Small Cell Station SIM-Based Macrocell Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional small cell stations lack a communication interface with macrocell stations, making configuration management, performance optimization, and interference coordination challenging due to the absence of information sharing on working frequencies, frequency bands, and neighboring cell details.
Innovation Solution
A small cell station connects to a macrocell station using a built-in or inserted SIM card to access the Uu air interface, synchronizing with the macrocell station to acquire configuration information, including working frequency and uplink-to-downlink subframe configuration ratios, and configures itself accordingly to match the macrocell station's settings, ensuring compatibility and minimizing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a small cell station operates independently without a communication interface to macrocell stations, then it can provide indoor coverage with low power consumption, but it cannot obtain configuration information such as working frequency, frequency band, and neighboring cell list of macrocell stations, making configuration management and interference coordination difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The small cell station is equipped with a SIM card that enables it to function both as a base station for user equipment and as a user terminal accessing the macrocell network. This dual functionality allows the small cell station to obtain configuration information from macrocell stations while maintaining its base station operations, resolving the contradiction between independent operation and information acquisition
2Device complexity
If no communication interface exists between small cell stations and macrocell stations, then the small cell station structure remains simple, but interference coordination management and fault detection become inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The small cell station uses its own SIM card to autonomously access the macrocell network and obtain necessary configuration information and coordination data. This self-service approach allows the station to maintain simple structure while achieving reliable interference coordination and fault detection through independent information acquisition from the macrocell network
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication control method is disclosed, including: connecting, by a small cell by using a built-in soft SIM or an inserted SIM card, to a Uu air interface of a macro cell to access the macro cell; after receiving a broadcast synchronization signal of the macro cell, synchronizing, by the small cell, with the macro cell, and acquiring configuration information of the macro cell; and performing, by the small cell, system configuration for the small cell according to the configuration information of the macro cell. A SIM card is added to the small cell, so that the small cell can access a macro cell in a terminal form, which is equivalent to addition of a Uu air interface between the small cell and the macro cell. Therefore, configuration management, performance optimization, admissible subscriber configuration, and the like are implemented for the small cell by using this air interface.