Method and Apparatuses for Configuring a Communication Channel

• US 20140248888A1
• Filed: 07/04/2011
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Roessel, Sabine, Mahr, Christian, Kiiski, Matti Tapani, Jappila, Petri Olavi, Kolding, Troels Emil, Eklund, Carl Petter Engelbert, Goldberg, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,306,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

There is provided a method for configuring a communication channel between a base station and a user equipment within a cellular network system. The cellular network system includes at least one cooperation area. The base station is assigned to the at least one cooperation area, and the user equipment is served by the base station. The method includes applying, by the base station, a vertical sectorization and thereby creating the at least one cooperation area, determining, by the base station, the location of the user equipment in relation to the at least one cooperation area, and configuring, by the base station, the communication channel between the base station and the user equipment by using coordinated multipoint processing, if the determined location of the user equipment corresponds to a predetermined location.

Claims

1. Method for configuring a communication channel between a base station and a user equipment within a cellular network system, the cellular network system comprising at least one cooperation area, wherein the base station is assigned to the at least one cooperation area, and wherein the user equipment is served by the base station, the method comprising

applying, by the base station, a vertical sectorization and thereby creating at least one cooperation area,

determining, by the base station, the location of the user equipment in relation to the at least one cooperation area, and

configuring, by the base station, the communication channel between the base station and the user equipment by using coordinated multipoint processing, if the determined location of the user equipment corresponds to a predetermined location.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined location corresponds to an overlap area between at least two cells of the cooperation area being associated to the base station.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein using coordinated multipoint processing is based on intra-site coordinated multipoint processing.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined location corresponds to an overlap area between at least one cell of the cooperation area being associated to the base station and at least one cell of the cooperation area being associated to a further base station.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein using coordinated multipoint processing is based on inter-site coordinated multipoint processing.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining the location of the user equipment within the cooperation area comprises requesting, by the base station, neighbor cell measurements from the user equipment.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining the location of the user equipment within the cooperation area comprises establishing, by the base station, a connection to the user equipment within cells associated to the base station.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein applying the vertical sectorization to the cooperation area comprises applying a vertical beamforming.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

determining whether the network capacity of the cellular network system is below a predetermined capacity, and if so, proceeding with the applying, by the base station, a vertical sectorization and thereby the creating of the at least one cooperation area, the determining, by the base station, the location of the user equipment in relation to the at least one cooperation area, and the configuring, by the base station, the communication channel between the base station and the user equipment by using coordinated multipoint processing, if the determined location of the user equipment corresponds to a predetermined location.

10. A base station for configuring a communication channel between the base station and a user equipment within a cellular network system, the cellular network system comprising at least one cooperation area, wherein the base station is assigned to the at least one cooperation area, and wherein the user equipment is served by the base station,

the base station comprising

a control unit being adapted to apply a vertical sectorization and thereby to create the at least one cooperation area,

a determination unit being adapted to determine the location of the user equipment in relation to the at least one cooperation area,

a configuration unit being adapted to configure the communication channel between the base station and the user equipment by using coordinated multipoint processing, if the determined location of the user equipment corresponds to a predetermined location.

11. A cellular network system for configuring a communication channel between a base station and a user equipment within the cellular network system, the cellular network system comprising a least one base station as set forth in claim 10.