Flexible bandwidth small cells

• US 9,001,758 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Soumya, Park, Edwin C., Awoniyi, Olufunmilola O., Soliman, Samir Salib
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho, Un C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Siming
• Application Number:
  US13/549,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20130182655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0006 by adapting the transmission format
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/247 where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter sent by another terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1268 of uplink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 of downlink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for utilizing flexible bandwidth carriers for small cells are provided. Bandwidth scaling factor(s) for a small cell may be determined. A flexible bandwidth carrier may be generated for the small cell utilizing the bandwidth scaling factor. Some embodiments provide assistance with active hand-in due to more available PN offsets in the flexible bandwidth domain. Some embodiments enhance small cell discovery with high bandwidth scaling factor beacon-like small cells with little more power than that corresponding to the same power spectral density for normal bandwidth small cell. Some embodiments reduce the interference caused by small cell to macrocell users using an adaptive bandwidth scaling factor for small cells based on number of users supported and their traffic demand, to control the extent of overlap the macrocell has with small cell and the interference to macrocell mobiles. Some embodiments utilize self-configuration for small cells utilizing flexible bandwidth channels.

Claims

1. A method for implementing flexible bandwidth small cells, the method comprising:

determining a first bandwidth scaling factor for a small cell;

generating a flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor;

receiving a trigger to dynamically adjust the flexible bandwidth carrier;

determining, in response to the trigger, a second bandwidth scaling factor for the small cell, wherein at least one of the first bandwidth scaling factor or the second bandwidth scaling factor is based on a number of users to be supported by the small cell or a traffic demand for one or more users of the small cell; and

adapting the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor increases a bandwidth of the flexible bandwidth carrier to support at least a traffic increase or a quality of service requirement.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing at least a channel number or a center frequency of the small cell when utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a beacon-like state for the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier through altering a transmit power of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmit power of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier is less than a transmit power for the small cell utilizing a normal bandwidth carrier.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the power spectrum density of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier is greater than a power spectrum density for the small cell utilizing a normal bandwidth carrier.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the beacon-like state for the small cell enhances a range of the small cell for the user equipment detection of the small cell.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a beacon-like state for the small cell utilizing a normal bandwidth carrier.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

generating a normal bandwidth carrier for the small cell.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decreasing a PN offset separation in dilated chips between the small cell and another small cell compared to a PN offset separation for a normal bandwidth carrier based on the bandwidth scaling factor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein decreasing the PN offset separation in dilated chips increases a number of unique PN offsets associated with the small cell and at least one other small cell.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein increasing the number of unique PN offsets results in unique small cell identification that facilitates macrocell to small cell hand-in.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein increasing the number of unique PN offsets results in unique small cell identification that facilitates small cell to small cell handover.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a portion of a bandwidth channel of a macrocell for the small cell to operate within utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier; and

transmitting information regarding the portion of the bandwidth channel for the small cell to operate within.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from another small cell regarding a portion of a channel in which the other small cell has determined to operate within utilizing another flexible bandwidth carrier; and

determining another portion of the channel to operate within based on the received information utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the information from the other small cell regarding the portion of the channel in which the other small cell has determined to operate within utilizing another flexible bandwidth carrier utilizes a network-utilizing mode of the small cell.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor comprises generating the flexible bandwidth carrier for uplink, wherein a bandwidth for downlink for the small cell is different from the uplink.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

changing at least a first channel number or a first center frequency with respect to the uplink and at least a second channel number or a second center frequency with respect to the downlink.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor comprises generating the flexible bandwidth carrier for downlink, wherein a bandwidth for uplink for the small cell is different from the downlink.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing at least a channel number or center frequency of the small cell when adapting the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing at least the first or the second bandwidth scaling factor to increase a number of unique PN offsets and facilitate small cell identification.

22. A wireless communications system configured for implementing flexible bandwidth small cells, the system comprising:

means for determining a first bandwidth scaling factor for a small cell;

means for generating a flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor;

means for receiving a trigger to dynamically adjust the flexible bandwidth carrier;

means for determining, in response to the trigger, a second bandwidth scaling factor for the small cell, wherein at least one of the first bandwidth scaling factor or the second bandwidth scaling factor is based on a number of users to be supported by the small cell or a traffic demand for one or more users of the small cell; and

means for adapting the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor.

23. The wireless communications system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for changing a channel number of the small cell when utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

24. The wireless communications system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for generating a beacon-like state for the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier through altering a transmit power of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

25. The wireless communications system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for decreasing a PN offset separation in dilated chips between the small cell and another small cell compared to a PN offset separation for a normal bandwidth carrier based on the bandwidth scaling factor.

26. The wireless communications system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for determining a portion of a bandwidth channel of a macrocell for the small cell to operate within utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier; and

means for transmitting information regarding the portion of the bandwidth channel for the small cell to operate within.

27. The wireless communications system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving information from another small cell regarding a portion of a channel in which the other small cell has determined to operate within utilizing another flexible bandwidth carrier; and

means for determining another portion of the channel to operate within based on the received information utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

28. A computer program product for implementing flexible bandwidth small cells comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for determining a first bandwidth scaling factor for a small cell;

code for generating a flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor;

code for receiving a trigger to dynamically adjust the flexible bandwidth carrier;

code for determining, in response to the trigger, a second bandwidth scaling factor for the small cell, wherein at least one of the first bandwidth scaling factor or the second bandwidth scaling factor is based on a number of users to be supported by the small cell or a traffic demand for one or more users of the small cell; and

code for adapting the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for changing a channel number of the small cell when utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for generating a beacon-like state for the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier through altering a transmit power of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for decreasing a PN offset separation in dilated chips between the small cell and another small cell compared to a PN offset separation for a normal bandwidth carrier based on the bandwidth scaling factor.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for determining a portion of a bandwidth channel of a macrocell for the small cell to operate within utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier; and

code for transmitting information regarding the portion of the bandwidth channel for the small cell to operate within.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for receiving information from another small cell regarding a portion of a channel in which the other small cell has determined to operate within utilizing another flexible bandwidth carrier; and

code for determining another portion of the channel to operate within based on the received information utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

34. A wireless communications device configured for implementing flexible bandwidth small cells, the device comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine a first bandwidth scaling factor for a small cell;

generate a flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor;

receive a trigger to dynamically adjust the flexible bandwidth carrier;

determine, in response to the trigger, a second bandwidth scaling factor for the small cell, wherein at least one of the first bandwidth scaling factor or the second bandwidth scaling factor is based on a number of users to be supported by the small cell or a traffic demand for one or more users of the small cell; and

adapt the flexible bandwidth carrier for the small cell from utilizing the first bandwidth scaling factor to utilizing the second bandwidth scaling factor.

35. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor further configured to:

change a channel number of the small cell when utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

36. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor further configured to:

generate a beacon-like state for the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier through altering a transmit power of the small cell utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

37. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor further configured to:

decrease a PN offset separation in dilated chips between the small cell and another small cell compared to a PN offset separation for a normal bandwidth carrier based on the bandwidth scaling factor.

38. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor further configured to:

determine a portion of a bandwidth channel of a macrocell for the small cell to operate within utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier; and

transmit information regarding the portion of the bandwidth channel for the small cell to operate within.

39. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor further configured to:

receive information from another small cell regarding a portion of a channel in which the other small cell has determined to operate within utilizing another flexible bandwidth carrier; and

determine another portion of the channel to operate within based on the received information utilizing the flexible bandwidth carrier.

40. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the wireless communications device comprises a small cell access point.