Communication control apparatus, communication control method, program, and terminal apparatus

• US 9,713,014 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Hiromasa, Furuichi, Sho, Kimura, Ryota, Sawai, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US14/761,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 455443, 4554221, 4554521, 455406, 455436, 455445, 370331, 370228
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Provided is a communication control apparatus including: a selection unit that uses information related to one or more terminal apparatuses operable as an access point for a small cell to select a master terminal operating the small cell and one or more sub-master terminals; and a control unit that instructs the at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell according to occurrence of an event disturbing the operation of the small cell by the master terminal.

Claims

1. A communication control apparatus, comprising:

a selection unit configured to;

determine a score of communication efficiency for each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are operable as an access point for a small cell, wherein the score is determined based on at least one of an accommodated terminal count, an accommodated terminal communication amount or a size of coverage of the small cell;

select from the plurality of terminal apparatuses, based on the determined score, a master terminal to operate the small cell, and at least one sub-master terminal; and

a control unit configured to instruct the selected at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell based on an interruption in the operation of the small cell by the selected master terminal.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection unit is further configured to determine the score based on a quality index of an accommodated terminal for the small cell.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, based on the small cell being operated to improve communication quality for a specific terminal, the selection unit is further configured to select a first terminal apparatus that is able to include a current position of the specific terminal in coverage of the small cell, as the master terminal or the sub-master terminal.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, based on an increase in a load of the master terminal, the control unit is further configured to allow the at least one sub-master terminal to process a part of traffic that has been processed by the master terminal.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein, based on the increase in the load of the master terminal, the control unit is further configured to give an instruction related to a load distribution system to the master terminal and the at least one sub-master terminal.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the increase in the load of the master terminal based on a load index received from the master terminal or a macro cell base station.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, based on a decrease in quality of a first backhaul link of the master terminal that operates the small cell, the control unit is further configured to:

allow the selected master terminal to stop the operation of the small cell; and

allow the at least one sub-master terminal to operate the small cell.

8. The communication control apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the decrease in the quality of the first backhaul link of the master terminal based on a first quality index for the first backhaul link of the master terminal.

9. The communication control apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the control unit is further configured to select the at least one sub-master terminal to operate the small cell based on a second quality index for a corresponding second backhaul link for each of the at least one sub-master terminal selected by the selection unit.

10. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, based on an absence of the master terminal that operates the small cell, the control unit is further configured to allow the at least one sub-master terminal to operate the small cell.

11. The communication control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the absence of the master terminal based on a master absence notification received via a macro cell base station connected to the master terminal.

12. The communication control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the absence of the master terminal based on a master absence notification received from a slave terminal connected to the master terminal.

13. The communication control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the selection unit is further configured to select a different master terminal based on the absence of the master terminal.

14. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection unit is further configured to select a plurality of master terminals, and

wherein the plurality of master terminals operate the small cell based on a cooperative transmission technology.

15. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication control apparatus is a base station configured to operate a macro cell, and

wherein the plurality of terminal apparatuses are positioned within the macro cell.

16. A communication control method, comprising:

determining a score of communication efficiency for each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are operable as an access point for a small cell, wherein the score is determined based on at least one of an accommodated terminal count, an accommodated terminal communication amount or a size of coverage of the small cell;

selecting from the plurality of apparatuses, based on the determined score, a master terminal operating the small cell, and at least one sub-master terminal; and

instructing the selected at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell based on an interruption in the operation of the small cell by the selected master terminal.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions for causing a computer that controls a communication control apparatus to execute operations, the operations comprising:

determining a score of communication efficiency for each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are operable as an access point for a small cell, wherein the score is determined based on at least one of an accommodated terminal count, an accommodated terminal communication amount or a size of coverage of the small cell;

selecting from the plurality of apparatuses, based on the determined score, a master terminal operating the small cell, and at least one sub-master terminal; and

instructing the selected at least one sub-master terminal to be involved in an operation of the small cell based on an interruption in the operation of the small cell by the selected master terminal.

18. A terminal apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with a communication control apparatus that selects a master terminal to operate small cell, and at least one sub-master terminal, wherein the master terminal and the at least one sub-master terminal is selected based on a score of communication efficiency for each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are operable as an access point for the small cell, wherein the score is determined based on at least one of an accommodated terminal count, an accommodated terminal communication amount or a size of coverage of the small cell; and

a control unit configured to, allow the terminal apparatus to be involved in an operation of the small cell based on an instruction from the communication control apparatus, wherein the terminal apparatus is allowed to operate the small cell based on a selection of the terminal apparatus as the at least one sub-master terminal.