Method and network node in a communications system

• US 9,066,250 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Kazmi, Muhammad, Behravan, Ali, Fodor, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): Abelson, Ronald B
• Application Number:
  US13/817,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20130155991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a network node 100 in a wireless communications network 1. In particular, it relates to selecting a frequency band for operation for user equipment 9 in the wireless communications network 1. The frequency band to be selected is either a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band. The network node 100 is a macro base station 5, or a home base station (7, 700), and is adapted to communicate with user equipments 9 in the wireless communications network 1 which comprises both the macro base station 5 and the home base station (7, 700). The home base station (7, 700) is adapted to support operation in both the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band. The method comprises obtaining radio condition measurements performed on the licensed frequency band and/or on the unlicensed frequency band; selecting the frequency band, based on the obtained radio condition measurements; and updating the home base station of the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments.

Claims

1. A method in a network node for selecting a frequency band to be used for communicating with user equipments in a wireless communication network, the network node being a macro base station or a home base station in the wireless communication network and the frequency band being either a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, said method comprising:

obtaining radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

selecting the frequency band, based on the obtained radio condition measurements; and

updating the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments, wherein updating the home base station with the selected frequency band comprises updating the network node with an access control mechanism determined by the macro base station.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the radio condition measurements comprises obtaining user equipment measurements performed by the user equipments, and wherein selecting the frequency band comprises selecting the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements and on the obtained user equipment measurements.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the radio condition measurements comprises obtaining user equipment preferences, the user equipment preferences comprising one or more of the following:

closed subscriber group memberships;

session prioritizations; and

indications of preferred frequency bands;

and, wherein selecting the frequency band comprises selecting the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements and on the obtained user equipment preferences.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the frequency band includes comparing the obtained radio condition measurements with one or more threshold values that are predefined or obtained via a backhaul link, a radio connection, or from a core network node.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the frequency band includes determining available unlicensed frequency bands among the unlicensed frequency bands, and verifying that the home base station is capable of operating in the determined available unlicensed frequency bands.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein obtaining the radio condition measurements comprises obtaining radio condition measurements, user equipment measurements, and/or user preferences via a backhaul link to the home bases station, via a radio connection to the home base station, or from a core network node.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the macro base station is the network node, and wherein updating the home base station with the selected frequency band comprises the macro base station updating the home base station with the selected frequency band by sending an update message to the home base station, wherein the update message indicates the selected frequency band.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein updating the home base station with the selected frequency band comprises the macro base station sending the update message to the home base station according to any one of the following operations:

broadcasting the update message over a radio interface and requiring the home base station to listen;

sending the update message to the home base station via a backhaul network;

or sending the update message to the home bases station via a user equipment.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein updating the home base station with the selected frequency band comprises the macro base station sending an update message to the home base station, the update message indicating the selected frequency band and one or more of the following information:

interference level of one or more licensed frequency bands;

interference level of one or more of unlicensed frequency bands;

indications of other recommended frequency bands other than the selected frequency band; and

indicators of priority level for each of the recommended frequency bands.

10. A method in a home base station for selecting a frequency band to be used for communicating with user equipments in a wireless communication network, the frequency band being either a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, said method comprising:

obtaining radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

selecting the frequency band, based on the obtained radio condition measurements; and

updating the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments, wherein the network node is the home base station, and wherein the home base station is configured to perform the steps of obtaining, selecting and updating.

11. A method in a network node for selecting a frequency band to be used for communicating with user equipments in a wireless communication network, the network node being a macro base station or a home base station in the wireless communication network and the frequency band being either a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, said method comprising:

obtaining radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

selecting the frequency band, based on the obtained radio condition measurements;

updating the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments;

determining if the selected frequency band as indicated by the updating is a newly selected frequency band that is different from a previously selected frequency band;

transmitting at least one of data and information on the newly selected frequency band and on the previously selected frequency band simultaneously for a predefined time period; and

switching to the newly selected frequency band after the predefined time period has passed.

12. A network node configured to select a frequency band to be used for communicating with one or more user equipments in a wireless communication network that includes a macro base station and a home base station, wherein the frequency band is selected as one of a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, and wherein the network node comprises:

a transceiver circuit adapted to obtain radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

a selector circuit adapted to select the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements; and

a processor circuit adapted to update the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments, wherein the processor circuit is adapted to update the network node with an access control mechanism determined by the macro base station.

13. The network node according to claim 12, wherein the transceiver circuit is adapted to obtain user equipment measurements performed by the user equipments, and wherein the selector circuit is adapted to select the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements and on the obtained user equipment measurements.

14. The network node according to claim 12, wherein the transceiver circuit is adapted to obtain user equipment preferences, the user equipment preferences comprising one or more of the following:

closed subscriber group memberships;

session prioritizations; and

indications of preferred frequency bands; and

wherein the selector circuit is adapted to select the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements and on the obtained user equipment preferences.

15. The network node according to claim 12, further comprising a comparison circuit adapted to perform a comparison of the obtained radio condition measurements with one or more threshold values that are predefined or obtained via a backhaul connection, and wherein the selector circuit is adapted to select the frequency band based at least in part on the comparison.

16. The network node according to claim 12, wherein, in being adapted to select the frequency band, the selector circuit is further adapted to determine available unlicensed frequency bands among the unlicensed frequency bands, and to verify that the home node base station is capable of operating in the determined available unlicensed frequency bands.

17. The network node according to claim 12, wherein the network node is the macro base station.

18. The network node according to claim 17, wherein the transceiver circuit is adapted to obtain the radio condition measurements, user specific measurements, and/or user preferences from at least one of a backhaul network and the home base station or any one or more other home base stations.

19. The network node according to claim 18, wherein the update message includes one or more of the following information:

interference level of one or more licensed bands, interference level of one or more of unlicensed bands, indications of other recommended frequency bands other than the selected frequency band, and, indicators of priority level for each of the recommended frequency bands.

20. The network node according to claim 17, wherein, in being adapted to update the home base station with the selected frequency band, the processor circuit is further adapted to update the home base station with the selected frequency band by sending an update message to the home base station.

21. The network node according to claim 20, wherein the processor circuit is adapted to update the home base station of the selected frequency band by sending an update message to the home base station according to any one of the following principles:

broadcasting the update message over a radio interface and requiring the home base station to listen, sending the update message to the home base station via a backhaul network, and sending the update message to the home bases station via a user equipment.

22. A network node configured to select a frequency band to be used for communicating with one or more user equipments in a wireless communication network that includes a macro base station and a home base station, wherein the frequency band is selected as one of a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, and wherein the network node comprises:

a transceiver circuit adapted to obtain radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

a selector circuit adapted to select the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements; and

a processor circuit adapted to update the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments, wherein the network node is the home base station.

23. A network node configured to select a frequency band to be used for communicating with one or more user equipments in a wireless communication network that includes a macro base station and a home base station, wherein the frequency band is selected as one of a licensed frequency band or an unlicensed frequency band, and wherein the network node comprises:

a transceiver circuit adapted to obtain radio condition measurements performed on at least one of the licensed frequency band and the unlicensed frequency band;

a selector circuit adapted to select the frequency band based on the obtained radio condition measurements;

a processor circuit adapted to update the home base station with the selected frequency band to be used for communication with one or more of the user equipments;

a determining circuit adapted to determine if the selected frequency band is a newly selected frequency band that is different from a previously selected frequency band;

a second transceiver adapted to transmit at least one of data and information on the newly selected frequency band;

a third transceiver adapted to transmit the data and/or information on the previously selected frequency band simultaneously for a predefined time period; and

a switch circuit adapted to switch to the newly selected frequency band after the predefined time period has passed.