Controlling access point transmit power based on received access terminal messages

Abstract

Transmit power for an access point (106) is controlled based on information received by the access point. For example, an access point may employ one or more algorithms that use messages received from nearby access terminals (102, 104) to maintain an acceptable tradeoff between providing an adequate coverage area for access point transmissions and mitigating interference that these transmissions cause at nearby access terminals. Here, the access point may employ a network listen-based algorithm upon initialization of the access terminal to provide preliminary transmit power control until sufficient information is collected for another transmit power control algorithm (e.g., an access terminal assisted algorithm). Also, the access point may employ an active access terminal protection scheme to mitigate interference the access point may otherwise cause to a nearby access terminal (104) that is in active communication with another access point (108).

Description

[0001] priority claim [0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 304,252, filed February 12, 2010, assigned Attorney Docket No. 101006P1, which is hereby incorporated by reference The content of the application is incorporated herein. technical field [0003] In general, the present application relates to wireless communications, and in particular (but not exclusively) to controlling access point transmit power. Background technique [0004] Wireless communication networks may be deployed over a geographic area to provide various types of services (eg, voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to users in the geographic area. In a typical implementation, macro access points (e.g., each of these macro access points are served via one or more cells) are distributed throughout the macro network so as to An operating access terminal (eg, a cellular telephone) provides a wireless connection. [0005] ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

While such beacons are useful for femtocell discovery, they can cause interference to the macro network because they are transmitted on the same carrier frequency as that used by neighboring macrocells of

This interference may affect the voice call quality of active macrocell users (i.e., users who are actively receiving service from one or more macrocells on the macrocell frequency), and if the macrocell users happen to be very close to the femtocell, then this interference may also cause the call to be dropped

Similar macro network interference issues can arise in co-channel deployments due to femtocell forward link transmissions

Images