Abstract: Various systems and methods for interference beacon transmission are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for initiating cell reselection in a wireless communication device, such as a HNB, comprises a processor configured to determine a first frequency at which one or more wireless communication devices communicate with a first cell and a transceiver configured to transmit an interference beacon at the first frequency configured to at least partially interfere with communications at the first frequency and initiate a cell reselection process by at least one of the wireless communication devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for determining one or more parameters of an access point that can be set or adjusted to mitigate interference to other access points. A rise-over-thermal (RoT) threshold can be set at an access point based on one or more parameters, such as pathloss measurements, location of the access point, etc., such that interference from devices communicating with the access point can be mitigated. In addition, a noise floor, RoT threshold, etc., can be adjusted based on determining a transmit power difference, out-of-cell interference, and/or similar measurements.

Abstract: A small cell (e.g., femtocell) in a wireless communication may determine a set of wireless signal measurements for a plurality of small cells causing pilot cell pollution within a coverage area. The small cell may determine an adjustment of a transmission parameter of the small cells for reducing the pilot cell pollution, and transmit the adjustment to the small cells. The adjustment may include, for example, minimizing an area of overlap between at least two small cells having signal power difference below a threshold, maximizing a signal to interference and noise ratio at a location associated with at least two small cells, minimizing an area associated with at least two pilot signals within a threshold signal level, distributing traffic load to at least two of the small cells based on the set of measurements, or by minimizing the number of small cells covering a path.

Abstract: According to some wireless network standards the size of a neighbor cell list is restricted to a maximum size. The limited size of a neighbor cell list may not reflect the realities of a wireless network deployment, especially for deployments including numerous femto cells clustered in close proximity. Accordingly, as the concentration of macro cells and/or femto cells in an area increases, there lies a challenge to identify and communicate neighbor lists to user devices that reflect the arrangement of a particular portion of the deployment and the needs of the user devices. Various systems, methods and apparatus described herein are configured to provide a user device or a group of user devices a neighbor cell list that includes neighbor cell identifiers chosen from a candidate list.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed for facilitating a beacon-assisted handover from a macro network to a femto cell during an active call. A femto cell management system assigns a unique identifier to a femto cell, which the femto cell utilizes to broadcast a beacon at a frequency different than the operating frequency of the femto cell. A wireless terminal receives a control message from the macro network directing the wireless terminal to scan particular frequencies. The wireless terminal subsequently provides a report to the macro network identifying attributes ascertained from the scan, which includes attributes associated with the beacon. The macro network then performs a handover from the macro network to the femto cell as a function of the attributes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a femto node to configure one or more of its RF parameters. This may be achieved, for example, by determining capabilities of one or more neighboring femto or pico nodes based in part on signals received from the one or more neighboring femto or pico nodes, comparing the determined capabilities of the one or more neighboring femto or pico nodes to one or more capabilities of the femto node, and adjusting one or more RF parameters of the femto node based on the comparison.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for adapting femtocell properties based on changes detected in network topology. A method includes detecting a network topology change associated with a network node. The method includes determining an availability factor of the network node based on the topology change. The method includes setting mobility parameters of at least one mobile entity serviced by the network entity and mitigating interference with at least one neighboring network node based at least in part on the network topology and on at least one adjusted resource parameter of the network entity.

Abstract: Disclosed are system and method for classifying an indoors location of a femtocell or femto node. In an aspect, the system and method are configured to perform, by a femto node, radio frequency (RF) measurements of one or more neighboring femtocells and macrocells; collect performance measurement reports from one or more mobile devices; classify the indoors location of the femto node based on the performed RF measurements and the collected performance measurement reports; and adjust one or more RF resources and parameters of the femto node based on the indoors location classification of the femto node.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with determining whether to offload a device from a femto node. In one example, a serving femto node is equipped to obtain load information regarding a target node, compare an expected throughput at the target node, estimated based in part on the load information, to a threshold, and determine whether to handover a device to the target node based in part on the comparing. In an aspect, the serving node is further equipped to compute its own throughput based on parameters specific to the serving femto node or the device, and the threshold is the throughput at the serving femto node.

Abstract: Low-power access points are used to identify traffic congestion zones in a network. The low-power access points collect metrics that are used identify high demand areas. The locations of the traffic congestion zones are then determined based on the locations of the low-power access points that identified high demand. In some embodiments, metrics are collected and processed in a distributed fashion at each femtocell. Each femtocell then outputs an indication of high demand in the area and/or takes action to address the high demand at an identified traffic congestion zone. Alternatively, the femtocells may collectively take action to address the high demand at one or more identified traffic congestion zones. In other embodiments, metrics may be collected from the femtocells at a central entity and processed to identifying any traffic congestion zones near the femtocells, whereby the central entity takes appropriate action to address the high demand.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for configuring mobility or paging parameters of a femto node. A method includes determining capabilities of one or more neighboring access points based in part on signals received from the one or more neighboring access points. The method includes comparing the capabilities to one or more capabilities of the femto node to determine a mobility or paging parameter adjustment. The method includes adjusting one or more mobility or paging parameters based on the mobility or paging parameter adjustment.

Abstract: A cell reselection parameter is transmitted on one carrier frequency for a defined period of time to cause access terminals operating on that carrier frequency to more aggressively search for access points on at least one other carrier frequency. For example, a femto cell operating on one carrier frequency may transmit a broadcast channel including a cell reselection parameter such as Sintersearch on another carrier frequency that is used by a macro cell. Here, the value of the cell reselection parameter (e.g., Sintersearch) is chosen so that the access terminals will more aggressively conduct inter-frequency searches. In addition, the cell reselection parameter is transmitted for a period of time that ensures that a nearby access terminal will receive the parameter during its wakeup interval.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for adjusting a scheduled load for one or more user equipment (UE) in a wireless network. A comparison of each of one or more control parameters related to signals received from one or more UEs to a corresponding threshold can be determined. The control parameters can correspond to an in-cell load, rise-over-thermal, etc. The scheduled load of a base station can be adjusted based in part on the comparison. This adjustment can include adjusting the scheduled load by a step-size increase value or step-size decrease value, which can be computed based in part on a target tail probability for the one or more control parameters.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that include classifying nearby devices as neighboring or non-neighboring devices. Devices can be classified based on detected registration attempts to a femto node, where the femto node can switch paging area identifiers to cause the registration attempts or otherwise, analyzing measurement reports received from the devices in a registration request, and/or the like. The femto node can mitigate interference to the devices based on the classification.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that include calibrating transmit power of a femto node based on measuring one or more parameters related to usage of the femto node. The femto node can temporarily increase transmit power and analyze received measurement reports to determine a transmit power calibration. The femto node can additionally measure uplink received signal strength indicators over multiple time periods following handover of a user equipment (UE) to determine whether to increase transmit power to cover the UE.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for overcoming uplink (UL) interference at a femtocell or the like by modifying the estimated interference-plus-noise power in UL power control. In one example, the modification can be specified by a method, operable by a network entity, that may involve determining a level of excess received interference based at least in part on out-of-cell interference (Ioc). In another example, the modification can be specified by a method, operable by a network entity, that may involve determining a difference between the downlink transmit powers of the high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) serving and non-serving cells, with which the UE are in soft handover (SHO) in uplink and is served by the HSDPA serving cell in downlink.

Abstract: A neighbor cell list for a cell is maintained based on a received handover message that identifies at least one physical layer identifier. For example, the handover message may include measurement report messages (MRMs) generated by the access terminal being handed over. As another example, the handover message may include a neighbor cell list that is associated with the access terminal. The measurement report messages and the neighbor cell list associated with the access terminal will identify physical layer identifiers of cells in the vicinity of the source cell and, in some cases, in the vicinity of the access terminal being handed over. Upon receipt of the handover message, the neighbor cell list for the target cell is updated based on the physical layer identifiers identified by the handover message.

Abstract: Access terminals are provisioned to conduct intra-frequency, inter-frequency, and inter-RAT measurements and report physical layer identifiers of detected cells. The provisioning may involve cycling through all or a portion of a defined superset of physical layer identifier one subset at a time. In addition, the physical layer identifiers may be prioritized to improve the search procedure. Measurement report messages (including physical layer identifiers of the detected cells) are received at an access point as a result of the provisioning. A neighbor cell list for the femtocell is maintained based on the received measurement report messages and, optionally, other information.

Abstract: A small base node such as a Home Base Node (HNB), or femto cell, may reduce its transmit power in order to prevent co-channel or adjacent channel interference, or to limit its coverage area. Once the power is set, the HNB signal to a served Home User Equipment (HUE) its transmit Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) transmit power for accurate path loss estimation. When this power is outside of the permissible range, the HNB adjusts other parameters (such as Random Access Channel (RACH) constant value) to compensate for the error in signaled CPICH power, and thus compensate in that process the error in determining path loss. Similarly, if the uplink sensitivity is adjusted, to prevent interference, parameters would also be adjusted and signaled to the HUE to reflect the link imbalance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that include adjusting rise-over-thermal (RoT) or noise rise (NR) threshold based on detecting interference from one or more devices. A device can communicate within close proximity of a femto node such that the device does not respond to power down commands from the femto node due to operating at a minimum transmit power. The device can cause the RoT or NR at the femto node to potentially rise over a threshold, however. Thus, the femto node can increase the RoT or NR threshold to allow the device to communicate with the femto node without impacting other devices communicating with the femto node. Out-of-cell interference from devices communicating with other base stations can be detected as well, and the RoT or NR threshold can be adjusted based thereon.