Apparatuses, system, methods, and computer program products for network control

• US 8,971,262 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Phan, Vinh Van, Yu, Ling, Vainikka, Markku, Horneman, Kari, Pedersen, Klaus, Frederiksen, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wei, Siren
• Application Number:
  US13/123,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

The invention is related to an apparatus including a receiver configured to receive communications from a control node of the macro cell in which the apparatus is located, the communications including system information about operation and maintenance support services the control node is able to provide and/or identity information of the control node; and a generator configured to generate messages including identity information of the apparatus, radio environment information, status information on connections to a core network and/or information on capabilities of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing computer program code;

wherein the memory storing the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

configure a receiver to receive communications from a control node of a macro cell in which the apparatus is located, upon initial entry of the apparatus into the control area of the control node, the communications comprising system information about operation and maintenance support services the control node is able to provide, identity information of the control node, or both;

generate messages comprising any one or more of identity information of the apparatus, radio environment information, status information on connections to a core network, or information on capabilities of the apparatus; and

receive communication from the control node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the apparatus, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages transmitted by the apparatus to the control node.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit any one or more of the identity information of the apparatus, the radio environment information, the status information on the connections to the core network or the information on capabilities of the apparatus to the control node of the macro cell in which the apparatus is located.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of the locally operable nodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information on capabilities of the apparatus comprises information on at least one of:

a radio frequency, bandwidth, and reconfiguration capabilities to operate as a relay node.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being a home node B or local node B.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing computer program code;

wherein the memory storing the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

transmit system information about operation and maintenance support services the apparatus is able to provide, identity information of the apparatus, or both;

receive identity information of at least one locally operable node entering a control area for which the apparatus acts as a control node, radio environment information of the at least one locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network of the at least one locally operable node, or information on capabilities of the at least one locally operable node;

transmit information to the locally operable node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the apparatus is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages by the apparatus from the locally operable node; and

perform one or more of selecting, configuring, or reconfiguring predetermined operation and maintenance functions for at least one of the locally operable nodes, the at least one of the locally operable nodes thus being able to operate in a desired operation mode to provide access services, if a previously established connection of the at least one of the locally operable nodes to the core network is inadequate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operation modes are a home node B or local node B or relay node having wireless backhauls via the control node.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein selecting comprises selecting at least one locally operable node to replace at least one previously selected locally operable node.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of locally operable nodes.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting initial cell-specific resource allocation and interference budget to the locally operable node.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the locally operable nodes are home node Bs or local node Bs.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, the apparatus being a node B configured to control a macro cell.

15. A system, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit system information about operation and maintenance support services the apparatus is able to provide, identity information of a control node, or both;

a receiver configured to receive communications from the control node, the communications comprising the system information, the identity information of the control node, or both;

a generator configured to generate messages comprising any one or more of identity information of a locally operable node, radio environment information of the locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network, or information on capabilities of the locally operable node; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the messages;

a receiver configured to receive the messages from at least one locally operable node;

a transmitter configured to transmit information to the locally operable node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the transmitter is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages received from the locally operable node; and

a selector configured to perform any one or more of selecting, configuring, or reconfiguring selected operation and maintenance functions for at least one of the locally operable nodes, the at least one of the locally operable nodes thus being able to operate in a desired operation mode, if a previously established connection of the at least one of the locally operable nodes to the core network is inadequate.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving communications from a control node of a macro cell at a locally operable node upon initial entry of the locally operable node into a control area of the control node comprising system information about operation and maintenance support services the control node is able to provide, identity information of the control node, or both; and

generating messages comprising any one or more of identity information of the locally operable node, radio environment information of the locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network, or information on capabilities of the locally operable node; and

receive communication from the control node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages transmitted by the apparatus to the control node.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting the any one or more of the identity information of the apparatus, the radio environment information, the status information on connections to the core network or the information on capabilities of the apparatus to the control node of the macro cell in which the apparatus is located.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of locally operable nodes.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the information on capabilities of the apparatus comprises information on at least one of:

a radio frequency, bandwidth, and reconfiguration capabilities to operate as a relay node.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting system information about operation and maintenance support services a serving control node is able to provide, identity information of the serving control node, or both;

receiving identity information of at least one locally operable node entering a control area of the control node, radio environment information of the at least one locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network or information on capabilities of the at least one locally operable node;

transmitting information to the locally operable node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages by the apparatus from the locally operable node; and

performing one or more of selecting, configuring or reconfiguring selected operation and maintenance functions for at least one of the locally operable nodes, the at least one of the locally operable nodes thus being able to operate in a desired operation mode to provide access services, if a previously established connection of the at least one of the locally operable nodes to the core network is inadequate.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the operation modes are a home node B or local node B or relay node having wireless backhauls via the control node.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising selecting a locally operable node to replace at least one previously selected locally operable node.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of locally operable nodes.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting initial cell-specific resource allocation and interference budget to the locally operable node.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the locally operable nodes are home node Bs or local node Bs.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program of instructions, execution of which by a processor configures an apparatus to at least:

receive at least one communication from a control node of a macro cell upon initial entry of the apparatus into the control area of the control node, the communications comprising system information about operation and maintenance support services the control node is able to provide, or identity information of the control node, or both;

generate at least one message comprising any one or more of identity information of the locally operable node, radio environment information of the locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network, or information on capabilities of the locally operable node; and

receive communication from the control node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the apparatus, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages transmitted by the apparatus to the control node.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of locally operable nodes.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 28, the information on capabilities of the apparatus comprises information on at least one of:

a radio frequency, bandwidth, and reconfiguration capabilities to operate as a relay node.

32. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program of instructions, execution of which by a processor configures an apparatus to at least:

transmit system information about operation and maintenance support services a serving control node is able to provide, identity information of the serving control node, or both;

receive any one or more of identity information of at least one locally operable node entering a serving area of the control node, radio environment information of the at least one locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network or information on capabilities of the at least one locally operable node;

transmit information to the locally operable node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the serving control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages by the apparatus from the locally operable node; and

perform any one or more of selecting, configuring or reconfiguring predetermined operation and maintenance functions for at least one of the locally operable nodes, the at least one of the locally operable nodes thus being able to operate in a desired operation mode for providing access services, if a previously established connection of the at least one of the locally operable nodes to the core network is inadequate.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the operation modes are a home node B or local node B or relay node having wireless backhauls via the control node.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 32, further comprising selecting a locally operable node to replace at least one previously selected locally operable node.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the system information comprises broadcast system information, the broadcast system information comprising operation and maintenance and radio resource management information related to cell configuration and inter-cell interference coordination of locally operable nodes.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 32, further comprising:

transmitting initial cell-specific resource allocation and interference budget to the locally operable node.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein a message comprising radio environment information comprises at least one of:

a physical layer cell identifier of neighbouring cells, spectrum load, positioning and location information.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the locally operable nodes are home node Bs or local node Bs.

39. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving communications from a control node of a macro cell serving a locally operable node upon initial entry of the apparatus into the control area of the control node, the communications comprising system information about operation and maintenance support services the control node is able to provide, identity information of the control node, or both;

means for generating messages comprising any one or more of identity information of the locally operable node, radio environment information of the locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network, or information on capabilities of the locally operable node; and

means for receiving communication from the control node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the apparatus, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages transmitted by the apparatus to the control node.

40. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting system information about operation and maintenance support services a serving control node is able to provide, identity information of the serving control node, or both;

means for receiving any one or more of identity information of at least one locally operable node initially entering a service area of the control node, radio environment information of the at least one locally operable node, status information on connections to a core network or information on capabilities of the at least one locally operable node;

means for transmitting information to the locally operable node including a physical layer cell identifier and initial cell-level radio resources to be assigned to the locally operable node, wherein the physical layer cell identifier identifies a cell in which the serving control node is located, wherein the physical layer cell identifier and the cell-level radio resources are determined based on the messages by the apparatus from the locally operable node; and

means for performing any one or more of selecting, configuring or reconfiguring predetermined operation and maintenance functions for at least one of the locally operable nodes, the at least one of the locally operable nodes thus being able to operate in a desired operation mode, if a previously established connection of the at least one of the locally operable nodes to the core network is inadequate.