Automatic configuration of pico radio base station

Abstract

Methods and apparatus configure a femto radio base station ( 28 f). A macro receiver of the femto radio base station ( 28 f) is used to acquire detected coverage information of a radio access network ( 24 ). The detected coverage information is used to determine an operation parameter for use by the macro transceiver ( 52 ) of the femto radio base station ( 28 f). In one embodiment, the detected coverage information is transmitted to a control node ( 26 ) of the radio access network. The control node ( 26 ) determines the operation parameter and communicates the operation parameter to the femto radio base station ( 28 f). The femto radio base station ( 28 f) is accordingly configured using the operation parameter for further operation towards UEs ( 30 ) accessing the femto radio base station ( 28 f).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of the following United States provisional patent applications (all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety): [0002] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 722,983, entitled “REDIRECTION OF IP-CONNECTED RBS TO THE CORRECT RNC”; [0003] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 722,984, entitled “AUTOMATIC RNC SELECTION FOR IP-CONNECTED RBS”; [0004] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 722,982, entitled FINE-GRAINED ACCESS CONTROL IN A WCDMA SYSTEM USING PICO BASE STATIONS”; [0005] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 723,946, entitled “PAGING FOR A WCDMA SYSTEM USING PICO BASE STATIONS”; [0006] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 728,780, entitled “AUTOMATIC BUILDING OF NEIGHBOR LISTS IN A MOBILE SYSTEM”; and [0007] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 731,495, entitled “AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION OF THE MACRO RADIO IN A PICO BASE STATION”. [0008] This applicatio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method and apparatus for configuring a femto radio base station. The femto radio base station uses a macro mode receiver to acquire detected coverage information from the radio access network. This information is used to determine the operation parameters for the femto radio base station. The femto radio base station can operate based on the determined operation parameters or can selectively direct its receiver to scan for additional network information. The technical effects of this patent include improved automation and efficiency in the configuration of femto radio base stations and better network performance.

Problems solved by technology

It would be virtually impossible for a femto owner / operator manually to reconfigure its femto radio base station upon every relocation thereof for taking into consideration the network planning and configuration of the radio access network.

Images