# US 11,307,310 B2 · Methods for managing neighbor relations and coordinating physical cell identifiers for moving high altitude platform systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,310 B2 - Document ID: US11307310B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/212,492 - Filed: 2021-03-25 - Published: 2021-10-21 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-16 - Assignees: Nokia Technologies Oy - Applicants: Nokia Technologies Oy - Inventors: Jeroen Wigard; Ingo Viering - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307310B2 ## CPC - G01S 19/51: Relative positioning - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04B 7/18504: {Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform} - H04W 36/04: Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells - H04W 36/328: {by altitude} - H04W 84/06: Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) - H04W 92/20: between access points - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing neighbor relations and coordinating physical cell identifier (PCIs), for example, for moving high altitude platform systems are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving, at a first network node, geolocation information for at least one second network node; managing, by the first network node, relations of neighbor network nodes of at least one of the first network node or the at least one second network node; and resolving physical cell identifier problems using the geolocation information, wherein the first network node comprises a high altitude platform station or flying base station, and wherein the at least one second network node comprises at least one terrestrial base station or at least one high altitude platform station or flying base station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the physical cell identifier problems comprise at least one of physical cell identifier collision or physical cell identifier confusion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises: receiving the geolocation information from a third network node, wherein the third network node comprises at least one of high altitude platform station or flying base station, a terrestrial base station, a centralized entity, or a high altitude platform station manager. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the geolocation information comprises global positioning service coordinates of the at least one second network node, and wherein the receiving further comprises: receiving the global positioning service coordinates of the at least one second network node; and receiving the physical cell identifier and enhanced cell global identifier of the at least one second network node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing the geolocation information, global positioning service coordinates, and/or physical cell identifier and enhanced cell global identifier of the at least one second network node. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving geometrical instruction from a fourth network node to assist in determining a strategy to manage the neighbor relations, wherein the fourth network node comprises at least one of a high altitude platform station manager or operation and maintenance. ### Claim 7 An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive geolocation information for at least one first network node; manage relations of neighbor network nodes of at least one of the apparatus or the at least one first network node; and resolve physical cell identifier problems using the geolocation information, wherein the apparatus comprises a high altitude platform station or flying base station, and wherein the at least one first network node comprises at least one terrestrial base station or at least one high altitude platform station or flying base station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the physical cell identifier problems comprise at least one of physical cell identifier collision or physical cell identifier confusion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code configured to receive geolocation information are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive the geolocation information from a second network node, wherein the second network node comprises at least one of high altitude platform station or flying base station, a terrestrial base station, a centralized entity, or a high altitude platform station manager. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second network node and the at least one first network node are the same network node. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the geolocation information comprises global positioning service coordinates of the at least one first network node, and wherein the at least one memory and computer program code configured to receive geolocation information are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive the global positioning service coordinates of the at least one first network node; and receive the physical cell identifier and enhanced cell global identifier of the at least one first network node. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: store the geolocation information, global positioning service coordinates, and/or physical cell identifier and enhanced cell global identifier of the at least one first network node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive geometrical instruction from a third network node to assist in determining a strategy to manage the neighbor relations, wherein the third network node comprises at least one of a high altitude platform station manager or operation and maintenance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code configured to receive geolocation information are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive the geolocation information and/or geometric instruction in a configuration update message via X2 interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code configured to manage relations of neighbor network nodes are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: use the geolocation information to perform at least one of: adding or removing neighbor relations between the apparatus and the at least one first network node; and adding or removing X2 connections between the apparatus and the at least one first network node. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code configured to manage relations of neighbor network nodes are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: use global positioning service coordinates, physical cell identifier and enhanced cell global identifier of the at least one first network node to determine whether the at least one first network node is a relevant neighbor of the apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: inform the at least one first network node when a neighbor relation is no longer relevant. ### Claim 18 A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program comprising program code for controlling a process to execute a process, the process comprising: receiving, at a first network node, geolocation information for at least one second network node; managing, by the first network node, relations of neighbor network nodes of at least one of the first network node or the at least one second network; and resolving physical cell identifier problems using the geolocation information, wherein the first network node comprises a high altitude platform station or flying base station, and wherein the at least one second network node comprises at least one terrestrial base station or at least one high altitude platform station or flying base station.