Apparatus and Method for Inter Cell Interference Coordination

A method, in a first cell of a communication network, for performing inter cell interference coordination between the first cell and a second cell of the communication network, wherein at least the first cell comprises a plurality of distributed transmission points, the method comprising individually controlling the transmit power of the plurality of distributed transmission points within the first cell.

A method, in a second cell of a communication network, for performing inter cell interference coordination between a first cell of the communication network and the second cell, wherein at least the first cell comprises a plurality of distributed transmission points, the method comprising:

• determining the strongest interfering transmission point or points of the first cell for a user equipment connected to the second cell;
• and
• notifying the first cell of the strongest interfering transmission point or points, for enabling the first cell to determine a two-dimensional power-reduction pattern for individually controlling the transmit power of the distributed transmission points within the first cell.

A user terminal for use in a communication network comprising a first cell and a second cell, wherein at least the first cell comprises a plurality of distributed transmission points, wherein the user terminal comprises:

• a receiving module;
• and
• a processing circuit adapted to, when connected to the second cell, receive a downlink signal during subframes in which the strongest interfering transmission point of the first cell is transmitting at reduced power according to a two-dimensional power-reduction pattern.

A control node for performing inter cell interference coordination between a first cell and a second cell of a communication network, wherein at least the first cell comprises a plurality of distributed transmission points, the control node comprising a processing circuit adapted to individually control the transmit power of the plurality of distributed transmission points within the first cell according to a two-dimensional power-reduction pattern.

A control node for performing inter cell interference coordination between a first cell and a second cell of a communication network, wherein at least the first cell comprises a plurality of distributed transmission points, the control node comprising:

• a processing circuit adapted to determine the strongest interfering transmission point or points of the first cell for a user equipment connected to the second cell;
• and
• a transmitter circuit adapted to notify the first cell of the strongest interfering transmission point or points, for enabling the first cell to determine a two-dimensional power-reduction pattern for individually controlling the transmit power of the distributed transmission points within the first cell.