Small cells implementing multiple air interfaces

• US 9,148,835 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sharony, Jacob, Sheikh, Khurram Parviz
• Primary Examiner(s): Javaid, Jamal
• Application Number:
  US13/603,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 370/332, 370/329, 370/328, 370/331, 455436-438
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication networks including a plurality of small cell providing air interface infrastructure functionality is provided. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the management of inter-small cell communication in accordance multiple air interfaces supported within individual small cells. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure relate to the management of intra-small cell communication in accordance with communication networks implementing multiple small cells. In other aspects, small cells coordinate handovers through the use of a controller, or by leveraging wireless connections created between the small cells. In further aspects, the small cells enable the utilization of multiple air interface standards within a small cell.

Claims

1. A heterogeneous network comprising:

one or more macro cells, wherein each macro cell is configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device in accordance with a longer range air interface standard; and

one or more small cells, wherein each small cell is configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile device in accordance with the longer range air interface standard and a shorter range air interface standard, wherein the longer range air interface standard corresponds to a long term evolution (LTE) air interface standard, and the shorter range air interface standard corresponds to a IEEE 802.11 air interface standard;

a small cell controller, the small cell controller configured to manage at least a portion of handovers between small cells;

wherein the one or more small cells are further configured to implement intra small cell handovers between communications with the mobile device within the respective cell in accordance with the longer range air interface and the shorter range air interface standards; and

wherein small cell controller is configured to cause inter small cell handovers associated with communication with the mobile device in accordance with the longer range air interface standard based, at least in part, on movement associated with the mobile device.

2. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more small cells are configured to implement handovers between a macro cell and a small cell.

3. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein the small cell controller is further configured to cause intra small cell handovers between the longer range air interface standard and the shorter range air interface standard.

4. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more small cells are further configured to implement handovers associated with communication with the mobile device in accordance solely with the first air interface standard.

5. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein the small cell controller is configured to implement the intra call handovers without receiving control instructions from a core network.

6. The network as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more other cell controllers, wherein each of the other cell controllers is configured to manage at least a portion of inter cell handovers between cells including at least one macro cell, the inter cell handovers between cells including at least one macro cell corresponding to the first air interface standard.

7. The network as recited in claim 6, wherein the other cell controllers are configured according to regions.

8. The network as recited in claim 7, wherein the other cell controllers are configured such that there is a single cell controller associated with each identifiable region.

9. The network as recited in claim 7, wherein the other cell controllers are hierarchically arranged.

10. The network as recited in claim 9, wherein the other cell controllers comprises a first cell controller assigned to a first set of cells, and a second cell controller assigned to a second set of cells.

11. The network as recited in claim 10, wherein a third cell controller facilitates handovers between a cell in the first set of cells and a cell in the second set of cells.

12. The network as recited in claim 6, wherein the other cell controllers are configured according to service provider associations.

13. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

circuitry configured to facilitate communication with one or more macro cells and one or more small cells in accordance with a first air interface standard corresponding to a long term evolution (LTE) air interface standard; and

circuitry configured to facilitate communication with the one or more small cells in accordance with a second air interface standard corresponding to an IEEE 802.11 air interface standard;

circuitry configured to transmit movement data associated with the UE to a small cell controller, the small cell controller configured to manage at least a portion of handovers between small cells and to cause intra cell or inter cell small cell handovers based, at least in part, on the transmitted movement data associated with UE; and

circuitry configured to receive intra cell handover information in response to the transmitted movement data, wherein the intra cell handover comprises a handover within a respective small cell between communications with a service provider in accordance with the first air interface and the second air interface standards.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE) to perform operations to:

facilitate communication with one or more macro cells and one or more small cells in accordance with a first air interface standard corresponding to a long term evolution (LTE) air interface standard; and

facilitate communication with the one or more small cells in accordance with a second air interface standard corresponding to an IEEE 802.11 air interface standard;

transmit movement data associated with the UE to a small cell controller, the small cell controller configured to manage at least a portion of handovers between small cells and to cause intra cell or inter cell small cell handovers based, at least in part, on the transmitted movement data associated with UE; and

receive intra cell handover information in response to the transmitted movement data, wherein the intra cell handover comprises a handover within a respective small cell between communications with a service provider in accordance with the first air interface and the second air interface standards.