# US 9,521,555 B2 · System and method for configuring a communications network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,555 B2 - Document ID: US9521555B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/615,708 - Filed: 2015-02-06 - Published: 2015-06-04 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-23 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Amine Maaref; Ying Qian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521555B2 ## CPC - H04W 16/10: Dynamic resource partitioning - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 88/10: adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method for partitioning a communications network includes selecting, by a controller, a starting communications controller for a first region in the communications network according to an interference level. The method also includes including, by the controller, a first neighboring communications controller in the first region if an average inter-cell interference level of the starting communications controller and the first neighboring communications controller exceeds a first threshold and closing the first region if the average inter-cell interference level of the starting communications controller and the first neighboring communications controller fails to exceed the first threshold. The method further includes storing information about the first region in a memory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for setting an operating mode of a region, the method comprising: identifying, by a network device, an interference classification of the region; setting, by the network device, the operating mode of the region according to the interference classification of the region, an inter-cell interference metric of the region, and an inter-region interference metric of the region, wherein the inter-region interference metric of the region includes an average inter-region interference level; and providing, by the network device, the operating mode of the region to a device in the region, wherein setting the operating mode comprises: setting the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and a power control operating mode according to the inter-cell interference metric of the region when the region is classified as noise limited region; and setting the operating mode of the region to one of the non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interference classification of the region comprises one of a noise limited region and an interference limited region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inter-cell interference metric of the region includes an average inter-cell interference level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-interference coordinating operating mode includes a Reuse-i operating mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the power control operating mode includes a downlink power control operating mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interference coordinating operating mode includes one of a fractional frequency reuse operating mode and a soft frequency reuse mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region and a region switch indicator of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises one of an Operations and Support System (OSS) and an evolved NodeB. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises one of an evolved NodeB and a user equipment. ### Claim 10 A network device comprising: a processor configured to: identify an interference classification of a region; set an operating mode of the region according to the interference classification of the region, an inter-cell interference metric of the region, and an inter-region interference metric of the region, wherein the inter-region interference metric of the region includes an average inter-region interference level; and provide the operating mode of the region to a device in the region, wherein setting the operating mode comprises: setting the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and a power control operating mode according to the inter-cell interference metric of the region when the region is classified as noise limited region; and setting the operating mode of the region to one of the non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the non-interference coordinating operating mode includes a Reuse-1 operating mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the power control operating mode includes a downlink power control operating mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the interference coordinating operating mode includes one of a fractional frequency reuse operating mode and a soft frequency reuse mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the processor configured to set the operating mode of the region comprises the processor configured to set the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region and a region switch indicator of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the interference classification of the region comprises one of a noise limited region and an interference limited region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the inter-cell interference metric of the region includes an average inter-cell interference level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the device comprises one of an evolved NodeB and a user equipment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The network device of claim 10, wherein the network device comprises one of an Operations and Support System (OSS) and an evolved NodeB. ### Claim 19 A method for setting an operating mode of a region, the method comprising: identifying, by a network device, an interference classification of the region; setting, by the network device, the operating mode of the region according to the interference classification of the region, an inter-cell interference metric of the region, and an inter-region interference metric of the region, wherein the inter-cell interference metric of the region includes an average inter-cell interference level; and providing, by the network device, the operating mode of the region to a device in the region, wherein setting the operating mode comprises: setting the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and a power control operating mode according to the inter-cell interference metric of the region when the region is classified as noise limited region; and setting the operating mode of the region to one of the non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region. ### Claim 20 A network device comprising: a processor configured to: identify an interference classification of a region; set an operating mode of the region according to the interference classification of the region, an inter-cell interference metric of the region, and an inter-region interference metric of the region, wherein the inter-cell interference metric of the region includes an average inter-cell interference level; and provide the operating mode of the region to a device in the region, wherein setting the operating mode comprises: setting the operating mode of the region to one of a non-interference coordinating operating mode and a power control operating mode according to the inter-cell interference metric of the region when the region is classified as noise limited region; and setting the operating mode of the region to one of the non-interference coordinating operating mode and an interference coordinating operating mode according to the inter-region interference metric of the region when the region is classified as an interference limited region.