Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Ericsson Ge Mobile Communications Inc.

Ulf E Hagstrom

Hakan O Djuphammar

Sven E Nilsson

Magnus B Isaksson

In a cellular communications system having a plurality of cells, each cell being served by at least one of a plurality of existing base stations, a method of determining a location for a new micro base station antenna involves first providing a test antenna at a test location in one of the cells. Then, for a predetermined time period, a monitoring procedure is performed to assess how many mobile stations are close enough to the test location that they would be served by a micro cell having a base transceiver antenna at the test location. The monitoring procedure involves, in the test antenna, receiving an uplink access attempt signal that is transmitted from a mobile station to an intended one of the existing base stations. Then, signal strength of the received uplink access attempt signal is measured and compared to a predetermined threshold level. If the measured signal strength is greater than the predetermined threshold level, then a count value is incremented. After performing the monitoring procedure, the count value is compared to a predetermined count value. If the count value is higher than the predetermined count value, then the new micro base station is established at the test location. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the monitoring procedure is performed at several test locations. The new micro base station is then established at that one of the test locations that has the highest count value.

Transceiver site selection a cellular communications system

In a radio communications system having at least one base station, the base station including a plurality of transceivers, a control method and apparatus includes the steps of comparing the number of transceivers in a call state to a first predefined number. If the number of call state transceivers is greater than the first predefined number, then all of the idle transceivers except at least one are switched off. If the number of call state transceivers is less than the first predefined number, then all excess idle transceivers are switched off. Also, after switching off the first subset of the plurality of transceivers, a second subset may be switched off after waiting a predetermined time period. The number of operational transceivers in the second subset is less than in the first subset. To further reduce the power consumption of the base station, a first group of radio communications system subscribers is designated as a high priority group, and a second group of subscribers is designated as a low priority group. The system is designed to grant service to the high priority group, while denying it to the low priority group. The control methods and apparatus are useful, for example, for reducing power consumption and/or traffic handling capacity of a base station.

Control of a radio communications system base station

A malfunction position detection system is disclosed for a modular telecommunication facility. Each telecommunication facility is constructed out of a plurality of modular cabinets which are positioned in a station rack. The malfunction position detection system includes switches for setting the position of each cabinet in the station rack. The cabinet position is read off of a bus connected to the switches by a plurality of electronic units connected to the cabinet. The cabinet position is stored in some of the electronic units. As a result, the cabinet position can be sent along with an error message to the cellular system when an error occurs.

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Taby, Sweden

Ulf E Hagstrom