Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for small cell searching. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include searching, in a first mode, for a first cell including a first base station based on a first event; changing, based on a second event, to a second mode having a search rate different than the first mode, wherein the second mode searches for the first cell including the first base station; and establishing a connection from a user equipment to the first base station serving the first cell. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: The application relates to managing interference at the user equipment caused by femtocell base stations, such as home base stations, home E-UTRAN Node B base stations, and the like, configured with closed subscriber groups by allowing the user equipment to access a femtocell base station which would normally not allow access to the user equipment because the user equipment is not a member of the CSG being served by the femtocell base station. When a user equipment is within range of HeNB serving a CSG cell to which the user equipment is allowed access, referred to as the “allowed HeNB”, the user equipment may encounter severe interference from another, adjacent HeNB serving another CSG cell, which the user equipment may not be allowed access to, referred to as the “not allowed HeNB”, and which may have a stronger signal in terms of power than the HeNB including the CSG to which access is allowed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for dual connectivity. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include alternating access, by a user equipment during a transition between a first base station and a second base station, to the first base station and the second base station, wherein the alternating is performed during the transition in accordance with a schedule. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for controlling the handover of a mobile terminal, particularly a quickly moving mobile terminal, to a small cell. In the method, the speed or the mobility state of the mobile terminal is determined. The method may also determine whether at least a predefined plurality of small cells are available in proximity to the mobile terminal. If the mobile terminal is moving with a speed that satisfies the speed threshold or the mobility state satisfies a predefined criteria, the method causes initiation of a handover of the mobile terminal to a respective small cell only in an instance in which at least the predefined plurality of small cells are determined to be available in proximity to the mobile terminal or in which a successful connection or handover was previously established with the respective small cell or its neighboring small cell(s).

Abstract: According to an example embodiment of this invention, a method may include by a processor, receiving a configuration of a flexible muting pattern, wherein the muting pattern comprises a fixed part and an optional part; determining to activate the optional part of the flexible muting pattern; and preparing a message indicating to a network element that the optional part of the flexible muting pattern is activated. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from mobility state estimation (MSE) enhancement for small cell and heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployments of the same. For example, a first user equipment (UE) and a second user equipment traveling through a HetNet may pass through a varying number of cells causing a poor MSE for each. A method may comprise performing a MSE. The method may include determining whether at least one cell change results in UE staying less than a predetermined time in a cell and filtering out from the MSE the at least one cell change, when the UE stays less than the predetermined time in the cell. The method may also comprise including the at least one cell change in the MSE when the UE stays at least the predetermined time in the cell.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a controller for controlling radio communication using communication resources for user data communication, and control resources for controlling communication on the communication resources, an allocator for allocating mobile stations to use at least one of a dynamic allocation and a persistent allocation, each allocation defining a different utilization of the control resources and communication resources, a monitor for monitoring one or more reallocation conditions associated with at least one of the dynamic allocation and the persistent allocation, and a reallocator configured to reallocate at least one mobile station if one of the one or more reallocation conditions is fulfilled.

Abstract: Radio access networks and particularly enhancements for diverse data applications may benefit from a self-adjusting discontinuous reception (DRX) pattern. According to certain embodiments, for example, a method may include configuring a discontinuous reception pattern of a user equipment and adjusting the discontinuous reception pattern at the user equipment autonomously with respect to a base station.

Abstract: A user equipment UE selects between a first scanning mode and a second scanning mode using at least inputs of signal quality of a link with an access node and at least one of UE speed and network type of the access node. It then determines a scanning rate using the selected scanning mode and the UE speed, and detects and measures inter-frequency neighbor cells according to the determined scanning rate. In one example both modes the increase scanning rate for increased UE speeds, except that for the first mode speeds above Vt1 yield a zero scanning rate regardless of UE speed and for the second mode speeds above Vt2 yield a constant maximum scanning rate regardless of UE speed. In an embodiment the second mode is selected when the UE speed is >Vt1, and the signal quality is less than a predetermined minimum. Various other examples are detailed.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a transceiver configured to receive beacons from a plurality of access points; a processor configured to estimate an expected bit-rate for the plurality of access points based at least in part on a frequency spectrum use resourcing, select an access point from the plurality of access points based at least in part on a target expected bit-rate and cause the transceiver to connect to the selected access point.

Abstract: One or more hybrid automatic repeat request process identifications are configured for scheduling without associated control signaling. A particular HARQ process ID to be assumed for a given subframe is determined based on at least one of: a) system frame number; b) number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling; and c) periodicity for semi-persistent scheduling. In various embodiments: a) is broadcast and b) and c) are sent via RRC signaling; and the assumed particular HARQ process ID is determined as a function of [Current TTI/SP_Period] mod Num_SP_HARQ:wherein Current TTI is a number for the given subframe derived from the system frame number and the term [Current TTI/SP_Period] is rounded to an integer prior to the modulo operation; SP_Period is the periodicity of the semi-persistent scheduling; and Num_SP_HARQ is the number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for allocating communication resources in a communication system. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to monitor communication resources employed by a plurality of base stations, determine an opportunity for improved utilization of the communication resources by the apparatus and the plurality of base stations, and generate a change request for the communication resources employed by at least one of the plurality of base stations based on the opportunity for improved utilization thereof.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to at least a method, computer program, and apparatus to transmit a beacon from a first access node to a first user terminal associated with the first access node and also to a second user terminal associated with a second access node, where the beacon includes information indicating a priority of the first access node with respect to a radio resource allocation, and receive feedback from the first user equipment associated with the first access node, where the feedback includes information indicating a priority of the second access node.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for providing a communication resource for a communication device in a communication system. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor (410) and memory (450) having computer program code. The memory (450) and the computer program code is configured to, with the processor (400), cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: assess a capacity of a physical downlink control channel, provide a pre-assigned communication resource for transmission of data to a communication device upon determining insufficient capacity is available in the physical downlink control channel, and format the data for transmission to the communication device employing the pre-assigned communication resource.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method comprising: receiving a beacon signal from at least one transmitter; measuring total received interference power; determining strength of the received at least one beacon signal; determining at least one offset value by using the information the at least one beacon signal comprises; generating estimates of received interference power values transmitter-wise by using the determined at least one offset value and the determined strength of the received at least one beacon signal; combining the transmitter-wise estimated received interference power values for obtaining an estimated total received interference power; and subtracting the estimated total received interference power from the measured total received interference power for obtaining a residual interference power, the residual interference power originating from uncooperative devices.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a transceiver configured to receive beacons from a plurality of access points; a processor configured to estimate an expected bit-rate for the plurality of access points based at least in part on a frequency spectrum use resourcing, select an access point from the plurality of access points based at least in part on a target expected bit-rate and cause the transceiver to connect to the selected access point.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus and computer programs providing localized awareness of spectrum usage and other factors in uncoordinated deployments of radio access networks. A method includes transmitting a beacon from a first access node for reception by a first user terminal that is associated with the first access node and also by a second user terminal that is associated with a second access node. The method further includes receiving feedback from the first user terminal that is associated with the first access node, the feedback comprising information obtained by the first user terminal from a beacon received from the second access node.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a controller for controlling radio communication using communication resources for user data communication, and control resources for controlling communication on the communication resources, an allocator for allocating mobile stations to use at least one of a dynamic allocation and a persistent allocation, each allocation defining a different utilization of the control resources and communication resources, a monitor for monitoring one or more reallocation conditions associated with at least one of the dynamic allocation and the persistent allocation, and a reallocator configured to reallocate at least one mobile station if one of the one or more reallocation conditions is fulfilled.

Abstract: One or more hybrid automatic repeat request process identifications are configured for scheduling without associated control signaling. A particular HARQ process ID to be assumed for a given subframe is determined based on at least one of: a) system frame number; b) number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling; and c) periodicity for semi-persistent scheduling. In various embodiments: a) is broadcast and b) and c) are sent via RRC signaling; and the assumed particular HARQ process ID is determined as a function of [Current TTI/SP_Period] mod Num_SP_HARQ:wherein Current TTI is a number for the given subframe derived from the system frame number and the term [Current TTI/SP_Period] is rounded to an integer prior to the modulo operation; SP_Period is the periodicity of the semi-persistent scheduling; and Num_SP_HARQ is the number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling.