WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD USING A FEMTO BASE STATION AND A FEMTO BASE STATION FOR USE THEREWITH

摘要

A communication method for a wireless communication network comprises: providing a femto base station configured to communicate wirelessly with one or more wireless communication devices within the coverage area of the femto base station, wherein the femto base station may communicate on a plurality of different carrier frequencies; monitoring each communication device within the coverage area; and activating and/or deactivating one or more main carrier frequencies of the femto base station, in accordance with communication requirements of the communication devices; wherein a communication device, which is within the coverage area of the femto base station but is not being served by an active main carrier frequency of the femto base station, is served by a macro base station, having a coverage area within the coverage area of the femto base station, or, if the femto base station is also capable of communicating on auxiliary carrier frequencies, an auxiliary carrier frequency.

主权项

1. A femto base station for use in a wireless communication network which is configured to communicate wirelessly with a set of one or more wireless communication devices within a coverage area of the femto base station, wherein the femto base station is capable of communicating on a plurality of different main carrier frequencies, which apparatus comprises:
monitoring means configured to monitor each communication device within the coverage area; and control means operable to carry out a process of activating and/or deactivating one or more main carrier frequencies of the femto base station, selected from the plurality of main carrier frequencies, in accordance with communication requirements of the connected devices; wherein the femto base station is also capable of communicating using one or more auxiliary carrier frequencies, in addition to the plurality of main carrier frequencies, wherein the base station is operable to serve a communication device, which is within the coverage area of the base station but is not being served by an active main carrier frequency of the base station, using one of the auxiliary carrier frequencies.