Small cell activation control of portable multi-purpose wireless device

• US 9,479,896 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Soumya, Park, Edwin Chongwoo, Song, Bongyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mastrodonato, Margaret G
• Application Number:
  US14/271,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a network node, wireless device, or both, a method for controlling activation or deactivation of a small cell activity of a portable multi-purpose wireless device in a wireless communications network may include determining a geographic location of a portable multi-purpose wireless device. The device may be capable of two or more different states of small cell activity, including an activated state, a deactivated state, or a latent state. The method may include controlling a current one of the two or more different states of the small-cell capability of the portable multi-purpose wireless device, based at least in part on the geographic location. The network node, the wireless device, or both may activate or deactivate the small cell activity, or place it into a latent state, based on additional factors. In addition to its small cell capabilities, the wireless device may perform user function unrelated to the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling activation or deactivation of a small cell activity of a portable multi-purpose wireless device in a wireless communications network, comprising:

determining a geographic location of a portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity, wherein the three or more different states include at least an active state, an inactive state, and a latent state; and

controlling a current one of the three or more different states of the small-cell capability of the portable multi-purpose wireless device based at least in part on the geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states comprises placing the small-cell capability in the active state wherein the wireless device operates as a small cell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states comprises at least one of:

placing the small-cell capability in the inactive state wherein the wireless device does not perform any small cell function, or causing the wireless device to change from the active state to the inactive state or from the inactive state to the active state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states comprises at least one of:

placing the small-cell capability in the latent state wherein the wireless device does not operate as a small cell and listens for an activation signal, or causing the wireless device to change from one of the active state or the inactive state to the latent state or from the latent state to one of the inactive state or the active state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless device, when in the latent state, performs at least one of sparsely transmitting an overhead signal for detection by a mobile entity or for reporting to the wireless communication network, advertising its presence using OOB signaling, listening to OOB signaling, or listening for an activation request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on whether the wireless device is located in a defined home region.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether the wireless device is located in a defined home region based on least one of a macro cell neighborhood detected by the wireless device, or on Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates detected by the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on at least one of demand or load factors of the wireless communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on one or more locations of at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on at least one power source status of the wireless device and at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on at least one of an available radio access technology, backhaul availability, or backhaul quality of the wireless device and at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on at least one wireless capability of at least one mobile entity within radio range of the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the current one of the three or more different states is further based on uplink signaling from one or more mobile entities.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the uplink signaling comprises at least one of non-decoded uplink traffic, or a request to activate the small-cell capability of the wireless device.

15. An apparatus for controlling activation or deactivation of a small cell activity of a portable multi-purpose wireless device in a wireless communications network, comprising a memory coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine a geographic location of a portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity, wherein the three or more different states include at least an active state, an inactive state, and a latent state; and

control a current one of the three or more different states of the small-cell capability of the portable multi-purpose wireless device based at least in part on the geographic location.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part by placing the small-cell capability in the active state wherein the wireless device operates as a small cell.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part by one of more of:

placing the small-cell capability in the inactive state wherein the wireless device does not perform any small cell function, or causing the wireless device to change from one of the active state or the inactive state to the latent state or from the latent state to one of the inactive state or the active state.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part by one or more of:

placing the small-cell capability in the latent state wherein the wireless device does not operate as a small cell and listens for an activation signal, or causing the wireless device to change from one of the active state or the inactive state to the latent state or from the latent state to one of the inactive state or the active state.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to the wireless device, when in the latent state, performing at least one of sparsely transmitting an overhead signal for detection by a mobile entity or for reporting to the wireless communication network, advertising its presence using OOB signaling, listening to OOB signaling, or listening for an activation request.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, control the current one of the three or more different states further based on whether the wireless device is located in a defined home region.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the wireless device is located in the defined home region based on least one of a macro cell neighborhood detected by the wireless device, or on Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates detected by the wireless device.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part on at least one of demand or load factors of the wireless communication network.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to the control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part on one or more locations of at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to the control the current one of the three or more different states at least in part on at least one power source status of the wireless device and at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to the control the current one of the three or more different states based on at least one of an available radio access technology, backhaul availability, or backhaul quality of the wireless device and at least one additional portable multi-purpose wireless device.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the current one of the three or more different states is further based on at least one wireless capability of at least one mobile entity within radio range of the wireless device.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to the control the current one of the three or more different states based on uplink signaling from one or more mobile entity.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the uplink signaling including at least one of non-decoded uplink traffic, or a request to activate the small-cell capability of the wireless device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for controlling activation or deactivation of a small cell activity of a portable multi-purpose wireless device in a wireless communications network, comprising:

code for determining a geographic location of a portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity, wherein the three or more different states include at least an active state, an inactive state, and a latent state; and

code for controlling a current one of the three or more different states of the small-cell capability of the portable multi-purpose wireless device based at least in part on the geographic location.

30. An apparatus for controlling activation or deactivation of a small cell activity of a portable multi-purpose wireless device in a wireless communications network, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a geographic location of a portable multi-purpose wireless device capable of three or more different states of small cell activity, wherein the three or more different states include at least an active state, an inactive state, and a latent state; and

means for controlling a current one of the three or more different states of the small-cell capability of the portable multi-purpose wireless device based at least in part on the geographic location.