SELF OPTIMIZATION OF FORBIDDEN NEIGHBOR CELL LIST

• US 20100278161A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Leping, Ore, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 8,289,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/108 Source integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

An apparatus, a system, and a method to self-optimize a forbidden neighbor cell list (FNCL). A FNCL includes a list of cells sent to a user equipment (UE). The UE would not report those cells in the list to a network but may be considered by the UE for measurement purposes only. The self-optimization of the FNCL includes building a list of neighbor cells in an autonomous and/or automatic manner, with or without human intervention.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an analyzer configured to collect measurements and statistics from a cell of a plurality of cells;

a key generator configured to generate a key indicator based on the measurements and statistics collected from the cell against predetermined conditions or thresholds to identify at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds; and

a forbidden neighbor cell list generator configured to automatically generate a forbidden neighbor cell list identifying the at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds and notifying the at least one other cell.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial measurements are collected in a forbidden neighbor cell list of size zero or with an initial forbidden neighbor cell list comprising forbidden cells defined by an operator, wherein a forbidden cell comprises a cell to be excluded from connecting with a network element.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the key indicator is performance indicator collected during call establishment and during dedicated mode for the cell.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list generator is further configured to output a signal to the at least one other cell meeting the predetermined conditions or thresholds.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined conditions comprise predefined conditions defined by an operator for not deleting a particular cell from the forbidden neighbor cell list.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the analyzer is further configured to analyze the cell in the forbidden neighbor cell list and collect the measurements and statistics continuously or at predetermined time intervals.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list generator is further configured to automatically update the forbidden neighbor cell list by adding or maintaining the at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds and excluding a cell meeting the conditions or thresholds.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein the predetermined time intervals comprise an initial phase of network operation in which the key indicator comprises a lower threshold and more frequency to measure and increase a number of updates of the forbidden neighbor cell list.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein after a network becomes stable, the key generator is configured to generate the key indicator to comprise a higher threshold and reduce the number of updates of the forbidden neighbor cell list.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list generator is further configured to delete a cell from the forbidden neighbor cell list when the identifier determines that there is potential in the cell to work as a candidate for handovers and cell reselection.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list comprises a cell comprising hardware problems, a cell that is in a different country than a network element, a cell outside a serving public land mobile network, a cell to exclude handover, and a cell that belongs to an operator that is different from an operator corresponding to the network element.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list generator is further configured to transmit a neighbor cell specific configuration to a network element using the forbidden neighbor cell list.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the forbidden neighbor cell list generator is further configured to generate the forbidden neighbor cell list to comprise user specific or subscription specific information associated with a particular network element.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a radio network controller or an enhanced base station.

3-33. -33. (canceled)

46. A method, comprising:

collecting measurements and statistics from a cell of a plurality of cells;

generating a key indicator based on the measurements and statistics collected from the cell against predetermined conditions or thresholds to identify at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds; and

automatically generating a forbidden neighbor cell list identifying the at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds and notifying the at least one other cell.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, further comprising:

collecting the measurements in a forbidden neighbor cell list of size zero or with an initial forbidden neighbor cell list comprising forbidden cells defined by an operator, wherein a forbidden cell comprises a cell to be excluded from connecting with a network element.

48. The method as recited in claim 46, further comprising:

configuring the key indicator to comprise performance indicators collected during call establishment and during dedicated mode for the cell.

49. The method as recited in claim 46, further comprising:

outputting a signal to the at least one other cell meeting the predetermined conditions or thresholds.

50. A system, comprising:

a plurality of cells configured to communicate with operations and maintenance of a network and provide communication service for a number of network elements; and

a self-optimization controller configured to collect measurements and statistics from a cell of a plurality of cells, configured to generate a key indicator based on the measurements and statistics collected from the cell against predetermined conditions or thresholds to identify at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds, and configured to automatically generate a forbidden neighbor cell list identifying the at least one other cell failing to meet the predetermined conditions or thresholds and notifying the at least one other cell.

51. The system as recited in claim 50, further comprising:

an enhanced base station configured to provide a long term evolution air interface and configured to perform radio resource management for the evolved access system.