Femtocell Discovery Method Reducing Mobile Station Power Consumption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The dense deployment of femto base stations in home or small office environments leads to cumbersome cell search and selection methods, resulting in high system operation overhead and excessive power consumption for mobile stations, and overloading with unauthorized signaling attempts.
Innovation Solution
An efficient method for femtocell discovery and association is developed, which reduces the complexity and time of cell search and selection, ensuring lower power consumption and preventing unauthorized mobile stations from signaling with private femto base stations, by using RF signal strength measurements, synchronization sequences, and system configuration information to differentiate between macro and femto base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If typical cell search and cell selection methods are used for femto base stations, then network entry and handover can be achieved, but system operation overhead and mobile station complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell search process into distinct phases: initial cell identification using simplified parameters, followed by detailed cell selection. This allows mobile stations to quickly identify femto base stations using reduced complexity methods before engaging in full cell selection procedures, thereby reducing overall mobile station complexity while maintaining reliable network entry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary cell identification where mobile stations first detect and categorize base stations as macro or femto types using simplified parameters before committing to full cell selection. This preliminary action filters out inappropriate targets early, reducing the complexity of subsequent cell selection processes while ensuring reliable network entry to appropriate base stations
2Reliability
If typical cell search and cell selection methods are used for femto base stations, then network entry and handover can be achieved, but power consumption for mobile stations becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic cell measurement and evaluation cycles where mobile stations perform brief, low-power measurements to identify femto base stations using simplified parameters. Full cell selection and handover procedures are only initiated when appropriate targets are identified, creating a periodic action pattern that significantly reduces average power consumption while maintaining reliable handover capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary cell identification using low-power methods before initiating energy-intensive cell selection and handover procedures. Mobile stations first detect base station types using simplified parameters, then only proceed with full handover processes for suitable targets, thereby reducing overall power consumption while ensuring reliable handover capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If private femto base stations accept all cell search attempts, then all mobile stations can potentially connect, but unauthorized mobile stations overload the base station with signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and authorization checks performed by femto base stations before accepting cell selection attempts from mobile stations. This preliminary action filters out unauthorized access attempts early in the process, preventing them from consuming base station resources, while still allowing legitimate mobile stations to proceed with network entry and maintaining access availability for authorized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism where femto base stations verify mobile station authorization status before accepting cell selection attempts. This intermediary check acts as a gatekeeper, blocking unauthorized signaling attempts while permitting legitimate connections, thereby protecting base station performance while maintaining appropriate access availability
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for discovery and association, by a mobile station, of a femto base station from a plurality of base stations. The mobile station may select a base station for consideration for association by decoding a physical layer identifier to determine that the base station is a macro base station and select a different base station based on other considerations. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.