Methods and apparatus for determining, communicating and using information which can be used for interference control

• US 9,191,840 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi, Rangan, Sundeep, Srinivasan, Murari, Hande, Prashanth, Corson, M. Scott, Das, Arnab
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US11/486,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20070140168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,413 Days
• Field of Search: 370/330
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

A wireless terminal receives a broadcast uplink interference report request conveying a requested report type and/or a locally unique base station identifier. The wireless terminal receives and measures broadcast reference signals, e.g., beacon and/or pilot signals, transmitted from a plurality of base station attachment points. Specific type interference reports relate a current serving connection base station attachment point to a selected base station attachment point corresponding to the received base station identifier. Generic type interference reports relate a current serving base station connection attachment point to other unspecified base station attachment points whose broadcast reference signals have been detected by the wireless terminal. Sub-types of generic reports include summation function and maximum function reports. Timing information is sometimes used to determine report sub-type and/or sector type of the selected attachment point. The wireless terminal generates the requested report and transmits it to the current connection attachment point.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless terminal comprising:

receiving, from a first attachment point with which said wireless terminal has a connection, a request for a specific interference report that communicates information on interference to said first attachment point, at said wireless terminal, specifically from a second interfering attachment point, said request for a specific interference report including base station identification information identifying one of a plurality of interfering base stations, said identified one of the plurality of interfering base stations being a base station at which the second interfering attachment point is located;

receiving a first signal from said first attachment point;

performing a first measurement on the received first signal;

receiving a second signal from said second interfering attachment point;

performing a second measurement on the received second signal;

generating said specific interference report based on the first measurement of the received first signal and the second measurement of the received second signal; and

transmitting the generated specific interference report.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to generating said specific interference report, receiving a plurality of signals from multiple attachment points, said plurality of signals including the received second signal; and

identifying the received second signal from said plurality of signals as a function of the received base station identification information.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said first measurement is a power measurement of the received first signal;

wherein said second measurement is a power measurement of the received second signal; and

wherein generating said specific interference report includes generating a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal, said specific interference report communicating said ratio.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

prior to performing said step of transmitting the generated interference report, determining a transmission time at which the generated interference report is to be transmitted according to a predetermined function that uses a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received as a transmission time control input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predetermined function determines said transmission time to be at a time corresponding to a fixed predetermined offset from the time at which said request for a specific interference report is received.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein generating said specific interference report includes:

generating the first value by multiplying the measured power of the first signal by a loading factor corresponding to said first attachment point; and

generating the second value by multiplying the measured power of the second signal by a loading factor corresponding to said second interfering attachment point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said request for a specific interference report communicates a locally unique base station identifier of a sectorized base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a sector identifier corresponding to the locally unique base station identifier from a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received, said sector identifier identifying a sector which serves as said second interfering attachment point.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a generic interference report that is to be based on signals received from a plurality of different interfering attachment points in addition to said first attachment point;

performing measurements on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of different interfering attachment points; and

generating said generic interference report based on one of a sum or maximum of the results of the measurements of said plurality of signals received from the plurality of different interfering attachment points.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein said first attachment point is located at a different base station than said second interfering attachment point;

and

wherein said specific interference report is an interference report which is a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal.

11. A wireless terminal comprising:

a monitoring module for detecting a request for a specific interference report from a first attachment point with which said wireless terminal has a connection, said interference report communicating information on interference to said first attachment point, at said wireless terminal, specifically from a second interfering attachment point, said request for a specific interference report including base station identification information identifying one of a plurality of interfering base stations, said identified one of the plurality of interfering base stations being a base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located;

a first measurement module for measuring received signals of a first type;

a second measurement module for measuring received signals of a second type;

a report generation module for generating said specific interference report based on a measurement of a received first signal and a measurement of a received second signal, said received first signal being from said first attachment point, said received second signal being from said second interfering attachment point; and

a transmitter for transmitting the generated specific interference report.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving a plurality of signals from multiple attachment points, said plurality of signals including the received second signal; and

a signal identification module for identifying the received second signal from said plurality of signals as a function of detected base station identification information.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 11,

wherein said measurement of said received first signal is a power measurement of the received first signal;

wherein said measurement of said received second signal is a power measurement of the received second signal; and

wherein generating said specific interference report includes generating a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal, said specific interference report communicating said ratio.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 11 further comprising:

a transmission time determination module for determining a transmission time at which the generated interference report is to be transmitted according to a predetermined function that uses a time at which said request for a specific interference report including said base station identification information is received as a transmission time control input.

15. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein said predetermined function determines said transmission time to be at a time corresponding to a fixed predetermined offset from the time at which said request for a specific interference report is received.

16. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving said request for a specific interference report communicating broadcast base station identification information, said broadcast base station identification information including a locally unique base station identifier of a sectorized base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

a sector type determination module for determining a sector identifier corresponding to the locally unique base station identifier from a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received, said sector identifier identifying a sector which serves as said second interfering attachment point.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a control module for controlling the report generation module to generate reports of different types in response to different received requests for an interference report, said different types of reports including at least a first type report and a second type report, said first type report communicating a ratio of a first value and a second value, one of said first and second values corresponding to a measurement of a signal from said first attachment point and the other one of said first and second values corresponding to a measurement of a signal from an attachment point specified to the wireless terminal by said first attachment point.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 18, wherein the second type of report is generated using a maximum or summation function used to process signal measurement information corresponding to one or more received signals.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 11, wherein said specific interference report is an interference report which is a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal.

21. A wireless terminal comprising:

means for detecting a request for a specific interference report from a first attachment point with which said wireless terminal has a connection, said interference report communicating information on interference to said first attachment point, at said wireless terminal, specifically from a second interfering attachment point, said request for a specific interference report including base station identification information identifying one of a plurality of interfering base stations, said identified one of the plurality of interfering base stations being a base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located;

means for measuring received signals of a first type;

means for measuring received signals of a second type;

means for generating said specific interference report based on a measurement of a received first signal and a measurement of a received second signal, said received first signal being from said first attachment point, said received second signal being from said second interfering attachment point; and

means for transmitting the generated specific interference report.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of signals from multiple attachment points, said plurality of signals including the received second signal; and

means for identifying the received second signal from said plurality of signals as a function of detected base station identification information.

23. The wireless terminal of claim 21,

wherein said measurement of said received first signal is a power measurement of the received first signal;

wherein said measurement of said received second signal is a power measurement of the received second signal; and

wherein generating said specific interference report includes generating a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal, said specific interference report communicating said ratio.

24. The wireless terminal of claim 21 further comprising:

means for determining a transmission time at which the generated interference report is to be transmitted according to a predetermined function that uses a time at which said request for a specific interference report including said base station identification information is received as a transmission time control input.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein said predetermined function determines said transmission time to be at a time corresponding to a fixed predetermined offset from the time at which said request for a specific interference report is received.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving said request for a specific interference report communicating broadcast base station identification information, said request for a specific interference report communicating a locally unique base station identifier of a sectorized base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining a sector identifier corresponding to the locally unique base station identifier from a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received, said sector identifier identifying a sector which serves as said second interfering attachment point.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 21, further comprising:

means for controlling said means for generating said specific interference report to generate reports of different types in response to different received control signals, said different types of reports including at least a first type report and a second type report, said first type report communicating a ratio of a first value and a second value, one of said first and second values corresponding to a measurement of a signal from said first attachment point and the other one of said first and second values corresponding to a measurement of a signal from an attachment point specified to the wireless terminal by said first attachment point.

29. The wireless terminal of claim 28, wherein the second type of report is generated using a maximum or summation function used to process signal measurement information corresponding to one or more received signals.

30. The wireless terminal of claim 21,

wherein said first attachment point is located at a different base station than said second interfering attachment point;

and

wherein said specific interference report is an interference report which is a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal.

31. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a wireless terminal, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to receive, from a first attachment point with which said wireless terminal has a connection, a request for a specific interference report that communicates information on interference to said first attachment point, at said wireless terminal, specifically from a second interfering attachment point, said request for a specific interference report including base station identification information identifying one of a plurality of interfering base stations, said identified one of the plurality of interfering base stations being a base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located;

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to receive a first signal from said first attachment point;

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to perform a first measurement on the received first signal;

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to receive a second signal from said second interfering attachment point;

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to perform a second measurement on the received second signal;

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to generate said specific interference report based on the first measurement of the received first signal and the second measurement of the received second signal; and

instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to transmit the generated specific interference report.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, further embodying machine executable instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to:

receive, prior to generating said specific interference report, a plurality of signals from multiple attachment points, said plurality of signals including the received second signal; and

identify the received second signal from said plurality of signals as a function of the received base station identification information.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31,

wherein said first measurement is a power measurement of the received first signal;

wherein said second measurement is a power measurement of the received second signal; and

wherein generating said specific interference report includes generating a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal, said specific interference report communicating said ratio.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33 further embodying machine executable instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to:

determine, prior to transmitting the generated specific interference report, a transmission time at which the generated specific interference report is to be transmitted according to a predetermined function that uses a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received as a transmission time control input.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein said predetermined function determines said transmission time to be at a time corresponding to a fixed predetermined offset from the time at which said request for a specific interference report is received.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31 wherein said request for a specific interference report communicates a locally unique base station identifier of a sectorized base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, further embodying machine executable instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to:

determine a sector identifier corresponding to the locally unique base station identifier from a time at which said request for a specific interference report is received, said sector identifier identifying a sector which serves as said second interfering attachment point.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, further embodying machine executable instructions for controlling said wireless terminal to:

receive a request for a generic interference report that is to be based on signals received from a plurality of different interfering attachment points in addition to said first attachment point;

perform measurements on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of different interfering attachment points; and

generate said generic interference report based on one of a sum or maximum of the results of the measurements of said plurality of signals from the plurality of different interfering attachment points.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein said first attachment point is located at a different base station than said second interfering attachment point;

and

wherein said specific interference report is an interference report which is a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of said received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal.

40. A wireless terminal operable in a communications system, the wireless terminal comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive, from a first attachment point with which said wireless terminal has a connection, a request for a specific interference report that communicates information on interference to said first attachment point, at said wireless terminal, specifically from a second interfering attachment point, said request for a specific interference report including base station identification information identifying one of a plurality of interfering base stations, said identified one of the plurality of interfering base stations being a base station at which said second interfering attachment point is located;

receive a first signal from said first attachment point;

perform a first measurement on the received first signal;

receive a second signal from said second interfering attachment point;

perform a second measurement on the received second signal;

generate said specific interference report based on the measurement of the received first signal and the measurement of the received second signal; and

transmit the generated specific interference report.

41. The wireless terminal of claim 40, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a plurality of signals from multiple attachment points prior to generating said specific interference report, said plurality of signals including the received second signal; and

identify the received second signal from said plurality of signals as a function of the received base station identification information.

42. The wireless terminal of claim 40,

wherein said first measurement is a power measurement of the received first signal;

wherein said second measurement is a power measurement of the received second signal; and

wherein generating said specific interference report includes generating a ratio of a first value to a second value, the first value being a function of a measured power of the received first signal and the second value being a function of a measured power of the received second signal, said specific interference report communicating said ratio.