Method and apparatus for mitigating interference in femtocell deployments

摘要

Methods and apparatuses are provided for mitigating interference among access points, and/or devices communicating therewith, in unplanned network deployments. Based on determining that one or more served devices potentially interfere with one or more access points, an inter-frequency handover (IFHO) threshold or data rate can be adjusted for the device to cause IFHO or reduce occurrence of interference, and/or a coverage area can be modified so the device can communicate with one or more other access points to mitigate potential interference. Based on determining interference from one or more devices served by other access points, an access point can switch operating modes to a hybrid or open access point to allow the one or more devices to handover to the access point, and/or can boost downlink transmit power to cause the one or more devices to perform IFHO from the other access points to mitigate potential interference.

主权项

1. A method for mitigating interference in a wireless network, comprising:
determining, at a serving access point, that a served device communicating with the serving access point on a first frequency causes potential interference with one or more non-serving access points communicating on the first frequency and is within a threshold geographic range of said one or more non-serving access points; and decreasing an inter-frequency handover threshold to trigger an inter-frequency handover for the served device from the first frequency to a second frequency that differs from the first frequency based at least in part on the determining.