ACTIVE HAND-IN FOR MULTI-FEMTO DEPLOYMENTS

• US 20120258720A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tokgoz, Yeliz, Patel, Chirag Sureshbhai, TINNAKORNSRISUPHAP, Peerapol
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• 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 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for enabling an active hand-in from a macro base station network to a femtocell network includes servicing an active hand-in of a mobile entity from a macro base station to a femtocell network, using a first femtocell of the femtocell network. The active hand-in includes a hard handoff of the mobile entity from the macro base station with soft handoff of the mobile entity enabled between the first femtocell and one or more neighboring femtocells in the femtocell network. The hard handoff with soft handoff enabled may be implemented using novel procedures implemented by one or more entities of a wireless communications network including the femtocells and macro base station.

Claims

1. A method for enabling an active hand-in from a macro base station network to a femtocell network, comprising:

servicing an active hand-in of a mobile entity from a macro base station to a femtocell network, using a first femtocell of the femtocell network; and

enabling, for the active hand-in, soft handoff of the mobile entity between the first femtocell and one or more neighboring femtocells in the femtocell network with a hard handoff of the mobile entity from the macro base station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first femtocell, a request from a network entity to assign traffic channel resources for the mobile entity to initiate a hard handoff to the first femtocell.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising requesting assignment of traffic channel resources from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in response to the request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising signaling first identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the first femtocell and the one or more neighboring femtocells, and second identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the traffic channel resources of the first femtocell and the traffic channel resources requested from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in reply to the request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the femtocell, using a selection procedure at the first femtocell based on signals from femtocells of the femtocell network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the first femtocell, using a defined set of neighbors provided by a separate entity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing a beacon hopping pattern among femtocells of the femtocell network using a common time reference, whereby the femtocells transmit frequency hopping beacons on common forward link frequencies at synchronized times.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the network entity requesting all femtocells of the femtocell network to detect signal strength of a reverse link signal from the mobile entity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the first femtocell, based on signal strength measurements provided by the all femtocells.

8. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the first femtocell based on measurements of the frequency hopping beacons made by the mobile entity.

11. An apparatus for enabling an active hand-in from a macro base station network to a femtocell network, the apparatus comprising:

means for servicing an active hand-in of a mobile entity from a macro base station to a femtocell network, using a first femtocell of the femtocell network;

means for enabling, for the active hand-in, soft handoff of the mobile entity between the first femtocell and one or more neighboring femtocells in the femtocell network with a hard handoff of the mobile entity from the macro base station.

12. An apparatus for enabling an active hand-in from a macro base station network to a femtocell network, comprising:

at least one processor configured for servicing an active hand-in of a mobile entity from a macro base station to a femtocell network, using a first femtocell of the femtocell network, and enabling, for the active hand-in, soft handoff of the mobile entity between the first femtocell and one or more neighboring femtocells in the femtocell network with a hard handoff of the mobile entity from the macro base station; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor for storing data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for receiving, at the first femtocell, a request from a network entity to assign traffic channel resources for the mobile entity to initiate a hard handoff to the first femtocell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured for requesting assignment of traffic channel resources from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in response to the request.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured for signaling first identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the first femtocell and the one or more neighboring femtocells, and second identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the traffic channel resources of the first femtocell and the traffic channel resources requested from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in reply to the request.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the femtocell, using a selection procedure at the first femtocell based on signals from femtocells of the femtocell network.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the first femtocell, using a defined set of neighbors provided by a separate entity.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for synchronizing a beacon hopping pattern among femtocells of the femtocell network using a common time reference, whereby the femtocells transmit frequency hopping beacons on common forward link frequencies at synchronized times.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured for selecting the first femtocell based on measurements of the frequency hopping beacons made by the mobile entity.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for requesting all femtocells of the femtocell network to detect signal strength of a reverse link signal from the mobile entity.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured for selecting the first femtocell, based on signal strength measurements provided by the all femtocells.

22. A computer program product for enabling an active hand-in from a macro base station network to a femtocell network, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for servicing an active hand-in of a mobile entity from a macro base station to a femtocell network, using a first femtocell of the femtocell network, and enabling, for the active hand-in, soft handoff of the mobile entity between the first femtocell and one or more neighboring femtocells in the femtocell network with a hard handoff of the mobile entity from the macro base station.

23. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising code for receiving, at the first femtocell, a request from a network entity to assign traffic channel resources for the mobile entity to initiate a hard handoff to the first femtocell.

24. The computer program product according to claim 23, further comprising code for requesting assignment of traffic channel resources from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in response to the request.

25. The computer program product according to claim 24, further comprising code for signaling first identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the first femtocell and the one or more neighboring femtocells, and second identifiers including a separate identifier for each of the traffic channel resources of the first femtocell and the traffic channel resources requested from the one or more neighboring femtocells, in reply to the request.

26. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising code for identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the femtocell, using a selection procedure at the first femtocell based on signals from femtocells of the femtocell network.

27. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising code for identifying the one or more neighboring femtocells of the first femtocell, using a defined set of neighbors provided by a separate entity.

28. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising code for synchronizing a beacon hopping pattern among femtocells of the femtocell network using a common time reference, whereby the femtocells transmit frequency hopping beacons on common forward link frequencies at synchronized times.

29. The computer program product according to claim 28, further comprising code for selecting the first femtocell based on measurements of the frequency hopping beacons made by the mobile entity.

30. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising code for requesting all femtocells of the femtocell network to detect signal strength of a reverse link signal from the mobile entity.

31. The computer program product according to claim 30, further comprising code for selecting the first femtocell, based on signal strength measurements provided by the all femtocells.