Method and system for dynamic cell configuration

Abstract

An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network is disclosed. During operation, the apparatus collects data regarding network conditions of the cellular network. In accordance with the collected network condition data, the apparatus changes an association of a transmit point from a second cell ID of a second hyper cell to a first cell ID of a first hyper cell. Virtual data channels, broadcast common control channel and virtual dedicated control channel, transmit point optimization, UE-centric channel sounding and measurement, and single frequency network synchronization are also disclosed.

Description

An embodiment method for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network comprises collecting data regarding network conditions of the cellular network; in accordance with the collected data, determining that a transmit point is to be added to a first hyper cell, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and changing an association of the transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of a second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.

Optionally, in the embodiment method, the network conditions include load distribution, and the method further comprises determining that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.

Optionally, in the embodiment method, the network conditions include UE distribution across the network, and the method further comprises determining that a concentration of user equipments (UEs) serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.

Optionally, the embodiment method further comprises determining that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and turning off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.

An embodiment apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network comprises at least one collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network; at least one processing unit configured to: determine that a transmit point is to be added to a first hyper cell in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and change an association of the transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of a second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.

Optionally, in the embodiment apparatus, the network conditions include load distribution, and the at least one processing unit is configured to determine that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and change cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.

Optionally, in the embodiment apparatus the network conditions include user equipment (UE) distribution across the network, and the at least one processing unit is configured to determine that a concentration of UEs serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and change cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.

Optionally, in the embodiment apparatus the at least one processing unit is configured to determine that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and turn off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.

Optionally, in the embodiment apparatus the apparatus is a base station controlling one or more remote radio heads and the base station is adapted to dynamically change one or more cell identifier (ID) in response to changing network conditions, wherein the base station is connected to each of the one or more remote radio heads via a communication line; the one or more remote radio heads are adapted to receive and transmit radio frequency signals; the base station includes a data collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network; and the base station includes at least one processing unit configured to determine that a transmit point is to be added to a first hyper cell in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell ID; and change an association of the transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of a second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID, and wherein the transmit point is a remote radio head.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, it is evident that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded simply as an illustration of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and are contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the method comprising:

collecting data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, the cellular network utilizing a wireless protocol;

in accordance with the collected data, determining that a first transmit point associated with a second hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol is to be added to a first hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and

changing an association of the first transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of the second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network conditions include load distribution, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network conditions include UE distribution across the network, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that a concentration of user equipments (UEs) serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and

changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and

turning off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.

5. An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the apparatus comprising:

at least one collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, the cellular network configured to utilize a wireless protocol;

at least one processing unit configured to:

determine that a first transmit point associated with a second hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol is to be added to a first hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and

change an association of the first transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of the second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the network conditions include load distribution, and the at least one processing unit is configured to:

determine that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

change cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the network conditions include user equipment (UE) distribution across the network, and the at least one processing unit is configured to:

determine that a concentration of UEs serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and

change cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to:

determine that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and

turn off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.

9. An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the apparatus comprising:

at least one collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network;

at least one processing unit configured to:

determine that a transmit point is to be added to a first hyper cell in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and

change an association of the transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of a second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID,

wherein the apparatus is a base station controlling one or more remote radio heads and wherein the base station is adapted to dynamically change one or more cell identifier (ID) in response to changing network conditions, wherein:

the base station is connected to each of the one or more remote radio heads via a communication line; and

the one or more remote radio heads are adapted to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, and wherein the transmit point is a remote radio head.

10. A network communication system, comprising:

a first set of base stations in a first hyper cell in a cellular network, wherein a physical topology of the cellular network is disassociated with cell identifiers (IDs), and the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell share a first cell identifier (ID) of the first hyper cell, a first base station of the first set of base stations configured to send a first downlink sounding reference signal (srs) to a user equipment (UE), a second base station of the first set of base stations configured to send a second downlink srs to the UE; and

a supernode configured to:

collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network;

receive a first measurement result sent from the UE based on the first downlink srs;

receive a second measurement result sent from the UE based on the second downlink srs;

select the first base station in the first hyper cell to perform a data channel transmission with the UE based on a comparison between the first measurement result and the second measurement result and based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and

select the second base station in the first hyper cell to perform a control channel transmission with the UE based on the comparison between the first measurement result and the second measurement result and based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network.

11. The network communication system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second set of base stations in a second hyper cell in the cellular network, the second set of base stations sharing a second cell ID of the second hyper cell, wherein the supernode is further configured to:

determine that the first base station of the first set of base stations is to be added to the second hyper cell based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and

change an association of the first base station from the first cell ID to the second cell ID.

12. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the data regarding network conditions of the cellular network includes at least one of load distribution or UE distribution.

13. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first base station or the second base station is shared between the first hyper cell and a second hyper cell.

14. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the first downlink srs and the second downlink srs are sent to the UE at different frequencies or at different times from the first base station and the second base station.

15. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the supernode generates a table with a UE index and a corresponding base station.

16. A method, comprising:

collecting, by a supernode in a network communication system, data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, wherein the network communication system further includes a first set of base stations in a first hyper cell in a cellular network, wherein a physical topology of the cellular network is disassociated with cell identifiers (IDs), and wherein the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell share a first cell identifier (ID) of the first hyper cell, a first base station of the first set of base stations configured to send a first downlink sounding reference signal (srs) to a user equipment (UE), a second base station of the first set of base stations configured to send a second downlink srs to the UE;

receiving, by the supernode, a first measurement result sent from the UE based on the first downlink srs;

receiving, by the supernode, a second measurement result sent from the UE based on the second downlink srs;

selecting, by the supernode, the first base station in the first hyper cell to perform a data channel transmission with the UE based on a comparison between the first measurement result and the second measurement result and based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and

selecting, by the supernode, the second base station in the first hyper cell to perform a control channel transmission with the UE based on the comparison between the first measurement result and the second measurement result and based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network.

17. The method of claim 16, the network communication system further including a second set of base stations in a second hyper cell in the cellular network, the second set of base stations sharing a second cell ID of the second hyper cell, the method further comprising:

determining, by the supernode, that the first base station of the first set of base stations is to be added to the second hyper cell based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and

changing, by the supernode, an association of the first base station from the first cell ID to the second cell ID.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the data regarding network conditions of the cellular network includes at least one of load distribution or UE distribution.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first base station or the second base station is shared between the first hyper cell and a second hyper cell.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first downlink srs and the second downlink srs are sent to the UE at different frequencies or at different times from the first base station and the second base station.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the supernode generates a table with a UE index and a corresponding base station.