WIRELESS COMMUNICATION CLUSTERING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COORDINATED MULTI-POINT TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION

• US 20110200029A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Callard, Aaron James, Khandani, Amir Keyvan, Farmandar, Hamidreza, Ma, Jianglei, Baligh, Mohammadhadi
• Application Number:
  US13/123,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20110200029A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling

Abstract

A method and system for identifying cell clusters within a coordinated multiple point wireless transmission network in order to reduce scheduling complexity while optimizing throughout and performance. The network includes a total number of cells served by corresponding base stations. The BSC divides the entire network of cells into clusters of cells and forwards this clustering information to all mobile devices. A cluster of cell candidates is a subset of the total number of cells within the network. The mobile device then provides to a base station controller the identity of a cluster of preferred cells selected from the cluster of cell candidates. The base station controller selects at least one base station located within the cluster of preferred cells to establish communication with the mobile device. A wireless connection is then established between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of coordinated multi-point transmission in a wireless communication network, the network having a total number of cells served by corresponding base stations, the method comprising:

receiving, from a mobile device within the network, an identity of a cluster of preferred cells selected from a cluster of cell candidates, the cluster of cell candidates representing a subset of the total number of cells within the network;

selecting at least one base station located within the cluster of preferred cells to establish communication with the mobile device; and

establishing a wireless connection between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is operable using a set of frequency bands, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies depending on an operational frequency band from the set of frequency bands.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies over time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies according to interference within each operational frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cluster of preferred cells is determined based on a power level received from each base station within the cluster of preferred cells.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies based on resource availability within the network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising coordinating scheduling of the wireless connection between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device if a cell within the cluster of preferred cells for the mobile device is identical to a cell within the cluster of preferred cells of a different mobile device.

8. A base station controller in a coordinated multi-point wireless communication network, the base station controller in wireless communication with a total number of cells served by corresponding base stations, the base station controller operable to:

receive, from a mobile device within the network, an identity of a cluster of preferred cells selected from a cluster of cell candidates, the cluster of cell candidates representing a subset of the total number of cells within the network;

select at least one base station located within the cluster of preferred cells to establish communication with the mobile device; and

establish a wireless connection between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device.

9. The base station controller of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is operable using a set of frequency bands, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies depending on an operational frequency band from the set of frequency bands.

10. The base station controller of claim 8, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies over time.

11. The base station controller of claim 8, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies according to interference within each operational frequency band.

12. The base station controller of claim 8, wherein the cluster of preferred cells is determined based on a power level received from each base station within the cluster of preferred cells.

13. The base station controller of claim 8, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies based on resource availability within the network.

14. A system for improving performance in a wireless coordinated multi-point transmission network, the network having a total number of cells, the system comprising:

at least one base station serving a corresponding cell within the total number of network cells; and

a base station controller in wireless communication with the at least one base station, the base station controller operable to;

receive, from a mobile device within the network, an identity of a cluster of preferred cells selected from a cluster of cell candidates, the cluster of cell candidates representing a subset of the total number of cells within the network;

select at least one of the at least one base station serving the cluster of preferred cells to establish communication with the mobile device; and

establish a wireless connection between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 14, the base station controller further operable to coordinate scheduling of the wireless connection between the selected at least one base station and the mobile device if a cell within the cluster of preferred cells for the mobile device is identical to a cell within the cluster of preferred cells of a different mobile device.

15. The system of Clam 14, wherein the mobile device is operable using a set of frequency bands, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies depending on an operational frequency band from the set of frequency bands.

16. The system of Clam 14, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies over time.

17. The system of Clam 14, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies according to interference within each operational frequency band.

18. The system of Clam 14, wherein the cluster of preferred cells is determined based on power level received from each base station within the cluster of preferred cells.

19. The system of Clam 14, wherein the cluster of cell candidates varies based on resource availability within the network.