Method and apparatus for determination of almost blank subframe pattern by network listening

摘要

A method of determining almost-blank subframe (ABS) information in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) including a macro cell and one or more small cells underlaid with respect to the macro cell, the method including obtaining, at a first base station (BS) of a first one of the one or more small cells, almost-blank subframe (ABS) information of the macro cell based on at least one of transmissions of the macro cell and transmissions of a UE attached to the first small cell.

主权项

1. A method of determining almost-blank subframe (ABS) information in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) including a macro cell and one or more small cells underlaid with respect to the macro cell, the method comprising:
obtaining, at a first base station (BS) of a first one of the one or more small cells, almost-blank subframe (ABS) information of the macro cell based on at least one of transmissions of the macro cell to the BS and transmissions to the first small cell of a UE attached to the first small cell, the obtaining ABS information based on the transmissions of the macro cell including, synchronizing the first BS with the transmissions of the macro cell, analyzing the transmissions of the macro cell based on the synchronization, and obtaining the ABS information based on the analyzing, the obtaining information based on the transmissions of the UE including, receiving a macro cell information message from at least one of the UE and a second BS of a second one of the one or more small cells, the macro cell information message including the ABS information, and wherein the analyzing the transmissions of the macro cell based on the synchronization includes receiving a plurality of subframes from the macrocell, estimating which of the plurality of subframes are being used for transmission by the macro cell and which subframes are being blanked by the macro cell by determining, for each received subframe, power levels of one or more reference signal physical resource blocks (PRBs) of the subframe and power levels of one or more non-reference signal PRBs of the subframe, and determining that a subframe is blanked if the power of the one or more non-reference signal PRBs of the subframe are lower than the reference signal PRBs of the subframe.