RELIABLE FEMTOCELL SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

摘要

A Femto Base Station (FBS) includes a communication functionality and a reliability functionality. A control entity within the reliability functionality detects an FBS reliability compromising event (for example, an unscheduled loss of external power to the FBS). As a result of detecting the FBS reliability compromising event, the control entity sends a message (an "FBS Reliability Compromising Event Compensation Message" or "FBSRCECM") to the communication functionality. The FBSRCECM initiates an action that compensates for the FBS reliability compromising event. In many examples, the action is the initiating of a handover from the FBS to another base station. The reliability functionality typically includes a rechargeable battery that powers the FBS for a time until the handover is completed gracefully. By performing a graceful handover, cellular network reliability is improved as compared to situations in which a conventional FBS simply stops working and connections handled by the conventional FBS are broken.