Downlink scheduling in heterogeneous networks

摘要

The present invention provides methods to support scheduling of transmissions from a pico base station or micro base station to a mobile terminal operating in a link imbalance zone where interference from macro base station is present. A method is provided to enable the mobile terminal to detect when it is in a link imbalance zone, and for triggering scheduling restrictions when the mobile terminal is in the link imbalance zone.

主权项

1. In a mobile communication network including first and second base stations with overlapping coverage, a method implemented by a mobile terminal of decoding a control channel transmitted by the first base station, said method comprising:
receiving scheduling information indicating one or more restricted subframes for downlink transmission by said first base station only in an area of overlapping coverage; measuring the signal quality of a received signal from the first base station in the restricted subframes; measuring the signal quality of a received signal from the second base station; determining that said mobile terminal is within a link imbalance zone located in said area of overlapping coverage of said first and second base stations when the mobile terminal is served by the first base station by one of the following:
comparing the signal quality of the received signals from the first and second base stations; andsending said measured signal qualities to the network in a signal quality report and receiving a scheduling restriction from the network indicating that the mobile terminal is in a link imbalance zone; and decoding said control channel only in said restricted subframes when said mobile terminal is in said link imbalance zone.