Method and apparatus for determining handover parameters in wireless overlay networks
AssigneeAlcatel Lucent
InventorsKamakshi Sridhar, Hajo Bakker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application describes embodiments of a method and apparatus for determining handover parameters in a wireless overlay network. One embodiment includes modifying a bias value used to determine when to handover user equipment between a macrocell and a femtocell that overlays the macrocell. The bias value is modified in response to a change in one or more handover frequencies associated with the user equipment. Handovers of user equipment are triggered when a sum of the bias value and a measured value of the femtocell signal strength exceed a measured value of the macrocell signal strength.
Claims7
A method, comprising:
- monitoring a number of user equipment associated with the femtocell;
- determining whether the number of user equipment associated with the femtocell exceeds a first threshold;
- monitoring handover reports associated with handovers of user equipment between the macrocell and the femtocell in response to determining that the number of user equipment associated with the femtocell exceeds a first threshold and is less than a maximum allowable capacity of the femtocell;
- and
- modifying a bias value used to determine when to handover user equipment between a macrocell and femtocell that overlays the macrocell, wherein the bias value is modified in response to a change in at least one handover frequency associated with said user equipment, and wherein handovers of user equipment are triggered when a sum of the bias value and a measured value of the femtocell signal strength exceed a measured value of the macrocell signal strength, wherein modifying the bias value comprises increasing the bias value when information in the handover reports indicates that said at least one handover frequency has exceeded a second threshold.
A wireless communication node comprising either a macrocell or a femtocell configured to:
- monitor a number of user equipment associated with the femtocell;
- determine whether the number of user equipment associated with the femtocell exceeds a first threshold;
- monitor handover reports associated with handovers of user equipment between the macrocell and the femtocell in response to determining that the number of user equipment associated with the femtocell exceeds a first threshold and is less than a maximum allowable capacity of the femtocell;
- modify a bias value used to determine when to handover user equipment between nodes overlying coverage areas, wherein the bias value is modified in response to a change in at least one handover frequency associated with said user equipment, and wherein handovers of user equipment are triggered when a sum of the bias value and a measured value of a signal strength from one of the overlying nodes exceeds a measured value of a signal strength from at least one other overlying node, wherein the wireless communication node is configured to increase the bias value when information in the handover reports indicates that said at least one handover frequency has exceeded a second threshold;
- and
- synchronize the bias values used by the macrocell and the femtocell to the modified bias value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.