Method and apparatus for synchronizing base stations

A method for autonomous time synchronizing a pair of base stations in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• detecting an adjacent out-of-sync base station;
• measuring a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• correcting the adjacent out-of-sync base station from values obtained from a RNC's database.

A method for providing one of time and frequency synchronization in a plurality of slave base stations in a wireless communication system wherein an RNC estimates a plurality of correction values from a covariant matrix database, comprising:

• synchronizing a time reference in a plurality of slave base stations;
• generating estimates of a plurality of time and frequency values from said covariant matrix database;
• and
• transmitting said plurality of time and frequency values to the plurality of slave base stations.

A method for time synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system minimizes a number of service interruptions, comprising:

• a) scheduling a plurality of cell timing measurements of at least one of a plurality of base stations;
• b) making said cell timing measurements;
• c) developing a plurality of time drift factor values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations;
• and
• d) scheduling periodic time update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.

A method for frequency synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system using a minimum number of service interruptions, comprising:

• scheduling a plurality of frequency measurements of at least one of a plurality of base stations;
• making said cell timing measurements;
• developing a plurality of frequency drift pattern values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations;
• and
• scheduling periodic frequency update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.

A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize to at least one of a plurality of other base stations, said base station comprising:

• means for detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations;
• means for measuring a plurality of cell timing signal values;
• and
• means for correcting the at least one of out-of-sync base stations.

A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations to a master base station, said master base station comprising:

• means for detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations;
• means to measure a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• means to correct the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations.

A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to frequency synchronize a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations to a master base station, said master base station comprising:

• means for detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations;
• means to measure a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• means to correct the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync slave base stations.

A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations, said base station comprising:

• means to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations;
• means to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations and;
• and
• means to schedule periodic update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations.

A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations and which minimizes service interruption needed to time synchronize, said base station comprising:

• means to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations;
• means to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations and;
• and
• means for scheduling periodic frequency update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations.

A user equipment (UE) for a wireless digital system to synchronize one of a plurality of base stations in said system, said UE comprising:

• means for receiving a request to synchronize a base station;
• means for obtaining a BSTOA value for said one base station at least a remaining one of the plurality of base stations;
• and
• means for transmitting said BSTOA values.

A method for time synchronizing in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations;
• measuring a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• correcting the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations.

A method for autonomous time synchronizing in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• detecting an adjacent out-of-sync base station;
• measuring a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• correcting the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations from values from a RNC's database.

A method for time synchronizing out-of-sync base stations to a master base station in a wireless communication system;

• the method, comprising:
• a) detecting at least one of said out-of-sync base stations;
• b) measuring a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• c) correcting the out-of-sync base stations based on step (b).

A method for frequency synchronizing one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations to a master base station in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• a) detecting said one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations;
• b) measuring a plurality of cell timing signals;
• and
• c) correcting the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations based on step (b).

A method for time synchronizing base stations with predetermined time reference in a wireless communication system having an RNC;

• comprising:
• generating a time synchronization message from the RNC's database;
• and
• transmitting the time synchronization message to at least one of a plurality of base stations.

A method for obtaining one of time and frequency synchronization of base stations in a wireless communication system wherein an RNC estimates a plurality of correction values from a database, the method comprising:

• synchronizing a time reference in a plurality of base stations;
• generating estimates of a plurality of time and frequency values;
• and
• transmitting the plurality of time and frequency values to the plurality of base stations.

A method for time synchronizing base stations in a wireless communication system in a reduced number of service interruptions, comprising:

• scheduling a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of the plurality of base stations;
• developing a plurality of time sync drift pattern values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations;
• and
• scheduling periodic update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.

A method for frequency synchronizing base stations in a wireless communication system using a minimum number of service interruptions, comprising:

• scheduling a plurality of frequency measurements from at least one of a plurality of base stations;
• developing a plurality of frequency drift pattern values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations;
• and
• scheduling periodic frequency update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.

A method for providing one of time and frequency synchronization in a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system wherein an RNC sends a correction value to a one of the plurality of base stations designated as a master station, comprising:

• assigning a weight to each of the remaining base stations;
• said master station sending a correction value to a highest weighted base station;
• and
• the highest weighted base station sends a correction value to the next highest weighted base station.