METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR ASSISTING A NETWORK MANAGEMENT UNIT

• US 20140050154A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Gunnarsson, Fredrik, Amirijoo, Mehdi, Moe, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

A method in a base station for assisting a network management unit in managing a cellular network is provided. The base station determines a status of the cellular network. The status affects a measurement of a quality of a radio channel between the base station and a user equipment comprised in the cellular network. The measurement is to be performed by the user equipment. The base station receives a feedback report from the user equipment comprising the measurement. The base station evaluates a validity of the measurement based on the determined status. The base station sends a report to the network management unit. The report comprises an indication of the measurement and an indication of the validity, thereby assisting the network management unit in managing the cellular network.

Claims

1. A method in a base station for assisting a network management unit in managing a cellular network, which base station is comprised in the cellular network, the method comprising:

determining a status of the cellular network, which status affects a measurement of a quality of a radio channel between the base station and a user equipment comprised in the cellular network, which measurement is to be performed by the user equipment;

receiving a feedback report from the user equipment, the feedback report comprises the measurement of the quality of the radio channel between the base station and the user equipment;

evaluating a validity of the measurement based on the determined status; and

sending a report to the network management unit, the report comprises an indication of the measurement and an indication of the validity, thereby assisting the network management unit in managing the cellular network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement is one of a rank indicator, a channel quality indicator and a power headroom.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluating comprises relating the measurement to one of an antenna port configuration status, an interference status, a subframe allocation status and a receiver sensitivity status.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a rank indicator of the downlink radio channel, wherein the status is an antenna port configuration of the base station, and wherein the evaluating comprises determining a maximum rank based on an antenna port configuration and relating the rank indicator to the maximum rank.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a channel quality indicator measured over a subframe of the downlink radio channel, and wherein the evaluating comprises relating the channel quality indicator measurement to at least one of:

an interference level of the subframe;

a presence of non-orthogonal downlink signals on the subframe;

whether the subframe is an allocated subframe for the user equipment; and

whether the-subframe is an almost blank subframe.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the radio channel is an uplink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a power headroom, and wherein the evaluating comprises relating the power headroom measurement to one of an interference level of the uplink radio channel and an uplink receiver sensitivity at the base station.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the report is sent as part of a measurement report.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a further measurement of a radio quality from the user equipment, and wherein the evaluation is further based on the further measurement.

17. The method according to claim 3, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a rank indicator of the downlink radio channel, wherein the status is an antenna port configuration of the base station, and wherein the evaluating comprises determining a maximum rank based on the antenna port configuration and relating the rank indicator to the maximum rank.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a further measurement of a radio quality from the user equipment, and wherein the evaluation is further based on the further measurement.

9. A base station for assisting a network management unit in managing a cellular network, the base station being part of the cellular network, the base station comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine a status of the cellular network, which status affects a measurement of a quality of a radio channel between the base station and a user equipment in the cellular network, which measurement is to be performed by the user equipment;

a receiver, configured to receive a feedback report from the user equipment, which feedback report comprises the measurement of the quality of the radio channel between the base station and the user equipment;

an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a validity of the measurement based on the determined status; and

a sending unit, configured to send a report to the network management unit the report comprising an indication of the measurement and an indication of the validity, thereby assisting the network management unit in managing the cellular network.

10. The base station according to claim 9, wherein the measurement is one of a rank indicator, a channel quality indicator and a power headroom.

11. The base station according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit is further arranged to relate the measurement to one of an antenna port configuration status, an interference status, a subframe allocation status and a receiver sensitivity status.

12. The base station according to claim 10, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a rank indicator of the downlink radio channel, wherein the status is an antenna port configuration of the base station, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to determine a maximum rank based on an antenna port configuration and relating the rank indicator to the maximum rank.

13. The base station according to claim 10, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a channel quality indicator measured over a subframe of the downlink radio channel, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to relate the channel quality indicator measurement to at least one of:

an interference level of the subframe;

a presence of non-orthogonal downlink signals on the subframe;

whether the subframe is an allocated subframe for the user equipment; and

whether the subframe is an almost blank subframe.

14. The base station according to claim 10, wherein the radio channel is an uplink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a power headroom, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to relate the power headroom measurement to one of an interference level of the uplink radio channel and an uplink receiver sensitivity at the base station.

15. The base station according to claim 9, wherein the sending unit is further configured to send the report as part of a measurement report.

16. The base station according to claim 9, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive from the user equipment a further measurement of a radio quality, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to base the evaluation on the further measurement.

19. The base station according to claim 11, wherein the radio channel is a downlink radio channel, wherein the measurement is a rank indicator of the downlink radio channel, wherein the status is an antenna port configuration of the base station, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to determine a maximum rank based on an antenna port configuration and relating the rank indicator to the maximum rank.

20. The base station according to claim 19, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive from the user equipment a further measurement of a radio quality, and wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to base the evaluation on the further measurement.