Adaptive UL-DL configurations in a TDD heterogeneous network
First Claim
1. A method of a macro evolved node B (eNB)for traffic offloading to generate one or more low interference flexible subframes (FlexSFs) of an adaptive uplink-downlink (UL-DL) time-division duplexing (TDD) subframe configuration in a heterogeneous network (HetNet), comprising:
- monitoring a traffic loading metric at the macro eNB of the HetNet or through at least one of a plurality of neighboring small eNBs of the HetNet for a specified traffic loading condition based on respective UL-DL subframe configuration information exchanged between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs;
determining that the specified traffic loading condition exists;
offloading, in response to said determining, traffic scheduled for a macro user equipment (UE) from one or more macro subframes of a UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB to one or more FlexSFs of a plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the plurality of neighboring small eNBs to avoid or mitigate a DL-UL interference between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs;
wherein the one or more macro subframes are muted and the one or more macro subframes are at subframe positions of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB that are equal to corresponding subframe positions of the one or more FlexSFs in the plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the neighboring small eNBs, andwherein the one or more macro subframes and the corresponding one or more FlexSFs are downlink subframes when the traffic scheduled is downlink traffic and uplink subframes when the traffic scheduled is uplink traffic.
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Abstract
Technology for traffic offloading to generate a low interference flexible subframe (FlexSF) of an adaptive uplink-downlink (UL-DL) time-division duplexing (TDD) subframe configuration in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) is disclosed. One method can include an evolved Node B (eNB) monitoring a traffic loading metric for a specified traffic loading condition. The eNB can offload traffic scheduled for a packet of a macro user equipment (UE) from a macro cell to a FlexSF of a UL-DL subframe configuration of a small cell when the specified traffic loading condition exists. The eNB can be a macro eNB of the macro cell or a small eNB of the small cell.
37 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of a macro evolved node B (eNB)for traffic offloading to generate one or more low interference flexible subframes (FlexSFs) of an adaptive uplink-downlink (UL-DL) time-division duplexing (TDD) subframe configuration in a heterogeneous network (HetNet), comprising:
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monitoring a traffic loading metric at the macro eNB of the HetNet or through at least one of a plurality of neighboring small eNBs of the HetNet for a specified traffic loading condition based on respective UL-DL subframe configuration information exchanged between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs; determining that the specified traffic loading condition exists; offloading, in response to said determining, traffic scheduled for a macro user equipment (UE) from one or more macro subframes of a UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB to one or more FlexSFs of a plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the plurality of neighboring small eNBs to avoid or mitigate a DL-UL interference between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs; wherein the one or more macro subframes are muted and the one or more macro subframes are at subframe positions of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB that are equal to corresponding subframe positions of the one or more FlexSFs in the plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the neighboring small eNBs, and wherein the one or more macro subframes and the corresponding one or more FlexSFs are downlink subframes when the traffic scheduled is downlink traffic and uplink subframes when the traffic scheduled is uplink traffic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A node device of a macro eNB configured to select an uplink-downlink (UL-DL) time-division duplexing (TDD) subframe configuration in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) to allow traffic adaption at a small eNB, comprising:
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a processing module to; monitor a traffic loading metric at the macro eNB of the HetNet or through at least one of a plurality of neighboring small eNBs of the HetNet for a specified traffic loading condition based on respective UL-DL subframe configuration information exchanged between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs; determine that the specified traffic loading condition exists; offload, in response to said determining, traffic scheduled for a macro user equipment (UE) from one or more macro subframes of a UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB to one or more FlexSFs of a plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the plurality of neighboring small eNBs to avoid or mitigate a DL-UL interference between the macro eNB and the plurality of neighboring small eNBs; wherein the one or more macro subframes are muted and the one or more macro subframes are at subframe positions of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB that are equal to corresponding subframe positions of the one or more FlexSFs in the plurality of independent UL-DL subframe configurations of the neighboring small eNBs, and wherein the one or more macro subframes and the corresponding one or more FlexSFs are downlink subframes when the traffic scheduled is downlink traffic and uplink subframes when the traffic scheduled is uplink traffic. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A node device of a small evolved Node B (eNB) configured to adapt uplink-downlink (UL-DL) time-division duplexing (TDD) subframe configurations in a heterogeneous network (HetNet), comprising:
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a transceiver module to receive a UL-DL subframe configuration of a macro eNB from the macro eNB; and a processing module to; generate a pico UL-DL adaption set such that DL subframes of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB are a subset of the DL subframes of the pico UL-DL adaption set, communicate traffic scheduled for the macro eNB, wherein the scheduled traffic is offloaded from one or more macro subframes of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB to one or more flexible subframes (FlexSFs) of one of the UL-DL subframe congurations included in the pico UL-DL adaptation set in order to avoid or mitigate DL-UL interference between the macro eNB and the small eNB; wherein the one or more macro subframes are muted and the one or more FlexSFs are at subframe positions that are equal to corresponding subframe positions of the one or more macro subframes of the UL-DL subframe configuration of the macro eNB, and the one or more FlexSFs are configured to vary as one of a downlink subframe or an uplink subframe based on the pico UL-DL adaption set, wherein the one or more macro subframes and the corresponding one or more FlexSFs are downlink subframes when the traffic scheduled is downlink traffic and uplink subframes when the traffic scheduled is uplink traffic, and wherein the offloading is based on a monitoring of a traffic loading metric performed through the small eNB. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification