Method and apparatus for configuring traffic-to-pilot power ratios in heterogeneous networks

An apparatus for processing signals at a user equipment (UE) based on a traffic-to-pilot (T/P) ratio received from a base station, comprising:

• means for receiving, at the UE, a plurality of T/P ratios, wherein each T/P ratio is related to a power used by the base station to transmit over one of a plurality of carriers in a specific subframe or a specific resource block, and wherein a T/P ratio of a carrier of the plurality of carriers is a value between zero and one related to a proportion of a power for transmitting data signals and a power for transmitting reference signals;
• means for determining a power of a reference signal received from the base station over a first carrier of the plurality of carriers, wherein the power of the reference signal is determined based on measurements by a receiver at the UE;
• and
• means for processing a data signal received over the first carrier within the specific subframe or the specific resource block at least by applying, to the determined power of the reference signal, a first T/P ratio of the plurality of T/P ratios corresponding to the first carrier, and wherein an interfering data signal from an interfering base station received in the specific subframe or the specific resource block is at least partially canceled at the UE during the processing of the data signal based on a corresponding T/P ratio transmitted by the interfering base station,
• wherein the determined power of the reference signal is used to demodulate the data signal or to report channel state information based on the data signal.

An apparatus for processing signals based on a traffic-to-pilot (T/P) ratio received from a base station, comprising:

• a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory comprises executable instructions to cause the processor to:
• receive a plurality of T/P ratios, wherein each T/P ratio is related to a power used by the base station to transmit over one of a plurality of carriers in a specific subframe or a specific resource block, wherein a T/P ratio of a carrier of the plurality of carriers is a value between zero and one related to a proportion of a power for transmitting data signals and a power for transmitting reference signals;
• determine a power of a reference signal received from the base station over a first carrier of the plurality of carriers, wherein the power of the reference signal is determined based on measurements by a receiver at the apparatus;
• and
• process a data signal received over the first carrier within the specific subframe or the specific resource block at least by applying, to the determined power of the reference signal, a first T/P ratio of the plurality of T/P ratios corresponding to the first carrier, and wherein an interfering data signal from an interfering base station received in the specific subframe or the specific resource block is at least partially canceled at the UE during the processing of the data signal based on a corresponding T/P ratio transmitted by the interfering base station,
• wherein the determined power of the reference signal is used to demodulate the data signal or to report channel state information based on the data signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for processing signals at a user equipment (UE) based on a traffic-to-pilot (T/P) ratio received from a base station, comprising:

• code executable to cause the UE to receive a plurality of T/P ratios, wherein each T/P ratio is related to a power used by the base station to transmit over one of a plurality of carriers in a specific subframe or a specific resource block, wherein a T/P ratio of a carrier of the plurality of carriers is a value between zero and one related to a proportion of a power for transmitting data signals and a power for transmitting reference signals;
• code executable to cause the UE to determine a power of a reference signal received from the base station over a first carrier of the plurality of carriers, wherein the power of the reference signal is determined based on measurements by a receiver at the UE;
• and
• code executable to cause the UE to process a data signal received over the first carrier within the specific subframe or the specific resource block at least by applying, to the determined power of the reference signal, a first T/P ratio of the plurality of T/P ratios corresponding to the first carrier, and wherein an interfering data signal from an interfering base station received in the specific subframe or the specific resource block is at least partially canceled at the UE during the processing of the data signal based on a corresponding T/P ratio transmitted by the interfering base station,
• wherein the determined power of the reference signal is used to demodulate the data signal or to report channel state information based on the data signal.