Method for using terminal to detect small-scale cell in environment in which macrocell and small-scale cell coexist

• US 9,538,406 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Yoonoh, Hwang, Jinyup, Jung, Manyoung, Lee, Sangwook, Lim, Suhwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, NGUYEN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/409,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 370/201, 370/252, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0005 Time-frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for using a terminal to detect a small-scale cell at the edge of coverage of the small-scale cell in a wireless communication system in which a macrocell and the small-scale cell coexist. The present invention may include: a step of measuring a macrocell; a step of comparing a value related to the reference signal received quality (RSRQ) acquired according to the macrocell measurement with at least one critical value; a step of determining whether or not to carry out at least one interference removal function for receiving a signal from a small-scale cell in accordance with the determined results; and a step of detecting the signal from the small-scale cell when the interference removal function is actuated.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a small-scale cell in a wireless communication system in which a macro cell and the small-scale cell coexist, the method performed by a user equipment which is located outside a coverage of the small-scale cell and comprising:

performing a measurement for the macro cell;

comparing a value related to a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) obtained by the measurement for the macro cell with at least one threshold value;

determining whether to operate at least one interference removing function in order to receive a signal from the small-scale cell, according to a result of comparing the value; and

detecting the signal from the small-scale cell, if the interference removing function is operated,

wherein the value related to the RSRQ is obtained by

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparison step includes

determining whether the value related to the RSRQ is between a lower limit value and an upper limit value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step includes

determining whether to operate at least one of an interference removing function for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and interference removing function for a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a cell reselection or a handover, if a signal is detected from the small-scale cell.

5. A method for controlling a user equipment in a wireless communication system in which the macro cell and a small-scale cell coexist, the method performed by a macro cell and comprising:

receiving, by the macro cell, a result of a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) measurement for the macro cell itself from a user equipment which is located outside a coverage of the small-scale cell;

comparing a value related to the RSRQ with at least one threshold value; and

transmitting a control signal for allowing the user equipment to perform a cell reselection or a handover to the small-scale cell according to a result of comparing the value,

wherein the value related to the RSRQ is obtained by

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the control signal for allowing the user equipment to perform a cell reselection or a handover to the small-scale cell is either one of a command instructing the cell reselection or the handover to the small-scale cell or a command for instructing the user equipment to operate an interference removing function.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the command for instructing the user equipment to operate the interference removing function is a command for instructing the user equipment to operate at least one of an interference removing function for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and an interference removing function for a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the comparison step of the value includes

determining whether the value related to the RSRQ is between a lower limit value and an upper limit value.