Interference management and network performance optimization in small cells

A cellular network manager for configuring small cell base stations in a cellular network, comprising:

• a control interface in communication with a plurality of small cell base stations;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing a set of network performance optimization goals, wherein the memory is coupled with the processor, and wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
• receive a constraint on a performance-related metric associated with at least a portion of the cellular network;
• receive measurement data from one or more small cell base stations, wherein the measurement data comprises measurement data collected by a small cell base station from a user equipment (UE) connected to the small cell base station, the measurement data collected by the small cell base station from the UE includes information corresponding to a neighboring base station that the UE can hear from which is collected by the UE and the measurement data further comprises measurement data collected by the small cell base station from the neighboring base station when the small cell enters into a network listen/monitor mode;
• search for one or more optimized values of one or more parameters associated with one or more small cell base stations, wherein the searching is based at least in part on the received measurement data and subject to the constraint on the performance-related metric associated with the at least a portion of the cellular network;
• and
• transmit the one or more optimized values of the one or more parameters to the associated small cell base stations,
• wherein the search and the transmit are performed at least to initially configure the associated small cell base stations.

A computer program product for configuring small cell base stations in a cellular network, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• receiving a constraint on a performance-related metric associated with at least a portion of the cellular network;
• receiving measurement data from one or more small cell base stations via a control interface, wherein the measurement data comprises measurement data collected by a small cell base station from a user equipment (UE) connected to the small cell base station, the measurement data collected by the small cell base station from the UE includes information corresponding to a neighboring base station that the UE can hear from which is collected by the UE and the measurement data further comprises measurement data collected by the small cell base station from the neighboring base station when the small cell enters into a network listen/monitor mode;
• searching, using a processor, for one or more optimized values of one or more parameters associated with one or more small cell base stations, wherein the searching is based at least in part on the received measurement data and subject to the constraint on the performance-related metric associated with the at least a portion of the cellular network;
• and
• transmitting the one or more optimized values of the one or more parameters to the associated small cell base stations,
• wherein the searching and the transmitting are performed at least to initially configure the associated small cell base stations.