Apparatus and method for controlling a wireless feeder network

摘要

An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless feeder network which connects access base stations to a communications network. The wireless feeder network comprises a plurality of feeder base stations connected to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals connected to the plurality of access base stations. A sounding schedule is determined for the wireless feeder network in dependence on a visibility matrix, the visibility matrix indicative of visibility via the wireless feeder network between each of the plurality of feeder base stations and each of the plurality of feeder terminals. Then a sounding procedure within the wireless feeder network is controlled in accordance with the sounding schedule. The visibility matrix enables a coordinated sounding procedure to be carried out, allowing more accurate channel metrics for the wireless channels of the network to be determined which are not adversely affected by interference between elements of the network.

主权项

1. A method of controlling a wireless feeder network, comprising:
using a feeder network controller configured to control the wireless feeder network, the wireless feeder network connecting a plurality of access base stations to a communications network, the wireless feeder network comprising a plurality of feeder base stations connected to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals connected to the plurality of access base stations; determining a sounding schedule in a step carried out by the feeder network controller for said wireless feeder network in dependence on a visibility matrix, said visibility matrix indicative of visibility via the wireless feeder network between each of said plurality of feeder base stations and each of said plurality of feeder terminals, wherein a feeder base station—feeder terminal pair can communicate or interfere with each other where the visibility matrix indicates said visibility for said feeder base station—feeder terminal pair, and said feeder base station—feeder terminal pair cannot communicate or interfere with each other where the visibility matrix does not indicate said visibility for said feeder base station—feeder terminal pair, and wherein the sounding schedule is determined to avoid interference between sounding signals; and controlling a sounding procedure within said wireless feeder network in a step carried out by the feeder network controller in accordance with said sounding schedule.