and/or for one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells;

said one or more processors is operable to receive from said femtocell management entity, said determined configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells; and

said one or more processors is operable to configure said one of said plurality of femtocells utilizing said received determined configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said femtocell management entity communicates said determined configuration information for said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells to corresponding ones of said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors is operable to communicate one or more updated parameters to said femtocell management entity, wherein said femtocell management entity utilizes said one or more updated parameters to determine new configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells, and/or for one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processors is operable to receive from said femtocell management entity, said determined new configuration information for said one of said plurality of femtocells.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said femtocell management entity communicates said determined new configuration information for said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells to corresponding ones of said one or more remaining ones of said plurality of femtocells.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more parameters comprises one or more of:

signal to noise ratio (SNR), signal to interference noise ratio (SINR), carrier to noise ratio (CNR), carrier to interference noise ratio (CINR), receive signal strength indication (RSSI), potential interference, power levels, and/or directionality of antennas of said plurality of femtocells.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said determined configuration information comprises one or more of:

power levels, frequencies of operation, and/or directionality of antennas of each of said plurality of femtocells.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein a registry for said femtocell management entity is updated based on said communicated one or more parameters.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said registry comprises one or more of:

global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates, an identification number and/or a list of said one or more parameters for each of said plurality of femtocells within said communication network.

22. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors is operable to communicate said one or more parameters via a wireless connection.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said wireless connection handles signals comprising IS-95, CDMA, GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, OFDM, TD-SCDMA and/or HSDPA signals.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said communication system comprises one or more base stations.