Interference Coordination for Communication Network

• US 20120184203A1
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Foschini, Gerard J., Valenzuela, Reinaldo A., Tulino, Antonia M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,867,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• 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]

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for interference coordination in communication networks. For example, a method comprises the following steps. Input information is obtained from a communication network. The input information comprises existing power levels associated with transmitting nodes in the communication network, and existing channel information associated with receiving nodes in the communication network. A coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network is determined. The coordinated resource set determination comprises evaluating a cost function for a given range of interference values based on at least a portion of the input information. In a downlink scenario, the transmitting nodes may comprise base stations and relays, and the receiving nodes may comprise user equipment. The method may also be applied to an uplink scenario.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining input information from a communication network, the input information comprising existing power levels associated with transmitting nodes in the communication network, and existing channel information associated with receiving nodes in the communication network; and

determining a coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network, the coordinated resource set determination comprising evaluating a cost function for a given range of interference values based on at least a portion of the input information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the implementation of the coordinated resource set in the communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting nodes comprise base stations in the communication network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more of the transmitting nodes and the receiving nodes comprise relays in the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving nodes comprise user equipment in the communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated resource set determining step further comprises evaluating the range of interference values with respect to the receiving nodes and splitting the range up into two or more subsets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the coordinated resource set determining step further comprises performing a bounding process by evaluating, for each of the two or more subsets into which the range is split, an upper bound and a lower bound of the cost function.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, for the bounding process, the upper bound and the lower bound of the cost function are evaluated in terms of the power levels, the transmitting times, and the decoding times.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the coordinated resource set determining step further comprises performing a branching process by selecting the subset of the two or more subsets with a minimum value for the lower bound.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, for the branching process, the selected subset is split into two or more further subsets based on a given subdivision rule.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the coordinated resource set determining step further comprises determining whether or not a difference between the upper bound and the lower bound is smaller than a given precision measure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the power levels, the transmitting times, and the decoding times associated with the selected subset are identified as the coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network, when the difference between the upper bound and the lower bound is determined to be smaller than the given precision measure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein when the difference between the upper bound and the lower bound is determined not to be smaller than the given precision measure, the bounding process and branching process are repeated for a new set of interference values, transmitting times and decoding times.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network is determined for a downlink.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network is determined for an uplink.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor device operatively coupled to the memory and configured to;

obtain input information from a communication network, the input information comprising existing power levels associated with transmitting nodes in the communication network, and existing channel information associated with receiving nodes in the communication network; and

determine a coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network, the coordinated resource set determination comprising evaluating a cost function for a given range of interference values based on at least a portion of the input information.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor device is further configured to cause the implementation of the coordinated resource set in the communication network.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transmitting nodes comprise base stations in the communication network, and the receiving nodes comprise user equipment in the communication network.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein one or more of the transmitting nodes and the receiving nodes comprise relays in the communication network.

20. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium for storing processor device executable instructions which when executed by a processor device;

obtain input information from a communication network, the input information comprising existing power levels associated with transmitting nodes in the communication network, and existing channel information associated with receiving nodes in the communication network; and

determine a coordinated resource set of future transmitting times and future power levels associated with the transmitting nodes and future decoding times associated with the receiving nodes that reduce interference in the communication network, the coordinated resource set determination comprising evaluating a cost function for a given range of interference values based on at least a portion of the input information.