Abstract: An apparatus configured to operate in a network comprises: control circuitry configured to perform a selection operation to select a preferred base station from one or more base stations in the network, each base station having a backhaul connection; connection circuitry configured to connect to the preferred base station; and communication circuitry configured to receive characteristic data of the backhaul connection of each of the one or more base stations. The control circuitry is configured to perform the selection operation in dependence on the characteristic data.

Abstract: An apparatus, method of operating the apparatus, and system comprising the apparatus are provided. The apparatus has a backhaul sub-node to provide a backhaul connection to a communications network and an access sub-node to provide an access cell to which user equipment can connect. In response to a configuration trigger a configuration procedure is performed, in which the backhaul sub-node gathers information about the network environment and transmits at least a portion of the information about the network environment to a network management node. The the network management node then generates an access sub-node configuration which it transmits to the access sub-node, where the configuration is dependent on the information about the network environment transmitted to the network management node by the backhaul sub-node.

Abstract: There is provided a node that includes radio circuitry that wirelessly connects to other devices in a wireless network using either a first radio configuration or a second radio configuration. Scan circuitry determines a first measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to an analysed device in the other devices in the first radio configuration and a second measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to the analysed device in the second radio configuration. Metric calculation circuitry calculates, for each device in the other devices, a metric, wherein each metric is calculated by applying a first weighting greater than zero to the first measurement obtained for that device and a second weighting greater than zero to the second measurement obtained for that device. Selection circuitry adapted to select one of the other devices in dependence on the metric calculated for each of the other devices.

Abstract: A node is provided to operate in a wireless network. The node comprises scanning circuitry to perform a scanning process to detect one or more upstream nodes of said wireless network; connection circuitry to form a connection to one of said one or more upstream nodes in response to said scanning circuitry completing said scanning process, wherein said connection is broken as a consequence of said scanning process; storage circuitry to store one or more triggers; and processing circuitry to cause said scanning circuitry to perform said scanning process in response to one of said one or more triggers.

Abstract: There is provided a node for operating in a wireless network, including: coarse-granularity scanning circuitry that performs a coarse-granularity scanning process to detect one or more donor nodes of the wireless network according to a first metric. Connection circuitry forms a connection to a selected donor node in the one or more donor nodes. The connection is broken as a consequence of the coarse-granularity scanning process being performed. Fine granularity scanning circuitry performs a fine granularity scanning process to determine a configuration in which a quality of the connection is improved according to a second metric. The connection is maintained during the fine granularity scanning process.

Abstract: A node is provided to operate in a wireless network.

Abstract: There is provided a node that includes radio circuitry that wirelessly connects to other devices in a wireless network using either a first radio configuration or a second radio configuration. Scan circuitry determines a first measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to an analysed device in the other devices in the first radio configuration and a second measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to the analysed device in the second radio configuration. Metric calculation circuitry calculates, for each device in the other devices, a metric, wherein each metric is calculated by applying a first weighting greater than zero to the first measurement obtained for that device and a second weighting greater than zero to the second measurement obtained for that device. Selection circuitry adapted to select one of the other devices in dependence on the metric calculated for each of the other devices.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to operate in a network comprises: control circuitry configured to perform a selection operation to select a preferred base station from one or more base stations in the network, each base station having a backhaul connection; connection circuitry configured to connect to the preferred base station; and communication circuitry configured to receive characteristic data of the backhaul connection of each of the one or more base stations. The control circuitry is configured to perform the selection operation in dependence on the characteristic data.

Abstract: An apparatus, method of operating the apparatus, and system comprising the apparatus are provided. The apparatus has a backhaul sub-node to provide a backhaul connection to a communications network and an access sub-node to provide an access cell to which user equipment can connect. In response to a configuration trigger a configuration procedure is performed, in which the backhaul sub-node gathers information about the network environment and transmits at least a portion of the information about the network environment to a network management node. The the network management node then generates an access sub-node configuration which it transmits to the access sub-node, where the configuration is dependent on the information about the network environment transmitted to the network management node by the backhaul sub-node.

Abstract: There is provided a node for operating in a wireless network, including: coarse-granularity scanning circuitry that performs a coarse-granularity scanning process to detect one or more donor nodes of the wireless network according to a first metric. Connection circuitry forms a connection to a selected donor node in the one or more donor nodes. The connection is broken as a consequence of the coarse-granularity scanning process being performed. Fine granularity scanning circuitry performs a fine granularity scanning process to determine a configuration in which a quality of the connection is improved according to a second metric. The connection is maintained during the fine granularity scanning process.

Abstract: There is described a method of controlling a basestation in a cellular wireless communications network, the method comprising, within the basestation, autonomously and dynamically adapting a maximum value for a total transmit power of the basestation, such that interference between the basestation and other access points in the vicinity is minimized.

Abstract: There is described a method of controlling a basestation in a cellular wireless communications network, the method comprising, within the basestation, autonomously and dynamically adapting a maximum value for a total transmit power of the basestation, such that interference between the basestation and other access points in the vicinity is minimized.

Abstract: In a femtocell basestation of a cellular communications network, there is a potential difficulty that the basestation may be unable to select a scrambling code for its transmissions, without the risk of interference with other basestations using the same scrambling code. The femtocell basestation receives from a management system a list comprising at least one allowed scrambling code for femtocell basestations, and also detects, in information broadcast by at least one macrocell basestation, at least one allowed scrambling code available in an area containing the basestation. If it is determined that use of each scrambling code that is allowed and is available in an area containing the basestation would cause interference with another femtocell basestation, a parameter is set to ensure that a user equipment would perform a location update when moving between the coverage areas of said basestation and the other femtocell basestation. The parameter may be a MIB and/or SIB value tag.

Abstract: A basestation for a cellular communications network is intended to provide coverage over a small area, which may be within an area that already has cellular coverage from one or more existing basestations. The basestation is therefore able to detect signals transmitted from the other basestations, in order to make measurements of the radio environment. In particular, the basestation may be able to receive signals periodically on the system downlink frequencies.

Abstract: There is described a method of controlling a basestation in a cellular wireless communications network, the method comprising, within the basestation, autonomously and dynamically adapting a maximum value for a total transmit power of the basestation, such that interference between the basestation and other access points in the vicinity is minimized.

Abstract: Control unit within a femtocell base station is arranged to detect a transmission collision situation and resolves it by adjusting the timing of the transmission signal and consequently the frame position gradually over time. The adjustment (or shift) is performed in a slow enough rate such that the User Equipments currently connected (camped) to the femtocell base station remain connected. Additionally, a method is also provided. The method comprises: detecting neighboring base stations; detecting frame boundaries of the transmitting signal of each detected neighboring base station; calculating optimal transmit position; setting transmit position to calculated optimal transmit position; and maintaining optimal transmit position by gradually adjusting transmit position over time.

Abstract: A basestation in a cellular communication system corrects frequency errors in signals generated within the basestation. The frequency errors may be corrected on the basis of signals transmitted by one or more other basestation within the network. As an alternative, the basestation may request information from one or mobile devices that are also able to detect transmissions from other basestations.

Abstract: In a cellular communications network, it may be desirable for a large number of basestations to share one or a small number of scrambling codes. When a basestation identifies a desired scrambling code, which is also being used by another nearby basestation, steps are taken such that a location area update is triggered whenever a mobile communications device moves from a coverage area of the nearby basestation into a coverage area of said basestation. Further, the basestation establishes a first cell, using the desired scrambling code, and also establishes a second cell also served by the basestation, using a second scrambling code. By ensuring that mobile devices are preferentially served by the second cell, the possibility of interference with the nearby basestation is reduced.

Abstract: There is described a method of controlling a basestation in a cellular wireless communications network, the method comprising, within the basestation, autonomously and dynamically adapting a maximum value for a total transmit power of the basestation, such that interference between the basestation and other access points in the vicinity is minimized.

Abstract: A basestation in a cellular communication system corrects frequency errors in signals generated within the basestation. The frequency errors may be corrected on the basis of signals transmitted by one or more other basestations within the network. As an alternative, the basestation may request information from one or more mobile devices that are also able to detect transmissions from other basestations.