Method and apparatus for determining the identity of a femto cell

摘要

A femto cell is located within a macro cell of a wireless communication system. A method of identifying the femto cell comprises: determining at least one timing difference, the at least one timing difference being observed for communications between a wireless communication unit and each of a femto cell and at least one macro cell; and comparing the at least one observed timing difference to reference timing difference data. The identity of the femto cell may allow the location of the femto cell to be set as a geographical location for a wireless communication device that is within the footprint of the femto cell. The identity of the femto cell may allow hand in of an ongoing call, from the macro cell to the femto cell.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a network device, a first observed timing difference observed for communications between a wireless communication unit and a femto cell associated with a macro cell; determining, by the network device, a second observed timing difference observed for communications between the wireless communication unit and the macro cell; calculating, by the network device, a timing difference value based on subtracting one of the first observed timing difference or the second observed timing difference from the other of the first observed timing difference or the second observed timing difference; comparing, by the network device, the timing difference value to reference timing difference values,
each reference timing difference value being associated with a particular femto cell of a plurality of femto cells associated with the macro cell; and identifying, by the network device, the femto cell, from among the plurality of femto cells, based on comparing the timing difference value to a reference timing difference value, of the reference timing difference values, associated with the femto cell,
the timing difference value being indicative of the femto cell, andthe reference timing difference value being based on mapped data created from data previously obtained by multiple wireless communication units.