Enhancement of a cell reselection parameter in heterogeneous networks

• US 9,516,564 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cui, Zhi, Lei, Hongyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US14/261,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/329, 370/331, 370/328, 370/332, 370/254, 370/311, 370/336, 370/338, 370/216, 370/235, 370/241, 370/242, 370/312, 455/436, 455/434, 455/437, 455/422.1, 455/404.1, 455/435.1, 455/452.1, 455/426.1, 455/435.2, 455/438, 455/444, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/552.1, 455/67.11, 455/406, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/423, 455/435.3, 455/439, 455/445, 455/450, 455/509, 455/522, 455/550.1, 455/574, 455/63.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00837 Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/008375 based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A cell reselection procedure in heterogeneous networks is enhanced based on utilization of per category cell reselection parameters. In one aspect, a serving access point can categorize a set of neighbor access points based on cell-type and/or cell-profile data of a set of neighbor access points. Further, the serving access point can determine cell reselection parameters for the different categories. As an example, offset data (Qoffset) can be determined for the different categories. The per category cell reselection parameters can be transmitted to user equipment coupled to the serving access point to facilitate cell reselection. In one example, the per category cell reselection parameters reduce operational costs associated with processing and transmission of system parameters.

Claims

1. A first access point device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

determining offset data indicative of a common offset value assigned to second access point devices that are associated with a common category and are located within a defined distance from the first access point device, wherein the offset data is employable to instruct a user equipment, served by the first access point device, to facilitate cell reselection, and

facilitating a transmission of the offset data from the first access point device to the user equipment.

2. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the common category is associated with a common cell type associated with the second access point devices.

3. The first access point device of claim 2, wherein the common cell type comprise a metro cell type.

4. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the common category is associated with a common cell profile parameter associated with the second access point devices.

5. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from a second access point device of the second access point devices, category data representing the common category via a communication link that employs an access point-to-access point signaling protocol.

6. The first access point device of claim 5, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the category data during an initialization of the communication link.

7. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from a second access point device of the second access point devices, category data representing the common category via a network management device.

8. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

based on historical information received from the user equipment, determining category data representing the common category of a second access point device of the second access point devices.

9. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the common category is a first category and the determining comprises determining the offset data based on category data that represents a second category assigned to the first access point device.

10. The first access point device of claim 1, wherein the common offset value comprises a Qoffset value that is employable to bias the user equipment to connect to a second access point device of a group of the second access point devices.

11. A method, comprising:

based on cell profile information that represents respective cell types associated with access point devices that are determined to be located within a defined distance from a serving access point device comprising a processor, determining, by the serving access point device, categories of the access point devices, wherein first access point devices of the access point devices are associated with a first category of the categories; and

assigning, by the serving access point device, a common offset value to the first access point devices of the first category, wherein the common offset value is employable to instruct a user equipment to facilitate cell reselection.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

directing, by the serving access point device, the common offset value to the user equipment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining comprises determining the first category based on determining that the first access point devices are classified as a metro cell type.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the serving access point device, the cell profile information via a communication link that employs an access point-to-access point signaling protocol.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the assigning comprises assigning the common offset value that is employable to bias the user equipment to connect to one of the first access point devices.

16. A machine-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a serving access point device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

based on cell profile information that represents respective cell types associated with access point devices that are determined to be located within a defined distance from the serving access point device, determining first access point devices of the access point devices that are associated with a first cell type category and determining second access point devices of the access point devices that are associated with a second cell type category; and

assigning a first offset value to the first access point devices and a second offset value to the second access point devices, wherein the assigning comprises assigning the first offset value and the second offset value to be employable to instruct a user equipment to facilitate cell reselection.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the cell profile information comprises configuration data associated with an antenna configuration of an antenna of the access point devices.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the cell profile information comprises location data associated with a location of a device of the access point devices.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the cell profile information comprises capacity data associated with a capacity of a device of the access point devices.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first cell type category is a macro cell type category and the second cell type category is a metro cell type category.