MBSFN area configuration in self-organizing networks

A method in a network node, the method comprising:

• determining whether one or more cells associated with the network node are active or inactive;
• communicating, to a multicast coordination entity (MCE), cell state information for the one or more cells associated with the network node, the cell state information indicating whether the one or more cells associated with the network node are active or inactive;
• receiving, from the multicast coordination entity, a multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency (MBSFN) area configuration and a modulation and coding scheme for an MBSFN transmission, the modulation and coding scheme determined based on the cell state information communicated to the multicast coordination entity;
• transmitting the MBSFN transmission using the received modulation and coding scheme;
• and
• receiving, from the multicast coordination entity, an allowed sleep group level, the allowed sleep group level indicating an allowed sleep group, the allowed sleep group comprising one or more subsets of cells within the MBSFN area that can be deactivated.

A multicast coordination entity, comprising:

• one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to:
• configure a multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) area, the MBSFN area comprising one or more cells;
• receive, from one or more network nodes, cell state information for the one or more cells, the cell state information indicating whether the one or more cells are active or inactive;
• determine, based on the cell state information, a modulation and coding scheme for an MBSFN transmission;
• communicate the MBSFN area configuration and the determined modulation and coding scheme for the MBSFN transmission to the one or more network nodes;
• determine one or more subsets of cells within the MBSFN area, each of the determined one or more subsets of cells within the MBSFN area having an associated sleep group level;
• and
• communicate an allowed sleep group level to the one or more network nodes, the allowed sleep group level indicating an allowed sleep group, the allowed sleep group comprising one or more of the determined one or more subsets of cells within the MBSFN area that can be deactivated.

A network node, comprising:

• one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to:
• determine whether one or more cells associated with the network node are active or inactive;
• communicate, to a multicast coordination entity (MCE), cell state information for the one or more cells associated with the network node, the cell state information indicating whether the one or more cells associated with the network node are active or inactive;
• receive, from the multicast coordination entity, a multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency (MBSFN) area configuration and a modulation and coding scheme for an MBSFN transmission, the modulation and coding scheme determined based on the cell state information communicated to the multicast coordination entity;
• transmit the MBSFN transmission using the received modulation and coding scheme;
• and
• receive, from the multicast coordination entity, an allowed sleep group level, the allowed sleep group level indicating an allowed sleep group, the allowed sleep group comprising one or more subsets of cells within the MBSFN area that can be deactivated.