Method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network

• US 9,344,902 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Chen, Xuemin, Diab, Wael William, Erceg, Vinko, Hou, Victor, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Kent, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/474,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,545 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446, 455/423, 455/456.1, 455/435.1, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network are provided. In this regard, a communication device may be operable to communicate information to a femtocell management entity that may be utilized to determine whether a specified location is suitable for installation of a femtocell. The communication device may be operable to receive from the femtocell management entity, data that indicates whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the femtocell. The femtocell management entity may utilize the communicated information and/or additional information associated with one or installed femtocells, and/or one or more other communication devices that are within a vicinity of the specified location to determine whether the specified location is suitable for installation of the femtocell.

Claims

1. A femtocell management entity, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive first information from a communication device and second information from an installed femtocell;

determine, based on the first information and the second information, whether a specified location is suitable for installation of another femtocell prior to installation of the other femtocell at the specified location; and

transmit to the communication device data that indicates whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the other femtocell.

2. The femtocell management entity according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to update a registry based on the first information and the second information to generate updated registry data.

3. The femtocell management entity according to claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to dynamically update the registry based on the first information, the second information, and additional information associated with one or more other installed femtocells or one or more other communication devices that are within a vicinity of said specified location.

4. The femtocell management entity according to claim 3, wherein the first information, the second information, the additional information associated with the one or more other installed femtocells, or the one or more other communication devices comprise one or more parameters.

5. The femtocell management entity according to claim 4, wherein the one or more parameters comprises potential interference, power levels, and directionality of antennas of the one or more installed femtocells.

6. The femtocell management entity according to claim 3, wherein the dynamically updated registry comprises one or more of:

global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates, an identification number or a list of one or more parameters of each of the one or more installed femtocells.

7. The femtocell management entity according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the first information via a cellular link.

8. The femtocell management entity according to claim 7, wherein the cellular link utilizes one or more standards comprising IS-95, CDMA, GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA or HSDPA cellular standards.

9. The femtocell management entity according to claim 1, wherein the second information from the installed femtocell comprises directionality of an antenna of the installed.

10. A method for network management, comprising:

receiving, at a femtocell management entity, first information from a communication device and second information from an installed femtocell;

determining, based on the first information and the second information, whether a specified location is suitable for installation of another femtocell prior to installation of the other femtocell at the specified location;

updating a registry based on the first information and the second information to generate updated registry data; and

communicating the updated registry data to the communication device, the updated registry data being indicative of whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the other femtocell.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the updating the registry comprises:

dynamically updating the registry based on the first information, the second information, and additional information associated with one or more other installed femtocells or one or more other communication devices.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the dynamically updated registry comprises one or more of:

global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates, an identification number or a list of one or more parameters of each of the one or more installed femtocells.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving first information from the communication device via a cellular link utilizing one or more standards comprising IS-95, CDMA, GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and/or HSDPA cellular standards.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second information from the installed femtocell comprises directionality of an antenna of the installed femtocell.

15. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which by a computing device causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a femtocell management entity, first information from a communication device and second information from an installed femtocell;

determining, based on the first information and the second information, whether a specified location is suitable for installation of another femtocell prior to installation of the other femtocell at the specified location;

updating a registry based on the first information and the second information to generate updated registry data; and

communicating the updated registry data to the communication device, the updated registry data being indicative of whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the other femtocell.

16. The article of manufacture according to claim 15, wherein the updating the registry comprises:

dynamically updating the registry based on the first information, the second information, and additional information associated with one or more other installed femtocells or one or more other communication devices.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the dynamically updated registry comprises one or more of:

global navigation system satellite (GNSS) coordinates, an identification number or a list of one or more parameters of each of the one or more installed femtocells.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 15, wherein the operations further comprises:

receiving first information from the communication device via a cellular link.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 18, wherein the cellular link utilizes one or more standards comprising IS-95, CDMA, GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and/or HSDPA cellular standards.

20. The article of manufacture according to claim 15, wherein the second information from the installed femtocell comprises directionality of an antenna of the installed femtocell.