System and method to locate femto cells with passive assistance from a macro cellular wireless network
First Claim
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1. A method for a user equipment (UE) to locate a femto cell, the method comprising:
- acquiring, by the UE, one or more femto cells;
storing in a database information to locate the one or more femto cells acquired by the UE, the information being individualized for the UE and comprising macro system parameters comprising phase offsets and pilots having signal strength above a threshold, wherein the information stored in the database further includes for each femto cell;
carrier frequency, location, list of pilot offsets with signal strength above a given threshold, system identification (ID) for the femto cell, network ID for the femto cell, and base ID broadcast for the femto cell;
searching within the database to determine when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one of the one or more femto cells; and
when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell, accessing a femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell.
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Abstract
A system, method and computer product for a mobile station to locate a femto cell, the method comprising: (a) storing in a database information to locate at least one femto cell; (b) receiving, from at least one macro cell, location information of the UE; (c) searching within the database to determine if the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell; (d) if so, accessing the femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell.
100 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for a user equipment (UE) to locate a femto cell, the method comprising:
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acquiring, by the UE, one or more femto cells; storing in a database information to locate the one or more femto cells acquired by the UE, the information being individualized for the UE and comprising macro system parameters comprising phase offsets and pilots having signal strength above a threshold, wherein the information stored in the database further includes for each femto cell;
carrier frequency, location, list of pilot offsets with signal strength above a given threshold, system identification (ID) for the femto cell, network ID for the femto cell, and base ID broadcast for the femto cell;searching within the database to determine when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one of the one or more femto cells; and when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell, accessing a femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
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at least one processor; memory coupled to the at least one processor; a transceiver configured to acquire, by the UE, one or more femto cells; and a database configured to store information to locate the one or more femto cells acquired by the UE, the information being individualized for the UE and comprising macro system parameters comprising phase offsets and pilots having signal strength above a threshold; wherein the information stored in the database further includes for each femto cell;
carrier frequency, location, list of pilot offsets with signal strength above a given threshold, system identification (ID) for the femto cell, network ID for the femto cell, and base ID broadcast for the femto cell;wherein the UE searches the database to determine when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one of the one or more femto cells; and when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell, the UE accesses a femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to:
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acquire, by a user equipment (UE), one or more femto cells; store in a database information to locate the one or more femto cells acquired by the UE, the information being individualized for the UE and comprising macro system parameters comprising phase offsets and pilots having signal strength above a threshold, wherein the information stored in the database further includes for each femto cell;
carrier frequency, location, list of pilot offsets with signal strength above a given threshold, system identification (ID) for the femto cell, network ID for the femto cell, and base ID broadcast for the femto cell;search within the database to determine when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one of the one or more femto cells; and when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell, access a femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus to locate a femto cell, comprising:
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means for acquiring, by a user equipment (UE), one or more femto cells; means for storing in a database information to locate the one or more femto cells acquired by the UE, the information being individualized for the UE and comprising macro system parameters comprising phase offsets and pilots having signal strength above a threshold, wherein the information stored in the database further includes for each femto cell;
carrier frequency, location, list of pilot offsets with signal strength above a given threshold, system identification (ID) for the femto cell, network ID for the femto cell, and base ID broadcast for the femto cell;means for searching within the database to determine when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one of the one or more femto cells; and when the UE is in a general proximity of at least one femto cell, means for accessing a femto cell using the database information corresponding to the femto cell, wherein the means for accessing comprises hardware. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for a user equipment (UE) to locate a femto cell, the method comprising:
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determining, by the UE, when the UE is in a low mobility status, wherein a degree of mobility is evaluated by estimating total pilot phase excursions over a period of time; tuning to a frequency where femto cells are deployed; taking a signal sample, wherein samples taken for targeted search are reused to find new femto cells; conducting a search for all cell-specific signals reserved to femto cell use; finding the femto cell; determining, by the UE, when the femto cell is authorized to use; when the femto cell is authorized to use, registering the UE on the femto cell; and when the femto cell is not authorized to use, returning to monitor a macro system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus to locate a femto cell, comprising:
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means for determining by a user equipment (UE) when the UE is in a low mobility status, wherein a degree of mobility is evaluated by estimating total pilot phase excursions over a period of time; means for tuning to a frequency where femto cells are deployed, wherein the means for tuning comprises hardware; means for taking a signal sample, wherein samples taken for targeted search are reused to find new femto cells; means for conducting a search for all cell-specific signals reserved to femto cell use; means for finding the femto cell; means for determining by the UE when the femto cell is authorized to use; when the femto cell is authorized to use, means for registering the UE on the femto cell; and when the femto cell is not authorized to use, means for returning to monitor a macro system. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to:
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determine by a user equipment (UE) when the UE is in a low mobility status, wherein a degree of mobility is evaluated by estimating total pilot phase excursions over a period of time; tune to a frequency where femto cells are deployed; take a signal sample, wherein samples taken for targeted search are reused to find new femto cells; conduct a search for all cell-specific signals reserved to femto cell use; find a femto cell; determine by the UE when the femto cell is authorized to use; when the femto cell is authorized to use, registering the UE on the femto cell; and when the femto cell is not authorized to use, returning to monitor a macro system. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
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a processor that determines when the UE is in a low mobility status, wherein a degree of mobility is evaluated by estimating total pilot phase excursions over a period of time; receiver that tunes to a frequency where femto cells are deployed, wherein the receiver comprises hardware; said processor takes a signal sample, conducts a search for all cell-specific signals reserved to femto cell use, finds a femto cell, and determines when the femto cell is authorized to use, wherein samples taken for targeted search are reused to find new femto cells; when the femto cell is authorized to use, registers itself on the femto cell; and when the femto cell is not authorized to use, returns to monitor a macro system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification