Abstract: Method, base station and computer program product for controlling access to the base station, the base station being arranged to serve a zone, the zone comprising a first cell implementing an access mode as one of an open access mode, a hybrid access mode, and a closed access mode. Operating conditions of the zone served by the base station are determined and then the access mode of the first cell is controlled based on the determined operating conditions of the zone served by the base station.

Abstract: There is provided a rake receiver for a femtocell base station, the rake receiver being for use in receiving a multipath signal, the rake receiver comprising a plurality of fingers, and wherein the rake receiver is adapted to assign multiple fingers to the same path in the multipath signal.

Abstract: Method, multi-mode base station and computer program product for controlling communication between a user equipment (UE) and the multi-mode base station, the multi-mode base station being arranged to operate as a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising a first cell using a first radio access technology and a second cell using a second radio access technology. The UE is operating in the first cell. Operating conditions of the first and second cells are monitored, and based on the monitored operating conditions of the first and second cells, it is determined that making a handover of the UE to the second cell would provide a performance improvement. In response to determining that making a handover of the UE to the second cell would provide a performance improvement, a handover is made of the UE to the second cell, thereby providing the performance improvement.

Abstract: There is provided a femtocell device for use in connecting a mobile terminal to a communication network, the femtocell device comprising means for implementing a power control procedure in which a target value for a first characteristic of transmissions received from the mobile terminal is set and adjusted based on a quality of service criteria for the transmissions; and wherein the means for implementing the power control procedure operates in a physical layer of the femtocell device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling access of a mobile device to a femtocell base station in a communications network are described. The method determines whether to allow access of the mobile device to the femtocell base station based on the femtocell-mobile device path loss for transmissions between the mobile device and the femtocell base station. Access may be allowed if the femtocell-mobile device pathloss is lower than a threshold amount. Additionally or alternatively access may be allowed only if the femtocell-mobile device pathloss is lower than the macrocell-mobile device pathloss for transmissions between the mobile device and a macrocell base station. The method is particularly applicable for hybrid access mode femtocells and additional conditions may be applied regarding the number of mobile device that are not part of the subscriber group that can access the femtocell. The method may be implemented by the femtocell, the macrocell or by any other suitable network device.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication system such that the communication system comprises at least a macrocell base station and a femtocell base station that is within the coverage area of the macrocell base station. The communication system is configured to provide an indication of the noise rise or interference at the macrocell base station to the femtocell base station and the femtocell base station, in response thereto, adjusts a maximum permitted transmission power based on the indication.

Abstract: There is provided a method of method of estimating a quality of a signal, the method in a first device comprising measuring a signal transmitted from a second device to a third device; determining a value of a metric from an autocorrelation function of the measured signal; and determining an estimate of the quality of the signal from the determined metric.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a base station, the method comprising determining whether there are any mobile devices that are not associated with the base station that require protection from interference caused by downlink transmissions of the base station; and setting a maximum permitted transmission power for the base station based on the result of the step of determining.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a communication system, the communication system comprising at least a macrocell base station and a femtocell base station that is within the coverage area of the macrocell base station, the method comprising providing an indication of the noise rise or interference at the macrocell base station to the femtocell base station; and the femtocell base station adjusting a maximum permitted transmission power based on the indication.

Abstract: There is provided a method of method of estimating a quality of a signal, the method in a first device comprising measuring a signal transmitted from a second device to a third device; determining a value of a metric from an autocorrelation function of the measured signal; and determining an estimate of the quality of the signal from the determined metric.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a communication network comprising at least one macrocellular base station, and a plurality of femtocell base stations that are within the coverage area of the at least one macrocellular base station, the method comprising providing a proxy in a signalling path between the at least one macrocellular base station and the plurality of femtocell base stations, providing unidirectional signalling for the support of mobility and interference control from the at least one macrocellular base station to the proxy; and providing signalling for the support of mobility and interference control between the proxy and the plurality of femtocell base stations.

Abstract: A processor architecture includes a plurality of processing elements and a bus structure. Each element has at least one input port and at least one output port, each port having at least a data bus and a valid data signal line. The bus structure contains a plurality of switches arranged to connect an output port of any first processing element to the input port of any second processing element for a time interval. Each processing element sets a value on the valid data signal line of its output port to a first logic state when the associated data bus contains a transfer value and to a second logic state when it does not contain a transfer value. Each processing element enters a waiting state for a predetermined time interval when the value on the valid data signal line of the associated input port is in the second logic state.

Abstract: There is provided a method for placing a plurality of processes onto respective processor elements in a processor array, the method comprising (i) assigning each of the plurality of processes to a respective processor element to generate a first placement; (ii) evaluating a cost function for the first placement to determine an initial value for the cost function, the result of the evaluation of the cost function indicating the suitability of a placement, wherein the cost function comprises a bandwidth utilization of a bus interconnecting the processor elements in the processor array; (iii) reassigning one or more of the processes to respective different ones of the processor elements to generate a second placement; (iv) evaluating the cost function for the second placement to determine a modified value for the cost function; and (v) accepting or rejecting the reassignments of the one or more processes based on a comparison between the modified value and the initial value.