Access point configuration based on received access point signals

• US 9,253,653 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gogic, Aleksandar M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): REDDIVALAM, SRINIVASA R
• Application Number:
  US12/265,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

An access point is configured based on signals received from one or more access points on a forward link. Such an access point may comprise, for example, a relatively small coverage area access point and/or an access point that is deployed in an ad-hoc manner. In some aspects, an access point may determine its location based on signals received from several neighboring macro access points. In some aspects, the timing of an access point may be synchronized to timing indicated by signals that are received from one or more neighboring access points.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

identifying one or more frequency bands reserved for macro access points;

receiving pilot signals from a plurality of macro access points at a first access point on the one or more identified frequency bands;

storing at least one parameter associated with the received pilot signals at the first access point for use in a subsequent search for a pilot signal, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a monitored frequency band, and/or a detected reference signal, a physical identity, or combinations thereof;

deriving sequence information from the received pilot signals at the first access point, wherein the sequence information indicates different reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points and indicates timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points;

receiving, from a network entity and at the first access point, location information indicative of locations of the plurality of macro access points;

determining at the first access point a location of the first access point based on the sequence information and the location information, and

wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises receiving an indication of the one or more frequency bands from the network entity and wherein the indication of the frequency band is based on an address associated with a termination point of a fixed broadband connection to which the first access point is attached.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises:

sending from the first access point the sequence information to the network entity; and

receiving at the first access point an indication of the location from the network entity, wherein the indication is based on the sequence information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises:

determining distances from the first access point to the plurality of macro access points; and

performing a triangulation operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the deriving the sequence information comprises:

identifying reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points; and

determining timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises:

monitoring at least one supported frequency band; and

sending a message indicative of at least one signal received as a result of the monitoring of the at least one supported frequency band, wherein an indication of the one or more frequency bands is received in response to the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access point comprises a femto node or a pico node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the frequency band is based on a customer address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the location information comprises:

reporting the received pilot signals to the network entity; and

receiving the location information from the network entity responsive to the reported pilot signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein femto nodes and pico nodes are not allowed to operate on frequency bands reserved for macro access points.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises maintaining a record of one or more frequency bands on which the first access point previously received pilot signals.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the determined location of the first access point as a location of an access terminal associated with the first access point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving pilot signals comprises:

searching for the pilot signals over a period of time; and

integrating the pilot signals received over the period of time.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising synchronizing the first access point to a strongest pilot signal found while searching for the pilot signals.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining timing comprises determining relative timing that indicates a time delta between receipt of a signal from one macro access point and the receipt of a signal from another macro access point.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a consistency check of the determined location using the latitude and longitude of a household in which the first access point is installed.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an indication of the determined location to the network entity; and

receiving an indication of a timing adjustment.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a timing adjustment at the first access point based on a distance between the first access point and a second access point; and

receiving at the first access point a timing signal from the second access point; and

defining at the first access point timing based on the determined timing adjustment and the received timing signal.

18. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a frequency band identifier configured to identify one or more frequency bands reserved for macro access points;

a receiver configured to receive pilot signals from a plurality of macro access points at a first access point on the one or more identified frequency bands and to receive, from a network entity and at the first access point, location information indicative of locations of the plurality of macro access points;

a memory configured to store at least one parameter associated with received pilot signals at the first access point for use in a subsequent search for a pilot signal, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a monitored frequency band, and/or a detected reference signal, a physical identity, or combinations thereof;

a sequence processor configured to derive sequence information from the received pilot signals at the first access point, wherein the sequence information indicates different reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points and indicates timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points;

a location determiner configured to determine at the first access point a location of the first access point based on the sequence information and the location information, and

wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises receiving an indication of the one or more frequency bands from the network entity and wherein the indication of the frequency band is based on an address associated with a termination point of a fixed broadband connection to which the first access point is attached.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determining the location comprises:

sending from the first access point the sequence information to the network entity; and

receiving at the first access point an indication of the location from the network entity, wherein the indication is based on the sequence information.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determining the location comprises:

determining distances from the first access point to the plurality of macro access points; and

performing a triangulation operation.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the deriving the sequence information comprises:

identifying reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points; and

determining timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises:

monitoring at least one supported frequency band; and

sending a message indicative of at least one signal received as a result of the monitoring of the at least one supported frequency band, wherein an indication of the one or more frequency bands is received in response to the message.

23. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for identifying one or more frequency bands reserved for macro access points;

means for receiving pilot signals from a plurality of macro access points at a first access point on the one or more identified frequency bands;

means for storing at least one parameter associate with the received pilot signals at the first access point for use in a subsequent search for a pilot signal, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a monitored frequency band, and/or a detected reference signal, a physical identity, or combinations thereof;

means for deriving sequence information from the received pilot signals at the first access point, wherein the sequence information indicates different reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points and indicates timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points;

means for receiving, from a network entity and at the first access point, location information indicative of locations of the plurality of macro access points;

means for determining at the first access point a location of the first access point based on the sequence information and the location information, and wherein the means for identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises means for receiving an indication of the one or more frequency bands from the network entity and wherein the indication of the frequency band is based on an address associated with a termination point of a fixed broadband connection to which the first access point is attached.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for determining the location comprises:

means for sending from the first access point the sequence information to the network entity; and

means for receiving at the first access point an indication of the location from the network entity, wherein the indication is based on the sequence information.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for determining the location comprises:

means for determining distances from the first access point to the plurality of macro access points; and

means for performing a triangulation operation.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for deriving the sequence information comprises:

means for identifying reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points; and

means for determining timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises:

means for monitoring at least one supported frequency band; and

means for sending a message indicative of at least one signal received as a result of the monitoring of the at least one supported frequency band, wherein the means for receiving are configured for receiving an indication of the one or more frequency bands in response to the message.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to:

identify one or more frequency bands reserved for macro access points;

receive pilot signals from a plurality of macro access points at a first access point on the one or more identified frequency bands;

store at least one parameter associated with the received pilot signals at the first access point for use in a subsequent search for a pilot signal, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a monitored frequency band, and/or a detected reference signal, a physical identity, or combinations thereof;

derive sequence information from the received pilot signals at the first access point, wherein the sequence information indicates different reference signals and/or physical identities associated with the plurality of macro access points and indicates timing associated with the receipt of the pilot signals from the plurality of macro access points;

receive, from a network entity and at the first access point, location information indicative of locations of the plurality of macro access points;

determine at the first access point a location of the first access point based on the sequence information and the location information, and

wherein the identifying the one or more frequency bands comprises receiving an indication of the one or more frequency bands from the network entity and wherein the indication of the frequency band is based on an address associated with a termination point of a fixed broadband connection to which the first access point is attached.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the code for determining the location comprises code for causing the computer to:

send from the first access point the sequence information to the network entity; and

receive at the first access point an indication of the location from the network entity, wherein the indication is based on the sequence information.