Base Station Backhaul Quality Control for Femto Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unreliable backhaul connections in miniature base stations, such as Femto cells and Pico cells, lead to poor call quality or dropped calls due to continued RF transmission even when backhaul quality degrades or is lost, affecting both connected devices and those attempting to connect to these stations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the quality of the backhaul connection and prevent or limit wireless signal transmission from the base station when the quality fails to meet predefined conditions, ensuring that devices can quickly hand off to alternative base stations with better connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the base station continues to transmit RF signals when backhaul connection degrades or is lost, then the base station maintains visible service coverage, but call quality deteriorates and dropped calls occur
Solution Approach 1:
The base station continuously monitors the quality of its backhaul connection and uses this feedback information to dynamically control its RF transmission. When backhaul quality degrades below a threshold, the base station automatically reduces or stops RF transmission, thereby preventing poor call quality and dropped calls while maintaining service availability through alternative base stations.
2Reliability
If the base station stops RF transmission when backhaul quality degrades, then call quality improves and dropped calls are prevented, but devices may experience service disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The base station dynamically adjusts its RF transmission based on real-time backhaul quality conditions. Rather than static operation, the system transitions between active and reduced transmission states according to network conditions, allowing optimal balance between service continuity and call quality maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The network controller acts as an intermediary between the base station and mobile devices. When a base station reduces RF transmission due to poor backhaul quality, the network controller manages handoff procedures and ensures seamless service continuity for connected devices by coordinating with alternative base stations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If other ATs attempt to connect to a base station with degraded backhaul, then devices can access the base station, but call quality degrades and dropped calls occur
Solution Approach 1:
The base station takes preliminary action by reducing or stopping RF transmission before new devices can connect, thereby preventing the establishment of connections that would result in poor call quality. This anticipatory measure protects the network from accepting connections that cannot be reliably served.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for controlling transmission of a base station, such as a Femto cell, based on the determined quality of a backhaul connection to a network are disclosed. In particular, a quality of a backhaul connection of a base station to a node in a communication network is determined. Based on this quality determination, transmission from the base station is either limited or stopped when the determined quality fails to meet a predefined condition. The degradation in quality of the backhaul connection, for example, affects the ability of the base station to offer sufficient service to access terminals. By limiting or stopping wireless transmission of the base station when the backhaul quality is degraded, access terminals either currently accessing the base station or attempting to connect to the base station can then more efficaciously hand off to another base station or access point.