Dynamic cell clustering

• US 9,167,449 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Yiping, Song, Yi, Li, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US13/962,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load

Abstract

In some implementations, a method for dynamic cell clustering includes splitting, by an initial central coordinator, the cluster into two or more clusters in response to a message from a small cell in a cluster. The initial cluster includes a plurality of cells, including the small cell, with each cell assigned a same Time Division Duplex (TDD) configuration.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic cell clustering, the method comprising:

receiving, from a small cell in a cluster, a message that indicates an uplink (UL) buffer status and an UL packet delay; and

splitting, by an initial central coordinator, the cluster into two or more clusters based on the UL buffer status and the UL packet delay, wherein the initial cluster includes a plurality of cells, including the small cell, with each cell assigned a same Time Division Duplex (TDD) configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each cluster in the two or more clusters, determining a TDD configuration based on traffic in that cluster, wherein the two or more clusters are assigned different TDD configurations; and

for each cluster in the two or more clusters, signaling the TDD configuration to member cells of the cluster.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving measurement reports from member cells in the two or more clusters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement reports includes at least one of pathloss, received signal strength from neighboring cells, or traffic statistics.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each cluster in the two or more clusters, selecting a subsequent central coordinator; and

signaling each subsequent central coordinator information regarding an assigned cluster, wherein each subsequent central coordinator determines a TDD configuration for the assigned cluster based on the information regarding the assigned cluster.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling different TDD configurations to the two or more clusters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the TDD configurations is a dynamic TDD configuration broadcast using X2 messaging.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial central coordinator comprises an eNodeB (eNB) for macro cell, an eNB for a small cell, multiple eNBs for multiple small cells, or a gateway.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a preferred TDD configuration for a first subset of the plurality of cells is different from a preferred TDD configuration for a second subset of the plurality of cells.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling the small cell to deactivate after handing over UEs or reduce transmit power.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling a specified TDD configuration to the small cell, wherein the specified TDD configuration reduces eNB-eNB interference.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the message indicates a change in traffic pattern for the small cell, the method further comprising signaling the small cell to handover specific UEs to modify the traffic pattern, wherein the modified traffic pattern more closely matches the same TDD configuration.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the message indicates a change in traffic pattern for a small cell, the method further comprising signaling the small cell to reduce power by a specified amount.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising signaling the small cell to use a different TDD configuration.

15. A method for dynamic clustering, comprising:

receiving, from a small cell in an initial cluster, a message that indicates activation of the small cell or an increase in transmission power; and

merging, by a central coordinator, the initial cluster with one or more clusters into a subsequent cluster based on the activation of the small cell or the increase in transmission power, wherein the subsequent cluster includes a plurality of cells;

determining a same Time Division Duplex (TDD) configuration for the plurality of cells; and

for each cell in the plurality of cells, signaling the same TDD configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the message indicates activation of the small cell or a transmit power increase in the small cell.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message indicates a transmit power increase in the small cell, the method further comprising:

determining the transmit power increase exceeds a specified threshold; and

transmitting, to the small cell, a request for a central coordinate for the initial cluster.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the message indicates inference with an eNB for the small cell exceeds a predefined threshold.