Autonomous femto node carrier frequency selection

摘要

For each nth carrier frequency bandwidth of a set of N carrier frequency bandwidths there is determined interference (in which n is an index and N is an integer greater than one). For each nth carrier frequency bandwidth, there is determined a number of cells operating on the nth carrier frequency bandwidth. The number of carrier frequency bandwidths available for selection is reduced to less than N by excluding from consideration at least one carrier frequency bandwidth based on the determined number of cells operating thereon. From the reduced number is selected a carrier frequency bandwidth for use by a host femto cell. In various specific embodiments: the carrier frequency bandwidth excluded from consideration has a maximum number of cells operating thereon; and/or closed subscriber group cells having path loss exceeding a threshold are excluded from the per carrier count; and/or only femto cells are included in the per carrier count.

主权项

1. A method of performing autonomous component carrier selection at a first femto cell, wherein the method comprises:
determining at the first femto cell a received interference level for each nth component carrier of a designated set of N component carriers allotted to said first femto cell, wherein n is an index, N is an integer greater than one, and N is less than the total number of component carriers available in a carrier aggregation; for each nth component carrier, determining a number of neighboring femto cells operating on the nth component carrier; reducing the number of component carriers available for selection by said first femto cell to less than N by excluding from consideration for use by the first femto cell at least one component carrier based on the determined number of neighboring femto cells operating thereon, wherein reducing comprises excluding from consideration by the first femto cell a component carrier that is determined to have a highest number of neighboring femto cells operating thereon relative to the determined number of neighboring femto cells operating on each of remaining N component carriers; selecting from the reduced number a component carrier whose received interference level is determined to be least for use by the first femto cell; and reducing macro cell coverage holes by excluding, from consideration of the first femto cell autonomous component carrier selection, the component carrier with the highest number of neighboring femto cells operating thereon.