Method and system for dynamic adjustment of power and frequencies in a femtocell network

• US 8,761,752 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Erceg, Vinko, Abraham, Charles, Chen, Xuemin, Diab, Wael William, Hou, Victor, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Kent, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Zewdu, Meless
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/890,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/436, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 455/435.1, 455/434
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for dynamic adjustment of power, antenna direction and frequencies in a femtocell network are provided. In this regard, a communication system may comprise a plurality of femtocells, one or more base stations, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of the plurality of femtocells. One or more parameters may be communicated from one of the plurality of femtocells and/or one or more base stations to the femtocell management entity. The femtocell management entity may be enabled to utilize the one or more parameters to determine configuration information for one of the plurality of femtocells and/or for one or more remaining ones of the plurality of femtocells. One of the plurality of femtocells may be enabled to receive the determined configuration information from the femtocell management entity. One of the plurality of femtocells may be configured utilizing the received determined configuration information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more circuits and/or processors for use in a femtocell configured to;

receive a directionality of antennas of one or more of a plurality of femtocells, base stations, and cellular enabled communication devices, and one or more parameters from one of the plurality of femtocells, base stations, and cellular enabled communication devices;

determine configuration information utilizing the directionality of antennas and the one or more parameters; and

communicate configuration information to the one or more of the plurality of femtocells.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

dynamically adjust the femtocell based on the received one or more parameters and the directionality of antennas.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

receive the directionality of antennas and the one or more parameters periodically.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are configured to communicate the configuration information via a wireless connection.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the wireless connection comprises one or more of:

Interim Standard 95 (IS-95);

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA);

Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM);

Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA);

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS);

Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE);

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS);

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA);

Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA); and

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) standards.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

determine location information of another femtocell based on at least one of;

assisted global navigation system satellite (GNSS) information and locations of the one or more of the plurality of femtocells.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

determine location information based on locations of the one or more of the plurality of femtocells, utilizing triangulation techniques including at least one of;

received signal strength, time of arrival (ToA), and angle of arrival (AoA).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

determine location information of another femtocell based on data in a registry dynamically updated with the received directionality of antennas and the one or more parameters.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the registry comprises an entry for the one or more of the plurality of femtocells, comprising at least one of:

a femtocell identification, a GNSS coordinate, a distance of an end-user communication device to a femtocell, an antenna direction, a potential interference, and a power level.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

receive directionality of antennas and one or more parameters from the another femtocell.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

determine new configuration information utilizing the directionality of antennas and the one or more parameters from the another femtocell; and

communicate new configuration information to at least one of;

the one or more of the plurality of femtocells and the another femtocell.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

receive new global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates of another femtocell; and

determine whether a location of the another femtocell based on the new GNSS coordinates is suitable.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprises at least one of a signal to noise ratio (SNR), a signal to interference noise ratio (SINR), a carrier to noise ratio (CNR), a carrier to interference noise ratio (CINR), a receive signal strength indication (RSSI), a potential interference, or a power level of the one or more of the plurality of femtocells.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of:

power levels, frequencies of operation, or directionality of antennas of the one or more of the plurality of femtocells.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

transmit information to update at least one table, list, database, or other data structure in the one or more of the plurality of femtocells and/or the femtocell, to determine permission, and/or track usage, and/or billing for a cellular enabled communication device to access to the one or more of the plurality of femtocells and/or the femtocell.

16. A method for a femtocell, the method comprising:

receiving a directionality of antennas of one or more of a plurality of femtocells and one or more parameters from the one or more of the plurality of femtocells;

determining configuration information utilizing the directionality of antennas and the one or more parameters; and

communicating configuration information to the one or more of the plurality of femtocells,

wherein one or more of the receiving, determining, and communicating is executed by a processor.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

dynamically adjusting the femtocell based on the received one or more parameters and the directionality of antennas.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising:

receiving the one or more parameters and the directionality of antennas periodically.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more parameters comprises at least one of:

signal to noise ratio (SNR), signal to interference noise ratio (SINR), carrier to noise ratio (CNR), carrier to interference noise ratio (CINR), receive signal strength indication (RSSI), potential interference, or power levels of the plurality of femtocells.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more of:

power levels, frequencies of operation, or directionality of antennas of the one or more of the plurality of femtocells.