COMMUNICATION CONTROL APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD, PROGRAM, AND TERMINAL APPARATUS

• US 20150358831A1
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SAWAI, RYO, KIMURA, RYOTA, UCHIYAMA, HIROMASA, FURUICHI, SHO
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Provided is a communication control apparatus including: a selection unit that uses information related to one or more terminal apparatuses operable as an access point for a small cell to select a master terminal operating the small cell and one or more sub-master terminals; and a control unit that instructs the at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to occurrence of an event disturbing the operation of the small cell by the master terminal.

Claims

1. A communication control apparatus comprising:

a selection unit that uses information related to one or more terminal apparatuses operable as an access point for a small cell to select a master terminal operating the small cell and one or more sub-master terminals; and

a control unit that instructs the at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to occurrence of an event disturbing the operation of the small cell by the master terminal.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection unit performs scoring of communication efficiency assumed when each of the one or more terminal apparatuses operates the small cell, and selects the master terminal and the sub-master terminal on the basis of a result of the scoring.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the selection unit uses at least one of an accommodated terminal count, an accommodated terminal communication amount and a size of coverage for each assumed small cell to perform the scoring of the communication efficiency.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the selection unit uses a quality index of an accommodated terminal for each assumed small cell to perform the scoring of the communication efficiency.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when the small cell is operated for improving communication quality for a specific terminal, the selection unit selects the terminal apparatus that is able to include a current position of the specific terminal in coverage of the small cell, as the master terminal or the sub-master terminal.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit allows the at least one sub-master terminal to process a part of traffic that has been processed by the master terminal, according to occurrence of a first event indicating an increase in a load of the master terminal operating the small cell.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit gives an instruction regarding a load distribution system to be used to the master terminal and the at least one sub-master terminal, according to occurrence of the first event.

8. The communication control apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit uses a load index received from the master terminal or a macro cell base station to determine occurrence of the first event.

9. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, according to occurrence of a second event indicating a decrease in quality of a backhaul link of the master terminal operating the small cell, the control unit allows the master terminal to stop an operation of the small cell, and allows the at least one sub-master terminal to operate the small cell.

10. The communication control apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the control unit uses a quality index for the backhaul link of the master terminal to determine occurrence of the second event.

11. The communication control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the control unit uses a quality index for a backhaul link for each of the one or more sub-master terminals selected by the selection unit, to select the at least one sub-master terminal that should operate the small cell.

12. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit allows the at least one sub-master terminal to operate the small cell according to occurrence of a third event indicating absence of the master terminal operating the small cell.

13. The communication control apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the control unit uses a master absence notification received via a macro cell base station connected to the master terminal, to determine occurrence of the third event.

14. The communication control apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the control unit uses a master absence notification received from a slave terminal connected to the master terminal, to determine occurrence of the third event.

15. The communication control apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the selection unit reselects at least one of the master terminal and the one or more sub-master terminals according to occurrence of the third event, according to a decrease in a master terminal count or a sub-master terminal count, or periodically.

16. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection unit selects the plurality of master terminals, and

wherein the plurality of master terminals selected operate the small cell by using cooperative transmission technology.

17. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication control apparatus is a base station that operates a macro cell, and

wherein the one or more terminal apparatuses are positioned within the macro cell.

18. A communication control method comprising:

using information related to one or more terminal apparatuses operable as an access point for a small cell to select a master terminal operating the small cell and one or more sub-master terminals; and

instructing the at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to occurrence of an event disturbing the operation of the small cell by the master terminal.

19. A program that allows a computer that controls a communication control apparatus to function as:

a selection unit that uses information related to one or more terminal apparatuses operable as an access point for a small cell to select a master terminal operating the small cell and one or more sub-master terminals; and

a control unit that instructs the at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to occurrence of an event disturbing the operation of the small cell by the master terminal.

20. A terminal apparatus operable as an access point for a small cell, the terminal apparatus comprising:

a communication unit that communicates with a communication control apparatus that selects a master terminal operating a small cell, and one or more sub-master terminals; and

a control unit that, after the terminal apparatus is selected as the sub-master terminal by the communication control apparatus, when an event disturbing an operation of the small cell by the master terminal occurs, allows the terminal apparatus to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to an instruction from the communication control apparatus.