Methods and network nodes for improving OLPC functionality for HSUPA MIMO

A control node configured to perform Outer-Loop Power Control “OLPC”, wherein the control node is configured to control an Signal-to-Interference Ratio-target, “SIR-target”, for use by a radio network node when operating an Inner Loop Power Control “ILPC”, wherein the radio network node is configurable to handle a primary stream and a secondary stream while employing High-Speed Uplink Packet Access Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output “HSUPA MIMO”, wherein the control node comprises a processing circuit configured to:

• receive a Iub frame from the radio network node;
• wherein the processing circuit further is configured to:
• extract, from the Iub frame, a first indication of number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest “HARQ” re-transmissions, wherein the first indication is related to the primary stream;
• and
• extract, from the Iub frame, a second indication of number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest “HARQ” re-transmissions, wherein the second indication is related to the secondary stream;
• and
• wherein the processing circuit further is configured to determine the SIR-target based on the first indication.

A method for enabling Outer-Loop Power Control “OLPC” performed by a control node, wherein the control node is configured to control a Signal-to-Interference Ratio-target, “SIR-target”, for use by a radio network node when operating an Inner Loop Power Control “ILPC”, wherein the radio network node handles a primary stream and a secondary stream while employing High-Speed Uplink Packet Access Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output “HSUPA MIMO”, wherein the method comprises:

• detecting, by the radio network node, a first indication of number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest “HARQ” re-transmissions, wherein the first indication is related to the primary stream;
• detecting, by the radio network node, a second indication of number of HARQ re-transmissions, wherein the second indication is related to the secondary stream;
• configuring, by the radio network node, an Iub frame based on the first and second indication;
• sending, by the radio network node, the Iub frame to the control node;
• extracting, by the control node, from the Iub frame, the first indication of the number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest “HARQ” re-transmissions;
• extracting, by the control node, from the Iub frame, the second indication of the number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest “HARQ” re-transmissions;
• and
• determining, by the control node, the SIR-target based on the first indication.