Methods and apparatus for determining, communicating and using information including loading factors which can be used for interference control purposes

A wireless terminal comprising:

• a monitoring module for detecting received broadcast signals communicating at least one uplink loading factor, each broadcast uplink loading factor corresponding to an attachment point;
• a first measurement module including a signal power measurement module for measuring power of received signals of a first type from a first attachment point;
• a second measurement module including a signal power measurement module for measuring power of received signals of a second type;
• a report generation module for generating an uplink interference report based on a power measurement of a first received signal from the first attachment point, a power measurement of a second signal from a second attachment point;
• and a first received uplink loading factor corresponding to a first attachment point, said uplink interference report communicating a ratio of first and second values, said report generation module including:
• i) a first value generation module for generating said first value as a function of a product of said first loading factor and a result of said power measurement of the first signal;
• and
• ii) a second value generation module for generating said second value as a function of a result of the power measurement of the second signal from the second attachment point;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting generated uplink interference reports.

A wireless terminal comprising:

• means for detecting received broadcast signals communicating at least one uplink loading factor, each broadcast uplink loading factor corresponding to an attachment point;
• means for measuring power of received signals of a first type from a first attachment point;
• means for measuring power of received signals of a second type;
• means for generating an uplink interference report based on a power measurement of a first received signal from the first attachment point, a power measurement of a second signal from a second attachment point, and a first received uplink loading factor corresponding to a first attachment point, wherein said up ink interference report communicates a ratio of first and second values, said means for generating an uplink interference report including:
• i) means for generating said first value as a function of a product of said first loading factor and a result of the power measurement of said first signal:
• and
• ii) means for generating said second value as a function of a result of the power measurement of the second signal;
• and
• means for transmitting generated uplink interference reports.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for implementing a method of operating a wireless terminal, the method comprising:

• monitoring to detect received broadcast signals communicating at least one uplink loading factor, each broadcast uplink loading factor corresponding to an attachment point;
• receiving a first signal from a first attachment point;
• performing a first measurement on the received first signal;
• receiving a second signal from a second attachment point;
• performing a second measurement on the received second signal;
• wherein said first and second measurements are signal power measurements;
• generating an uplink interference report based on the measurement of the first signal, the measurement of the second signal and a first received uplink loading factor corresponding to said first attachment point, said uplink interference report communicating a ratio of first and second values, said first value being a function of a product of said first loading factor and a result of said first signal measurement and wherein said second value is a function of a second result of the second measurement;
• and
• transmitting said generated uplink interference report.

An apparatus operable in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• monitor to detect received broadcast signals communicating at least one uplink loading factor, each broadcast uplink loading factor corresponding to an attachment point;
• receive a first signal from a first attachment point;
• perform a first measurement on the received first signal;
• receive a second signal from a second attachment point;
• perform a second measurement on the received second signal, said first and second, measurements being signal power measurements;
• generate an uplink interference report based on the measurement of the first signal, the measurement of the second signal and a first received uplink loading factor corresponding to said first attachment point, said uplink interference report communicating a ratio of first and second values, said first value being a function of a product of said first loading factor and a result of said first signal measurement and wherein said second value is a function of a result of the second measurement;
• and
• transmit said generated uplink interference report.