GB2443865A - Interference control between local and network base stations - Google Patents

Interference control between local and network base stations Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2443865A
GB2443865A GB0700171A GB0700171A GB2443865A GB 2443865 A GB2443865 A GB 2443865A GB 0700171 A GB0700171 A GB 0700171A GB 0700171 A GB0700171 A GB 0700171A GB 2443865 A GB2443865 A GB 2443865A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
base station
local
network
location
local terminal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0700171A
Other versions
GB0700171D0 (en
Inventor
Ian Lasseter Phillips
David Wynne Thomas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Siemens AG
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG filed Critical Siemens AG
Publication of GB0700171D0 publication Critical patent/GB0700171D0/en
Priority to EP07120240A priority Critical patent/EP1921879A1/en
Publication of GB2443865A publication Critical patent/GB2443865A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/30—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
    • H04W52/36—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
    • H04W52/367—Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
    • H04Q7/3692—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W72/00—Local resource management
    • H04W72/50—Allocation or scheduling criteria for wireless resources
    • H04W72/54—Allocation or scheduling criteria for wireless resources based on quality criteria
    • H04W72/542—Allocation or scheduling criteria for wireless resources based on quality criteria using measured or perceived quality
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W8/00—Network data management
    • H04W8/02—Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
    • H04W8/08—Mobility data transfer
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W16/00—Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
    • H04W16/14—Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W16/00—Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
    • H04W16/22—Traffic simulation tools or models
    • H04W16/225—Traffic simulation tools or models for indoor or short range network

Abstract

When setting up a local (for example, a pico) network, there may be interference from or to an existing cellular network. This is generally solved by network planning by an experienced engineer. However, this is impractical and costly for a small (especially a home) network. To overcome this, interference in a communication system comprising a network base station BS1, a local base station BS2, BS3 and a local terminal is controlled by requiring the local base station BS2, BS3 to achieve power synchronisation with the network base station before setting up any communication between the local base station BS2, BS3 and the local terminal M1, L1. A second aspect relates to determining whether a location will be suitable for a local base station by downloading an application to a mobile device and using this to estimate expected local base station performance at the desired location.

Description

INTERFERENCE CONTROL
This invention relates to a method of controlling interference in a communication system Mobile network operators arc considering selling 3G base stations to the consumer market for user installation in homes providing a similar functionality to that currently provided by Wireless LAN and DECT. A home user could use their regular 3G mobile phone and 3G equipped laptop away from the home using the existing mobile network infrastructure, hut when at home they could benefit from higher data rates and/or lower tariffs by using their home base station.
In this description, the term pico base station is used to refer to the consumer installed 3G base station and the terms micro and macro base stations refer to 3G networked base stations, not controlled by the consumer. Generally, macro base stations cover a wide area, typically several kilonrtres in radius in the urban environment and provide public access i.e. to all users supported by that operator.
Micro base stations offer the same functionality, but cover a smaller area, typically small urban sites, such as large shopping complexes, or railway stations. Both Macro and Micro deployment require an expert installation where the sites are carefully chosen, typically a-priori radio planning is involved, and installation is by expert engineers who are able to make on-site adjustments. Pico basestations cover a much smaller area, such as a single room, or single house and have ranges typically of a few 10's of metres, with typically theoretical free space range limits of 100 to 200 metres.
Home Pico stations mandate a user non-expert installation due to cost and practical constraints, since expert engineer time is too expensive and there are too few to support a large scale domestic deployment.
The operators intend that the pico base stations be available for purchase from high street stores, for installation by the user in their own home, although there may also be a market for such base stations in individual shops, or small offices which cannot justify installing their own network. However, mobile networks have traditionally been carefully planned and installed by engineers who take great care to reduce the amount of interference produced and received by a new base station installation, when it is added to the existing network. Consuniers are unlikely to have the required knowledge. or motivation, to carry out a full analysis of the implications of their choice of location and operation for the pico base station, potentially giving rise to situations where the levels of interference received at the pico base station mean that the pico base station does not perforni as advertised, or interference produced by the pico base station causes significant reduction of capacity for a near by base station with wide area coverage. There may also he situations where the constraints of CalTiCr availability are such that the pico Node B has to use a carrier which is otherwise used by the macro network.
This problem has not been addressed for this situation, but techniques exist as part of the wireless LAN standards (e.g. 802. 11) where different systems in the same geographical area avoid interfering with each other by various methods, such as making measurements of interference on a number of candidate channels; using beacon transmissions: or ALOHA-type schemes where a system will introduce a random backoff before attempting to retransmit a failed data packet. These techniques cannot be applied to the case of a pico Node B without requiring changes to the mievant standards.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention a method of controlling interference in a communication system comprising at least one network base station, a local base station and a local terminal comprises requiring the local base station to achieve power synchronisation with the network base station before setting up any communication between the local base station and the local terminal.
The present invention addresses the problems of interference and mitigation of this interference for a consumer installed base stations.
Preferably, the permitted power at the local base station increases with increasing distance from the nearest network base station.
Preferably, power synchronisation between the local base station and the network base station is initiated in response to a request from the local terminal to the local base station for resources.
Preferably, the local terminal runs an application to determine the suitability of a location for installation of a local base station.
Preferably. the suitability is determined based on a radio survey.
Preferably, the network base station issues an authentication code to the local terminal after determining suitability of a particular location for the local terminal.
Preferably, the pico base station requests the authorisation code from the local terminal before responding to a power synchronisation request.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invertion, a method of determining a permitted location of a local base station in a communication system S comprising a network base station, a local base station and a local terminal comprises downloading an application to the local terminal, setting up a call between the local terminal and the network base station from the desired location of the local base station; using data from the transmissions between the network base station and the local base station in the application to calculate the expected local base station performance at that location and comparing the expected performance to a threshold to determine whether or not the location is a permitted one.
An example of a method of controlling interference in a communication system in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a typical arrangement of local and network base stations operating in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates determining a suitable location for a local base station in accordance with the present invention: Figure 3 is a message sequence chart for a first example of operation according to the present invention; and, Figure 4 is a message sequence chart for a second example of operation according to the present invention.
In Fig. 1, a first base station BS I, or pico node B is installed by a consumer in their home and set up to operate with the consumers mobile phone Ml and laptop LI.
The chosen location is relatively close to a network base station BS2, or macro node B and to another base station BS3, or micro node B, so these will have some influence on the operation of the first base station BS 1. A fourth base station BS4 is considered sufficiently far away to not need to he taken into account.
In a first example, the pico node B BS I incorporates some mobile functionality.
The pico node B periodically attempts to access 2, I the nearby macro node B BS2. or the niicro node B BS3. Access from BS I must be sufficient to achieve power control, as would occur for example in 3GPP, when a physical dedicated channel (PDCH) is established between the liE function at the Node B and base station. The closed loop power control information is enough to estimate how close the pico node B BSI is to the macro node B BS3 and accurately estimate the maximum power that can he transmitted by pico node B BS 1 and also the power transmitted by the niobile Ml. or laptop LI, under the control of the pico node B BSI. If the pico node B is close to the macro node B, i.e. the power allocated 4 by the macro node B is low, then the pico node B allocates no more than that amount of power in uplink (UL) 5 and has a relatively small range of operation With respect to macro node B BS3. the power allocated 3 is greater, hut if the pico node B is fir from the macro node B, e.g. BS4 and the power allocated by the macro node B is high, then the pico node B is allowed to allocate a greater amount of power in UL 5 and has a relatively large area of operation.
The downlink (l)L) 6 power is similarly controlled in order to maintain a consistent pico cell size. The start up procedure may occur when the pico node B BS I is powered up. it may occur periodically, or whenever a pico mobile Ml attempts to communicate via the pico Node B. An extension to this method is one in which the macro radio access network (RAN!) uses the initial pico node B access 1, 2 to determine the potential impact on the macro cell with signals 7, 8 from BS2 and BS3 and, together with information on cell loading, to allocate a suitable amount of DL and UL power 9 to the pico cell BS I. The advantage of this method is that by requiring the pico node B BS I to register with the macro cell and determine its maximum allowable IJL and DL power.
the interference (and therefore capacity loss) in the macro cell can he limited. The pico node B automatically sets its power level, so that it does not interfere with any outside network. The pico node B achieves power synchronisation by logging on and establishing a dedicated channel.
In a second examp!e, shown in Fig. 2, a potential pico node B owner downloads an application to his mobile terminal M I which sets up a call 1 3 with a macro base station BS2 of cell 11 from the position 12 where he wishes to locate his pico node B. Based on received signal strength, allocated UL power and, where available, an estimate of the user's position, the application calculates an estimate of the performance the user could expect from insta!lation of a pico node B BS I at that location.
The advantage of this method, whereby a potential user can make a survey of a potential Pico Node B location before purchase. is that this avoids disappointment when a user purchases a Pico Node B for use in their home and finds tlìat the performance of the system, being directly affected by the location of the Pico Node B in relation to the Macro Node B. is lower than expected. Furthermore, the operator is able to prevent interference with the wider network resulting from unsuitable location of a pico Node B. such as in direct line of sight to a macro Node B. This could he further controlled by requiring a radio survey and allocating an authorisation code to the user before they can complete their purchase. The operator can then check that the pico Node B does get located in the corict position by using methods such as those described in our copending applications EP06120264.4 and EP06120267.7.
ColTesponding to the first example of Fig. I, Fig. 3 is a message sequence chart illustrating how the pico Node B BS I interacts with BS2 and BS3 to achieve an appropriate power estimate. Pico node B BS I enters UF mode 21 and searches for neighbouring base stations. The Pico Node B detects a synchronisation channel (SCH) and broadcast channel (BCH) 22 of BS2. BS1 then requests a radio resource control (RRC) connection 23 from BS2 and a radio network controller (RNC) associated with BS2 grants the RRC connection establishing a dedicated physical channel (DPCH) by providing the DPCH parameter in the response 24. BS I continues the registration process over this DPCH on RRC direct transfer of (NAS signalling) 25. During this process closed loop power control occurs between BS I and BS2. BS I is able to make measurements of the downlink power of the RRC direct transfer 25. BS2 makes uplink power measurements 27 for LI and corrects the UF. power output with L2 power control 28. Corresponding DL LI measurements are made 26. This gives BS1 accurate power level information which it stores as a pico node B power estimation 29.
Similarly the process repeats for BS3 (not shown) with corresponding steps of detecting SCH and BCH 30, sending an RRC connection request 31, receiving RRC connection response with DPCH parameters 32 and RRC direct transfer (NAS signalling) 33, then making DL LI measurements 34 and UL LI measurements 35 and using this for Li power control 36 to produce a pico power estimation 37 for BS3.
BS I can then make a best power estimate with knowledge of permitted power levels from BS2 and BS3 40, then enter BS Mode 41.
Corresponding to the second example. Fig. 4 shows a message sequence chart illustrating how a (JE interacts with BS2 to achieve an appropriate power estimate, such that pico operation might be authorised. The UP. detects the synchronisation channel (SCH) and broadcast channel (BCH) 5! of BS2. The liE then requests an RRC connection 52 from BS2, the RNC associated with BS2 grants the RRC connection establishing a dedicated physical channel (DPCH) and providing the DPCH parameters with the rcspone 53. The UP. continues the registration process over this DPCH 54 with direct transfer (NAS signalling). During this process the Pico survey application is downloaded 55, closed loop power control occurs between the UE and BS2. BS2 makes uplink power measurements 56, and corrects the UF power output 57 using LI power control. The UP. is able to make measurements of the downlink power 58. This gives the UF. accurate power level information which is used by the Pico application to make the necessary power/performance estimates 59. These are confirmed to the CN in a RRC pico application again and the CN 60 constructs a pico authentication token' 61, and returns 62 this token to the LiE. The pico base station BSI is then installed and enabled 63. Similarly the process repeats for BS3 (not shown). BSI can then make a best power estimate with kiiowledge of permitted power levels from BS2 and BS3 40, then enter BS Mode 41. The UP. detects the Synchronisation Channel (SCH) and Broadcast Channel (BCH) 64 of BS 1. The UE then requests a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection 65 from BS I, BS I grants the RRC connection establishing a l)edicated Physical Channel (DPCH) 66. The UF continues the registration process over this DPCH 67 including passing the previously obtained authentication token 67 to the CN which authorises service 68. Normal operation then continues 69.

Claims (8)

1. A method of controlling interference in a communication system comprising at least one network base station, a local base station and a local terminal; the method comprising requiring the local base station to achieve power synchronisation with the network base station before setting up any communication between the local base station and the local terminal.
2. A method according to claim I, wherein the permitted power at the local base station increases with increasing distance from the nearest network base station.
3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2. wherein power synchronisation between the local base station and the network base station is initiated in response to a request from the local terminal to the local base station for resources.
4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the local terminal runs an application to determine the suitability of a location for installation of a local base station.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the suitability is determined based on a radio survey.
6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the network base station issues an authentication code to the local terminal after determining suitability of a particular location for the local terminal.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the pico base station requests the authorisation code from the local terminal before responding to a power synchronisation request.
8. A method of determining a permitted location of a local base station in a communication system comprising a network base station, a local base station and a local terminal; the method comprising downloading an application to the local terminal, setting up a call between the local terminal and the network base station froni the desired location of the local base station using data from the transmissions between the network base station and the local base station in the application to calculate the expected local base station performance at that location and comparing the expected performance to a threshold to determine whether or not the location is a permitted one.
GB0700171A 2006-11-10 2007-01-05 Interference control between local and network base stations Withdrawn GB2443865A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07120240A EP1921879A1 (en) 2006-11-10 2007-11-08 Base station operation

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0622401.8A GB0622401D0 (en) 2006-11-10 2006-11-10 Interference Reduction

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GB2443865A true GB2443865A (en) 2008-05-21

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GB0700171A Withdrawn GB2443865A (en) 2006-11-10 2007-01-05 Interference control between local and network base stations

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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009136257A1 (en) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-12 Nokia Corporation Synchronization in mobile communication system
GB2466939A (en) * 2007-12-10 2010-07-21 Vodafone Plc Performing a velocity check for a mobile terminal to identify unauthorised movement of a micro base station
GB2481544A (en) * 2007-02-02 2011-12-28 Ubiquisys Ltd Adapting a maximum total transmit power of one or more mobile devices based on interference with a macrolayer base station
US8463281B2 (en) 2009-08-11 2013-06-11 Ubiquisys Limited Power setting
US8731598B2 (en) 2007-02-02 2014-05-20 Ubiquisys Limited Access point power control
US8798545B2 (en) 2009-07-07 2014-08-05 Ubiquisys Limited Interference mitigation in a femtocell access point

Citations (7)

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EP0530161A1 (en) * 1991-08-30 1993-03-03 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson Combined mobile radio communication system
WO1994003993A1 (en) * 1992-08-03 1994-02-17 Motorola Inc. Wireless pbx system using frequency scanner for channel identification
GB2309357A (en) * 1996-01-18 1997-07-23 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd Private Base Stations
WO1999013669A1 (en) * 1997-09-08 1999-03-18 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method and device in telecommunication system
US5943617A (en) * 1996-07-11 1999-08-24 Nec Corporation Radio channel test system for mobile telecommunication system with test terminals in radio service zones of radio base stations
WO2002071651A1 (en) * 2001-03-06 2002-09-12 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method and system for interference measurements in a telecommunication system
GB2402023A (en) * 2000-07-14 2004-11-24 Ip Access Ltd Maintaining frequency of a control channel in a cellular communication system

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0530161A1 (en) * 1991-08-30 1993-03-03 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson Combined mobile radio communication system
WO1994003993A1 (en) * 1992-08-03 1994-02-17 Motorola Inc. Wireless pbx system using frequency scanner for channel identification
GB2309357A (en) * 1996-01-18 1997-07-23 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd Private Base Stations
US5943617A (en) * 1996-07-11 1999-08-24 Nec Corporation Radio channel test system for mobile telecommunication system with test terminals in radio service zones of radio base stations
WO1999013669A1 (en) * 1997-09-08 1999-03-18 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method and device in telecommunication system
GB2402023A (en) * 2000-07-14 2004-11-24 Ip Access Ltd Maintaining frequency of a control channel in a cellular communication system
WO2002071651A1 (en) * 2001-03-06 2002-09-12 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method and system for interference measurements in a telecommunication system

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2481544A (en) * 2007-02-02 2011-12-28 Ubiquisys Ltd Adapting a maximum total transmit power of one or more mobile devices based on interference with a macrolayer base station
GB2481544B (en) * 2007-02-02 2012-03-14 Ubiquisys Ltd Access point power control
US8731598B2 (en) 2007-02-02 2014-05-20 Ubiquisys Limited Access point power control
US8812047B2 (en) 2007-02-02 2014-08-19 Ubiquisys Limited Access point power control
US9179413B2 (en) 2007-02-02 2015-11-03 Ubiquisys Limited Access point power control
GB2466939A (en) * 2007-12-10 2010-07-21 Vodafone Plc Performing a velocity check for a mobile terminal to identify unauthorised movement of a micro base station
GB2466939B (en) * 2007-12-10 2012-04-11 Vodafone Plc Femtocell location
WO2009136257A1 (en) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-12 Nokia Corporation Synchronization in mobile communication system
US8798545B2 (en) 2009-07-07 2014-08-05 Ubiquisys Limited Interference mitigation in a femtocell access point
US8463281B2 (en) 2009-08-11 2013-06-11 Ubiquisys Limited Power setting
US9161210B2 (en) 2009-08-11 2015-10-13 Ubiquisys Limited Power setting

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Publication number Publication date
GB0700171D0 (en) 2007-02-14
GB0622401D0 (en) 2006-12-20

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