Methods and devices for reducing interference in heterogeneous communication networks based on inter-cell interference coordination

A method for reducing interference in a communication network including a first node and a first node coverage area, a second closed subscriber group (CSG) node, transmitting at a lower power than the first node and located within the first node coverage area, and one or more user equipment (UE) devices located within the first node coverage area, comprising:

• receiving, at the second CSG node, a request for Physical Resource Block (PRB) utilization from the first node;
• requesting, by the second CSG node, interference cancellation (IC) capability of the one or more UE devices;
• receiving an IC capability report from the first node for the one or more UE devices;
• determining if the one or more UE devices is IC capable based on the received capability report and, if any of the UE devices are not IC capable, the method further comprising:
• reporting the PRB utilization to the first node;
• receiving, from the first node, instructions for the second CSG node to operate in an interference cancellation (IC) mode with a (X:Y) operating ratio;
• and
• switching, at the second CSG node, to an IC mode that mutes transmission of reference signals causing interference for the UE devices.

A closed subscriber group (CSG) node for reducing interference in a communication network including a first node and a first node coverage area, and one or more user equipment (UE) devices located within the first node coverage area, the CSG node transmitting at a lower power than the first node and located within the first node coverage area, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• a transceiver coupled to the processor;
• and
• an antenna coupled to the transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals, wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive, at the CSG node, a request for Physical Resource Block (PRB) utilization from the first node;
• request, by the CSG node, interference cancellation (IC) capability of the one or more UE devices;
• receive a IC capability report from the first node for the one or more UE devices;
• determine if the one or more UE devices is IC capable based on the received capability report, and if any of the UE devices are not IC capable, the processor further configured to:
• report the PRB utilization to the first node;
• receive, from the first node, instructions for the CSG node to operate in an interference cancellation (IC) mode with a (X:Y) operating ratio;
• and
• switch, at the CSG node, to an IC mode that mutes transmission of reference signals causing interference for the UE devices.

A method for reducing interference in a communication network including a first node and a first node coverage area, a second closed subscriber group (CSG) node, transmitting at a lower power than the first node and located within the first node coverage area, and one or more user equipment (UE) devices located within the first node coverage area, comprising:

• detecting uplink (UL) interference at the second CSG node;
• determining if the detected UL interference is from one or more UE devices that is not connected to the second CSG node and, if the detected UL interference is from one or more UE devices that is not connected to the second CSG node, the method further comprising:
• determining if the detected UL interference is greater than a predetermined interference threshold and, if the detected UL interference is greater than a predetermined interference threshold, the method further comprising:
• requesting, by the second CSG node, the interference cancellation (IC) capability of the interfering UE devices;
• receiving, at the second CSG node, an IC capabilities report from the first node;
• determining if the interfering UE devices are IC capable based on the received capability report and, if any of the interfering UE devices are not IC capable, the method further comprising:
• switching, at the second CSG node, to an IC mode that mutes transmission of reference signals from the second CSG node.

A closed subscriber group (CSG) node for reducing interference in a communication network including a first node and a first node coverage area, and one or more user equipment (UE) devices located within the first node coverage area, the CSG node transmitting at a lower power than the first node and located within the first node coverage area, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• a transceiver coupled to the processor;
• and
• an antenna coupled to the transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals, wherein the processor is configured to:
• detect uplink (UL) interference at the CSG node;
• determine if the detected UL interference is from one or more UE devices that is not connected to the CSG node and, if the detected UL interference is from one or more UE devices that is not connected to the CSG node, the processor further configured to:
• determine if the detected UL interference is greater than a predetermined interference threshold and, if the detected UL interference is greater than a predetermined interference threshold, the processor further configured to:
• request, by the CSG node, the interference cancellation (IC) capability of the interfering UE devices;
• receive, at the CSG node, an IC capabilities report from the first node;
• determine if the interfering UE devices are IC capable based on the received capability report and, if any of the interfering UE devices are not IC capable, the processor further configured to:
• switch, at the CSG node, to an IC mode that mutes transmission of reference signals from the second CSG node.