Managing energy consumption of base stations

A base station, comprising:

• a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby the base station is configured to implement:
• an emulation controller configured to:
• receive signals indicating that another base station will transition from an active mode in which that base station manages a cell having a coverage area and a predetermined cell identity, to an idle mode in which that base station no longer manages the cell;
• and
• determine information about terminal activity in the cell;
• and
• a baseband processing unit connected to the emulation controller and configured to emulate the active mode of the other base station by taking over management of the cell, in at least part of its coverage area, using the predetermined cell identity, wherein said taking over includes the base station transmitting, using the predetermined cell identity, information that the other base station previously transmitted in the active mode but no longer transmits in the idle mode.

A method of operating a network unit controlling base stations in a cellular network, comprising:

• determining that a first base station will transition from an active mode in which that base station manages a cell, to an idle mode in which that base station no longer manages the cell, wherein the cell has a coverage area and a predetermined cell identity;
• determining information about terminal activity in the cell;
• and
• instructing at least a second base station to emulate the active mode of the first base station by taking over management of the cell, in at least part of its coverage area, using the predetermined cell identity, wherein said taking over includes at least the second base station transmitting, using the predetermined cell identity, information that the first base station previously transmitted in the active mode but no longer transmits in the idle mode.

A network unit configured to control base stations in a cellular network, comprising:

• a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby the network unit is configured to implement:
• an emulation controller configured to determine that a first base station will transition from an active mode in which that base station manages a cell, to an idle mode in which that base station no longer manages the cell, wherein the cell has a coverage area and a predetermined cell identity, and further configured to receive signals identifying terminal activity in the cell;
• and
• connection data storage connected to the emulation controller and configured to store the predetermined cell identity and information identifying said terminal activity;
• wherein the emulation controller is further configured to instruct at least a second base station to emulate the active mode of the first base station by taking over management of the cell, in at least part of its coverage area, using the predetermined cell identity, wherein said taking over includes at least the second base station transmitting, using the predetermined cell identity, information that the first base station previously transmitted in the active mode but no longer transmits in the idle mode.