A telecommunications system comprising: a plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting data in superframes, each superframe comprising a plurality of frames, and each frame comprising a plurality of slots; the transmitters being arranged in groups, each group comprising a number of base stations, each group of base stations being assigned one or more slot numbers which are different from those of other groups and each of the transmitters of each group being assigned a different frame number, each transmitter being arranged to operate at reduced transmission power for a period commencing in the allocated slot or slots assigned to its group in the frame assigned to it.
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1. A telecommunications system comprising:
a plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting data in superframes, each superframe comprising a plurality of frames, and each frame comprising a plurality of slots;
the transmitters being arranged in groups, each group comprising a number of base stations, each group of base stations being assigned one or more slot numbers which are different from those of other groups and each of the transmitters of each group being assigned a different frame number, each transmitter being arranged to operate at reduced transmission power for a period commencing in the allocated slot or slots assigned to its group in the frame assigned to it.
0. 80. A method of coordinating transmission in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:
identifying a plurality of groups of base stations wherein each group of the plurality of groups includes a plurality of transmitters, the plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting data in superframes, each superframe comprising a plurality of frames, and each frame comprising a plurality of slots;
allocating each group of the plurality of groups one or more slot numbers which are different from the one or more slot numbers allocated to the other groups of the plurality of groups; and
allocating each transmitter of the plurality of transmitters of a group of the plurality of groups a different frame number, wherein each transmitter is configured to operate at a reduced transmission power for a period commencing in the allocated slot assigned to the group in the frame allocated to the transmitter.
0. 86. A radio network controller that assigns periods of reduced power transmission to base stations, the controller comprising:
a communication interface configured to send communications to a number of base stations in a coverage area; and
a processor configured to:
identify a plurality of groups of base stations wherein each group of the plurality of groups includes a plurality of transmitters, the plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting data in superframes, each superframe comprising a plurality of frames, and each frame comprising a plurality of slots;
allocate each group of the plurality of groups one or more slot numbers which are different from the one or more slot numbers allocated to the other groups of the plurality of groups; and
allocate each transmitter of the plurality of transmitters of a group of the plurality of groups a different frame number, wherein each transmitter is configured to operate at a reduced transmission power for a period commencing in the allocated slot assigned to the group in the frame allocated to the transmitter.
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The second level reuse pattern is allocated according to groups. This means that all seven base stations in any one group are allocated the same slot number within any given frame. In fact, just odd slot numbers are allocated, as shown in table 2 below.
TABLE 2
Second level reuse slot allocation in one frame
Group
Slot number
A
1st
slot
B
11th
slot
C
13th
slot
D
3rd
slot
E
5th
slot
F
7th
slot
G
9th
slot
The table indicates that central group A is allocated the first slot of every frame and odd-numbered slots 3-13 are allocated to the remaining groups in a clockwise sequence from group D round to group B.
Such a slot allocation means that for any given group, all seven base stations within that group use the same slot number within their allocated frame. By virtue of the first level frame reuse allocation, namely that different base stations within a group are allocated different frames, the risk of allocated idle periods of adjacent base stations within a group occurring at the same time is small. The risk is not zero, due to the asynchronicity between base stations. Furthermore, since adjacent base stations of different groups are allocated both different frame numbers and slot numbers, the risk of their idle periods occurring at the same time is similarly small.
In practical terms, since the separation in time between consecutive idle periods is a constant, measurement delays which happen as a result of an idle period do not depend on the time at which a mobile positioning update is requested. Hence the effect on service quality is likely to be small.
Thus, in summary, the base stations are split into groups of adjacent or at least nearby base stations which may or may not be controlled by a single RNC. The base stations in each group are each allocated selected frames of the recurring superframes of the transmission structure such that in each group no more than one base station is allocated any frame. Between adjacent or at least nearby groups an allocation of idle periods as selected slots in the recurring frames of the transmission structure is made such that no more than one group in a locality is allocated any slot. By this means the likelihood of any more than one base station in a locality having an idle period at any time is greatly reduced. Hence, the opportunity for a mobile station to reliably measure the signals transmitted from the base stations can be increased and the accuracy of positioning measurements can potentially be improved.
It will be appreciated that the embodiment would be implemented in a similar way in the surrounding RNC coverage areas, such that the risk of idle periods of base stations adjacent to one another but falling within a different RNC coverage area occurring at the same time, is also similarly well.
According to this embodiment, in any one frame each base station is allocated just one idle slot out of the 15 available, meaning that each idle period lasts for a duration of one slot, or approximately 0.667 ms. It would be possible to vary the idle period duration by allocating other multiples of slots to a base station, for example half a slot, two or more slots or even a whole frame. It would also be possible, for example, to allocate more than two slots to some base stations and none to others depending on requirements, thus varying the duration of each base station's idle period. It would also be possible to not allocate any slots for some frames and hence reduce the total number of idle periods within a superframe and thus increase the service quality.
The embodiment described is concerned within minimising the chance of idle periods of adjacent base stations from coinciding. Since the allocation of frames and slot numbers is flexible, it would be possible to number the base stations differently or locate the groups differently should it be desired to use different criteria for optimum idle period allocation. The described idle period allocation would also work across RNC coverage areas.
The described embodiment is for an asynchronous network. It allows the probability of idle periods of nearby base stations overlapping to be small. The embodiment and its mentioned alternatives would work equally well with a synchronous network and in that case would in fact guarantee no overlap.
Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices described and illustrated, and in their operation, and of the methods described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function is substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Kalliojarvi, Kari, Modonesi, Isabella
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