Enhancement of inter-cell interference coordination with adaptive reduced-power almost blank subframes based on neighbor cell profile data

• US 9,621,294 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cui, Zhi, Liu, Cheng P., Lei, Hongyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASEFA, DEBEBE A
• Application Number:
  US14/505,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20160099791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0053 using co-ordinated multipoint transmission/reception co-ordinated antenna or beam-forming aspects H04B7/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0056 Inter-base station aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An inter-cell interference coordination procedure in heterogeneous networks (HetNets) is enhanced based on utilization of cell profile data associated with neighbor access points to improve HetNet spectrum efficiency, mobility performance, and/or overall network capacity. In one aspect, a macro access point can receive cell profile data associated with neighbor access points and modify a power level of reduced-power almost blank subframes (ABS) transmitted by the macro access point to manage macro cell capacity. Further, the macro access point can configure the ABS pattern and transmit the ABS pattern to the neighbor access points. Based on the ABS pattern, the neighbor access points can schedule transmissions to user equipment that are located at (or close to) their cell-edge to reduce inter-cell interference.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving cell profile information representing features associated with a metro cell access point device; and

based on the cell profile information, selecting a value for a transmission power utilized by a macro cell access point device to transmit user plane data during a defined subframe of a transmission frame that is employable to facilitate inter-cell interference coordination between the macro cell access point device and the metro cell access point device, wherein the defined subframe is a subframe associated with a variable transmission power and wherein the value is greater than zero.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

based on the selecting, facilitating a transmission of the user plane data from the macro cell access point device during the defined subframe.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission power is a first transmission power, the user plane data is first user plane data, the transmission is a first transmission, the defined subframe is a first subframe, and the facilitating comprises facilitating the first transmission of the first user plane data during the first subframe by employing the first transmission power and facilitating a second transmission of second user plane data during a second subframe of the transmission frame by employing a second transmission power, and wherein the metro cell access point device transmits third user plane data during the first subframe and the second subframe.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first transmission power is lower than the second transmission power.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission power is a first transmission power and the cell profile information comprises power data indicative of a second transmission power of the metro cell access point device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell profile information comprises antenna data indicative of a configuration of an antenna associated with the metro cell access point device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell profile information comprises location data indicative of a geographical location of the metro cell access point device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell profile information comprises capacity data indicative of a capacity of the metro cell access point device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell profile information comprises access data indicative of access control associated with the metro cell access point device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises selecting the value for the transmission power data based on mobility performance data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the cell profile information from the metro cell access point device via a communication link that employs an access point-to-access point signaling protocol.

12. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, cell profile information representing characteristics of a metro cell access point device; and

based on the cell profile information, determining, by the system, a value for a transmission power that is employable to facilitate a transmission of first user plane data from a macro cell access point device to a first user equipment during a reduced-power subframe, during which second user plane data is to be transmitted from the metro cell access point device to a second user equipment, wherein the value is greater than zero.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the cell profile information comprises receiving the cell profile information from the metro cell access point device via communication link that employs an access point-to-access point signaling protocol.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the cell profile information comprises receiving the cell profile information from a network management device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the cell profile information comprises determining the cell profile information representing an antenna configuration of the metro cell access point device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission power is a first transmission power and the determining the cell profile information comprises determining the cell profile information representing a second transmission power of the metro cell access point device.

17. A machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving cell profile information representing a feature of a first access point device; and

based on the cell profile information, customizing a value of a transmission power of a second access point device to result in a customized transmission power value, wherein the customized transmission power value is utilized to facilitate a transmission of first user plane data to a first user equipment during a reduced-power subframe during which second user plane data is to be transmitted from the second access point device to a second user equipment, wherein a portion of a first coverage area of the first access point device overlaps with a second coverage area of the second access point device, and wherein the customized transmission power value is greater than zero.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the customizing comprises reducing the value of the transmission power during the reduced-power subframe.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the cell profile information from the first access point device via communication link that employs an access point-to-access point signaling protocol.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the transmission power is a first transmission power and the cell profile information comprises power data representing a second transmission power utilized by the first access point device.