METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING COVERAGE IN A CELULAR NETWORK

• US 20100075683A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Karlsson, Ingemar Folke, Johansson, Martin, Andersson, Mats H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A sub-node, such as a repeater station or relay station, equipped with a multi-beam sub-node link antenna. The beams of the sub-node link antenna allow communication between the sub-node and at least two nodes (access points/base stations) 11_A-B; 11_A-E. The sub-node is further provided with at least one transmitting and receiving coverage antenna to generate coverage in at least one geographical secondary coverage area a; a-c, and a control mechanism that selects one of the nodes to extend the geographical primary coverage area A-B; A-E of the node 11_A-B; 11_A-E to include the geographical secondary coverage area a; a-c of the sub-node. The invention is also related to a cellular communication network, and a method for generating coverage in a cellular communication network.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A sub-node configured to be used in a cellular communication network, said sub-node comprising:

at least one transmitting and receiving coverage antenna to generate coverage in at least one geographical secondary coverage area, said sub-node in communication with a node generating coverage in a geographical primary coverage area, wherein said sub-node further comprises at least one link antenna configured to provide communication with a plurality of nodes, and a control mechanism configured to select one node from said plurality of nodes to extend the coverage of said selected nodes to include one of said at least one secondary coverage area.

35. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein said sub-node is a repeater station.

36. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein said sub-node is a relay station.

37. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein said control mechanism further is configured to select one of said at least one secondary coverage area to establish a communication link between said selected node and a terminal situated in said selected secondary coverage area.

38. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein said control mechanism is manually controlled by an operator managing the cellular communication network.

39. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein said control mechanism is automatically controlled dependent on measured parameters in the cellular communication network.

40. The sub-node according to claim 39, wherein said measured parameters is one selected from the group consisting of:

traffic load, signal quality and power level.

41. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein the sub-node comprises only one link antenna that provides communication with a plurality of nodes.

42. The sub-node according to claim 34, wherein the sub-node comprises a plurality of link antennas, each link antenna providing communication with at least one node.

43. A cellular communication network comprising a plurality of nodes each having transmitting and receiving antennas to generate coverage in a geographical primary coverage area, said network comprising:

at least one sub-node having transmitting and receiving coverage antennas to generate coverage in at least one geographical secondary coverage area, said at least one sub-node in communication with a node to extend the coverage of said node to include one of said at least one geographical secondary coverage area, the at least one sub-node further comprising;

at least one link antenna providing communication with a plurality of nodes, and

a control mechanism configured to select one node from said plurality of nodes to extend the coverage of said selected node to include one of said at least one secondary coverage area.

44. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein at least one of said at least one sub-node is a repeater station.

45. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein at least one of said at least one sub-node is a relay station.

46. The cellular communication network according claim 43, wherein said control mechanism further is configured to select one of said at least one secondary coverage area to establish a communication link between said selected node and a terminal situated in said selected secondary coverage area.

47. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein said control mechanism is manually controlled by an operator managing the cellular communication network.

48. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein said control mechanism is automatically controlled dependent on measured parameters in the cellular communication network.

50. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein at least one of said at least one sub-node comprises only one link antenna that provides communication with a plurality of nodes.

51. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein at least one of said at least one sub-node comprises a plurality of link antennas, each link antenna provides communication with at least one node.

52. The cellular communication network according to claim 43, wherein said node is a base station.

49. The cellular communication network according to claim 49, wherein said measured parameters is selected from the group consisting of:

traffic load, signal quality and power level.

53. A method for generating coverage in a cellular communication network having a plurality of nodes each having transmitting and receiving antennas to generate coverage in a geographical primary coverage area, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one sub-node having transmitting and receiving coverage antennas generating coverage in at least one geographical secondary coverage area, said at least one sub-node communicating with a node to extend the coverage of said node to include one of said at least one geographical secondary coverage area; and

providing communication between said at least one sub-node and a plurality of nodes and configuring a control mechanism to select one node from said plurality of nodes to extend the coverage of said selected node to include one of said at least one secondary coverage area.

54. The method according to claim 53, further comprising selecting at least one of said at least one sub-node to be a repeater station.

55. The method according to claim 53, further comprising selecting at least one of said at least one sub-node to be a relay station.

56. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of configuring said control mechanism to select one of said at least one secondary coverage area to establish a communication link between said selected node and a terminal situated in said selected secondary coverage area.

57. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of manually controlling said control mechanism by an operator managing the cellular communication network.

58. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the steps of:

measuring parameters in the cellular communication network; and

automatically controlling said control mechanism dependent on measured parameters.

59. The method according to claim 58, further comprising the step of selecting said measured parameters to be any one from the group consisting of traffic load, signal quality and power level.

60. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of selecting at least one of said at least one sub-node to have only one link antenna that provides communication with a plurality of nodes.

61. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of selecting at least one of said at least one sub-node to have a plurality of link antennas, each link antenna provides communication with at least one node.

62. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of selecting said node to be a base station.

63. A computer program configured to be installed in a sub-node of a communications system, said computer program adapted to be stored in a memory and executed by a processor to communicate with a plurality of nodes, and controlling a control mechanism to select one node from a plurality of nodes.

64. The computer program according to claim 63, wherein said sub-node is configured to generate coverage in at least one geographical secondary coverage area, and said computer program is configured, when executed, to control said control mechanism to select one of said at least one secondary coverage area to establish a communication link between said selected node and a terminal situated in said selected secondary coverage area.

65. The computer program according to claim 63, wherein said computer program is configured, when executed by a processor, to be manually controlled by an operator managing the cellular communication network.

66. The computer program according to claim 63, wherein said computer program is configured, when executed by a processor, to receive measured parameters in the communication network and automatically control said control mechanism dependent on the measured parameters.