Airhop Communications, Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Yan Hui

Edwin Chongwoo Park

Hanson On

Eko Nugroho Onggosanusi

Anand Ganesh Dabak

Gibong Jeong

Ramakrishna Akella

Aris Papasakellariou

Timothy M Schmidl

Jaiganesh Balakrishnan

John G McDonough

Zaijin Guan

Hsien Li Woo

Juncheng C Liu

Douglas McPherson

Jane Wang

Chunhao Chen

LTE and HSPA/UMTS deployments are trending towards high density, heterogeneous and ad-hoc deployments. These deployments can be managed through Self-Organizing Network (SON) schemas. Enabling SON generally involves the introduction of new software and/or hardware entities into the network that can interact with existing base station and network entities (e.g., Enhanced Packet Core, Element Management System, and/or other network entities). In one embodiment, these interactions include the development and deployment of interfaces (e.g., APIs) and protocols between the SON entities and various network entities. For example, data collected on either side of an interface or protocol can be post-processed before consumption (e.g., for both data integrity purposes as well as bandwidth reduction purposes). As described herein, a full set of such interfaces and protocols with specific examples are disclosed to illustrate various techniques for providing protocols, interfaces, and pre/post-processing for enabling SON entities and features in base stations and wireless networks.

Protocols, interfaces, and pre/post-processing for enabling son entities and features in base stations and wireless networks

Various techniques are disclosed for wireless communications for providing a methodology and algorithm(s) to manage resources and schedule users in a coordinated way among a group of base stations, such as Femtocells, Picocells, self-organized Basestations, Access Points (APs) or mesh network nodes, or among the basestations in a two tiered networks, to improve the performance for individual user, individual Basestation (BTS), the overall systems or all of above.

Resource allocation and scheduling among base stations

Apparatus and methods for synchronizing a network element (e.g. access points, femtocells, etc.) to a master network (such as a cellular network) to provide accurate frequency and/or time references for their internal systems. In one embodiment, the network element utilizes a dedicated receiver (or transceiver) to receive timing information from the master network. The implementation of the dedicated receiver is advantageous for cost and simplicity reasons. Furthermore, the timing or frequency information, as received from the master network, is used to correct the network element's internal timing. In addition, the network element's internal timing can operate in open-loop mode, if no master network can be found, thereby allowing for the device to continue providing service to network users. Additionally, a dedicated receiver can also receive information (e.g. location, SID, NID, SSID, etc.) local to the network element, such information may be useful or required for seamless operation within the master network.

Method and apparatus for utilizing a second receiver to establish time and frequency

Dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes. In some embodiments, dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes includes a multi-mode communication unit for wireless communication, in which the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for a time based communication mode and a frequency based communication mode; and a processor configured to implement at least in part the multi-mode communication unit. In some embodiments, the time based communication mode includes a time division duplexing (TDD) communication mode, and the frequency based communication mode includes a frequency division duplexing (FDD) communication mode.

Dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes

Techniques for data offload using various distributed network architectures are disclosed. In some embodiments, wireless communications, specifically, system architectures and their implementation of distributed network architectures that can be used to effectively offload the data from the centralized cellular core networks are disclosed. For example, techniques for data offload using a distributed network architecture can be applied to heterogeneous networks (HetNet) that can include macrocells, picocells, femtocells, remote radio heads, and/or access points, and in one or more layers. These techniques can also be applied within so-called cloud-Radio Access Networks (cloud-RAN) networks.

Data offload using distributed network architectures

Base stations with coordinated multiple air-interface operations are provided. In some embodiments, multi-mode base station (BTS) systems operate with different air-interfaces, functionality, or configurations in a coordinated manner. For example, typical applications of such systems can include Macrocell BTS, Picocell BTS, Femtocell BTS, or Access Point (AP), Set Top Box (STB), or Home Gateway, Hot Spot Devices, User Terminal with the capability to perform required base station operations. In some embodiments, various techniques are provided for system improvements and optimizations via radio resource management, including user and system throughput optimization, QoS improvement, interference management, and various other improvements and optimizations. In some embodiments, a system (e.g., a multi-mode device, such as a base station, a repeater, and/or a terminal) includes a multi-mode communication unit, in which the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication using at least two modes; and a processor configured to implement at least in part the multi-mode communications unit. In some embodiments, the at least two modes include one or more of the following: frequency band, protocol standard, duplexing format, broadcast mode (e.g., television broadcast and/or a radio broadcast), and one-way communication mode.

Base station with coordinated multiple air-interface operations

Power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices (e.g., base stations and relay nodes) is disclosed. In some embodiments, power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices includes selecting a power state of the multimode device selected from a plurality of power states, in which the multimode device is in a first power state (e.g., an active or serving power state), and in which the selected power state is a second power state (e.g., a reduced power state), and transitioning the multimode device from the first power state to the second power state.

Power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices

Self-optimization in heterogeneous networks techniques are provided. In autonomous mode, certain self-optimization criteria are used to set up one or more targets with same or different priorities. The cells in a defined area of a HetNet autonomously adjust certain radio resources (e.g., power, time, frequency, and/or spatial resources (e.g. antenna, location)) in order to achieve or to be close to the targets such that the self-optimization criteria are met. In a coordinated mode, certain self-optimization criteria are used to define one or more cost functions with same or different priorities. The cells or a subset of users in the cells in a defined area of a HetNet search for the optimal solution for the cost functions by coordinating certain radio resources.

Self-optimization in heterogeneous networks

In wireless system, a group of Base station (BTSs) with smaller footprints have the capability to communicate with each other as well as with the BTSs with relatively larger footprints via wireless air-interfaces. One of such example is coordinated cell systems. A coordinated cell system comprises a group of coordinated cell base stations that have the capability to communicate with each other as well as with relevant macro cell or Pico cell base stations via wireless air-interfaces. Each coordinated cell BTS consists of an over the air control unit in addition to the conventional coordinated cell BTS system. A set of protocols in the form of messages and database are also defined to enable the networking capability. This enables enhancement in performing a variety of tasks by coordinated cell systems, including interference management and coordination, registration and authentication, quality of service coordination, installation and maintenance, location services, etc.

Method and apparatus for base stations and their provisioning, management, and networking

Systems and methods for implementing and designing protocols in such communications systems which can be wireless or wired. The systems and methods can include fundamental changes in the traditional protocol design approaches with their constraints of one-to-one mapping in protocols. By doing so, embodiments of the present invention enable an efficient way to design and implement a system to support single or multiple protocols.

System and method of communication protocols in communication systems

System and method for signaling control information in a multi-carrier communications system to transmit data. A preferred embodiment comprises demodulating a first carrier that is used for transmitting a control channel transmission, determining a second carrier that is used for transmitting a data channel transmission based upon the demodulated control channel transmission, and demodulating the second carrier to obtain the data channel transmission. Additionally, designs for multi-carrier receivers are provided.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Yan Hui