Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for managing an aggregated self-organizing network (A-SON). In such, a plurality of small cells is grouped into clusters using available topology information. In one implementation, a subset of clusters is assigned to groups of a first type, such that the clusters within a group of the first type have minimal RF connectivity. For example, scanning or updating of RF parameters may then be coordinated such that adjacent clusters do not scan or update simultaneously but clusters within groups of the first type do have at least partially overlapping scans or updates. Similarly, subsets of clusters may be assigned to first and second groups of a second type, such that the clusters within a first group of the second type have sufficient coverage to provide RF connectivity to clusters within the second group, if the second group encounters a service interruption. Other benefits are also described.

Abstract: A method for upgrading an access controller that controls and coordinates a plurality of radio nodes (RNs) each associated with a cell in a cluster of cells belonging to a radio access network includes initializing a new access controller. The new access controller is to replace a current access controller currently controlling and coordinating the plurality of RNs cell in the cluster. A most lightly loaded one of the plurality of RNs is identified. All UEs currently attached to the identified RN is caused to be handed off to a neighboring cell in the cluster. After all the UEs have been handed-off from the identified RN, the identified RN is rebooted so that it is being controlled and coordinated by the new access controller. The steps of causing the UEs to be handed-off and rebooting the identified RN are repeated for a second one of the plurality of RNs.

Abstract: A method is shown for allocating a plurality of channels to a plurality of radio nodes (RNs) in a radio access network (RAN). In accordance with the method, an initial RN is selected from among the plurality of RNs. A first of the plurality of channels is assigned to the initial RN. The first channel is selected such that external interference experienced by the initial RN from sources other than the RAN on the first channel is minimized. A second RN is selected from among the plurality of RNs. A second of the plurality of channels is assigned to the second RN. The second channel is selected such that a metric reflective of an information carrying capacity of the RNs that have already been assigned one of the plurality of channels is maximized. The assigned channels are allocated to the respective RNs to which they have been assigned.

Abstract: Arrangements disclosed here provide an LTE E-RAN employing a hierarchical architecture with a central controller controlling multiple LTE radio nodes (RNs). The RNs may be clustered within the small cell network. A fractional frequency reuse (“FFR”) scheme is provided that dynamically computes the FFR allocations at individual RNs and configures the corresponding schedulers within each RN to improve cell-edge users' experience. Once an FFR pattern has been generated and frequencies allocated, UE throughput can be emulated to predict the resulting bit rates for each UE. Using the prediction, a scheduler emulation may be run to predict the behavior of the system. The results of each cell may then be collected to generate the performance of the entire system, which may in turn be used to generate a new or modified FFR pattern, or new or modified clustering. Optimization of the performance results in an optimized FFR pattern.

Abstract: In particular, systems and methods according to present principles configure physical eNodeB to have multiple virtual eNodeBs, where each virtual eNodeBs corresponds to a particular PLMN. Thus, each PLMN has its own virtual eNodeB which is hosted on a common shared physical eNodeB.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide a closed loop power control system including adaptively adjusting the desired target SINR over time so as to ultimately achieve a feasible SINR. In one implementation, a method is provided of optimizing uplink closed loop power control in a RAN in which one or more base stations each service a plurality of mobile stations, including: determining a power level for each mobile station for its respective uplink transmissions, including measuring a current achieved SINR for each mobile station; and for each mobile station, adjusting the power level to be sufficiently high to meet desired transmission characteristics but not so high as to cause unnecessary interference with transmissions from other mobile stations, by adjusting a desired target SINR based on factors selected from the following: current and prior achieved SINRs, current and prior interference measurements, and current and prior transmission power control commands.

Abstract: An example method comprises receiving an event notification from a cell in a current set of a user equipment, the event notification indicating an uplink signal strength from the user equipment to the cell relative to a threshold; and designating the cell as being either a viable candidate or not a viable candidate to be a serving cell based on the uplink signal strength relative to the threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for resolving Primary Scrambling Code (PSC) ambiguity. A radio link having the same PSC as that reported by user equipment (UE) may be created on some or all internal cells which are chosen based on radio frequency (RF) proximity to a serving cell of the UE or one or more iterations of a PSC resolution set selection process. If the UE is reporting the PSC of one of these cells, the UE and a Node Bs will be able to successfully complete a synchronization procedure to add one of the radio links to the UE's active set, while any remaining created radio links can be deleted. After a certain number of successful radio link additions, the combination of the PSC and active set may be considered to be resolved, therefore, negating a need to resolve the PSC in subsequent soft handover requests.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for allocating frequencies in a radio access network (RAN) that includes a plurality of radio nodes each associated with a cell and a services node operatively coupled to the radio nodes. In accordance with the method, the radio nodes (RNs) in the RAN are divided into a plurality of clusters of RNs. A fractional frequency reuse (FFR) pattern is generated for each cluster. Transmission resources are allocated to the radio nodes in each cluster in accordance with the respective FFR pattern that is generated for each cluster.

Abstract: A dual identity cell adapted for use in a small cell RAN includes two identities that may be supported on the same hardware platform—a dedicated PCI (Physical Cell Identity as defined under LTE) identity and a common PCI identity. The dedicated PCI identity operates similarly to a cell in a regular RAN in which neighboring cells use unique PCIs so that user equipment (UE) may distinguish among cells. The dedicated PCI identity, when exposed to the UE, may be used to determine the position of a UE within the RAN so that cells within listening range of the UE are identified. Those identified cells (termed here as the “detected set”) can then transmit the same data and control signals to the UE using their common PCI identities. In this way, all the cells in the detected set appear to the UE as one single cell.

Abstract: A method for assigning downlink transmit power levels to radio nodes (RNs) in a small cell radio access network (RAN) includes assigning initial power levels to the RNs. For each cell, first events are counted indicating that UEs receiving a signal from their serving cells with a signal strength below a specified value have entered a coverage hole. For each cell, second events are counted indicating that UEs have re-established a previous connection on one of the cells. For each pair of cells, a coverage hole is identified between them if the number of first events for one cell exceeds a threshold and a number of second events or re-establishment of a previous connection on the other cell exceeds another threshold. For each identified coverage hole, the downlink transmit power level is increased of at least one RN in the pair of cells between which the coverage hole is identified.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer program products facilitate establishing timing synchronization between two network entities. The timing information is exchanged between a slave device and a master device at the discretion of the slave device. The exchange of timing information can, therefore, be conducted adaptively based on the needs of the salve device. The timing information is also exchanged using fewer messages, thereby reducing network traffic, reducing overhead and facilitating synchronization acquisition.

Abstract: A services node or central controller or coordinator is provided that dynamically computes fractional frequency reuse allocation among user equipment in a radio access network. The central controller or coordinator communicates the fractional frequency reuse allocation and configures the individual MAC schedulers within each radio node in the radio access network. Inputs to the central coordinator may include its serving radio node, a detected set of radio nodes, and information about user equipment buffer status both in the downlink and uplink. In one implementation, interference graphs are constructed for downlinks and uplink separately and the same are used with a heuristic independent set algorithm to compute the frequency allocation.

Abstract: A method of joint processing of data in a radio access network (RAN) that includes a plurality of radio nodes each associated with a cell and a services node operatively coupled to the radio nodes is provided. The services node provides connectivity to a core network. The method includes determining that a plurality of first UEs (User Equipment) each being serviced by a selected set of the cells is to operate in accordance with a hybrid joint processing scheme. Information is transferred between the plurality of first UEs and the radio nodes in accordance with the hybrid joint processing scheme by performing L1 layer processing on the radio nodes and L2 layer processing at the services node.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing location estimates of user equipment to be used in location based services are provided. Data collected from users in a local radio access network (RAN), such as an Enterprise RAN (E-RAN), as well as configuration information of the local RAN/E-RAN is siphoned from the system and utilized in conjunction with a location engine to provide a high accuracy location estimate for users in an indoor environment. The siphoned data is provided in a real-time location stream to the location engine.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for allocating frequencies in a radio access network (RAN) that includes a plurality of radio nodes each associated with a cell and a services node operatively coupled to the radio nodes. In accordance with the method, the radio nodes (RNs) in the RAN are divided into a plurality of clusters of RNs. A fractional frequency reuse (FFR) pattern is generated for each cluster. Transmission resources are allocated to the radio nodes in each cluster in accordance with the respective FFR pattern that is generated for each cluster.

Abstract: Arrangements disclosed here provide an LTE E-RAN employing a hierarchical architecture with a central controller controlling multiple LTE radio nodes (RNs). The RNs may be clustered within the small cell network. A fractional frequency reuse (“FFR”) scheme is provided that dynamically computes the FFR allocations at individual RNs and configures the corresponding schedulers within each RN to improve cell-edge users' experience. Once an FFR pattern has been generated and frequencies allocated, UE throughput can be emulated to predict the resulting bit rates for each UE. Using the prediction, a scheduler emulation may be run to predict the behavior of the system. The results of each cell may then be collected to generate the performance of the entire system, which may in turn be used to generate a new or modified FFR pattern, or new or modified clustering. Optimization of the performance results in an optimized FFR pattern.

Abstract: A services node (SN) is provided that functions as a local, premise-based gateway that anchors and aggregates a group of radio nodes (RNs). Accordingly, the SN absorbs the functionalities of conventional mobility management entities (MMEs), as well as serving and packet data network gateways, where the SN appears as a single virtual eNB to a macrocellular core network. As a result, complexity associated with aggregating and controlling a large number of RNs (performed by the SN) is hidden from the core network. Additionally, micro-mobility between individual RNs controlled by an SN is completely handled at a local enterprise gateway level, thus significantly reducing mobility-related signaling from impacting an MME pool in the code network. Moreover local data offloading is made possible via the SN.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer program products facilitate resource allocation to entities within a wireless communication network. Interference values are determined in the presence of entities that may or may not be controlled by the wireless communication network. Based on the determined interference values and associated statistics, throughputs associated with the user equipment within the wireless communication network are modified. These modifications enable an increase or decrease in the throughput of the user equipment, which optimizes the aggregate throughput of the wireless communication network while maintaining the interference levels within target levels.

Abstract: A radio access network, such as an LTE E-RAN, employs a hierarchical architecture and includes a services node that provides connectivity between the radio nodes in the RAN and a core network. The RAN employs a hybrid coordinated scheduling scheme in which independent schedulers are running on the services node and the radio nodes. In this way the services node can allocate scheduling resources for some of the UEs in the RAN while the radio nodes can allocate scheduling resources for the remaining UEs in their respective serving cells. In some cases a prioritization approach is used in which the radio nodes do not schedule any radio resources that have already been scheduled by the services node.