# US 2010/0167728 A1 · Apparatus and method for femto cell coverage mapping using macro base station > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167728 A1 - Document ID: US20100167728A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/347,431 - Filed: 2008-12-31 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31 - Assignees: Motorola, Inc. - Inventors: Narayanan VENKITARAMAN; Sandeep ADWANKAR - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167728A1 ## CPC - H04W 36/04: Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells - H04W 36/22: for handling the traffic - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and apparatus are disclosed for selecting between connection of a mobile communication device to a macro cell or connection of the mobile communication device to one of a plurality of femto cells in a network. The method includes determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell, determining whether network considerations indicate the mobile communications device should be connected to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells, and enabling connection of the mobile communications device to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells based on the network considerations and the mapping of locations of the femto cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of selecting between connection of a mobile communication device to a macro cell or connection of the mobile communications device to one of a plurality of femto cells in a network, comprising: determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell; determining whether network considerations indicate the mobile communications device should be connected to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells; and enabling connection of the mobile communications device to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells based on the network considerations and the mapping of locations of the femto cells. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the mobile communications device in relation to the mapping of locations of the femto cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network considerations include whether the macro cell is congested with traffic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network considerations include whether a communication to be directed to the mobile communications device is a voice communication or a data communication. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell comprises determining a strength of a signal from the macro cell to each of the femto cells, determining a strength of a signal from at least one other macro cell to each of the femto cells, and using signal strength triangulation to determine a location of each of the femto cells. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell comprises determining a GPS location of the femto cells. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein determining a GPS location of the femto cells comprises determining a GPS location of the mobile communications device, determining a femto cell within range of the mobile communications device, and assigning the GPS location of the mobile communications device to the femto cell within range of the mobile communications device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that one of the femto cells must be adjusted based on the location of the mobile computing device, the mapping of the location of the femto cells and network considerations, provisioning the femto cell with updated information, and enabling handoff of the mobile device from a macro cell to the femto cell, wherein the provisioning comprises adjusting a power level of the femto cell. ### Claim 9 A method of operating a network having a base station controller, a macro cell, and a plurality of femto cells, comprising: determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell; determining a location of a mobile communications device; and enabling connection of the mobile communications device to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells based on the mapping of locations of the femto cells and the location of the mobile communications device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell comprises determining a strength of a signal from the macro cell to each of the femto cells, determining a strength of a signal from at least one other macro cell to each of the femto cells, and using signal strength triangulation to determine a location of each of the femto cells. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the macro cell comprises determining a GPS location of the femto cells. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determining a GPS location of the femto cells comprises determining a GPS location of the mobile communications device, determining a femto cell within range of the mobile communications device, and assigning the GPS location of the mobile communications device to the femto cell within range of the mobile communications device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein enabling connection of the mobile communications device to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells is further based on network considerations. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the network considerations include whether the macro cell is congested with traffic. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the network considerations include whether a communication to be directed to the mobile communications device is a voice communication or a data communication. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that one of the femto cells must be adjusted based on the location of the mobile computing device, the mapping of the location of the femto cells and network considerations, provisioning the femto cell with updated information, and enabling handoff of the mobile device from a macro cell to the femto cell, wherein the provisioning comprises adjusting a power level of the femto cell. ### Claim 17 A base station controller for connecting a mobile communications device to either of a macro cell or one of a plurality of femto cells, comprising: a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to: determine a mapping of locations of the femto cells within coverage range of the cell; determine whether network considerations indicate the mobile communications device should be connected to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells; and enable connection of the mobile communications device to the macro cell or to one of the plurality of femto cells based on the network considerations and the mapping of locations of the femto cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The base station controller of claim 17, wherein the network considerations include whether the macro cell is congested with traffic. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The base station controller of claim 17, wherein the network considerations include whether a communication to be directed to the mobile communications device is a voice communication or a data communication. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The base station controller of claim 19, wherein the processor further determines that one of the femto cells must be adjusted based on the location of the mobile computing device, the mapping of the location of the femto cells and network considerations, provisions the femto cell with updated information, and enables handoff of the mobile device from a macro cell to the femto cell, wherein the provisioning comprises adjusting a power level of the femto cell.