Systems and methods for determining a power option for an access node

• US 9,439,153 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Vivanco, Daniel, Liu, Chunmei, Sitaram, Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Mered, Habte
• Application Number:
  US14/247,053
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/32 TPC of broadcast or control channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for determining a power option for an access node. Application requirements for a first plurality of wireless devices in communication with a first access node may be identified for each wireless device. The number of wireless devices that comprise a met application requirement may then be determined. When that number meets a first criteria, a plurality of power options for transmitting a first signal may be determined. For each power option, a second number of the first plurality of wireless devices and a third number of wireless devices in communication with a second access node may be estimated. Based on the estimated numbers for the determined power options, a power option may be selected and the first access node may transmit the first signal according to the selected power option.

Claims

1. A method for determining a power option for an access node, comprising:

identifying an application requirement for each of a first plurality of wireless devices in communication with a first access node;

determining, from among the first plurality of wireless devices, a first number of wireless devices comprising application requirements that are met;

determining, when the first number of wireless devices meets a first criteria, a plurality of power options for transmitting a first signal from the first access node;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, a second number of wireless devices from among the first plurality of wireless devices comprising application requirements that are met by each power option;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, a third number of wireless devices in communication with a second access node, wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option interferes with a communication between the third number of wireless devices and the second access node; and

selecting one of the plurality of power options when the estimated second number of wireless devices meets a second criteria and the estimated third number of wireless devices meets a third criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the plurality of power options further comprises:

determining a subset of power options from among the plurality of power options, wherein for each of the subset of power options the estimated second number of wireless devices meets the second criteria and the estimated third number of wireless devices meets the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a first difference between the estimated second number of wireless devices and the second criteria and a second difference between the estimated third number of wireless devices and the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a sum of the first difference and the second difference;

selecting one of the subset of power options with the greatest sum.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a fourth number of wireless devices from among the first plurality of wireless devices that comprise application requirements that meet an application requirement criteria; and

increasing the second criteria when the fourth number of wireless devices meets a fifth criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application requirement criteria comprises one or more of:

a QCI greater than a first threshold, a GBR greater than a second threshold, a minimum bit rate greater than a third threshold, a maximum permitted data delay less than a fourth threshold, a minimum throughput greater than a fifth threshold, a maximum error rate less than a sixth threshold, and a maximum data loss rate less than a seventh threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the plurality of power options further comprises:

determining, for each of the power options, that the estimated second number of wireless devices does not meet a second criteria or that the estimated third number of wireless devices does not meet a third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a first difference between the estimated second number of wireless devices and the second criteria and a second difference between the estimated third number of wireless devices and the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a sum of the first difference and the second difference; and

selecting one of the subset of power options with the least sum.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the third number of wireless devices further comprises:

ascertaining locations for the third number wireless devices; and

estimating, for each of the power options based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, the third number of wireless devices, wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option will interfere with the communication between the third number of wireless devices at each ascertained location and the second access node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein estimating the third number of wireless devices for the second plurality of wireless devices further comprises:

determining a coverage radius for the first signal;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an increased coverage radius of the first signal when the first access node performs each power option;

determining, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an overlap area between the estimated increased coverage radius and a coverage radius for a second signal transmitted from the second access node; and

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, the third number of wireless devices wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option will interfere with the communication between the third number of wireless devices located within the overlap area and the second access node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining updated application requirements for each of a first plurality of wireless devices;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an updated first number of wireless devices for the first plurality of wireless devices based on the updated application requirements;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an updated second number of wireless devices for the second plurality of wireless devices; and

adjusting the selected power option based on the updated first number of wireless devices and the updated second number of wireless devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the first signal according to the selected power option.

10. A system for determining a power option for an access node, comprising:

a first access node, a second access node, and a controller, the controller configured to;

identify an application requirement for each of a first plurality of wireless devices in communication with the first access node;

determine, from among the first plurality of wireless devices, a first number of wireless devices comprising application requirements that are met;

determine, when the first number of wireless devices meets a first criteria, a plurality of power options for transmitting a first signal from the first access node;

estimate, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, a second number of wireless devices from among the first plurality of wireless devices comprising application requirements that are met;

estimate, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, a third number of wireless devices in communication with the second access node, wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option interferes with a communication between the third number of wireless devices and the second access node; and

select one of the plurality of power options when the estimated second number of wireless devices meets a second criteria and the estimated third number of wireless devices meets a third criteria.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein selecting one of the plurality of power options further comprises:

determining a subset of power options from among the plurality of power options, wherein for each of the subset of power options the estimated second number of wireless devices meets the second criteria and the estimated third number of wireless devices meets the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a first difference between the estimated second number of wireless devices and the second criteria and a second difference between the estimated third number of wireless devices and the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a sum of the first difference and the second difference;

selecting one of the subset of power options with the greatest sum.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a fourth number of wireless devices from among the first plurality of wireless devices that comprise application requirements that meet an application requirement criteria; and

increase the second criteria when the fourth number of wireless devices meets a fifth criteria.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the application requirement criteria comprises one or more of:

a QCI greater than a first threshold, a GBR greater than a second threshold, a minimum bit rate greater than a third threshold, a maximum permitted data delay less than a fourth threshold, a minimum throughput greater than a fifth threshold, a maximum error rate less than a sixth threshold, and a maximum data loss rate less than a seventh threshold.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein selecting one of the plurality of power options further comprises:

determining, for each of the power options, that the estimated second number of wireless devices does not meet a second criteria or that the estimated third number of wireless devices does not meet a third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a first difference between the estimated second number of wireless devices and the second criteria and a second difference between the estimated third number of wireless devices and the third criteria;

calculating, for each of the subset of power options, a sum of the first difference and the second difference; and

selecting one of the subset of power options with the least sum.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein estimating the third number of wireless devices further comprises:

ascertaining locations for the third number of wireless devices; and

estimating, for each of the power options option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, the third number of wireless devices, wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option will interfere with the communication between the third number of wireless devices at each ascertained location and the second access node.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein estimating the third number of wireless devices for the second plurality of wireless devices further comprises:

determining a coverage radius for the first signal;

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an increased coverage radius of the first signal when the first access node performs each power option;

determining, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an overlap area between the estimated increased coverage radius and a coverage radius for a second signal transmitted from the second access node; and

estimating, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, the third number of wireless devices wherein the first signal transmitted according to each power option will interfere with the communication between the third number of wireless devices located within the overlap area and the second access node.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine updated application requirements for each of a first plurality of wireless devices;

estimate, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an updated first number of wireless devices for the first plurality of wireless devices based on the updated application requirements;

estimate, for each power option based on transmission of the first signal according to each power option, an updated second number of wireless devices for the second plurality of wireless devices; and

adjust the selected power option based on the updated first number of wireless devices and the updated second number of wireless devices.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the first access node is configured to:

transmit the first signal according to the selected power option.